The following is the method I use to sterilise expanded clay balls for reuse. Note: Clay balls I use are smooth coated, they will float in water no matter how long they are in the water.
- Firstly they need to be cleaned of any roots or other attachments; I use a sand-paper block or a metal pot scrubber to remove these attachments. I then put them in a plastic slotted crate and give them a good hosing to remove any rubbish.
- I use a 60 litre rubbish bin; fill to about 60% with warm water, the warm water will help to dissolve the TRISODIUM PHOSPHATE quicker. Add the Trisodium Phosphate slowly and stir until the powder does not dissolve any-more, it is then a SATURATED SOLUTION. The water is slippery between the fingers.
- I then add the clay balls, about one and half buckets. The balls float above the water line, so to keep them down, I put a plastic lid upside down with two to three bricks on it, to keep the balls submerged in the sterilising liquid. I leave them like that for two hours.
- On removing the treated clay balls, they are put in a slotted plastic crate, thoroughly hosed and left to dry. When dry, they are then put in another bin for final cleaning and being prepared for their reuse.
- The second 60 litre bin, again 60 % full of water, has Alginox, at 5mls to a litre and Calcium Nitrate at one gram to a litre. The balls are left for one hour and then removed into a plastic crate, left to drain and are then ready for reuse.
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