Continual Slime in DWC

Twerkle

Well-Known Member
Good news, Physan 20 knocked the slime right out! Even after cleaning everything thoroughly before I still found dead slime/residue on the sides of the bucket after running it for 12 hours. Goes to show no matter how clean you think you got it there are little bits of slime and spores everywhere!

I made some EWC tea with less molasses than normal and it seems to be working better. Since monday I haven't seen any distinct slime except on the occasional dead root from before. Since then new white roots started poking out the bottom of the net pot and have begun to fishbone.

I think I am having a severe nute problem cause by the lack of healthy roots for so long. I fed the plants on their normal schedule and are still yellowing with purple stems. New growth is green but over time begins to yellow. Unfortunately I don't have a EC meter.
 

Twerkle

Well-Known Member
Hey there I'm new to RIU I have a 3 week old female from seed in Dwc with a 5gallon per minute air pump and 2x 120cm flexible air diffusers joined and made into a spiral to cover whole bottom of the bucket. Most of the roots are healthy but the ones deep enough to be in the water are taking on a orange tint? I'm using canna vega a+b cyco silica cyco uptake and was going to use cyco ryzofuel the root booster but I added it at the start and it caused mega foam build up? Any input would be great
as long as the roots don't fall apart when given a slight tug it is probably just nute stain. Good luck with your grow. :)
 

Aussiedwc

Member
Thanks :) they don't give way with a slight tug but I think my flexible air diffusers weren't making enough surface agitation for oxygen exchange so I've hooked a smaller stone up to my pump now it's looking like a spa bath rather than a glass of soft drink. Check out my thread I'm doing a main lined single plant 300w led pushing it to get the best trip I can was even thinking of integrating a scrog screen to help spread her out and support her during flower ☺
 

Twerkle

Well-Known Member
Thanks :) they don't give way with a slight tug but I think my flexible air diffusers weren't making enough surface agitation for oxygen exchange so I've hooked a smaller stone up to my pump now it's looking like a spa bath rather than a glass of soft drink. Check out my thread I'm doing a main lined single plant 300w led pushing it to get the best trip I can was even thinking of integrating a scrog screen to help spread her out and support her during flower ☺
got a link?
 

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
This kind of trouble was why I went with RDWC from the beginning. I had trouble with anaerobic microbes that nothing would solve- until I got my water temps down below 68F. Once I did that, I never needed to worry about rot or snot again, full stop.

I use chemical fertilizer, no organics at all. I've used bennie teas but they made little difference either way.

Once I got the temps to where I wanted them, even intentionally adding slimy water(!) had no ill effects, demonstrating that cool water is the cure for pythium. Why? Rot is anaerobic- and the colder the water, the more dissolved oxygen it can hold. Getting the water cold enough solves the problem at the source; the water itself.

The suggestion about covering your buckets with an insulating board was a good one; this prevents water from warming up and keeps roots in the dark, both are necessary for good root health. Personally, I use sheets of foil covered foam board cut to cover my tubs and they work great.

How did I get my water temps down? I used a water chiller. Again, since I knew I was going to be running RDWC, I went ahead and bought a big unit with the intention of using water chilling as my indoor climate cooling system as well. After some experimentation, I found that it works better than AC and uses less power.

I use hydroton and netpot bucket lids just like you do. I do NOT use air pumps or airstones, however- instead I created waterfalls in each tubsite which mix, aerate and agitate the water- and splash water above the waterline so roots dropping out of the netpot get wet on their way down to the waterline.

This approach uses drastically less power (one pump now does everything for many tubsites) and adds less heat.

For simplicity's sake, I run my small rooted clones in ebb n flood tables until they're a foot or two tall, then transfer into RDWC for bigger growth. How big? Four feet tall in veg, and 6' in bloom! They produce 'about a pound'- each.

20140925_091429.jpg

It's all about your water temps and appropriate conditions. You need to use the best instruments you can in order to know what your water conditions are like. Not having a good EC meter in deep water culture is like driving a Corvette with a blindfold on- you're going to crash, it's just a matter of when. I use a Blulab combo meter that digitally reads pH, EC and temperature. Yes, it's expensive- ONCE. Watching batch after batch of babies have problems is expensive every time.

The water temps were key to eliminating slime- I'm serious when I say that I do not clean my tubs between runs other than a quick rinse, I NEVER use sterilants and I don't use teas. Even when I introduce pathogens into the water intentionally, it doesn't survive because water conditions don't allow it to.

I hope this helps- best of luck!
 

Twerkle

Well-Known Member
Whoa, she's def a monster! I think RDWC might be the next move. The sound of a chiller plus a pump has to be quieter than my massive air pump. EC meter is def on the list when I get a few extra dollars.

