Hi Merlinus,

S0me people use Napa Floor Dry part # 8822 for a subsitute for Turface..

I am sure you have a Napa Parts Auto Store somewhere around you?

Try this and it might help!!

Hope this helps...

Laura

Thanks, Laura! Definitely have a local Napa, and they carry the product in 6-gallon bags.

What proportion would I use in the gritty mix, along with bark and grit?

You are more than welcome!!

I would use it as the same as 1 part Turface or Floor Dry to 1 part Grit to 1 part Fir/Pine bark for the Gritty Mix.

Keep it like you normally would for the Gritty Mix 1:1:1

Hope this helps!!!

Laura

Heck, "floor dry" or oil-sorb or whatever is just kitty litter, which is probably cheaper.

Turface and NAPA 8822 are both calcined. That means fired at more than 600 degrees. [It's a word I learned reading Al's posts.] That helps make it stable when getting wet and drying indefinitely, and when freezing and thawing. Kitty litter is not calcined (nor are most cheap spill-cleaneruppers), which is why they turn into mush if you leave them outside.

red_chucks

Aren't clumping litters fired?

Clumping litters may be partially fired to give them some stability, but they wouldn't clump properly if they were calcined. There are some non-clumping cat litters that are marketed as "low-dust" or "lightweight" that may be calcined, but this can be difficult to determine without buying and testing (dropping in a cup of water, freeze/thawing to determine stability).

There are some examples at the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cat litter as bonsai media

Good link. Thanks!