Help with Water

[Demortis]

Hi Everyone
Im just getting back into indoor growing and went with dwc in 5gallon buckets and air stones. PH, neuts, 18/6 lighting and my issue is algae. The snot kind and did a complete water change and 3 day H2O2 treatment. Everything cleared up was happy and replaced with neuts and PH 5.7. Within 24hrs I have algae again and my water temp is night cycle 17C day cycle 20.5C. Im thinking of taking the 5gallon buckets and placing them on the cement floor to keep the temp down but I was told never do that. Also lamps are 24 inches from the top of the plant as per directions. Please if there is some way to clear the aglae I would like to know...........

 

[Aqua Man]

Have pics?
There are tons of different types of algae.

Are your buckets light proof?

Most forms require light but not much at all.

What nutrients are you using?

Organic nutrient in hydro can make for a world of problems.

Tap water, well water, R/O water?

Excess phosphates in water is often the cause of algae, nutrient balance plays a big role if you have high phosphates out of the tap it could make the problem worse. If you are using tap water have you checked the water reports to see if there are any excessive amounts of mineral, metals or nutrients.

Its also possible you are seeing a bacterial bloom. Usually this is a clear/white slime that coats everything in contact with the water. Not harmful and most often beneficial

Most often sterilization will not help, spores are everywhere even in your water supply.

Brownish snot like stuff is likely diatoms. Some say high amounts of silica cause it but other say thats not true. Betting its a lighting issue

 

[Demortis]

Have pics?
There are tons of different types of algae.

Are your buckets light proof?

Most forms require light but not much at all.

What nutrients are you using?

Organic nutrient in hydro can make for a world of problems.

Tap water, well water, R/O water?

Excess phosphates in water is often the cause of algae, nutrient balance plays a big role if you have high phosphates out of the tap it could make the problem worse. If you are using tap water have you checked the water reports to see if there are any excessive amounts of mineral, metals or nutrients.

Its also possible you are seeing a bacterial bloom. Usually this is a clear/white slime that coats everything in contact with the water. Not harmful and most often beneficial

Most often sterilization will not help, spores are everywhere even in your water supply.

Brownish snot like stuff is likely diatoms. Some say high amounts of silica cause it but other say thats not true. Betting its a lighting issue

Ok alot of intel here. I will get to most of it but the highlight you have told me is white bloom ok.......

It looks like algae but its not colored and yes its coating everything but there is zero light at any stage of the water prosses.

Water is uv filtered comes from a water treatment guy in my town ph 7.0-7.3 on a regular basis.

Neuts are called easy grow+ from kelowna b.c. canada. Not liquid and I do 1gal 4to1 mix for a 5gallon and leave a 1gallon air gap as they are younger plants.

 

[Aqua Man]

With no pic i cannot say for sure but if its bacterial bloom you can remove excess manually as it builds up. I come from an aquatic background before growing. Usually its referred to as new tank syndrome and caused by excess ammonia/ammonium. In your case ammonia/ammonium is probably from the ferts you are using. It will stop once the ammonia/ammonium is gone but if its from the ferts it will likely not stop until you build up enough denitrifying bacteria to convert it to nitrates. There are a few effect ways i know how to fix this. 1. Add beneficial bacteria like hydrogaurd that will out compete it and have a large benefit to your plants. 2 use a fertalizer that does not contain ammonia/ammonium (not really practical). The 3rd would be to wait it out until there are enough denitrifying or beneficial bacteria to convert ammonia/ammonium to nitrates which would take roughly 5-6 weeks and if you sterilize with h202 or bleach or wash everything you will start that process over from scratch. Large water changes with chlorinated water will also harm the population but once its established its pretty resilient. Adding simple aquarium filter to you reservoir will help provide extra surface area for the bacteria and allow you to simply remove it then do a water change then put it back as these bacteria once introduced reproduce very quickly.... as you can see with the bacteria you have. I would add hydrogaurd the rest is up to you if so decide or PM me if you have questions.

I don't know if you remember Heisenbubble but he used one in his system and his roots were always tip top, there are several reasons for it but bacteria I think played a major role. I remember saying to him that people in hydro don't yet understand the value of what bacteria can accomplish yet in terms of benefits. This is why everyone swears by hydrogaurd but what a lot of people don't realize is if you treat your good bacteria well once established it will solve a lot of issues and provide a ton of benefit to your plants as they also help break some nutrients down into more usable forms for your plants. Its also a living organism and looked after will readily reproduce and not need to be replaced. Ask most that brew their own teas bacteria is an amazing thing. but the bacteria in soil and hydro are different yet provide a lot of the same benefits.

Ok i can go on for hours but i'm just gonna drop it here.

Oh and nice to see a fellow Nuck

 

[Demortis]

Ok went and picked this image direct from source within last 5 minutes. No lumps or clumps. Only like 1or2 very tiny cotton looking fluffs. If someone where to see this on a shelf they would think lemon aid without the grit.

 

[Demortis]

With no pic i cannot say for sure but if its bacterial bloom you can remove excess manually as it builds up. I come from an aquatic background before growing. Usually its referred to as new tank syndrome and caused by excess ammonia/ammonium. In your case ammonia/ammonium is probably from the ferts you are using. It will stop once the ammonia/ammonium is gone but if its from the ferts it will likely not stop until you build up enough denitrifying bacteria to convert it to nitrates. There are a few effect ways i know how to fix this. 1. Add beneficial bacteria like hydrogaurd that will out compete it and have a large benefit to your plants. 2 use a fertalizer that does not contain ammonia/ammonium (not really practical). The 3rd would be to wait it out until there are enough denitrifying or beneficial bacteria to convert ammonia/ammonium to nitrates which would take roughly 5-6 weeks and if you sterilize with h202 or bleach or wash everything you will start that process over from scratch. Large water changes with chlorinated water will also harm the population but once its established its pretty resilient. Adding simple aquarium filter to you reservoir will help provide extra surface area for the bacteria and allow you to simply remove it then do a water change then put it back as these bacteria once introduced reproduce very quickly.... as you can see with the bacteria you have. I would add hydrogaurd the rest is up to you if so decide or PM me if you have questions.

