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Growing Media for Hydroponics

Video Transcript:

Hi, I’m Shiran from Aqua Gardening

One of the first questions we get from hydroponic beginners is which growing media to use.

The grow media you select is more determined by the type of hydroponic system you have. First let me explaining what growing media’s are.

It is very much a personal preference, but there are some growing medias that are more suitable to a system, than others. The most common options are Clay balls, Perlite, Vermiculite, coco and rockwool.

Clay balls made from baked clay, they are porous and light which makes them great for drainage and transport. They suit any system that involves a continuous water flow like DWC, recirculating Systems and flood and drain. They hold little moisture.

Often they are used to aerate your soil or coco for better drainage, and you can even put a layer of them in any pot around the house, so plants cannot absorb any excess water from the bottom and get “wet feet”.

Perlite, is created by air-puffing volcanic glass to create an extremely light and porous material. It allows good drainage of water, but will also absorb it to an extent. It is great used alone autopot systems, wall gardens, NFT, drain to waste, and recirculating systems.

It is very common to mix it with vermiculite, or to combine it in a ratio of 30% perlite to 70% coco or soil. It’s not just a cheap way to bulk up the volume of your growing media, but also excellent for aeration in the root zone.

Vermiculite is another light media like perlite, consisting of a combination of minerals that are heated until they expand into flaky pebbles. When it is wet, it behaves like a sponge, the opposite to perlite which holds a lot of water.

Vermiculite can be used on its own for propagation, but it is recommended to mix with other media like perlite, coco or soil to encourage better water retention.

Coco is a natural fibre extracted from the husk of coconuts. It is also known as Coir or Coconut fibre. It’s usually a plain sterile medium, but lower quality manufacturers do not wash the fibres well enough, leaving salt in the product which can damage plants.

At Aqua Gardening we test any new brand of coco before it goes on the shelf. Coco is a great medium to use - it is porous for air, retains water well, but dries a lot quicker than soil, so you don’t risk in over watering.

Coco is ideal for systems using the method of run to waste, Autopot or as a general replacement to potting mix around the house. It is also a great medium for propagation. To give it even more aeration and better drainage, mix in 30% perlite.

Rockwool is made by melting rock and spinning it into extremely thin and long fibres. Once it is in its final shape, it contains many layers of fibres that create air pockets that allow good aeration and drainage. It should not be squeezed like a sponge as this destroys the air pockets and can choke a plant’s roots. Rockwool comes in many sizes for different stages of plant growth.

It is sterile, but often has a high pH, so before your first use it we recommend to soaking it in water buffered to pH 5.5.

It is great for propagation and you can transfer the small cube into any other growing media, or you can grow a complete plant using rockwool by inserting a small cube into a bigger one and then placing it on a larger rockwool slab for a base.

The last growing media I want to discuss are professional potting soils. Once you try any of these you will never buy another soil again. They are high in nutrition, and can be used over and over, with just a little top dressing. They can also be used in conjunction with liquid plant food to control the plant’s growth. They are not a hydroponic media, but more of a tailored potting soil for those from starter to professional levels.

Now you know all the types of growing media there are, you can choose which one will be the ideal one for your circumstances.

We have matched the best growing media to the different hydroponics systems:

For Run to Waste – use Coco coir, perlite & vermiculite, rockwool & professional soil – BUT not clay balls

For Recirculating & DWC – use clay balls only

For Flood & Drain – use Clay Balls, perlite or rockwool

We recommend you watch our Hydroponics Growing Kits video to find out which kit best suits you.

I’m Shiran from Aqua Gardening, for safe healthy food which grows itself!

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(a) nutrients, additives, lamps/lights/CFLs, growing media, fish food and liquid pond treatments;
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(c) Special orders, for products not regularly stocked this item, are marked as ‘Special Order’ in the availability description;
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7.4. contact Aqua Gardening within 24 hours of receiving the goods to report the damage and provide photos of the damaged box and damaged Product.
(a) contact the Delivery Service Provider directly to request a refund or to claim on any insurance options available; and
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(a) the business name, trading name, domain name, trademark, industrial design, patent, registered design or copyright of Aqua Gardening ; or
(b) the right to use or exploit a business name, trading name, domain name, trademark or industrial design; or
(c) a system or process that is the subject of a patent, registered design or copyright (or an adaptation or modification of such a system or process).
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Aqua Gardening takes your privacy seriously and any information provided through your use of the Website and/or the Purchase Services are subject to Aqua Gardening's Privacy Policy, which is available on the Website.

