# Stinky, Cloudy Reservoir water...



## LumpStatus (Nov 4, 2007)

Hello folks. I am trying to get a fix for a problem I have been having. Using lucas formula floranova bloom in an ebb n flow system, 70 gallon res, RO water, etc...

I will get right to the point. After adding nutes to my water, within a day or two my res stinks, and becomes kind of cloudy while ph jumps from 5.28 to 5.88 in less than 24 hours. Understand that this is NOT the first time this has happened. It happened before i had an RO system with the lucas formula flora series nutes also. So basically I have a serious problem. Last time it happened I couldn't get things figured out, so I pulled my plants from the hydroton and put them soiless. Now my second attempt is turning out the same.

I have two airstones feeding it with a large dual outlet pump on 24/7 feeding oxygen into the water. Water has never been over 72 degrees. Using RO water, after adding nutes, ph is at 4.9, add small amount of ph up to get to 5.2. Water smells normal at first and then begins to smell. Eventually, the hydroton starts to smell and I have to shut down the whole setup (it gets pretty nasty within a week or so).

I understand that this could be a bacteria, have cleaned the system with 35% h202 one time and another time with bleach. It is not "root rot" because I have tried running the system WITHOUT plants at all and it still happens. It only gets smelly when the nutes are in the water, I can leave 70 gallons of RO water sitting for weeks with no smell, but once I add some nutes, smell comes quick.

PLEASE help me, I am desperate after spending so much time and money getting things going... I keep thinking it has the be a bacteria of some sort, WHAT can get rid of it? Should I add h202 to the res every few days at a certain ml/gal ratio? Should I try hydroguard?

I know we have some brilliant minds among us, so any bits of info is appreciated. Thank you in advance for the help... I am willing to TRY ANYTHING!


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## widowman64 (Nov 4, 2007)

do you add nutes before you add water? Cause im pretty sure that mixing the nutes in deep concentration will cause a chemical reaction of some sort. You should be adding it into the water.


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## r32115 (Nov 4, 2007)

it's parts per gallon not gallons per res


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## email468 (Nov 5, 2007)

Some questions:
1) how much nutes are you adding per gallon? I am asking this to determine if you are adding too much. 
2) does this happen using nutrients from another company? This would rule out any contamination/configuration issues with your system.
3) Are you pre-mixing your nutes and then adding them to the water? I am asking because this is bad and shouldn't be done.


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## LumpStatus (Nov 5, 2007)

"do you add nutes before you add water?"
It is a one part nutrient, no mixing needed until it hits the water...

"it's parts per gallon not gallons per res"
Don't know what you mean by this...

1) how much nutes are you adding per gallon? I am asking this to determine if you are adding too much.
5ml gallon flora nova bloom - low strength only 860ppm

2) does this happen using nutrients from another company? This would rule out any contamination/configuration issues with your system.
I haven't tried anything but GH flora series and flora nova series. But I will...

3) Are you pre-mixing your nutes and then adding them to the water? I am asking because this is bad and shouldn't be done.
Flora nova bloom is a one part nutrient, no mixing necessary. As for GH flora series it is a 3 part, and no, I mixed as it was labled (micro, bloom) I don't use the grow.


**I added some 35% h202 from advanced nutrients last night at the recommended strength on the bottle and I think the smell is gone for now...But I still want to know what is causing it...


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## email468 (Nov 5, 2007)

Well LumpStatus I am stumped. I use both G.H. Flora Nova and the regular Flora series and have never experienced what you are describing. Oh wait - one other thing i just thought of - is any light hitting your reservoir at all? That could be causing what you describe...


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## VictorVIcious (Nov 5, 2007)

Yep, not only the light hitiing the res. You can get algae or other pathogen growth in the growing medium as well. H2O2, 35% is 1ml/ltr. I think. I am suprized you have a problem with the airstones in use though. VV


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## LumpStatus (Nov 5, 2007)

Well, my res is pretty much light tight except for the fact that it is WHITE. I was told that the light isn't causing my problem... The guy at my hydroshop uses all white res's in the showroom and his water sits in there forever without getting cloudy/smelly... But yes, I imagine there is some light getting into it, but not a lot.

So is using 35% h2o2 ok to do constantly? How often should I add it?

I always thought light caused algea. I didn't think that algea smelled or clouded up water. But if you really think this could be the cause, I will try to completely light proof it... I just never seen anyone completely light proof a e&f res before (there is always some areas where small amounts of light can get in).


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## email468 (Nov 5, 2007)

I'm fresh out of ideas. Do nutrients go bad/spoil, maybe?