I don't know if you remember Heisenbubble but he used one in his system and his roots were always tip top, there are several reasons for it but bacteria I think played a major role. I remember saying to him that people in hydro don't yet understand the value of what bacteria can accomplish yet in terms of benefits. This is why everyone swears by hydrogaurd but what a lot of people don't realize is if you treat your good bacteria well once established it will solve a lot of issues and provide a ton of benefit to your plants as they also help break some nutrients down into more usable forms for your plants. Its also a living organism and looked after will readily reproduce and not need to be replaced. Ask most that brew their own teas bacteria is an amazing thing. but the bacteria in soil and hydro are different yet provide a lot of the same benefits.

Ok i can go on for hours but i'm just gonna drop it here.

Oh and nice to see a fellow Nuck

Hey I get it for sure had a 45 gallon round front salt tank for 10 years bacteria is good in many ways but as my first dwc I am always unsure. I am seeing clear waters from more chem happy growers on youtube and no bio smart intel. I like how I just sat down to read your post about fish pumps filtering I just picked up four i25 systems for each 5gallon.

 

[OldManRiver]

Have you considered hydroguard? Its a supply of microbes that establish a presence and prevent hostile colonies.

 

[Demortis]

Have you considered hydroguard? Its a supply of microbes that establish a presence and prevent hostile colonies.

No I have not I will have to ask around as most of the suppliers do not have some things that others do. Im finding it hard to find anything water related but neuts yea everyone has neuts lol. Thanks for the tip will hunt it down in morning.

 

[Nugg]

I run dwc...all I use is hydro guard...my res.tanks are open to light all the time..I don't run lids on them...try to not run ANY peroxide or chlorine type products..or organic....if I start a system up and for some chance my water clouds... little hydro guard and I can almost stand there and watch it clear up...well that's me anyway..

 

[Aqua Man]

Hey I get it for sure had a 45 gallon round front salt tank for 10 years bacteria is good in many ways but as my first dwc I am always unsure. I am seeing clear waters from more chem happy growers on youtube and no bio smart intel. I like how I just sat down to read your post about fish pumps filtering I just picked up four i25 systems for each 5gallon.

Yup that's bacteria. Agree with the others hydrogaurd and your good. I'm in Canada and I could not find it anywhere where I live so I ordered it off amazon. Not cheap but if there was 1 additive I could recommend in hydro it would be hydrogaurd.

 

[Aqua Man]

Hey I get it for sure had a 45 gallon round front salt tank for 10 years bacteria is good in many ways but as my first dwc I am always unsure. I am seeing clear waters from more chem happy growers on youtube and no bio smart intel. I like how I just sat down to read your post about fish pumps filtering I just picked up four i25 systems for each 5gallon.

Ooo I just noticed you meant internal filters for the buckets... You won't want to do that, the roots will find their way into the intakes. My bad i think I was assuming you were doing RDWC with a reservoir. I would not put any filters in the buckets themselves. There is enough surface area to provide an adequate home to bacteria without them.

 

[OldManRiver]

No I have not I will have to ask around as most of the suppliers do not have some things that others do. Im finding it hard to find anything water related but neuts yea everyone has neuts lol. Thanks for the tip will hunt it down in morning.

https://www.amazon.com/Botanicare-HYDROGUARD-Bacillus-Inoculant-1-Gallon/dp/B00IGFH3FG

 

[Demortis]

Yea I am at 48hrs with filters and some freash white stockings with elastics. Water is clear finally. The hole time. Also went back to the experinced growers in the city over from me and now have some diablos running and no problems yet. But the root thing yes as soon at they come close to the filters they can be removed I think.

 

[Ikkt]

If you can't get hydrogard there are a lot of comparable products out there.
You could even use a little bit of airated worm tea to inoculate with beneficial organisms. Never did dwc but did it that way in hydro for years. Usually together with very little aquarium starter bacteria mix and some ghe subculture. You know, diversity and stuff. Always worked great.
And no need to give such stuff constantly if you give them shelter and at least very little food.

If you get problems with the internal filters you can just use some piece of aquarium filter foam, perhaps not as effective but does the trick. I wonder if a foam disk on the bottom above the air stones would be a good idea. Could spread the bubbles nicely and would get a lot of flow.

Like Aqua man said beneficial bacteria are extremely helpful as you can't get the root zone really sterile long term anyway without damaging the roots and causing problems.
So let the nutrient solution live and give it some love, it'll thank you by taking care of a lot of unwanted guests and more!


Edit:
What's Diabolo?

 

[Demortis]

Neuts from BC companys brand is diablo dwc and airo neuts. seems to have cleared up my issues health is back on track and the filters seem to be helping and have ran clear for a few days now. The clumps have all gone since last cleaning and am watching the issues from before seems like it was the non hydro neuts my local dealer said was fine but its all good now.

 

[Aqua Man]

Neuts from BC companys brand is diablo dwc and airo neuts. seems to have cleared up my issues health is back on track and the filters seem to be helping and have ran clear for a few days now. The clumps have all gone since last cleaning and am watching the issues from before seems like it was the non hydro neuts my local dealer said was fine but its all good now.

They may be fine for DWC just depends on what conditions they are used in. I would guess they contained more organic ferts. A common misconception is clear water is better or more healthy and that's not necessarily true.