Can I trim roots hanging into the bottom bucket?

Ok so here's my problem..
Some of my plants have been getting burned leaves and/or signs of nute deficiencies here and there, some worse than others..

I grow in a ebb&gro 12-bucket system (fill and drain) type system, with a 50gal res..

I just switched some of my plants positions with others, and when I pulled out the 'top' bucket I noticed some roots hanging through the holes, and they're covered in brown gunk. Obviously they've been bathing in the water that gets left in each bottom bucket after they drain.

SO, my question is, should I cut off these roots that are coming through the holes so that nothing bathes in the leftover water, or should I just leave it alone? Will it hurt it to cut the ends of these certain roots off? Keep in mind I use pureblend pro for nutes, so gunk is gonna build up slowly in the bottom bucket no matter what, so cleaning that out isn't a permanent solution.

I simply want to know if I should chop off these roots that are hanging through the holes? And how will it affect the plant?

Thanks!!

cut them. pureblend is organic they will rot. and no wonder you getting signs of deficiency you got to dump pure blend in by the gal(jk) but that shit is weak.... i could tell you how to make an organic hydro mix, but honestly youll learn that synthetics are the way to got with hydro eventually. in other words save the pure blend for the soil.

Ender87i said:

Ok so here's my problem..
Some of my plants have been getting burned leaves and/or signs of nute deficiencies here and there, some worse than others..

I grow in a ebb&gro 12-bucket system (fill and drain) type system, with a 50gal res..

I just switched some of my plants positions with others, and when I pulled out the 'top' bucket I noticed some roots hanging through the holes, and they're covered in brown gunk. Obviously they've been bathing in the water that gets left in each bottom bucket after they drain.

SO, my question is, should I cut off these roots that are coming through the holes so that nothing bathes in the leftover water, or should I just leave it alone? Will it hurt it to cut the ends of these certain roots off? Keep in mind I use pureblend pro for nutes, so gunk is gonna build up slowly in the bottom bucket no matter what, so cleaning that out isn't a permanent solution.

I simply want to know if I should chop off these roots that are hanging through the holes? And how will it affect the plant?

Thanks!!

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those roots hanging in the lower bucket are covered in root slime, it's there because bacterium and a fungi are flourishing in your tanks cutting off those roots will retard growth and stress your plants.

most likely the problem is a result of the system design. having a void space which is full of air, always wet, and just a place to incubate disease is not part of any natural growing environment.

im not terribly familiar with the system youre using but if you were to cut up some nylons to make a filter, zip tie that filter over the water outlet from your lower bucket and fill the bucket with hydroton you may well eliminate those funky root problems.

most ebb and drain systems that i am familiar with do NOT have a big empty space in the root zone for funk to grow. i would clean the buckets out thoroughly, rinse those roots in a solution of clean warm water and a little hydrogen peroxide (like maybe 5%) and fill that void with hydroton.

check out Mr Green's I Grow Chronic video for a fine example of an ebb and drain system and youll see what i mean.

[video=youtube;cB2RT84Fw7o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB2RT84Fw7o[/video]

Would you cut your throat to be able to eat more and more efficiently.

There's not a 'big empty space', I'm just referring to the small amount of water that remains in the lower bucket (below the water line outlet). I lifted the top bucket out to move it and that's when I saw the roots dangling thru the bottom of the top bucket..

It doesn't look like slime, its brown (but not root rot). Just slimy brown crap like buildup from sitting in the bottom buckets water or whatever.

As far as trimming them off, I'm getting mixed answers here.. Can someone familiar with the ebb&gro system help me out please?

?

It will not hurt them to trim them. And pure blend pro is a great hydro nute. Weak? I run half of directions and never an issue.

I have a flood and drain. If a plant gets too much stress they go into shock and don't grow. Thats why they don't grow for a week after a transplant. So unless you want that I wouldn't do it.

Huge roots in hydro are not a major deal, healthy roots are. Trimming them will not stress them. Changing to flower doesn't stress them to stop growing, it tells the plant to make different hormones and this is what takes the time.

