Just tossing this out....
I have done this number of times with a few different plants, with mixed results
What happens is predictable.
Here is a snapshot of what happens in your substrate.
A plant will shed its terrestrial roots and create new roots that will adapt to the hydroponic environment.
Light is diminished also which does not help.
During this period your plant does not have the root structure to support its health and the amount of leaves. Your plant slowly fails.
But , once the plant adapts to the hydro environment the roots will flourish and the plants health will improve.
When moving a plant from soil to hydro all those leaves are now a liability ....trim them off.
You have no root structure to support the leaves until they adjust to hydro therefore they will slowly die.
Expect 60+- days for your plant to sort itself out.
Using hydro balls as well as perlite is acceptable.
There is a lot of positive and negative info on the web about the perfect substrate....
I have used both with no issues with either.
Bottom line ....use what you can afford.
Here are some pics where the terrestrial roots have rotted off and new hydro roots have slowly replaced them.
Unfortunately I did not take pics of the plants root system prior to start.
Once the plants had roots my outdoor grow season was over, and I successfully potted them in a peat moss and perlite mix.
Here are some before and after pics.
Before.
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Untitled by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr
.New hydro roots.
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Untitled by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr
Before .
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Untitled by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr
.After.
Untitled by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr.
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