Hazyboy
- 21
- 3
Okay.. so I'll do my best to break this down and supply all relevant info and background.
I have finished a few RDWC runs now, and have not had very much success, yields and quality has been disappointing when compared to my dirt grows. Most of my previous runs I think had some nutrient imbalances but my root balls never got massive either, and roots were never bright white, always a dull beige (which I thought might be staining but wasn't sure)..
I was previously using beneficial microbes, microbial mass or green planet root builder. However this run I decided to try a sterile res instead, and started using UC Roots.
I cleaned my loops extremely well between crops, I use home made water chillers (dehumidifier/AC with cooling coil placed in res) and I have water fall recirculation with 2x airstones in each 10gallon bucket which holds 2x plants. All water used in my loops is RO filtered water. My tap water is 520ppm but after RO it's about 12ppm.
From day 1 on this round, I ditched the beneficial microbes and have been dosing the UC roots at 3ml/gallon every 4 days. My water temps have been 66-68f. I have tried to block out as much light as possible but I believe some is still leaking in through my net pots in the cracks of hydroton, despite trying to cover them up with black and white.
Within 7 days of running my loop like this I could start to see a red build up on the roots. By day 11 they are clearly having a major issue, the red build up has gotten thicker and darker. I can see tiny pieces of this reddish material floating in the res and building up on my chiller element and fittings on the loop.
I thought the chlorine in UC roots would prevent algae or bacteria? It seems my sterile res didn't even last 1 week before being over run... how is this possible?
At first i thought the chlorine might be causing my chiller element or brass fittings on the waterfall manifold to corrode and rust and this is spreading around the res but I'm not so sure. It looks too slimy to be rust and I doubt it would build up on roots like this.
Could my water source be contaminated with something despite going through RO? My sediment filter always turns a gross reddish/yellow color similar to this.
I just can't seem to get it right with RDWC, I'm beyond frustrated and have spent a lot of time + money trying to make this work.
Any help is appreciated
Cheers
I have finished a few RDWC runs now, and have not had very much success, yields and quality has been disappointing when compared to my dirt grows. Most of my previous runs I think had some nutrient imbalances but my root balls never got massive either, and roots were never bright white, always a dull beige (which I thought might be staining but wasn't sure)..
I was previously using beneficial microbes, microbial mass or green planet root builder. However this run I decided to try a sterile res instead, and started using UC Roots.
I cleaned my loops extremely well between crops, I use home made water chillers (dehumidifier/AC with cooling coil placed in res) and I have water fall recirculation with 2x airstones in each 10gallon bucket which holds 2x plants. All water used in my loops is RO filtered water. My tap water is 520ppm but after RO it's about 12ppm.
From day 1 on this round, I ditched the beneficial microbes and have been dosing the UC roots at 3ml/gallon every 4 days. My water temps have been 66-68f. I have tried to block out as much light as possible but I believe some is still leaking in through my net pots in the cracks of hydroton, despite trying to cover them up with black and white.
Within 7 days of running my loop like this I could start to see a red build up on the roots. By day 11 they are clearly having a major issue, the red build up has gotten thicker and darker. I can see tiny pieces of this reddish material floating in the res and building up on my chiller element and fittings on the loop.
I thought the chlorine in UC roots would prevent algae or bacteria? It seems my sterile res didn't even last 1 week before being over run... how is this possible?
At first i thought the chlorine might be causing my chiller element or brass fittings on the waterfall manifold to corrode and rust and this is spreading around the res but I'm not so sure. It looks too slimy to be rust and I doubt it would build up on roots like this.
Could my water source be contaminated with something despite going through RO? My sediment filter always turns a gross reddish/yellow color similar to this.
I just can't seem to get it right with RDWC, I'm beyond frustrated and have spent a lot of time + money trying to make this work.
Any help is appreciated
Cheers