More mixed answers..

As far as pureblend pro goes, it may be a 1 part nute but its made for hydro. I like it. But it very well may be causing the sludge on those roots that are dipping into the bottom bucket.

I need a definitive answer here though..
Trim them or not?

I use flood and drain buckets also, I use the flo-gro system because its bottom feed not side feed like most buckets, its also slanted at bottom so no standing water after cycle. I get a few roots growing through also from time to time, you can just brush them off with your fingers, it will not hurt anything. Don't put anything in that space, no hydroton , no perlite , nothing. You want that space empty so the roots don't want to go there. If you put shit there your roots will grow into that space and you'll have problems. I use a small shopvac and vac out my pots once a week to keep them clean in bottom then use deluted peroxide with water and wipe inside of your buckets to prevent bacteria from building up.

BTW, get the cloth inserts or use geopots or dirt pots inside your buckets, this acts as a filter to keep your medium out of the buckets, lines and rez.

I don't have anything in the bottom bucket just to clarify. Never have, I know its supposed to be empty.

These flo-gro buckets sound pretty legit. I like the fact that they bottom feed, but how does that work exactly? ill have to check them out..

Anyway the roots growing through the bottom of the top bucket are fairly thick, but only coming through like 1 or 2 of the holes, so its not coming through the whole thing.

Anyway, I'm hesitant, but I feel like cutting them off will help, so they aren't resting in the salt-builtup water that settles in the bottom bucket.

I just wish I could get a direct for-sure answer if I should cut them or not. I don't want to shock or stunt my plants.

So can I get more input?

How many more answers do you need. Trim them, they will be fine. Don't wait for a problem.

2 things- It did NOT slow mine down when I cut them,(I got 4 in a 5 gl bucket), I trim often. Second thing,I ain't never caught Superstoner with a wrong answer. I know he has, everybody misses now & then, I just ain't caught him...yet.Good Growing to everyone.Peace.

I would be more worried about root rot.

Ender, the buckets have the flood lines plugged into the bottom of the buckets instead of the side. With side of bucket water lines you always have about a half inch of water that can't drain out because it can't get below the rubber gromet that your T pluggs into. With the bottom feed buckets it fills from the bottom and drains everything out, no standing water. Its called active aqua grow flow bucket system, Google it and have a look. I run 24 buckets and love the system. Way better buckets than my old side feed sys.

After my plants have spent about two weeks in the CAP monster buckets, my ebb & gro system basically turns into a recirculating DWC system because I always have tons of roots that grow down into the water in the lower buckets. I don't mind it because I come from a DWC background and I like that my plants always have access to nutes and water whenever they want it. The only problem is that you really have to get in there and douche your system once a week or you'll start to have the kinds of problems that you're seeing. It's definitely a less than ideal system, but it's cheaper and more flexible than recirculating DWC and I'm getting great yields.

smokebomb1 said:

I use the flo-gro system

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Will you post a link? I did some googling and didn't find the buckets you described.

here is a link and picture of the buckets. http://www.ecogrow.com/active-aqua-grow-flow-12-bucket-system-p-1621.html?zenid=7356tk9j8ovftfsm78tsqn2bt0

I decided to cut the hanging roots, ill let you all know how it goes.

Anyway, I googled the active aqua flow-grow system and its the same price as the ebb&gro. However I'm worried about its lack of fame and users (it seems to be rather new). Also it says it has a 7gal controller bucket. Does this mean its got 7gal buckets?! That's huge! With a 55gal res and 12 buckets, my res circ pump (koralia) would go dry on every single flood. This worries me. But I like the idea of bottom feed. I wonder if the newer design of the ebb buckets (slanted bottom bucket) would stack up performance wise at getting all the water out. Either that or maybe a new style system. I've got 2 ebb&gro systems now that I only use 1 of, so I already have an extra res.. Plus I'm getting tired of all the problems. Just don't know what other style would be best because I grow big plants (I don't flower til they're almost chest height) and most other systems like grow tables are meant for smaller plants. So I don't know what to do.