Sterile UC users, how do you keep your reservoir sterile?

Mr.Sputnik · Feb 5, 2014

What's your recommendation for going sterile? I have read H2O2, bleach, zone, chlorine, chloramine, physan 20, naccosan, UV, RO, UC roots, root guard, ect ect.

Please list what you use in ml per gallon and how often/when each product is added.

Also please mention your procedure and products used for cleaning your equipment between runs.

Please no live vs sterile debates.

I currently use:
GH Maxi Grow powder
GH Maxi Bloom powder
GH Diamond Nectar humates
Mad Farmer fulvic
Maxicrop seaweed
Botanicare Cal Mag
Pro Tek Silica
Humbolt Snowstorm last 3 weeks
Set to ~750ppm 6.2ph
1.5ml per gallon 34% H2O2 (mad farmer)
0.5ml per gallon bleach
My water is well water filtered through a 1 micron water filter, tested with no bacteria present.

I clean/scrub everything with simple green and sterilize with H2O2. I run strong H2O2 through my system between runs but have the feeling I need to use another product to run through my chiller and plumbing to get it properly cleaned and sterilized. I have some salt buildup inside my plumbing as well and I am curious to know what I should use to get rid of it. I was considering CLR cleaner but I am open to other recommendations.

Thank you in advance for your replies.

redwhiteblue · Feb 5, 2014

call cch2o and only use what they tell you to use. easiest thing i ever did...

Delerium · Feb 6, 2014

Skip the chlorine and chloramine, used at the water treatment plant if your using city water.
Using UC roots here and drip clean, SOS from strata international I have been using for almost a year, benies but it replaces the drip clean if you want. Descales breaks down inorganic salts.
, I use it in UC and top feed as well as my soils mediums.

Owlfarm · Feb 8, 2014

Im a big fan of uc roots. I use at 1-2 ml per gallon. Add every week or two. Between runs everything is scrubbed clean with bristle brushes and dryer hose cleaners. Then i run the system with bunch of ph down(like a few cups) and bleach.

Dizzy Weasel · Feb 10, 2014

ppms seem a little on the high side..... i use UC roots on my sterile stuff and bleach if things get wild

booboo111 · Feb 10, 2014

Mr.Sputnik said:
What's your recommendation for going sterile? I have read H2O2, bleach, zone, chlorine, chloramine, physan 20, naccosan, UV, RO, UC roots, root guard, ect ect.

Please list what you use in ml per gallon and how often/when each product is added.

Also please mention your procedure and products used for cleaning your equipment between runs.

Please no live vs sterile debates.

I currently use:
GH Maxi Grow powder
GH Maxi Bloom powder
GH Diamond Nectar humates
Mad Farmer fulvic
Maxicrop seaweed
Botanicare Cal Mag
Pro Tek Silica
Humbolt Snowstorm last 3 weeks
Set to ~750ppm 6.2ph
1.5ml per gallon 34% H2O2 (mad farmer)
0.5ml per gallon bleach
My water is well water filtered through a 1 micron water filter, tested with no bacteria present.

I clean/scrub everything with simple green and sterilize with H2O2. I run strong H2O2 through my system between runs but have the feeling I need to use another product to run through my chiller and plumbing to get it properly cleaned and sterilized. I have some salt buildup inside my plumbing as well and I am curious to know what I should use to get rid of it. I was considering CLR cleaner but I am open to other recommendations.

Thank you in advance for your replies.

I had contacted CC about 2 months ago and I believe it was Daniel said to use physan20.......it was my 1st uc run (I'm a novice) so I was uptight about doing things right.....I used it at 50% strength let it run a few hours......it foams up a lot so best to not over do it

Mr.Sputnik · Feb 10, 2014

booboo111, Did you run the physan20 with or without your plants in the system?

booboo111 · Feb 10, 2014

Mr.Sputnik said:
booboo111, Did you run the physan20 with or without your plants in the system?

It was a between run cleaning so no plants. It can be used clean up the system with plants in it, its a fungicide, but I think that's more for people running non sterile soups as a maintenance. But what do I know ? I'm only running a 4 module uc, have 1 grow with it under my belt and am a relatively new grower.......the bigger growers probably have more problems
I had a ph drop at the end of my 1st run, so some roots were going funky, and I just wanted to do simple. I had some roots grow up the manifold and start clogging the inline filter, which I didn't figure out till after the run and now I can look out for it so less problems

And I see some people use UC roots to sterilize

Mr.Sputnik · Feb 11, 2014

I just tried 15ml of physan 20 in a 250 gallon RDWC with sick plants. Filled it to the brim so it will soak the entire root zone. I'm leaving it for 12 hours.