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(f) any defamatory, threatening, offensive or unlawful conduct of third parties or publication of any materials relating to or constituting such conduct.

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11.3. Aqua Gardening is not responsible or liable in any manner for any site content (including the Content and Third Party Content) posted on the Website that is not authored by Aqua Gardening in connection with the Purchase Services, whether posted or caused by users of the Website of Aqua Gardening , by third parties in respect of any of the Products or Purchase Services offered by Aqua Gardening.
11.4. You acknowledge that Aqua Gardening does not provide the Delivery Services to you and you agree that Aqua Gardening will not be liable to you for any special, indirect or consequential loss or damage, loss of profit or opportunity, or damage to goodwill arising out of or in connection with the Delivery Services.
11.5. If incorrect content or advice has been provided, Aqua Gardening will take reasonable steps to ensure the issue is resolved with you. Aqua Gardening is not responsible or liable for any losses incurred by our recommendations, and will assess in its own sole discretion whether a refund or replacement ought to be issued by contacting us at https://www.aquagardening.com.au/form/contact-support/

12. Termination of Contract

12.1. The Terms will continue to apply until terminated by either you or by Aqua Gardening as set out below.
12.2. If you want to terminate the Terms, you may do so by:
(a) notifying Aqua Gardening at any time; and closing your accounts for all of the Purchase Services which you use, where Aqua Gardening has made this option available to you.
(b) Your notice should be sent, in writing, to Aqua Gardening via the 'Contact Us' link on our homepage.
12.3. Aqua Gardening may at any time, terminate the Terms with you if:
(a) you have breached any provision of the Terms or intend to breach any provision;
(b) Aqua Gardening is required to do so by law;
(c) the partner with whom Aqua Gardening offered the Purchase Services to you has terminated its relationship with Aqua Gardening or ceased to offer the Purchase Services to you;
(d) Aqua Gardening is transitioning to no longer providing the Purchase Services to Users in the country in which you are resident or from which you use the service; or
(e) the provision of the Purchase Services to you by Aqua Gardening is, in the opinion of Aqua Gardening, no longer commercially viable.
12.4. Subject to local applicable laws, Aqua Gardening reserves the right to discontinue or cancel your membership to the Website at any time and may suspend or deny, in its sole discretion, your access to all or any portion of the Website or the Purchase Services without notice if you breach any provision of the Terms or any applicable law or if your conduct impacts Aqua Gardening's name or reputation or violates the rights of those of another party.
12.5. When the Terms come to an end, all of the legal rights, obligations and liabilities that you and Aqua Gardening have benefited from, been subject to (or which have accrued over time whilst the Terms have been in force) or which are expressed to continue indefinitely, shall be unaffected by this cessation, and the provisions of this clause shall continue to apply to such rights, obligations and liabilities indefinitely.

13. Indemnity

13.1. You agree to indemnify Aqua Gardening, its affiliates, employees, agents, contributors, third party content providers and licensors from and against:
(a) all actions, suits, claims, demands, liabilities, costs, expenses, loss and damage (including legal fees on a full indemnity basis) incurred, suffered or arising out of or in connection with any Content you post through the Website;
(b) any direct or indirect consequences of you accessing, using or transacting on the Website or attempts to do so and any breach by you or your agents of these Terms; and/or any breach of the Terms.

