Flow & grow issues with water in bottom of buckets

[Nameless_fcuk89]

So I’ve been having issues with my roots growing into the bottom of these flow & grow buckets and getting root rot. I’m trying to create the perfect environment with co2 and having my tamps at 85 but the water that’s sitting in bottom of each bucket is getting past 73. Any idea of what I could possible do. I’m starting to wish I went with flood tables.

 

[Aqua Man]

So I’ve been having issues with my roots growing into the bottom of these flow & grow buckets and getting root rot. I’m trying to create the perfect environment with co2 and having my tamps at 85 but the water that’s sitting in bottom of each bucket is getting past 73. Any idea of what I could possible do. I’m starting to wish I went with flood tables.

Used to do my hydro at 72-74f temps dont cause root rot at that level. What are you using to prevent root issues? Live ot sterile?

You may need to prune roots if the roots start restrict the returns.

If you ask me 73f is a great temp to run.

Have pics of the plants and roots?

 

[Nameless_fcuk89]

Yes i understand that I could run my temps lower but when running co2 in a sealed environment the temps should be at 85 to 90%. Like I said I’m trying to create the perfect environment.

 

[Zoneshityee]

62 to 68 is what your ideal temp would be. Is light penetrating? Is water being cooled? Is pumps generating heat? Show layout please

 

[Aqua Man]

Yes i understand that I could run my temps lower but when running co2 in a sealed environment the temps should be at 85 to 90%. Like I said I’m trying to create the perfect environment.

I was talking water temps. I also run co2 in a sealed room and temos low to mid 80s.

 

[Aqua Man]

I dont think there is anything wrong with your water or air temps. What I would look at is what are you running to prevent root rot? Hydrogaurd, h2o2? Because if your not using anything thats your issue.

 

[Nameless_fcuk89]

Ok I think there’s a misunderstanding so I’m using a 1/4 ph eco water chiller and I have the water temps set at 65. So my reservoir water is fine. It’s after each watering it leaves about 2 inches of water in the bottom of each bucket. I’m watering 5 times a day and between watering the water that’s in bottom of buckets heats up since the room temps are at 80.

 

[Aqua Man]

Ok I think there’s a misunderstanding so I’m using a 1/4 ph eco water chiller and I have the water temps set at 65. So my reservoir water is fine. It’s after each watering it leaves about 2 inches of water in the bottom of each bucket. I’m watering 5 times a day and between watering the water that’s in bottom of buckets heats up since the room temps are at 80.

Prop the buckets up a few inches on a platform or piece of wood etc. and see if that fixes it.

 

[Aqua Man]

I still don't think its to much of an issue and would be running something like hydrogaurd and enzymes to ensure a healthy root system

 

[Nameless_fcuk89]

Propping them up will work to a certain extent, like there will be a half an inch of water still left in there and I’m pretty sure that that would still give me root issues at 74 degrees.

 

[Aqua Man]

Propping them up will work to a certain extent, like there will be a half an inch of water still left in there and I’m pretty sure that that would still give me root issues at 74 degrees.

My root temps in coco are dam close to 80f. Its not a temp thing IMO. Let me see if I can find a vid for you that shows this. Bruce bugbee did one. In RDWC I run 72f-74f all this shit on tenps causing root rot are half bullshit. I would not run much over that in hydro more for o2 reasons but even then you can run a bit higher. The higher temls increase the metabolism of both good and bad bacteria so IF you get a root infection it will progress very fast. In colder water it will progress much slower. I know this seems like it goes against everything you hear but trust me here (lol yeah I know trust some random on the internet... yeah right) if you run hydrogaurd and enzymes you will have the solution hydrogaurd is a bacteria which will kill and prevent pythium the strain is bacillus amyloliquefaciens and it has been used for decades in big AG for this reason. To add pythium (root rot) is not a single strain and there are many strains that do well in all different temperatures. Honestly it not tenls that are the cause of root rot at least not at the temps you have.

I'll dig up photos of my growth in hydro from the last one I did. Res temps were 72-74f this is pure veg growth not during stretch. My daughter actually looked after them while I was out of town and for a family emergency so thats why they ended up to big and I had to toss the grow because it was to late to flip and to much work to manage to correct.

You can find the journal on here. I'll go dig up that vid. Uts a longer one but a great watch for new growers.

