New Ultra and EZ Blend Towers
Put the advantages of HydraFiber in your media mix—no specialized equipment required.
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The Ultimate Growing Media Substrate
The first substantial substrate innovation in almost 45 years, HydraFiber® is an approximately 98% porous fiber substrate with extremely low bulk density. HydraFiber is manufactured with our unique Thermally Refined® process that combines wood and bark and refines them in a pressurized vessel to create singulated, small-diameter, long, thin strands with large surface area (U.S. patent 10,266,457 and patents pending). With quality control and quality assurance checks every 30 minutes during production, HydraFiber is the same 365/24/7.
- 10% to up to 36.6% more available water to every plant due to fiber surface area up to seven times greater than peat
- Better air space and greater moisture availability lead to better root establishment and faster rooting
- No expansion with water needed
- Blends easily with other mix components
- Delivers more efficient storage per cubic yard of material than peat, bark, perlite, coir or vermiculite
- Locked-in contract pricing available
- Available unfrozen and ready to use when you want it
THE BOTTOM LINE
You can reduce your soilless media headaches while delivering exceptional plant quality and business efficiencies.
Request a Product Sample Kit
Start your move to better growing media by requesting a free product sample kit. Tell us a little bit about you and we’ll custom fit your sample kit with the right HydraFiber® products and blends so you can begin a seamless transformation to better margins and better plants.
HydraFiber is now available to retail consumers too! Visit Lowe’s for our Sta-Green® Perfect Potting Mix; or visit Amazon to buy our Glee™ Potting Mix!
Better Root Development
"We have not had to make any changes to our fertilization practices or plant growth regulation strategies. The transition to HydraFiber has been seamless."
We hear comments like this from growers all the time. Not only are they seeing equal or better root development compared to other mixes, but more importantly, they are having to change very little in their crop cultivation practices. Be sure to check out this Case Study from Dr. Glenn Fain at Auburn University for details on a recent Poinsettia Trial conducted with HydraFiber added to the mix in various percentages.
Peat-Lite Mix vs. HydraFiber Mix
Bark Mix vs. HydraFiber Mix
Peat-Coir Mix vs. HydraFiber Mix
HydraFiber Mix
Peat-Perlite Mix vs. HydraFiber Mix
Peat Mix vs. HydraFiber Mix
HydraFiber Mix
HydraFiber Mix
Improved Business Efficiencies
Whichever type of HydraFiber you bring in, the number of truckloads needed is usually lower compared to other key materials.
Easier Water Uptake
HydraFiber's tremendous surface area makes water work more efficiently. Water is held on the surface of the fiber and is more readily accessible when the plant needs it. To get an up-close-and-personal view of HydraFiber and how it is absorbed by the fiber, check out our Water Uptake Video on HydraFiber, peat and coir particles.
HydraFiber's tremendous surface area makes water work more efficiently
Peat
HydraFiber
Coir
Peat's waxy cuticle sheds water which doesn't store water for the plant
HydraFiber Thermally Refined fibers store and release water for the plant
Coir fibers trap water needed for the plant
Adding 20% HydraFiber to peat increases available water compared to 20% perlite or 20% coir blended with peat
Safe Outdoor Storage
HydraFiber bales and towers are wrapped in plastic, clearly labeled with the formulation name for easy identification. Each pallet receives a pallet cap and is shrink-wrapped. As long as the plastic is not pierced at off-loading, HydraFiber can be safely stored outdoors. In addition, with moisture level standard at approximately 20%, these raw materials do not freeze.
Calculator
Calculate Your Savings
We invite you to run the numbers and see for yourself how switching to HydraFiber will have a positive effect on your bottom line. This “HydraFiber Cost Savings Calculator” is designed to provide an idea of the annual savings you’ll achieve by switching from a blend of 80/20 peat/perlite to a blend of 70/30 peat/HydraFiber Ultra Bales, 70/30 peat/HydraFiber Ultra Towers or 50/50 HydraFiber EZ Blend. Simply enter your current mix volume and your state. Once you see the savings, please contact us for a custom calculation based on your specific mix.
Results
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Peat Cost Per Cubic Foot
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Perlite Cost Per Cubic Foot
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Your savings
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Per Cubic Yard with ${ this.productObj.label }
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Get a custom calculation
HydraFiber products
There’s a HydraFiber solution for every operation.
