ROOT ROT PREVENTION - Please Help

  • Thread starter theoe
  • Start date
  • Tagged users None
theoe

theoe

18
3
I am a noob starting my first ever indoor hydroponic tent grow but have had real difficulty getting my ladies past seedling stage before they suffer from damping off or root rot. I am using rockwool starter cubes and intend to transfer them to larger cubes and then use a recycled drip system reservoir. I still haven’t even managed to get them past starter cube stage and its really haunting me. I have tried diluted H2O2 to try and salvage them to no avail. After some research I understand that ‘beneficial bacteria’ alongside nutrients (I am using tripart GH nutes) can help in preventing and fighting off root rot. The brand I keep coming across is Botanicare Hydroguard. I have also heard about SnakeOil and Great White. The problem is I am in Europe and none of these products seem available unless for an extortionate price. I have also heard that using some sort of pond bacteria could work. What are peoples opinions on these products? Can anybody suggest any affordable alternatives?

Really would be so appreciative of any advice!
 
Anthem

Anthem

4,155
263
I am a noob starting my first ever indoor hydroponic tent grow but have had real difficulty getting my ladies past seedling stage before they suffer from damping off or root rot. I am using rockwool starter cubes and intend to transfer them to larger cubes and then use a recycled drip system reservoir. I still haven’t even managed to get them past starter cube stage and its really haunting me. I have tried diluted H2O2 to try and salvage them to no avail. After some research I understand that ‘beneficial bacteria’ alongside nutrients (I am using tripart GH nutes) can help in preventing and fighting off root rot. The brand I keep coming across is Botanicare Hydroguard. I have also heard about SnakeOil and Great White. The problem is I am in Europe and none of these products seem available unless for an extortionate price. I have also heard that using some sort of pond bacteria could work. What are peoples opinions on these products? Can anybody suggest any affordable alternatives?

Really would be so appreciative of any advice!
Search on this site in the upper left corner for Pool Shock. It is the same at UC Roots but much more cheaper. It will create a sterile environment for the root system so Bennies and well and bad stuff cannot grow.
 
theoe

theoe

18
3
Thank you all for your replies, and apologies for my late one.

So what I gather is that a sterile grow is better suited and easier for me as a beginner, by using bleach or pool shock in the res. I just wonder if there are any adverse affects to a sterile grow that kills everything, compared to one using bennies to fight off any bad bacteria/fungus/pathogens? What are the pros and cons? does a sterile grow have an affect on taste, time until harvest or yield? (I’m growing autos

And if I go ahead with a sterile grow I don’t still need to be concerned about using an air pump to oxygenate or keep the res chilled using iced bottles? Would it be wise to do this anyway as a precaution?

Would a sterile grow make something like hydroguard redundant? Also, has anyone heard about a product called ‘Dutch Master Zone’ - would that also be useless if sterile?

many thanks again Gromies!
 
theoe

theoe

18
3
Also what are your opinions on grow mediums? Is hydroton better than rockwool?
 
LexLuthor

LexLuthor

2,972
263
I don't think their is a difference in yield, taste or finishing times depending on a sterile or beneficial system. I've seen people get great results both ways.

You have to pick one or the other, you don't want to try to mix both because it won't work. The sterilization will kill ALL bacteria, including the good stuff.

I don't think one medium is necessarily better than the other, but there are pros and cons to everything so you need to look into those and figure out what is best for your personal grow. I know rockwool will hold more water than hydroton, I think that is one of the main differences. So with hydroton you will probably need to irrigate more frequently.
 
theoe

theoe

18
3
Yeah all advice seems to point in the direction. I’ve decided to start from scratch using a sterile system. Seems far more straight forward than trying to control bacterium. Going to use hydroton and dial in more frequent watering/feeding. Anyone have any advice or resources on just how often to water hydroton? also could I use bleach instead of h202? It’s seems to be cheaper and does more or less the same as long as I keep my res oxygenated with an air stone. And lastly what do you recommend is the best germination method for growing in hydroton? Should I still use a rockwool starter cube, or just skip that altogether and go straight into the pebbles? Thanks
 
Ponky

Ponky

3,941
263
Yeah all advice seems to point in the direction. I’ve decided to start from scratch using a sterile system. Seems far more straight forward than trying to control bacterium. Going to use hydroton and dial in more frequent watering/feeding. Anyone have any advice or resources on just how often to water hydroton? also could I use bleach instead of h202? It’s seems to be cheaper and does more or less the same as long as I keep my res oxygenated with an air stone. And lastly what do you recommend is the best germination method for growing in hydroton? Should I still use a rockwool starter cube, or just skip that altogether and go straight into the pebbles? Thanks
I use 5 gallon buckets.
6" basket lid
Hydroclay pellets rinsed and aeration. DWC.
I make clones with cloning collars and place the clone into the basket and have to full of water in a bucket. So the roots are floating. Then I gently add the pebbles gently around the roots of the bare clone. Then when it's all potted up I place it in its forever spot. Be real gentle in the roots. Rockwool would be another option.
Clones in rockwool I find are not desirable but work. Bare Clones with cloning collars seem best for hydroponic buckets.
A cutting can be cloned in the clay pellets. And it will grow there and be just fine. But I prefer to make a tub of Clones and pick on the best ones to grow

Keep water temps under control. Root rot requires low oxygen. Warm water and poor circulation are big culprits.Refresh hydrogen peroxide every top up and change.
 