I knocked the slime out by dosing with the physan 20 and letting it run for 12 hours. Dumped everything cleaned and the redosed with tea. Haven't had any slime in a week :) which is such a relief because constant cleaning and dumping the rez was getting tiresome. The issue I think I had before was I had some root rot I never addressed and then just kept trying to fix the slime which is like shooting yourself in the foot. I'm going to grab some foam board and cover it in tinfoil.

This kind of trouble was why I went with RDWC from the beginning. I had trouble with anaerobic microbes that nothing would solve- until I got my water temps down below 68F. Once I did that, I never needed to worry about rot or snot again, full stop.

I use chemical fertilizer, no organics at all. I've used bennie teas but they made little difference either way.

Once I got the temps to where I wanted them, even intentionally adding slimy water(!) had no ill effects, demonstrating that cool water is the cure for pythium. Why? Rot is anaerobic- and the colder the water, the more dissolved oxygen it can hold. Getting the water cold enough solves the problem at the source; the water itself.

The suggestion about covering your buckets with an insulating board was a good one; this prevents water from warming up and keeps roots in the dark, both are necessary for good root health. Personally, I use sheets of foil covered foam board cut to cover my tubs and they work great.

How did I get my water temps down? I used a water chiller. Again, since I knew I was going to be running RDWC, I went ahead and bought a big unit with the intention of using water chilling as my indoor climate cooling system as well. After some experimentation, I found that it works better than AC and uses less power.

I use hydroton and netpot bucket lids just like you do. I do NOT use air pumps or airstones, however- instead I created waterfalls in each tubsite which mix, aerate and agitate the water- and splash water above the waterline so roots dropping out of the netpot get wet on their way down to the waterline.

This approach uses drastically less power (one pump now does everything for many tubsites) and adds less heat.

For simplicity's sake, I run my small rooted clones in ebb n flood tables until they're a foot or two tall, then transfer into RDWC for bigger growth. How big? Four feet tall in veg, and 6' in bloom! They produce 'about a pound'- each.

View attachment 3393439

It's all about your water temps and appropriate conditions. You need to use the best instruments you can in order to know what your water conditions are like. Not having a good EC meter in deep water culture is like driving a Corvette with a blindfold on- you're going to crash, it's just a matter of when. I use a Blulab combo meter that digitally reads pH, EC and temperature. Yes, it's expensive- ONCE. Watching batch after batch of babies have problems is expensive every time.

The water temps were key to eliminating slime- I'm serious when I say that I do not clean my tubs between runs other than a quick rinse, I NEVER use sterilants and I don't use teas. Even when I introduce pathogens into the water intentionally, it doesn't survive because water conditions don't allow it to.

I hope this helps- best of luck!
 

sqlb3rn

New Member
I'm using filtered water from the store and then inoculate the rez which have tap water. Usually the tap water runs for a day with nutes before I dose to let the chlorine evaporate out. I just switched to a 24hr brew with less molasses and see if that helps. I'm also trying to use a air stone instead of a venturian air/water pump.

Also I just ran Physan 20 for 12 hours and after I drained found some dead slime on the sides of the bucket even though I cleaned everything before running the Physan 20. So I think running for 12 hours really knocked the slime out. I got it running tap water and nutes right now while I brew the tea. Going to inoculate it tomorrow. Everything is looking good though, new white roots coming out of the side and now slime today.
chloramine does not gas off... I use tap water, and my tea is not effective unless I treat it with tap water conditioner. just a possibility to consider.
 

budafinger

Active Member
I'm current running a RDWC home made 2 pot aquafarm system with water chiller, ran into a bad case of root rot prior to getting the chiller and still struggling to kill it completely, been a constant battle! Tried hygrozyme and many other zymes... All shit! Started running tesco home brand 5% bleach at 6ml per 50l and repeating every 3rd day, 2 weeks later no slime, no shitty smell in res, plants looking healthy, pots gleaming and new roots showing out bottom of aquafarm. Just stopped bleach allowed 3 days to dissipate fully and starting flying skull Z7 enzyme at recommended dose. Anyone used this and had good results? I'm pretty sure the bleach killed anything so now hoping the z7 helps? Any ideas?
 

redi jedi

Well-Known Member
I'm current running a RDWC home made 2 pot aquafarm system with water chiller, ran into a bad case of root rot prior to getting the chiller and still struggling to kill it completely, been a constant battle! Tried hygrozyme and many other zymes... All shit! Started running tesco home brand 5% bleach at 6ml per 50l and repeating every 3rd day, 2 weeks later no slime, no shitty smell in res, plants looking healthy, pots gleaming and new roots showing out bottom of aquafarm. Just stopped bleach allowed 3 days to dissipate fully and starting flying skull Z7 enzyme at recommended dose. Anyone used this and had good results? I'm pretty sure the bleach killed anything so now hoping the z7 helps? Any ideas?
Huh??...bleach solved your problem now your going back to enzymes?
 