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## pincher (Nov 5, 2007)

How about water temp? if its to high it can be a breeding ground for bacteria... especially if any light is hitting it.


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## email468 (Nov 5, 2007)

Good one pincher! water temp in the reservoir could be a factor.


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## dankie (Nov 5, 2007)

do you keep your nutrients in your grow room or in a cool dark place? Did you run the bleach and H2o2 mixture through your water pump and submerge your airstones in the solution?


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## LumpStatus (Nov 5, 2007)

I don't blame you for not reading the long first post... but "Water has never been over 72 degrees". Well, I have run h202 through the res and the smell has completely gone away which is good.... The water is still a bit cloudy. What does water look like when it has flora nova in it? Anyone got a pic of a res mixed with flora nova so I can compare? I will submit my pic here in a few..

Oh, but if for some reason I have to keep using 35% h2o2 to keep it going without the smell....What effect will this have on my plants and how often should I add h2o2? Advanced bottle says every 3-4 days.


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## hazeyindahead (Nov 5, 2007)

h202 will keep that res in check... you should be adding it already if you already have it...

You may want to look at the hydro shop for things like flora shield or hydroguard if the problem persists...

For the h2o2 I add 1 ml for every gallon in the res... everyday... and my plants couldnt be happier, there is still some algae-ish growths, and some smelliness, however, the plants show no signs of it being negative.

h2o2 is basically a dam-buster when it comes to how much uptake your plants can have, supposedly it increases their uptake capacities, which will of course make them grow faster, I add as much as I mentioned into a 2 plant Shallow water culture and I havent seen plants grow faster.


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## wafflehouselover (Nov 6, 2007)

you shouldn't settle with a temperary fix of h202, there's something wrong there i've never used flora nova before but have flora series and my res is really clean. the h202 might be killing off some bacteria that can cause that smell so your plan of action is to find out what is causing it. Do you think maybe your 1part nutrient is contaminated?


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## potroast (Nov 6, 2007)

Exactly! There seems to be a problem. I would say it's something in the FloraNova, but I'm not sure, so why not call GH? Their tech support guys are great. It sounds like something living in there is dying and stinking it up. But isn't that a powdered nute?

You've cleaned it up with the peroxide, and H2O2 breaks down quickly, so that's why you should add it regularly.

That's typical pH rebound, especially with RO water. With experience, you'll get used to how your water reacts with your nutes. You might try mixing the nutes, and then letting sit for 24 hours and then adjust pH and feed to plants.

Wow, a 70 gallon res! Yee-hah! Just out of curiousity, how much of it is required to irrigate your system? IOW, how much of the res is used to flood, or keep the system running?

HTH


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## JohnnyPotSeed1969 (Nov 6, 2007)

dude, check your airstones. in time, the nutrient salts will clog the pores in your airstones causing a dramatic decrease in the level of oxygen. either that, or you need a more powerful air pump. 

you are answering your own question here, because by adding the H2O2, you are introducing more oxygen into your reservoir, which is what is fixing your problem. water with a low oxygen content becomes stagnant which allows your nutrients to break down causing cloudy/smelly water.


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## FilthyFletch (Nov 6, 2007)

Well my thoughts would be to use the grotek H2o2 2-5 drops per gallon every 3 days.Thats what I use in my 50 gallon res.Lower your res temps closer to 65 degrees.Are you RO ing your home water and if so is it well water there?Do you use rockwool cubes or other medium?


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## hazeyindahead (Nov 6, 2007)

JohnnyPotSeed1969 said:


> dude, check your airstones. in time, the nutrient salts will clog the pores in your airstones causing a dramatic decrease in the level of oxygen. either that, or you need a more powerful air pump.
> 
> you are answering your own question here, because by adding the H2O2, you are introducing more oxygen into your reservoir, which is what is fixing your problem. water with a low oxygen content becomes stagnant which allows your nutrients to break down causing cloudy/smelly water.


I second this idea as well, give more natural oxygen through air pumps and you will need less h2o2 everyday, especially for such a big res


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## LumpStatus (Nov 6, 2007)

wafflehouselover
>Do you think maybe your 1part nutrient is contaminated?
This is my second attempt at the ebb n flow, first time I used GH flora series micro/bloom and the SAME thing happened. This is why I purchased an RO filter etc...


potroast
>isn't that a powdered nute?
No, it is a liquid nutrient, one part. This nutrient is highly recommended from lucas, a very well known forum goer...