Booboo111, I have had root rot issues in UC with roots clogging up the lines as well. Watch the flow coming out of the water pump every time you go into your room, if it has slowed down you've got a problem that needs immediate attention.

booboo111 · Feb 11, 2014

Mr.Sputnik said:
I just tried 15ml of physan 20 in a 250 gallon RDWC with sick plants. Filled it to the brim so it will soak the entire root zone. I'm leaving it for 12 hours.

Booboo111, I have had root rot issues in UC with roots clogging up the lines as well. Watch the flow coming out of the water pump every time you go into your room, if it has slowed down you've got a problem that needs immediate attention.

I learned that the hard way, like everything else :)

namedul · Feb 11, 2014

I haven't used the in line filter in over a year best idea I ever had. If anything ever gets clogged u can hookup a house and blow it back out of u r lines

Dizzy Weasel · Feb 14, 2014

bleach works great too... 200ml to a gallon to make a "solution" then i use the mix at 2-4ml a gallon
how did 15ml/250gal work out?

Dizzy Weasel · Feb 14, 2014

anyone use colloidal silver? guy in a shop who runs aero said he has used it for a pond time with great results

Mr.Sputnik · Feb 14, 2014

Dizzy Weasel said:
bleach works great too... 200ml to a gallon to make a "solution" then i use the mix at 2-4ml a gallon
how did 15ml/250gal work out?

I can't really tell if the physan 20 did much of anything. It hasn't gotten worse or better, kind of hard to tell because the plants are pretty late into flower. I'm actually trying an earth worm casting tea, I'm at the end of my rope with whatever is causing this recurring issue I'm having. Out of 9 plants in an RDWC, usually 3 practically die, 3 yellow out and finish early (like day 52), and the last 3 just yield way less than average. I seems like any new sterilizer that I have been using in the reservoir just makes the problem worse or barely makes a difference and it can get damn expensive on top of that.

I read this grow log and it changed my mind on trying to keep it a sterile system. https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/getto-trees.41432/

I'm really just curious if anyone has had good success over time going straight up sterile in a large RDWC system and how it was done. I think something got into my system that I can't kill off with sterilizers or it is being continually reintroduced to the system.

Dizzy Weasel · Feb 14, 2014

Mr.Sputnik said:
I can't really tell if the physan 20 did much of anything. It hasn't gotten worse or better, kind of hard to tell because the plants are pretty late into flower. I'm actually trying an earth worm casting tea, I'm at the end of my rope with whatever is causing this recurring issue I'm having. Out of 9 plants in an RDWC, usually 3 practically die, 3 yellow out and finish early (like day 52), and the last 3 just yield way less than average. I seems like any new sterilizer that I have been using in the reservoir just makes the problem worse or barely makes a difference and it can get damn expensive on top of that.

I read this grow log and it changed my mind on trying to keep it a sterile system. https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/getto-trees.41432/

I'm really just curious if anyone has had good success over time going straight up sterile in a large RDWC system and how it was done. I think something got into my system that I can't kill off with sterilizers or it is being continually reintroduced to the system.

Ive got veg 3months old in rdwc and sterile and all 4runs ive done worked out fine as far as root problems, ran ebb and grow buckets and could turn around a huge system from very bad to record run with bleach, h202 and uc roots lost 2-3 out of 90 and everything came back great actually left the dead ones in as they were inpossible to remove and system, finished great.... try doing a bleach flush then dump and refill with h202 then hit with uc roots

Toaster · May 28, 2014

Hey Sputnik,
Any updates on your progress or a solution to your problem. I read over your two threads and I am having the exact same issue. My water is coming from Westminster, CO. Someone else posted they were having problems with water from Denver. Were you ever able to get your water tested?

gone rayson · May 28, 2014

I'm on my 4th run in UC. I always use CC nutrients only with CC ROOTS. Between runs I drain and fill with tap water, then ad 1/2 gal. of pool shock, let it run for one hour. Drain and fill again to dilute remaining pool shock, then drain for the last time all the while using dryer vent clean out tools and Blue Scotchbright pads. Finally, I shop vac out all remaining water from pipes and buckets. Never a problem here.