14. Dispute Resolution

14.1. Compulsory:
If a dispute arises out of or relates to the Terms, either party may not commence any Tribunal or Court proceedings in relation to the dispute, unless the following clauses have been complied with (except where urgent interlocutory relief is sought.
14.2. Notice:
A party to the Terms claiming a dispute ('Dispute') has arisen under the Terms, must give written notice to the other party detailing the nature of the dispute, the desired outcome and the action required to settle the Dispute.
14.3. Resolution:
On receipt of that notice ('Notice') by that other party, the parties to the Terms ('Parties') must:
(a) Within 30 days of the Notice endeavour in good faith to resolve the Dispute expeditiously by negotiation or such other means upon which they may mutually agree;
(b) If for any reason whatsoever, 40 days after the date of the Notice, the Dispute has not been resolved, the Parties must either agree upon selection of a mediator or request that an appropriate mediator be appointed by the President of the Australian Mediation Association (Phone: 1300 633 428) or his or her nominee;
(c) The Parties are equally liable for the fees and reasonable expenses of a mediator and the cost of the venue of the mediation and without limiting the foregoing undertake to pay any amounts requested by the mediator as a precondition to the mediation commencing. The Parties must each pay their costs associated with the mediation;
(d) The mediation will be held in Brisbane, Australia.
14.4. Confidential
All communications concerning negotiations made by the Parties arising out of and in connection with this dispute resolution clause are confidential and to the extent possible, must be treated as "without prejudice" negotiations for applicable laws of evidence.
14.5. Termination of Mediation
If 6 weeks have elapsed after the start of a mediation of the Dispute and the Dispute has not been resolved, either Party may ask the mediator to terminate the mediation and the mediator must do so.

15. Venue and Jurisdiction

The Purchase Services offered by Aqua Gardening is intended to be viewed by residents of Australia. In the event of any dispute arising out of or in relation to the Website, you agree that the exclusive venue for resolving any dispute shall be in the courts of Queensland, Australia.

16. Governing Law

The Terms are governed by the laws of Queensland, Australia. Any dispute, controversy, proceeding or claim of whatever nature arising out of or in any way relating to the Terms and the rights created hereby shall be governed, interpreted and construed by, under and pursuant to the laws of Queensland, Australia, without reference to conflict of law principles, notwithstanding mandatory rules. The validity of this governing law clause is not contested. The Terms shall be binding to the benefit of the parties hereto and their successors and assigns.

17. Independent Legal Advice

Both parties confirm and declare that the provisions of the Terms are fair and reasonable and both parties have taken the opportunity to obtain independent legal advice and declare the Terms are not against public policy on the grounds of inequality or bargaining power or general grounds of restraint of trade.

18. Severance

If any part of these Terms is found to be void or unenforceable by a Court of competent jurisdiction, that part shall be severed and the rest of the Terms shall remain in force.

Your Privacy

Aqua Gardening Australia is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Privacy Act and other applicable legislation, such as the Spam Act, the Do Not Call Register Act, and health privacy laws. This Privacy Policy is available on the Aqua Gardening Australia website at www.aquagardening.com.au, or you can request a copy by contacting our office.

What We Collect and How We Collect It

The personal information we collect about you depends on your interactions with us. Personal Information includes any data about an individual who is reasonably identifiable. For example, if you:

Make an in-store purchase, we may collect your credit card, identity, and transaction details in person and, if you use our delivery service, your name, contact details, and delivery address.
Pre-order goods or services, place goods on hold, request repairs, or purchase certain products from us, we may collect your name and contact details.
Join special mailing lists or databases to receive information about specific brands or products, we may collect your name, contact details, date of birth, and information about your shopping or product preferences.
Make a purchase online or via an electronic device (such as an iPad in-store or when setting up an online account), we will collect your name, contact details, order details, credit card information, delivery address or store pickup details. We may also request your date of birth and gender.
Provide information via our social media pages (e.g., on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram), such as your name or contact details.
Attend an Aqua Gardening event or function, we will collect your name, contact details, and any dietary or accessibility requirements.
Enter a competition or complete a survey (online or printed), we may collect your name, contact details, along with your preferences and feedback.
Send an enquiry or feedback via our online form or Customer Service Centre, we will collect your name, contact details, details of your enquiry or feedback, and information about our response.
Apply for a job at Aqua Gardening, we will collect the information you include in your application, including contact details for you and your referees.

Collection of Personal Information through Websites and Apps

Information is automatically collected through your use of the Aqua Gardening website and affiliated sites via cookies. Cookies are small text files that websites or apps may place on your device. They are typically used to recognize return visitors, remember user preferences, and track usage behavior. For example, when you visit our website, we may use cookies to record your server address, date and time of visit, pages viewed, any documents downloaded, and the type of browser and operating system you’re using. This information is used for statistical analysis and to improve the functionality and usability of our website.

Sensitive Information

Aqua Gardening only collects sensitive information (e.g., health information) where it is reasonably necessary for our functions or activities and only with your consent or when required or authorised by law.

