Growing conditions relavent to where your growing,it took me awhile to figure out what worked here in central Il.I grow outside in grow racks and am at the merceys of mother nature.Perlite tends to dry out during the long hot days of summer so I use vermiculite and adjust as the season progresses.I use 2-4 more cups of vermiculite during the months of June,July and August.Today I used 12 cups of compost from my compost pile along with 4 cups of medium grade vermiculite spiked with a large pinch of a azomite,kelp blend.Are you growing inside or outside and where on earth are you located PassTheGrass ?