FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I have found a source of gelrite in the UK but it is pricey but they can offer Gellan Gum much cheaper does anyone usethis and what is the difference between this and gelrite?

It's the same. Gelrite and Phytagel are just trade names for Gellan Gum. The generic Gellan Gum may not be quite as highly refined, but I use both and cannot tell the difference.

Brad

I forgot to add the company says it unpurified so I take that is still ok?

bugman wrote:I forgot to add the company says it unpurified so I take that is still ok?

Personally, I would avoid anything that says "unpurified". The generic Gellan Gum I use is the G434 from Phytotechnology Labs. It's generic but it's Plant tissue culture tested. It sets perfectly clear, gels reliably every time, and is less expensive than Gelrite. You could try it on some Flytraps and see. They are hard to kill in vitro. Your media is only as good as it's weakest component.

Brad

BradR wrote:It's the same. Gelrite and Phytagel are just trade names for Gellan Gum. The generic Gellan Gum may not be quite as highly refined, but I use both and cannot tell the difference.

Brad

Regarding this, I have to say that gellan gums I tested are not the same as Gelrite (I haven't tested Phytagel sorry).

I received some samples of Gellam gum (Caisson), and with diluted media, it didn't gel, even with 10-12 grams per liter. With gelrite, only 2 grams, it gelled with a perfect consistency.

In my opinion it depends on the source you purchase it, but as Brad said, I wouldn't trust in unpurified stuff.