Perlite or Vermiculite?

[phrank]

I can find perlite everywhere, but vermiculite not so much. Is there a big difference between them? I just want to know if perlite will be fine to use. It seems that most people use vermiculite and I'm not sure why. Any advice or knowledge would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[spiderhawk]

I have always used vermiculite with excellent results. I have recently considered trying perlite, as some claim it is safer. I will be watching this thread with curiosity. Hopefully someone that has used both can answer your question.

 

[Kid Dragon]

Don't use perlite

Perlite is not good, too abrasive. Look for vermiculite (safe to use) at Home Depot or local nurseries. Peat moss is also safe.

 

[scolex]

I use both, my mix is more vermic than perlite like a 75/20 mix, with others added, like organic peat moss, poting soil, spageime moss, sorry cant spell.. to many beers... I like to use for the most part Just Pot soil. Never had an issue with it, and I don't care what others think or say ....

 

[wsimms]

I use 50% vermiculite, 25% perlite and 25% horticultural charcoal. The perlite is for aeration. It doesn't hold moisture well at all. This is probably why no one uses it straight.

 

[reverendsterlin]

perlite (siliceous rock) doesn't hold as much water as vermiculite (a volcanic mineral (MgFe,Al)3(Al,Si)4O10(OH)2·4H2O) and is harder and stronger (lasting longer) as well as slightly more acid neutral. Both are used horticulturally to lighten soils and also to provide a wicking action that absorbs and releases water (with perlite the smaller the particle the more water retention). Vermiculite does basically the same thing as perlite but is able to absorb larger quantities of water. Both are excellent additions to peat in enclosures for moisture/humidity loving T's slowing evaporation, for dry substrate T's neither helps much, it doesn't allow the dry peat to bind together as well and makes burrows more subject to collapse.
Rev

 

[Brian S]

Just use straight peat. No need to worry about vermiculite or perlite

 

[wsimms]

Just use straight peat. No need to worry about vermiculite or perlite

I personally believe inorganic substrates are far less prone to mildew and infestations than peat, especially in high humidity conditions. After all, organic=potential nutrition source for unwanted guests in the T enclosure.

 

[reverendsterlin]

I personally believe inorganic substrates are far less prone to mildew and infestations than peat, especially in high humidity conditions. After all, organic=potential nutrition source for unwanted guests in the T enclosure.

Both perlite and vermiculite are inorganic but a problem with inorganic materials is their lack of binding properties. Peat mosses create and maintain a nutrient-poor, acidic environment that fosters growth of the peat moss itself but is intolerable to all but a small variety of highly-specialized other plants. This acidic environment also lowers pest infestations, several members will be able to give comments on the increased problems found when using soil based mixes. No substrate is perfect but for the price peat moss is one of the best.
Rev

 

[Brian S]

I personally believe inorganic substrates are far less prone to mildew and infestations than peat, especially in high humidity conditions. After all, organic=potential nutrition source for unwanted guests in the T enclosure.

If you keep uneaten food remains out you dont have to worry. I have many tropical enclosures with straight peat and have no mildew in any of them

 

[wsimms]

Both perlite and vermiculite are inorganic but a problem with inorganic materials is their lack of binding properties.

I assume you mean vis-a-vis obligate burrowers. For those I use straight fine grain vermiculite. I can't see that it's "arcitecturally" any different than potting soil as long as it stays moist.

 

[Kid Dragon]

Perlite dust could be unhealthy

Inhaling perlite dust is like inahling tiny pieces of glass into your lungs. Someone on the boards warned me years ago that it could be harmful to the Ts book lungs. I'm not sure if that is true, but that info was given to me years ago, and I've never used perlite.

In small qualities mixed with peat moss, I think it would be fine, but I've never heard anything against vermiculite, and its just as cheap.

 

[wsimms]

Inhaling perlite dust is like inahling tiny pieces of glass into your lungs. Someone on the boards warned me years ago that it could be harmful to the Ts book lungs. I'm not sure if that is true, but that info was given to me years ago, and I've never used perlite.

In small qualities mixed with peat moss, I think it would be fine, but I've never heard anything against vermiculite, and its just as cheap.

They are both silicates and are considered nuisance dusts, nothing more. As a matter of fact, at one time some of the insulation grade vermiculite in the US was contaminated by asbestos, so it was actually considered "the bad guy".

 

[ThistleWind]

IMO, perlite just makes a T setup look unnatural. Like you didn't have any normal substrate with you so you took some dirt out of a plant.

 

[ShellsandScales]

I'm very surprised that no one has mentioned that vermiculite dust is thought to be a carcinogen and can cause cancer. Even in the low amounts used in bedding I personally wouldn't risk it. I don't use either, however, perilite/peat mix is what I would use if I thought the extra substrate cost was justified.

Perilite seems to be preferred for use incubating reptile eggs nowadays so I would follow their suit.

 

[wsimms]

I'm very surprised that no one has mentioned that vermiculite dust is thought to be a carcinogen and can cause cancer.

It's not and it doesn't. What you are referencing is the asbestos-contaminated insulation grade vermiculite that occurred some time ago.

 

[reptist]

Safe

Yea, once the government verified that asbestos was a carcenigion they jumped on most all distributers of asbestos containing products, at least in the US, here is todays vermiculite, safe and has been for 25+ yrs, it inhibits mold/fungal growth, is inhospitable to most pest insects, holds moisture better than ANY other substrate, is cheap, looks OK to super, (depending on who sets up the tank) and I find it most readily at home depot, IME alot of peat products actualy come equiped with their own pest insects, although these dont seem to bother the T much they can get out of controll pretty easily, ive used 100% vermiculite for 15+yrs, if you keep it slightly moist and keep uneaten remains out of the enclosure you will have no probs w/ mold or pests, PEACE, B.

View attachment 72836

 

[wsimms]

I was wondering when you were going to jump in on this, Brandon. I obviously agree with everything you said. Also let us not forget in this discussion that peat bogs are fragile ecosystems that are being decimated in some places.

 

[reptist]

Perilite

Oh yea, I almost forgot, unless mixed verry sparingly w/ another form of sub. Perilite is completely worthless as a sub for T's, prob even damnaging!! PEACE, B.

 

[Kid Dragon]

I'm very surprised that no one has mentioned that vermiculite dust is thought to be a carcinogen and can cause cancer. Even in the low amounts used in bedding I personally wouldn't risk it. I don't use either, however, perilite/peat mix is what I would use if I thought the extra substrate cost was justified.

Perilite seems to be preferred for use incubating reptile eggs nowadays so I would follow their suit.

Vermiculite doesn't contain asbestos like it did 25 years ago. I would chose vermiculite over perlite for tarantulas for all of the advantages perviously stated. The stereotype that perlite is just as good as vermiculite is incorrect on many levels.