I was doing some reading on organic sources of silica and found that people use DE. I have a ton of it because I use it occasionally to beat back fungus gnats. I’m kind of worried to use to much because I’ve also seen people that use it to raise PH. I’m wondering if anyone has any idea how much/often to use. Or tell me I’m crazy/cheap and find another source! 
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DE only works on fungus gnats so long as it is dry, so for me that’s a couple days at best. It will bump up the PH a little when it gets wet but then it is just a slow release source for silica.
I’ll mix some in (1/4 cup per cubic foot) when I do soil remediation
(…because I have a lot of it… 
).
This is one of the components that I let ‘cook in’ (mix them in and let them sit for 3 weeks before using).
Cheers
G
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That’s funny. So I pretty much am already using it as a silica supplement without trying! Do you have a post for your soil recipe?
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It’s a work in progress… 
Basically It starts off as a standard KIS Mix.
After the grow, everything goes into a 200L (50 gal) worm bin root balls and all.
I mix in some rock dusts, spring dandelions, last year’s shredded leaves, kitchen scraps, surplus coco coir, shredded brown paper and let them work on it over the summer.
Then in the spring, my wife runs off with 80% of it…
Cheers
G
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the prob is solubility in your sources of silica. DE as you are already using, vermiculite, rice hulls, wollastonite… or some bottled silica. ive used all of them. and keep a mix of vermiculite/rice hulls/and some DE… dropped the bottled silica cus it kept giving me issues when mixing with my fertilizer.
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I need to get better with reusing soil. I’m so paranoid of taking things outside and bringing them back in…. but it’s getting expensive buying soil not to mention the pain of going to the city to get it.
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I’m a huge fan of the rice hulls.
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I’ve located a semi local source and plan on trying them in the future…
I think they will be a good alt. for the perlite l’m currently using.
Cheers
G
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One smart lady 
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