marihuana · Jun 3, 2014

Hey! I figured I would put my two cents in seeing as a I just finished going through the veg from hell. I was running 6 plants under a t-5 and long story short caused my self some bacterial problems in my res and had not been using any preventative measures(sterile or bennies). Now when I say the veg from hell I mean it took me 3 months to grow 4inch cuttings into 3 foot scraggely plants with the plays staying just at the 4 inch mark for ever! Now I started using h2o2 and physan to try and fix these problems but it seemed like every time I would get some vigorous root growth my roots would get weak and start to just give up on life. After all trying all the sterile methods I decided to go to a Bennie tea. The tea took roots that would grow And rot on me continuously and turn them it healthy white growth and I haven't had any problems since. Plants are healthy growing and about to go into flower. Now I'm not here to argue against sterile because I'm currently doing a sterile run, but what Im trying to say is sterility has its time and place. When you have constant infection, or old clones I think the plant is to weak to fight off the infection its self when you just up and go sterile on it. Now plants that are f1s or are just good well rooted cuts are more equipped to handle the abrasive solutions used in sterility as well as maintain vigorous growth. My set I'm just running tap water and h2o2(34% at 1.5ml a gallon) and the plants seem happy as clams. Also the same system I'm using to run sterile I had MAJOR problems in (I'm talking floating bacterial colonies!) And I just scrubbed everything down with physan 20. After that I let the physan run in the system in heavy doses and it seems to work very, very well. I give my props to that shit for killing bacteria's lol

dieseldawg2480 · Jun 22, 2014

Dizzy Weasel said:
bleach works great too... 200ml to a gallon to make a "solution" then i use the mix at 2-4ml a gallon
how did 15ml/250gal work out?

Is that bleach the reg strength 6% chlorine? Or the concentrated @ 8.25%
I read that 1ml/gal to sterilize water, then 1/2ml /gal every 3-4 days @6%
I cant find 6% chlorine anymore. What ratio would you run the 8.25%??

Dizzy Weasel · Jul 15, 2014

dieseldawg2480 said:
Is that bleach the reg strength 6% chlorine? Or the concentrated @ 8.25%
I read that 1ml/gal to sterilize water, then 1/2ml /gal every 3-4 days @6%
I cant find 6% chlorine anymore. What ratio would you run the 8.25%??

The 8.xx%... I actually use the boxed gallons of pool chlorine from Home Depot now same deal 200ml in a gal of ro h2o and 2ml a gal into system and re add as nessasarry once a week or every days for a few days if things look like they need it and keep killing it with clean root zones..... Have done 3ml - 4ml a gal when heading out for a few days when I needed sterilization, ran high as 10ml on ebb and grow sys and have never seem signs of girls not flourishing.... ran several more runs without a drop of uc roots and just hit a new record on weight! was still using it before as I had a few 5gals I bought that needed to get used

And I just use UC nutes with bleach mix and max out at 400ppm water at 64.... KISS, know people with other stews at 900ppm not getting much more than a single per and they constantly complain about cost on uc roots

Sterile UC users, how do you keep your reservoir sterile?

Sterile UC users, how do you keep your reservoir sterile?

Mr.Sputnik

redwhiteblue

Delerium

Owlfarm

Dizzy Weasel

Loves Eating Tacos

booboo111

Mr.Sputnik

booboo111

Mr.Sputnik

booboo111

namedul

Dizzy Weasel

Loves Eating Tacos

Dizzy Weasel

Loves Eating Tacos

Mr.Sputnik

Dizzy Weasel

Loves Eating Tacos

Toaster

gone rayson

marihuana

dieseldawg2480

Dizzy Weasel

Loves Eating Tacos

Sterile UC users, how do you keep your reservoir sterile?

Sterile UC users, how do you keep your reservoir sterile?

Mr.Sputnik

redwhiteblue

Delerium

Owlfarm

Dizzy Weasel

Loves Eating Tacos

booboo111

Mr.Sputnik

booboo111

Mr.Sputnik

booboo111

namedul

Dizzy Weasel

Loves Eating Tacos

Dizzy Weasel

Loves Eating Tacos

Mr.Sputnik

Dizzy Weasel

Loves Eating Tacos

Toaster

gone rayson

marihuana

dieseldawg2480

Dizzy Weasel

Loves Eating Tacos

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