Rockwool on Plant Roots. Good or bad?

[shrimp paste]

Hi Folks,

Just wondering what impact rockwool may have on water quality. I purchased some plants a few weeks ago and they came wrapped in that rockwool stuff. The roots were so imbedded that I thought i would do less damage to just leave the rockwool on. I have planted in to clay pots with gravel substrate.

Can the rockwool have any impact on my water quality? Should i dig them out and remove the rockwool?

I have not noticed any impact, but just thought the other day, maybe it was not a good idea to leave it on.

Any thoughts? Thank you.

[Fishpimpin73]

Ok....

So I googled "rockwool" and the only thing that I could find that pointed to a "negative" is as follows......

pH PROBLEMS - Rockwool has a high pH which means you have to adjust your nutrient solution low so that the root zone is neutral. Rockwool is also susceptible to pH shifts meaning a bit more routine maintenance to keep the pH levels correct.
( courtesy of http://www.simplyhydro.com/growing3.htm )

If it were me.....

I think that I would err on the side of caution and remove the "rockwool", but that is just MHO.

HTH

[shrimp paste]

Thanks Fishpimpin,

I think i will remove it just in case.

[Fishpimpin73]

NP :wink:

'tis what we do!

[flukes]

Never heard of it before, intresting...

[kalebjarrod]

Rock wool is a product you use in the prop of plants

it is meant to be inert but this raley happens

it also has no nutrient holding capacity, better to have a clay based substrate around the root ball to allow great "cation exchange" (the ability to hold nutrients and relaise them back upon demand)

the rock wool will do nil for growth

somthing like eco complete would be best if you can lay your hands on it