...And so the mostly inorganic experiment begins

GroveKeeper

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Pumice is generally less dense than water, scoria generally more. Scoria is generally dark in color and has more iron and magnesium than pumice - it typically comes from a different type of volcano than pumice does. Both are volcanic glass with air bubbles in them, but the definitions are not very precise. There is dark pumice and light scoria.

Maybe scoria was the wrong word. What I mean to say is, maybe when a volcano is spewing out hot rock, some of if may not have as many air bubbles as the rest, right? But it falls into roughly the same place as everything else. When we mine it, the rock is labelled pumice but there isn't going to be a homogeneous distribution of air bubblea throughout the entire layer of pumice?

I'm not a geologist so I'm going off of intuition.
 

fredman

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They sink right away? What about the other 10% ? Do they constantly remain afloat?
Yes they sink like rocks. I said 90% but its more like 99%. If you look carefully at the picture, you can see the floating and sunken ones. Yes the floating ones are still floating.
 

markyscott

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Maybe scoria was the wrong word. What I mean to say is, maybe when a volcano is spewing out hot rock, some of if may not have as many air bubbles as the rest, right? But it falls into roughly the same place as everything else. When we mine it, the rock is labelled pumice but there isn't going to be a homogeneous distribution of air bubblea throughout the entire layer of pumice?

I'm not a geologist so I'm going off of intuition.

Absolutely! Pumice is just glass with air bubbles in it. There's glass with no air bubbles in it at all - it's called obsidian. And everything in between. Pumice is the end member with lots of air bubbles. Geologists use a particular term called "vesicular" to describe the texture. It's typically reserved to pretty light low density stuff with lots of air bubbles. In fact, I've heard "less dense than water" as the definition of pumice, but I think in general use the term is far squish ire than that. Glass with lots of air bubbles and generally less dense than water is the best I can do. When it's mined, processed and sold as pumice, I expect the definitions are even less useful.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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What I find interesting is the subtle differences I see in pumice. The stuff from Japan (left) is round and seems less dense. What I have found here (Bonsai Jack, right) is angular and seems denser. Wonder what's the difference.
image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
 

markyscott

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What I find interesting is the subtle differences I see in pumice. The stuff from Japan (left) is round and seems less dense. What I have found here (Bonsai Jack, right) is angular and seems denser. Wonder what's the difference.
View attachment 104119 View attachment 104120 View attachment 104121

I'm not sure what the difference is exactly, but the color difference is likely compositional - the hyuga may be slightly altered or decomposed. The density difference for sure is related to how vesiculated it is. The hyuga is for sure more vesiculated than the Bonsai Jack variety.
 

AaronThomas

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just sift the bark down a step or two
Worked great.... also added a 1/2" buffer layer on the top of the soil of just bark.... about 1/4" to 3/8" pieces. Only watered once yesterday and today soil is just moist enough to leave alone. Ill check again later this afternoon.
 

AaronThomas

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****UPDATE****
So it's been just about 2 1/2 weeks since I re-re-potted two of my elms in a modern substrate.
Within the last week I have seen a huge improvement in the two trees from where they were when they were in a substrate with potting soil.
No more yellow or dropping leaves. The trees are pushing growth and a nice waxy sheen has returned to the leaves.
I am slowly introducing the trees to full sunlight.
I am very excited with this outcome.... First and foremost I am excited that the trees survive the second transplant of the season o_O and I feel I have alleviated the stress I was feeling with my initial poor soil choice. I have found I am needing to water the tree that was planted with the 50% lava and 50% pumice twice a day and the tree with the orchid bark only once a day. I think when it comes time to repot next season I will go with the 30% orchid bark 35% lava and 35% pumice mixture for a bit more moisture retention.
Overall at this point in time I am very happy.
Progress.... not perfection right?
Thanks all for your input!
IMG_4683.JPG IMG_4684.JPG
 

markyscott

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I'm glad it's working out for you. But I really encourage you to try this:

http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/ebihara-maples.18215/page-4#post-335336

Putting a layer of milled sphagnum on top of your soil will cut down on evaporation loss - you might find that you're able to cut back to once a day (this time of year) without the need for adding bark ...
 

AaronThomas

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@markyscott
Hey Scott!
Saw your post.... I checked at the big box stores here and the sphagnum they have is super dry and has tons of fines. It actually seemed to be mostly fines.
The "orchid moss" you use.... wondering if its as dry. Perhaps I can order online rather then buy the kindling that I saw?
 

sorce

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Soap in a box is dry.....
Till you get it set!

Lol.

Glad to see it worked for you too!

And thanks for sharing.

Progress for sure!

Sorce
 
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