>how much of the res is used to flood, or keep the system running?
well, I was using a 40 gallon before (filled to about 35 gals) and it would pull the water below the pump and start sucking air. This is why I went to the 70 gal (filled to about 60 gal) now the pump always stays under some water.

johnnypotseed1969
>dude, check your airstones.
Brand new. I have been told I am putting MORE air into my res than I need to. Four outlet pump with four stones pumping a LOT of air in there... I can't imagine I am not putting enough oxygen in there...but anything is possible...

>water with a low oxygen content becomes stagnant which allows your nutrients to break down causing cloudy/smelly water.
So what effect is this "break down" of nutrients having on the plants? Does this mean that they cannot absorb the nutes? Or what does this mean exactly?


filthyfletch
>is it well water there?Do you use rockwool cubes or other medium? 
No, municipal water only, no well. In fact, my ppm is only 200 ish from the tap, but ph is high at 8.1. I use hydroton clay balls with only the 1" cubes of rockwool that my clones come in, nothing more. 



*KEEP in mind that I DO NOT HAVE PLANTS in the system at all right now. I am only doing a test run before I add them into the mix...*

*Please tell me this. To ensure that I don't continue to have this problem, what do you recommend? If I dump the res and run a high concentration of h2o2 through EVERYTHING and clean it out, get rid of the GH flora nova series and use the 3 part flora series ONLY, I should have no problem keeping the system clean WITHOUT any h2o2 right? Or should I ALWAYS use the h2o2?*


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## wafflehouselover (Nov 6, 2007)

h202 is a good addition, its not really needed if your res temp is right and your pumping alot of oxygen into it already with that dual diagram pump. Just wondaring you might already have done this but just want to clearify it, have you clean your hydroton clayballs thoroughly?

And also, i just looked up flora nova its a organic base nutrient. I've never used organic nutrients before only additives such as root stimulator, hygrozyme and everytime i use these organics my res does get a bit dirty with small particles like but it doesn't bother the plants, just me because im a neat freak and have ocd so ichange my res. every often. If you go back to the flora series and use that by itself you should not have any problem with the res being cloudy unleast you don't cover it and let algae grow in it. Again h202 isn't needed its a very good additive tho.


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## FilthyFletch (Nov 6, 2007)

I would say make sure the hydroton is well cleaned a few times before using.If you reuse it make sure it got bleach washed.Get your ph up to 5.8 and make sure if using an all organic to do A WEEKLY RES CHANGE


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## LumpStatus (Nov 6, 2007)

wafflehouse
>have you clean your hydroton clayballs thoroughly?
Yes, I have cleaned the hydroton better this time than I ever have in the past. I spent a lot of time cleaning it through a strainer (plus it was brand new out of the bag, not re-used).

I used the flora series on the last e&f and it was the same problem. You must understand that I am doing everything by the book. I have only use GH nutes, ph up/down, air, RO water and as of recently h2o2. I really don't know where to begin.


I am getting extremely frustrated...

I now have foam on the sides of my res (dirty looking nutrient foam). So I don't know what I should do. No smell, but foam is DEFINATLEY there. What would you do? Would you ditch it and go to handwatering 50 plants in a different medium? I might just do that...I hate it, but I can't stand this.

I can try to clean everything again with h2o2 and go back to the flora nutes, but I don't know if it is gonna work... It is gonna take at least 24 hours to refill the res with RO water after cleaning it, unless I tried tap water...

I just don't know. Any suggestions?


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## FilthyFletch (Nov 7, 2007)

Ditch the nutes you got and try fox farm and see what happens.It will let you know if its anute issue or water issue.I dont ro my water I use straight tap water through a brita water filter.


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## Serotonin (Nov 7, 2007)

I had similar problems and I added H2O2 to my res and it went away. Just dilute roughly 5mL of 35% per gallon of water. After a week I add another 2 mL until the 2 week point when I do an entire res change.

Edit... if you can, rinse the hydroton with diluted H2O2 as well, it will clean it.


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## k20 (Nov 7, 2007)

lump, when this happened before, were the roots covered in slime?


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## LumpStatus (Nov 7, 2007)

Nope... No slime, the plants had only been in for a few days the fist time it happened, so I don't think root rot was a factor.


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## Puffin Afatty (Nov 7, 2007)

I use an ebb and flow sys too...I use the Lucas Formula with GH Flora Series nutes...I have a heater in the res to keep it at 75*...I use rod water, I recently tried an experiment, and havent changed the res in 3 grows...use the same for flower as veg and add nutes (8ml micro-16ml bloom per gallon) and/or water to keep ppm at 900-1000 and a ph of 5.5...ph has been stable for months and the plants are flourishing...


