How do the roots look? Could be harmless bacterial biofilm or a sign of infection. Hard to say without see the plants and roots. What kind of system is it?

There’s no plants currently but roots look like garbage bout halfway through flower in the past, I’ve already crossed out biofilm bc I’ve scrubbed them spotless and it shows back up nothing has been put in the barrels other than ro water so I’m leaning more towards infection. I just don’t know what it is or how to remedy it

I have the same issue but with a smaller container I made form a 5 gallon bucket I basically use it to let the water dechlorinate, decompress from the pressure in the pipes and also ramp up temperature to the same inside the house so when I water the soil it won’t shock the roots too much because temperature of soil and water being added is the same or almost the same .
Anyway i tend to over explain sorry
My point is after I painted the bucket black all in the outside it seems to slow that down but I still have to clean the bucket after a while, which I’m probably do I’ll trow a pic
I believe is something in the water ?
Also this water have been pass through a 3 stage under sink filter .
Maybe you can se it in the outside of the air tube for the air stones I have inside .
Came to check and it’s way better than it was for sure, before in 1 week I will have to wash everything now I can let it go way more time it’s been only 2 weeks and it’s barely forming
Gonna wash anyway

Is it just plain water in the barrel not connected to anything or is there a hydro system and hoses connected to it? I’m thinking if there’s an empty system connected to it the infection is in the tubing. If it is connected to a system I’d run 5-10% beach through everything for a couple hours.

It is RO water 0ppm connected to a feeding line that enters the room to the hose wand, I hand feed coco so there’s nothing other than the hose

ok, 1st off i'm a newb and an idiot.
would the RO water allow bacteria to grow when stagnant?
can you run chlorine threw the system to flush it? and of course flush the crap out of it after.
how big is your barrel?
can you add a air pump to the container?
sorry just saw u have 55 gallon drums.
i'd start with an air pump.
but like i said, i'm new and an idiot

Is not connected to anything
I usually fill another bucket from filter faucet on the sink, that is a 3 stages filter that I bought like 7 moths ago
I already changed the 1st filter every 6 moths
I don’t have ppm meter or EC meter yet neither PH I’m not a science grower yet . Hopefully they’ll come soon.
I was thinking on an UV sterilizer that turns on and off but that’s a last resort when need to store more water in the future my grow is small is the second flowering I’m doing so far
Then I a leave the water on this black painted 5 gallon bucket with a little hole on the side that I feed the air pump line then is divided on 2 lines 1 air stone on each end.
But I notice that and since I read the post I mentioned it
Maybe I’ll run bleach through the air hoses or leave the stones in water with bleach also
Thanks