Hard akadama brands

[David wv]

First time buying akadama, I wanted to start using it and pumice on a few of my better trees. I purchased what i thought was a good brand of double line hard Ibaraki akadama from a supplier on Etsy. After waiting 2 weeks and watching it (through tracking) criss cross around half the country. (Usps is insanely awful now days) I got it today and it was a different bag than the one listed. I just want to make sure what I got isn't junk? It may be the same brand and they just changed the bag, I don't know.

image 1 is what the seller had listed Image 2 is what I received.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I have a bag of the upper one and it is utter crap.
Varying particle size, about 10-15% is pure dust.

The bag you got has a worse design, but the akadama - from the looks of it - seems to be a better quality.
I'm still looking for the stuff I got 10 years ago that said 'quarity' on the bag. It was the best akadama I ever held. All the akadama I got after, never held up more than a winter. Even though we get less frequent frosts.

 

[rockm]

First time buying akadama, I wanted to start using it and pumice on a few of my better trees. I purchased what i thought was a good brand of double line hard Ibaraki akadama from a supplier on Etsy. After waiting 2 weeks and watching it (through tracking) criss cross around half the country. (Usps is insanely awful now days) I got it today and it was a different bag than the one listed. I just want to make sure what I got isn't junk? It may be the same brand and they just changed the bag, I don't know.

image 1 is what the seller had listed View attachment 590775 Image 2 is what I received.View attachment 590776

What you got is fired akadama from the look of it. It is good. I’ve used it from time to time. It doesn’t break down.

 

[JudyB]

I've used that same ibaraki and it's hard fired and holds up well. I imagine that @Wires_Guy_wires might have gotten some that didn't ship too well, I have another bag coming soon, so will be able to compare to what I have left of the old bags.

 

[Piedmont Bonsai]

What you received is good. It’s the best akadama i have used

 

[Wood]

I've also had good experiences with the Bonsai Earth brand and would buy it again if I found it

 

[JudyB]

First time buying akadama, I wanted to start using it and pumice on a few of my better trees. I purchased what i thought was a good brand of double line hard Ibaraki akadama from a supplier on Etsy. After waiting 2 weeks and watching it (through tracking) criss cross around half the country. (Usps is insanely awful now days) I got it today and it was a different bag than the one listed. I just want to make sure what I got isn't junk? It may be the same brand and they just changed the bag, I don't know.

image 1 is what the seller had listed View attachment 590775 Image 2 is what I received.View attachment 590776

What vendor did you use on Etsy? I may pick up a couple more bags if I find that the bags I got from ebay are not good.

 

[MaciekA]

I've used both of these brands and the one you received is great stuff.

 

[SgtPilko]

I have a bag of the upper one and it is utter crap.
Varying particle size, about 10-15% is pure dust.

The bag you got has a worse design, but the akadama - from the looks of it - seems to be a better quality.
I'm still looking for the stuff I got 10 years ago that said 'quarity' on the bag. It was the best akadama I ever held. All the akadama I got after, never held up more than a winter. Even though we get less frequent frosts.

Did you ever order from Ibuki in Poland? Bit of a hassle/wait but they have a super hard variant, seived to a range of sizes, very little dust, ready to go. Im repotting things and its almost exactly as I put in there 2-3yrs previous... Maybe its too hard lol