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## LumpStatus (Nov 7, 2007)

Puffin Afatty said:


> I use an ebb and flow sys too...I use the Lucas Formula with GH Flora Series nutes...I have a heater in the res to keep it at 75*...I use rod water, I recently tried an experiment, and havent changed the res in 3 grows...use the same for flower as veg and add nutes (8ml micro-16ml bloom per gallon) and/or water to keep ppm at 900-1000 and a ph of 5.5...ph has been stable for months and the plants are flourishing...


That is exactly what I am trying to do here. Using the lucas formula, but my water keeps getting messed up. When your water drops in ppm and you want it to be brought back up to 1000ppm, do you add nutes directly to the res or mix in a seperate container?


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## Puffin Afatty (Nov 8, 2007)

LumpStatus said:


> _*That is exactly what I am trying to do here. Using the lucas formula, but my water keeps getting messed up. When your water drops in ppm and you want it to be brought back up to 1000ppm, do you add nutes directly to the res or mix in a seperate container?[/*_quote]
> 
> I just add it to a gallon of rod, mix and then add to res...I am not very familiar with organics, but it appears the organic components of your res are fermenting...I think the use of h202 will just kill the organics, but not solve the issue...I only use the Bloom and Micro parts of the Flora series, but you mentioned the Nova has organic components...If possible, just avoid the organics...I've used GH from the beginning, it aint broke yet, so I wont be fixin it...


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## Serotonin (Nov 8, 2007)

One other thing, I had pretty much the exact same thing you're talking about. Nasty/musty smell and a foamy slime shit all along the waterline... my res at that time was a bronze plastic and light traveled through it even with shit all over it. I ended up attempting one plant in DWC after saving my plants in rockwool. That one plant went into a thick ass black bucket and I'm adding h2o2. I originally was trying to cool it but the temp is around 70 and putting frozen water bottles in there got old after the first 3 days. 

Anyways, for me the totally light proof res with h2o2 and 2 6" airstones for just 4 gallons of water solved the problem. My mother has been doing fine for 2 weeks now and the water is perfect.

I hope the shit works out for you man.


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## hazeyindahead (Nov 8, 2007)

h2o2 is god for hydro.


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## Puffin Afatty (Nov 9, 2007)

it seems, from your description that the organic component in the Nova Series nutes is your problem...putting h2o2 in would just kill the living organics, thus solving your problem...I would change back to GH Flora series nutes, and continue with the Lucas Formula of 8ml micro and 16ml bloom for each gallon of rod, then keep the ppm at 800 and ph of 5.5...


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## wilson530 (Nov 9, 2007)

Well I was too lazy to read all the posts, but the title peaked my curiosity. I ran into the exact same problem, water getting cloudy and starting to smell like a very dirty fish tank after 24 to 48 hours after everything had been flushed. My problem ended up being that I was running city, more importantly chlorinated water in my system while using a sub culture for my roots. well in turn the chlorine was killing the bacteria which was stinking up my res. switched to R/O and everythang is peachy.


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## JohnnyBoy928 (Aug 27, 2009)

LOL I know this is too late but can someone say "TURBIDITY"

 look it up...


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## mista32 (Aug 28, 2009)

I say ditch the organic and use the gh flora if u dont trie this with like a galloon of distilled water same conditions


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## DaivsCCS (Dec 19, 2009)

mista32 said:


> I say ditch the organic and use the gh flora if u dont trie this with like a galloon of distilled water same conditions



i have this same exact problem even using gh 3 part.. i dot know how to solve it but it only happens to me in bloom stage. my mothers, clones and veg room are perfectly fine but as soon as i flash 12/12 the water starts to stink.. i thought it was my nutes but i flushed with flora clean moved them to my bud room and fed them just plain water to see if it was nutes.... the water stinks nutes or not.. what to do?


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## smokingrubber (Dec 19, 2009)

Puffin Afatty said:


> I use an ebb and flow sys too...I use the Lucas Formula with GH Flora Series nutes...I have a heater in the res to keep it at 75*...I use rod water, I recently tried an experiment, and havent changed the res in 3 grows...use the same for flower as veg and add nutes (8ml micro-16ml bloom per gallon) and/or water to keep ppm at 900-1000 and a ph of 5.5...ph has been stable for months and the plants are flourishing...


 
You don't change the res for months? I did a search but couldnt find it, do you have a link to the Lucas Formula? Thank you.

I am using GH and a 55 gal res, there is a slight smell but its kinda not too bad. Still vegging though.