Cashmeh

Cashmeh

2,007
263
You have to pick one, sterile or live.

Can you not order hydroguard on Amazon?

Idk how people run sterile systems.. Seems like it has to be a perfect hydro system to do it. As in no light leaks, water chiller, uv filtered RO water and then all the other shit I don't know about.

With a live grow you can't get root rot if you do it right. Just find some bacteria and put lots in lol.. Change res.. Add lots more. Make sure your not adding chlorinated water.. It will kill your microbes before they even do anything... Then a not so perfect system will get root rot without them..

But yea.. Just go live my man. My first ever grow is on my profile.. It was pretty easy.. And now lol.. It's dumb easy...
 
Ponky

Ponky

3,941
263
I do the sterile because I can't get a good price on bacteria. I change water once a week. And in peak flowering every 3 days. Using a simple food. A splash of peroxide each time. Plus it's hard to screw up. Doesn't go bad just sitting in its bottle.
 
Cashmeh

Cashmeh

2,007
263
Sterile environments are more susceptible to root rot than live environments.

Most chemicals used to destroy the cell walls of bacteria easily will not destroy the fungus as easily.

Your essentially killing all the bacteria on a sterile system but not the fungus, your actually trying to prevent it. If you have a good system, it will be prevented, but all the chemicals in the world won't stop bad root rot... Yet bacteria will... As long as you don't kill them with chemicals.
 
Ponky

Ponky

3,941
263
That would explain the constant shortage of the bacteria. And the insane prices online. Maybe when the Corona goes away it won't be so hard to get.
 
theoe

theoe

18
3
I use 5 gallon buckets.
6" basket lid
Hydroclay pellets rinsed and aeration. DWC.
I make clones with cloning collars and place the clone into the basket and have to full of water in a bucket. So the roots are floating. Then I gently add the pebbles gently around the roots of the bare clone. Then when it's all potted up I place it in its forever spot. Be real gentle in the roots. Rockwool would be another option.
Clones in rockwool I find are not desirable but work. Bare Clones with cloning collars seem best for hydroponic buckets.
A cutting can be cloned in the clay pellets. And it will grow there and be just fine. But I prefer to make a tub of Clones and pick on the best ones to grow

Keep water temps under control. Root rot requires low oxygen. Warm water and poor circulation are big culprits.Refresh hydrogen peroxide every top up and change.
Problem is I have nothing to clone from yet 😅. All just germinated from seed for now. I basically have everything I need to do a drip feed system. Not DWC or ebb and flow. Just straight up drip feed emitters and then with the power of gravity the res hopefully just recycles without an issue except for maintaining PH and EC/PPM of course. I understand I need to keep res temps down too(which I should be able to). My biggest issue atm is what growing media to use. hydroton seems like the best water to air ratio but of will need more irrigation of course. But should I use small rockwool cubes for the seedlings and then place into the pebbles,or just go straight into the pebbles? Everyone talks about DWC but that just scares me especially as I have had so many issues with root rot and still have nothing to show for it 😞
 
theoe

theoe

18
3
Sterile environments are more susceptible to root rot than live environments.

Most chemicals used to destroy the cell walls of bacteria easily will not destroy the fungus as easily.

Your essentially killing all the bacteria on a sterile system but not the fungus, your actually trying to prevent it. If you have a good system, it will be prevented, but all the chemicals in the world won't stop bad root rot... Yet bacteria will... As long as you don't kill them with chemicals.
Appreciate the advice man but just seems like a sterile res would be so much more straightforward for a beginner like me. Definitely not going to turn my back on bennies and will absolutely try them in the future. But for now I just want to see some results!
 
theoe

theoe

18
3
Yeah good bac is suuuper expensive in Europe too. Hydroguard is near enough impossible to get hold of. Bleach is cheap as chips though lol
 
LexLuthor

LexLuthor

2,972
263
You want to put the seedlings directly in a basket of hydroton?

I don't think that would work, you should start them off in a rockwool cube or a root riot type of plug.
 
Ponky

Ponky

3,941
263
Seedlings.. ahh. Well I start those in a rapid rooter if you want to use hydroponic. Unusually grow a seedling in soil and clone to make hydroponic clones.
 
theoe

theoe

18
3
Bleach is cheap as chips though lol
You want to put the seedlings directly in a basket of hydroton?

I don't think that would work, you should start them off in a rockwool cube or a root riot type of plug.
someone on another forum recommended this if I go sterile. I had my doubts though. Like how can the poor girl stand up straight lol
 
Top Bottom