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
I'm current running a RDWC home made 2 pot aquafarm system with water chiller, ran into a bad case of root rot prior to getting the chiller and still struggling to kill it completely, been a constant battle! Tried hygrozyme and many other zymes... All shit! Started running tesco home brand 5% bleach at 6ml per 50l and repeating every 3rd day, 2 weeks later no slime, no shitty smell in res, plants looking healthy, pots gleaming and new roots showing out bottom of aquafarm. Just stopped bleach allowed 3 days to dissipate fully and starting flying skull Z7 enzyme at recommended dose. Anyone used this and had good results? I'm pretty sure the bleach killed anything so now hoping the z7 helps? Any ideas?
I'm with @redi jedi on this; bleach did the job and so now you're going to go back to the stuff that caused the problem. This makes no sense.

NO ENZYMES IN DWC/RDWC. It makes nasty slime- which is what you were complaining about, remember?
 

budafinger

Active Member
my main reason for trying Z7 if I'm honest is after waiting nearly 4 weeks for it to arrive from the states as it's not available in UK and after paying through the nose for the privilege I wanted to see if after killing off any organisms in my system the Z7 would have a positive impact on things as a prevention to further outbreaks of shit, I'm gonna let it run for a few weeks and see if any issues arise, got 2 bottles of bleach to hand just encase I start to see any slime or brown roots developing but feel using the z7 could have a more positive end result compared to bleach alone? Who knows time will tell, either way I recommend bleach to anyone struggling in RDWC DWC for sure and at 30p for 2L no wonder the hydro shops ain't too keen to promote it!
 

budafinger

Active Member
Would just like to add, after running z7 for few days now starting to see the dreaded browning of roots! Fuck it, from now on in its BLEACH BLEACH BLEACH, all them zyme products are just a pain in the arse in RDWC, suppose I should of realised I was onto a winner when I first seen the slime disappear and new roots develop!
 

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Would just like to add, after running z7 for few days now starting to see the dreaded browning of roots! Fuck it, from now on in its BLEACH BLEACH BLEACH, all them zyme products are just a pain in the arse in RDWC, suppose I should of realised I was onto a winner when I first seen the slime disappear and new roots develop!
I've used enzyme products in RDWC and it's always been a disaster.
 

budafinger

Active Member
I've used enzyme products in RDWC and it's always been a disaster.
Anything live or organic seems to just cause a shit load of problems RDWC, I'm just gonna keep it simple, synthetic nutes and bleach... DONE! Do you use bleach yourself? Would be interested to know how much you run and how often? Cheers
 

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Anything live or organic seems to just cause a shit load of problems RDWC, I'm just gonna keep it simple, synthetic nutes and bleach... DONE! Do you use bleach yourself? Would be interested to know how much you run and how often? Cheers
I use no sterilants at all, just waterfalls running into the netpots, topfeed style. My water stays below 70F/21C, pH 5.3-6.6 depending on plant needs, EC 1.2-2.1 again, depending on plant needs and stage of life.

I don't even wipe down or sterilize between runs, as I feel that gives opportunistic pathogens an even playing field with the beneficials. That doesn't mean I run organic; I use dry nutrient salts.
 

budafinger

Active Member
I use no sterilants at all, just waterfalls running into the netpots, topfeed style. My water stays below 70F/21C, pH 5.3-6.6 depending on plant needs, EC 1.2-2.1 again, depending on plant needs and stage of life.

I don't even wipe down or sterilize between runs, as I feel that gives opportunistic pathogens an even playing field with the beneficials. That doesn't mean I run organic; I use dry nutrient salts.
Sounds good, for me personally though after battling with Pythium for a good few months I'm keen on now keeping things as sterile as possible to avoid the problem again, I run my chiller at 18-19 degrees C, have a 1000lph pump gushing in external res for aereation, no air stones, EC runs at 1.2 max in full bloom as any higher seems to just need constant dilution, ph as you stated 5.3-6.3 dependant. I'm just hoping this time around I can get back up to around 18 per pot dry after a 4 week veg, once the roots get well established there really is no stopping these things! Heaths grows have always been an inspiration if not just a tease!
 

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member
I've done the same thing with thinking all was good after a few doses of bleach, switched back to bennies and poof, back again. I'm thinking that this run is going to be a sterile res till the end, when it's over (if they survive) I will nuke everything and see if I go back to beneficials or stick with bleach or H2O2. It's nice to be able to get info from others that use bleach, another highly controversial subject lol.
 
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