VERMICULITE

Vermiculite is most frequently used in conjunction with Perlite as the two complement each other well. Vermiculite retains moisture (about 200% – 300% by weight), and Perlite doesn’t therefore you can balance your growing medium so that it retains water and nutrients well but still supplies the roots with plenty of oxygen when the two are used in conjunction. A 50/50 mix of Vermiculite and Perlite is a very popular medium for drip type hydroponic systems as well as Ebb and Flow systems.

Vermiculite is inexpensive.
The drawback of Vermiculite is that it retains too much water to be used by itself. It can suffocate the roots of plants if used alone.
Vermiculite is another mined material. In it’s natural state it resembles mica rock, but when quickly heated it expands due to the generation of inter-laminar steam.