Propagation, 4 in., 6 in. & gallons
4 in., 6 in., 1 gallon & 2 gallon
1 gallon, 2 gallon & larger
Available in 50-lb. bales
Our original product line has a new name but is the same powerful and proven product that has become a game changer for professional greenhouse growers across the globe. Each is seeing better margins, whether it’s from improved root development and overall plant quality, inventory management, shelf life, efficiency or environmental benefits.
- Best for growers who amend/blend their own soil and have one or more transplant lines
- Requires specialized equipment; can be added to most existing mix lines
- Highly compressed (13:1 expansion rate); most economical raw material delivers best cost savings
- Available in three formulations based on crop types and timing
- OMRI Listed for Organic Use
| HYDRAFIBER | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 065WB | 160WB | 365WB | |||
| pH | 4.5 +/- 0.4 | ||||
| EC (mS/cm) | 0.01 - 0.19 | ||||
| Moisture Content^ | 22% +/- 4% | ||||
| Organic Matter^^ | 99.7 +/- 0.2% | ||||
| HYDRAFIBER | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 065WB | 160WB | 365WB | |||
| Total Porosity | 93-97% | 96-99% | 96-99% | ||
| Container Capacity (WHC)** | 49-55% | 42-49% | 35-42% | ||
| Air Pore Space | 39-47% | 48-55% | 58-63% | ||
| EXPECTED FIBER LIFE SPAN | 1 year | 2.5 years | 3-5 years | ||
| Loose Bulk Density*** | 1.4 lbs./ft.3 +/- 0.2 lbs./ft.3 (22 Kg/m3 +/- 3 Kg/m3) |
||||
^ Measured on weight basis
^^ Loss on Ignition (ASTM D586-97)
* Derived from Porometer Test Method-NCSU Substrates Lab
** WHC = Water-Holding Capacity
*** Profile Fiber Opener
NEW 95-cu-ft compressed towers
Growers and blenders can now strengthen their supply and increase economies with Ultra 160 and 365 formulations in cost-effective 95-cubic-foot towers, ready for immediate shipping.
HydraFiber 160
USES: 4 IN., 6 IN., 1 GALLON & 2 GALLON
HydraFiber 365
USES: 1 GALLON, 2 GALLON & LARGER
| HYDRAFIBER | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 160WB Tower | 365WB Tower | ||||
| pH | 4.5 +/- 0.4 | ||||
| EC (mS/cm) | 0.01 - 0.19 | ||||
| Moisture Content^ | 22% +/- 4% | ||||
| Organic Matter^^ | 99.7 +/- 0.2% | ||||
| HYDRAFIBER | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 160WB TOWER | 365WB TOWER | ||||
| Total Porosity | 96-99% | 96-99% | |||
| Container Capacity (WHC)** | 42-49% | 35-42% | |||
| Air Pore Space | 48-55% | 58-63% | |||
| EXPECTED FIBER LIFE SPAN | 2.5 Years | 3-5 Years | |||
| Loose Bulk Density*** | 1.4 lbs./ft.3 +/- 0.2 lbs./ft.3 (22 Kg/m3 +/- 3 Kg/m3) |
||||
^ Measured on weight basis
^^ Loss on Ignition (ASTM D586-97)
* Derived from Porometer Test Method-NCSU Substrates Lab
** WHC = Water-Holding Capacity
Available in 40-lb bales or NEW 95-cu-ft compressed towers
HydraFiber® EZ Blend offers an alternative to other raw materials and has an appearance similar to peat. Extensively trialed before introduction, EZ Blend delivers many of the same cost relief benefits as Ultra without adding specialized equipment to your existing line.
- 4:1 tower or 4.4:1 bale expansion rate requires a front-end loader or shovel to separate materials prior to blending
- Mixes easily with other media substrates; the HydraFiber experts will guide you on how much nitrogen (N) to add for best results
- OMRI Listed for Organic Use
- For optimum wettability, we recommend that a surfactant be added to EZ Blend at time of blending. Guidelines are available on request.