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## DaivsCCS (Dec 19, 2009)

smokingrubber said:


> You don't change the res for months? I did a search but couldnt find it, do you have a link to the Lucas Formula? Thank you.
> 
> I am using GH and a 55 gal res, there is a slight smell but its kinda not too bad. Still vegging though.




i change my res every week and after 2 days it stimks


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## RyanTheRhino (Dec 19, 2009)

I know everyone seems to be agains tap water but tap water has antibacterial particals in it so it might help if its a bacteria problem. (a 8.1 PH from the tap might be to strong ) the chlorine lvls are really high when the ph is so high


also id your rez made of food grade material. if not the polymers can seep into your solution.


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## Mistp65 (Apr 10, 2020)

Bra I'm having the same issue but I'm using the general hydroponic 3 part system have you ever figured out the issue please help


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## MrGreenFingers99 (Apr 10, 2020)

Hhhhhmmmm this thread is like 13 years old lol, maybe start your own thread and post some pictures of your plant and especially the roots as sounds like root rot, you using anything to keep the res clean, people either run sterile or run beneficial bacteria?


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## Renfro (Apr 10, 2020)

Mistp65 said:


> Bra I'm having the same issue but I'm using the general hydroponic 3 part system have you ever figured out the issue please help


It's likely bacterial. Have you tried running a sterilizing agent to see if that solves the problem? Pool Shock or H2O2 perhaps?


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## Mistp65 (Apr 10, 2020)

Renfro said:


> It's likely bacterial. Have you tried running a sterilizing agent to see if that solves the problem? Pool Shock or H2O2 perhaps?


No I'm geting some h202 today and how do I go abouts doing that if you can help me that would be greatly appreciated


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## Renfro (Apr 10, 2020)

Mistp65 said:


> No I'm geting some h202 today and how do I go abouts doing that if you can help me that would be greatly appreciated








A HOW TO ON H2O2


im pretty sure this is common info but I have it saved so I will share copy and paste; Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) is a clear sharp smelling substance very similar in appearance to water (H2O). Like water it is made up of Hydrogen (H2) and Oxygen (O2), however H2O2 has an extra Oxygen atom in an...



rollitup.org





That post should get you schooled up on the subject.

Happy growing!


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## Mistp65 (Apr 10, 2020)

And just posted a thread and posted a bunch of pics


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## Mistp65 (Apr 10, 2020)

Thank you https://www.rollitup.org/t/stinky-murky-white-water-only-when-added-nutrients.1011739/


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## Renfro (Apr 10, 2020)

Mistp65 said:


> And just posted a thread and posted a bunch of pics


I have one of those too!  linked in my signature. You got a link for your thread or are you gonna make me work for it?


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## Mistp65 (Apr 10, 2020)

I posted it lol


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## Renfro (Apr 10, 2020)

Mistp65 said:


> Thank you https://www.rollitup.org/t/stinky-murky-white-water-only-when-added-nutrients.1011739/


hmmm. are you using tap water? are you letting each nute mix before adding the next? the white could be precipitation of calcium due to a reaction.


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## Renfro (Apr 10, 2020)

Mistp65 said:


> I posted it lol


Odd, I can't click it in your post but the link shows in my quote lol.


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## Mistp65 (Apr 10, 2020)

Renfro said:


> hmmm. are you using tap water? are you letting each nute mix before adding the next? the white could be precipitation of calcium due to a reaction.


Yes I'm using tap water as well as I put a 1/4 of each nute in 2gallon of water half of what is recommended and is that gonna kill her ?


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## Mistp65 (Apr 10, 2020)

Renfro said:


> Odd, I can't click it in your post but the link shows in my quote lol.


Lmao that's weird I'm new to the forum stuff so I do apologize


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## Renfro (Apr 10, 2020)

Mistp65 said:


> half of what is recommended and is that gonna kill her


It's not gonna kill her lol. do you know the pH? Thats critical to watch, especially in hydro.


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## Mistp65 (Apr 10, 2020)

Okay lol. Yes I do that was the first thing I got lol was a ph meter just waiting on my ppm meter if that's gonna help me at all


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## Mistp65 (Apr 10, 2020)

Um some days its 5.3 some days its 6.3 when I add nutes and ph down it the highest it got was 7 but it wasnt like that for long but yes I check my ph regularly lately every 2 hours


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## Mistp65 (Apr 10, 2020)

Renfro said:


> It's not gonna kill her lol. do you know the pH? Thats critical to watch, especially in hydro.


Just realized I never replied to yours just been messaging away the wrong way I think lol


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## Mistp65 (Apr 10, 2020)

Mistp65 said:


> Just realized I never replied to yours just been messaging away the wrong way I think lol


I'm such a tard at this thread shit we shall get better does this link work https://www.rollitup.org/t/stinky-murky-white-water-only-when-added-nutrients.1011739/


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