I recently switched from DtW to a gravity fed bottom feeding reservoir system and I've been having a small problem with an oily film collecting on the surface of the reservoir and the base pots. It breaks up easily upon stirring and is easily removed with a paper towel. It looks slightly like gasoline on water with its thin rainbowy reflection staying on the surface but less fluid looking. I can add pics if it builds up again.
I'm having trouble finding what it could be but my first suspicion is that the oils from my hand are the culprit as I haven't worn gloves every time i reached into the pots or the reservoir. I can't think of any ingredients that could cause this unless it was a failure in the mixing process or a temperature problem but the solution stays around 75 degrees.
I don't think it was from my solution but ingredients for this fill were RO water (w/15% tap) GH flora trio, armor si, calmag, raw amino acids, raw fulvic acid, raw b-vitamin, raw yucca, SLF-100 enzymes, and phosphoric acid for ph down. Silica, calmag, and flora micro all get at least 10-15 min to sit before mixing the next ingredient. I've also been using mainly the same mix for a month with the addition of b-vit for this week and substituting GH humic for raw fulvic. Plants have been drinking this for the past few days with no sign of problems. I've only seen oil build up in a bottle of my mix once a month before this.
I'm waiting on a small circulation pump for the main reservoir to keep it stirred but the base pots will still be stagnant. Has anyone else had similar issues with an oil film in their res?
I’ve battled that same issue. Here’s what I’ve learned….. clean the crap out of everything! I have the oily sheen in both my nute res and clean water res. The culprit ended up being a failed pump (the blue little giant pumps. Avoid them like the plague!) leaking oil. It can also be from not cleaning out your res properly or cleaning everything and anything going into your reservoir and/or apart of your hydro system.
Stay away from harsh Chems and definitely don’t use orange degreaser or simple green like my dumbass did. I rinsed the crap out after scrubbing with that stuff and it still left a residue and smell lingered.
I ultimately found the cure: dawn power spray. It’s super mild but breaks down oil and won’t hurt anything as long is you rinse completely.
Since he has warm temps and no BB will that filter thing work?
I just wanna tell him to add hydroguard lol.. I'm sure they will take care of that film too? I've never had a film, even with root rot. Would all I add is calmag trio and massive though. Seems he's adding way more stuff than me. Could this be from one of his additives? Could BB eliminate this?
Is that a waterfall then? Basically a recirculation and fall in one?? Interesting lol.. Very nice. I use BB so I dunno about it.. But still.. Epic concept for sterile systems.
Id suggest op lower them Temps and show some root pics.. Or is this just testing? I honestly can't picture his grow system design or if its live/sterile. Are there plants in it? I'm just confused as usual...usually don't last long lol
Surface agitation will prevent the issues a protein film creates... mainly gas exchange. You see almost all reefers run protein skimmers for this reason.
I have seen this countless times it's just part of water, nutrients and organics. Similar to a biofilm that's like a thin slime on everything submerged only a biofilm is usually beneficial and a sign of a healthy system as its beneficial bacteria.
I haven't tried but for some reason I believe adding a sufficant will cure it instantly. Buy surface agitation should be more than enough to accomplish the goal.