 

[Nameless_fcuk89]

So your saying that I shouldn’t worry about the 2 in of water in the bottom, if I use an additive like hydro guard? I’m running 24 plants in this flow & grow and it would actually help a lot if I could keep the 2 in of water in the bottom cause I’m already having issues with water level reaching the rock wool cubes.

Alright so I forgot to mention that I just added the chiller and the root issues could be from before. I’ve been testing the water temps between watering sand they get to about 74.5 before the next watering. You think those temps will be ok if I add hudrogiard?

 

[Nameless_fcuk89]

I was thinking about adding some nylon to the bottom of each bucket so the roots wouldn’t grow into the water.

 

[Aqua Man]

So your saying that I shouldn’t worry about the 2 in of water in the bottom, if I use an additive like hydro guard? I’m running 24 plants in this flow & grow and it would actually help a lot if I could keep the 2 in of water in the bottom cause I’m already having issues with water level reaching the rock wool cubes.

Alright so I forgot to mention that I just added the chiller and the root issues could be from before. I’ve been testing the water temps between watering sand they get to about 74.5 before the next watering. You think those temps will be ok if I add hudrogiard?

Yes but be careful of the expiry dates they changed them so they are mixed into some number I cant remember. But Amazon has a huge history of selling expired hydrogaurd. I think it has a 2 yr shelf life and 6 month after opening.

Like I say those temps are absolutely fine IMO.

I was thinking about adding some nylon to the bottom of each bucket so the roots wouldn’t grow into the water.

Roots will rip through that like a hot knife through butter.

 

[Aqua Man]

Here is the video... its long but uts something you want to listen to very carefully.

 

[Aqua Man]

If there are 2 things I would add to my list of must haves in hydro or soiless, hell even soil. Forget the additives you spend a shit ton of money on and use either hydrogaurd or Southern AG fungicide (much cheap and use much less) AND enzymes hygrozyme, komplete or even pondzyme.

I cant state how much difference this makes in root health.

The bacteria will prevent and cure root infections

The enzymes will eat up any root shedding which leaves no food for infectious pathogens and convert it into usable nutrients for the plant.

It's an absolutely critical and amazing combination. Not some magic unicorn on a label but a truly world if difference can be seen in root health and that makes such a difference when you don't need to worry about it.

If soiless, peat or soil then I add raw microbes directly to the media. Because it contains mykos and bacteria including bacillus amyloliquefaciens in the bloom so if ya wanna save money use only the bloom. I dont feel the raw is as well suited to hydro though

 

[Nameless_fcuk89]

Yeah I thought of that.. I could use something like plastic screen sheeting. But I figured that it would decrease my yields because of lack of root spacing... what do you think? First I’m gonna just leave them alone and add hydrogaurd,.. then if the root issues continue then I’ll add the screen to the bottom of each bucket.

I scrolled through the video cause I’m at work but I’ll sit down later and watch it. Also wanted to mention that the plants look super healthy though.

 

[Nameless_fcuk89]

So I have hydroguard already, all I need is some enzyme nutrient to go with it and it should allow my roots to grow into the water and prevent the root issues that I’ve been happening?

 

[Aqua Man]

Yeah I thought of that.. I could use something like plastic screen sheeting. But I figured that it would decrease my yields because of lack of root spacing... what do you think? First I’m gonna just leave them alone and add hydrogaurd,.. then if the root issues continue then I’ll add the screen to the bottom of each bucket.

I scrolled through the video cause I’m at work but I’ll sit down later and watch it. Also wanted to mention that the plants look super healthy though.

Hydrogaurd is a good addition... as for the roots as long as they get what they need your good. Im currently growing in 1 gal coco pots. This plant is now about 2 months old. Granted im feeding it 10 times a day but seems to be doing fine as long as it gets what it needs. This grow is kinda a cluster fuck and im not all that into it as im just searching for mothers from seed so they are going much much longer than i wanted but its kinda funny how big of a plant you can grow in a tiny container if they get what they need.

 

[Aqua Man]

So I have hydroguard already, all I need is some enzyme nutrient to go with it and it should allow my roots to grow into the water and prevent the root issues that I’ve been happening?

I would say absolutely... unless the root damage is physical bit thats something I can't really tell.