| HYDRAFIBER | |
|---|---|
| EZ Blend | |
| pH | 4.4 +/- 0.4 |
| EC (mS/cm) | 0.01 - 0.20 |
| Moisture Content^ | 26% +/- 4% |
| Organic Matter^^ | 97.5% +/- 0.2% |
| HYDRAFIBER | |
|---|---|
| EZ Blend | |
| TOTAL POROSITY | 92 - 97% |
| CONTAINER CAPACITY (WHC)** | 65 - 69% |
| AIR PORE SPACE | 25 - 29% |
| LOOSE BULK DENSITY | 3.85 - 4.15 lbs./ft.3 +/- 0.15 lbs./ft.3 (61.7 - 66.5 kg/m3 +/- 2.5 kg/m3) |
^ Measured on weight basis
^^ Loss on Ignition (ASTM D586-97)
* Derived from Porometer Test Method-NCSU Substrates Lab
** WHC = Water-Holding Capacity
80 compressed cubic feet of material per pallet
NEW FibreDust HydraFiber Blocks provide growers and blenders with a preblended mix option that combines the benefits of coir and engineered fibers into one ready-to-use block, without requiring any specialized processing equipment.
- Can be used as a stand-alone material with an amendment added onsite or can be incorporated with other substrate materials
- EC is about half of conventional coir
- Potassium is 65% lower than 100% coir
- Sodium is one-third that of 100% coir
- Lower pH than coir alone, requiring less buffering, therefore simplifying production even more
| FIBREDUST HYDRAFIBER BLOCK SPECIFICATIONS | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TYPICAL RESULT | RANGE | ||||
| pH | 6.2 | 5.7 - 6.7 | |||
| EC (mS/cm) | < 0.20 | ||||
| FIBREDUST HYDRAFIBER BLOCK SPECIFICATIONS | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TYPICAL RESULT | RANGE | ||||
| PALLET YIELD(ft3)* | 520 | 500 - 540 | |||
| EXPANSION RATIO | 6.3 | 5.8 - 6.8 | |||
| PALLET WEIGHT (net) | 2138 (970 kg) | ||||
| PALLET DIMENSIONS (in) | 43" x 45" x 80" | ||||
| TOTAL POROSITY | 90% | 85 - 95% | |||
| CONTAINER CAPACITY | 65% | 60 - 70% | |||
| AIR PORE SPACE | 23% | 18 - 28% | |||
* Opening method and moisture content can cause variance in yield per pallet.
HydraFiber Ultra Processing Equipment
An important feature of HydraFiber Ultra is that it comes compressed and packaged in 50-lb. bales with a 13:1 expansion rate. That’s key to reducing your shipping costs, saving storage space and unloading fewer trucks. AgriNomix in Oberlin, Ohio – industry leaders in greenhouse manufacturing equipment – developed the HydraFiber processing units to fit easily into most existing mix lines. These machines are designed to return the HydraFiber Ultra bales to their fibrous state and maximize the yield of each bale, producing 1.1 cubic yards of singulated fibrous material that’s ready to blend with other components.
Watch our short video to see the HydraFiber processing equipment in action.
HydraFiber Expander (HE) Unit*
Best for Growers with One to Two Planting Lines
- Durable performance in a compact, smaller-footprint unit
- Easy to self-install into most existing mix lines
- Can be fed directly from your bale shaver or mix line
- Blends HydraFiber Ultra with a single substrate
HydraFiber Processing Unit (HPU)*
Best For Regional Blenders and Growers
- Maximizes HydraFiber Ultra yield and uniformity
- Can be employed as the blending line mixer chamber
- Industrial computer with “per call” variable HydraFiber Ultra ratio control when used with full recipe mix system
- Touch screen with bale counter and maintenance reminders
- Stainless steel mix chamber
Extra Wide HydraFiber Processing Unit*
LARGE-VOLUME CUSTOM UNIT AVAILABLE ON REQUEST; Best for High-Capacity Blenders and Growers
- Dual bale in-feed doubles your throughput of exceptionally blended mix
- Variable speed direct drive for every roller allows for individual speed control and minimizes maintenance and component wear
Accessories
Vacuum Lift Assembly
- Vacuum-operated lift assists in lifting HydraFiber bales, fertilizer, lime and more
- Can usually be mounted to a nearby column
Universal Soil Conditioner*
- Recommended for optimal fill with all HydraFiber Products
- Innovative appliance controls soil flow out of the hopper, removing clumps from soil to improve and simplify pack filling
- Universal mounting hardware allows it to be mounted on virtually any hopper-over-belt filler
- Watch Video: Getting Proper Fill – Improve Flow with the Universal Soil Conditioner
NOTE: Machine photos are for illustrative purposes only. All HydraFiber bales must have plastic removed for processing.
* Patent Pending