Why We Collect Personal Information

Main Purposes

The primary purposes for which we collect, hold, use, and disclose personal information are:

Processing in-store and online transactions, including the delivery of products and services.
Promoting Aqua Gardening and its products and services, including through direct marketing, events, competitions, public relations, and social media.
Conducting research and statistical analysis for customer satisfaction and product/service improvements, as well as for tailoring existing or new products, services, and promotional offers.
Developing and launching new ranges of products or services.
Ensuring the security of our store, staff, customers, suppliers, and merchandise (including prevention of theft and fraud).
Responding to queries, resolving complaints, and monitoring social media interactions.
Recruiting staff and contractors.
General planning and administration.

We may also use personal information for other purposes as explained at the time of collection or as required or authorised by law, with your consent.

i. Direct Marketing and Opting Out

By providing your address, email, and telephone number to Aqua Gardening, you consent to us contacting you for the aforementioned purposes. We may send you communications via mail, email, social media, SMS, MMS, or telephone. You can opt out of receiving these communications by:

Contacting us via email at info@aquagardening.com.au, or by calling our Customer Service Centre at (03) 9796 3100.
Informing us when you receive a marketing call that you no longer wish to receive such calls.
Using the unsubscribe facility provided in our electronic communications (e.g., email, SMS, or MMS).

ii. Email and Mobile Communication

If you provide an email address or phone number, you consent to receiving electronic communications such as notices or reminders via that address or number. We recommend providing your personal email or phone number instead of one that is accessible to colleagues.

Who We May Share Your Personal Information With

We may share your personal information with third parties when necessary for the purposes outlined above. These may include:

Financial institutions involved in payment processing.
Referees whose details are provided by job applicants.
Aqua Gardening’s contracted service providers and partners, including local and overseas agents, delivery and shipping providers, IT service providers, marketing and communications agencies, research and analysis providers, call centres, mail carriers (both hard copy and electronic), manufacturers, suppliers, and external business advisers (such as recruitment advisors, auditors, and lawyers). Third parties offering Aqua Gardening-branded products, such as insurance or credit card facilities, may also receive your information.
Regulatory, investigative, or government bodies as required by law.

We may instruct these third parties to contact you directly for specific purposes and pass on information collected from you while providing the relevant products or services.

Cross-Border Disclosure

We may disclose your personal information to recipients overseas, such as in the United States or other jurisdictions, depending on the services provided (e.g., data storage via cloud services, hosting of our customer relationship management systems, or managing delivery address information for online orders).

Data Quality and Security

General

We hold personal information in various forms, including printed documents, electronic databases, and email contact lists. Printed documents may reside at our head office or be archived in secure offsite facilities. We take reasonable steps to:

Ensure that the personal information we collect, use, and disclose is accurate, up-to-date, complete, and relevant.
Protect the personal information we hold from misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure.

You can help us maintain accurate records by informing us of any changes to your details.

i. Security

Our security measures include website protection, restricted access to our computer systems, and controlled access to our facilities. While we endeavour to secure all personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of information transmitted over the internet—it is at your own risk. To further protect your information, please keep your account details confidential and notify us immediately if you suspect a security breach.

Access and Correction

i. General

If you wish to access or correct any personal information we hold about you, please contact our Privacy Officer. We may require verification of your identity before processing your request to ensure the proper protection of your information.

ii. Access

We usually provide access to your personal information within 30 days, subject to legal exceptions. We will accommodate your preferred format (e.g., photocopies or direct viewing) if it is reasonable and practicable. A fee may be charged to cover our costs of locating and providing the information.

iii. Correction

If you request corrections to your personal information or we determine that your information is inaccurate, outdated, incomplete, irrelevant, or misleading, we will take reasonable steps to correct it. If the information has already been disclosed to a third party, we may, upon your request, notify them of the correction, unless this is impractical or unlawful.

Complaints or Questions

If you have any questions about how Aqua Gardening manages your personal information, or if you wish to lodge a complaint regarding a potential breach of the Privacy Act, please contact our Privacy Officer using the details below:

Email: info@aquagardening.com.au
Telephone: (03) 9796 3100

We will handle all complaints fairly and promptly. Typically, we aim to resolve complaints within 30 days. Should an investigation require additional time, we will inform you of an expected timeframe.

Changes to This Policy

Aqua Gardening may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The latest version will always be posted on our website, and you can obtain a copy by contacting our Customer Service Centre.