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possible looking for an alternative as akadama is rather expensive.
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No this is not a substitute for akadama! You really need to read the soils article or the back of a turface bag.
Actually on second thought this is what Colin Lewis in his article says:
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Calcined clay, or Turface is an excellent additive, but it should be used only in relatively small amounts. It absorbs vast amounts of water and provides a 'buffer' which adsorbs nutrients for release later as required by the roots. If you use too much Turface its ability to hold on to nutrient salts may cause a toxic a build up of minerals and lead to "root burn". It's interesting to note that the manufacturers recommend using Turface as a soil enhancer, but never more than ten to fifteen percent (as opposed to the sixty to seventy percent some people use!).
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Note the part about holding salts and water .... by using pure turface you most likely won't kill your tree but you won't be helping it either to reach it full potential when growing.
My suggestion is to cut the akadama with other ingredients as the article suggests if your trying to bring your bonsai budget into line.