I am new to doing hydro. Trying a single bubble bucket setup to start. Have it all set up and going. Have a WW in rockwool, nice rots 1in. + in a little more than a week. Getting ready to change water out and put nut’s in. I have notice a little slime. What do I need to stop the slime?
Also, I have been using rain water for watering and nut’s. But we have not had rain in a mouth and I have to use some tap water. There was a big change in the PH and PPM. I have been using General Hydro nut’s in soil with good results. Got the PH down, but I think the PPM is low, as I understand it should be 500-600 for new growth. PPM is reading 414.
To prevent the slime you can add a nutrient like “HydroGuard”. It adds beneficial bacteria to help keep the bad bacteria away. I use it with every water change, and I grow in 5 gal DWC buckets.
To fix it now I would recommend putting some hydrogen peroxide into the reservoir. Not too much though, I think a tsp per gallon is the ratio, but please look in the other threads about it, or wait for someone else to verify that because I wouldn’t want you to hurt your plants because of me!
The peroxide will kill bacteria, all bacteria though. And also adds oxygen to the water. Too much will harm the roots.
Thanks all for the input. Have not notice the slime the last couple of days, I will be getting some Hydroguard.
I also got a floating thermometer, and yes the temp is 75. My tents are in my large shed. No AC unit. I had set the tents up in my house last summer and started using over the winter with some clone’s from last summers outdoor grow. Work out ok but just do not have the space to keep them in the house, so outside to the shed. Easer to heat the shed than cool it down. Besides the real hot summer (95+ for a mouth and half) and still upper 90’s now. Hoping for a cool down next week. I will refrigerate the nut’s to get it down. Temp was one of the things I had not thought about.
This is my third batch of bag seed’s this year. First batch only made it to one leaf and drop over. Second batch there where 5 male’s out of six, and the other one ate up with spider mites. This summer in the Mid-Atlantic has been to hot and damp. The plants in this pic are about 4 wk’s, like the rest they started slow but have showed some good life. Soil does not have any nut’s in it, home made. I have notice some discoloring in the 2 on the right. Here I a closer look.
No root issue. Notice some slime in the bucket before I put the little seedling in it, and had question about PPM readings. Reading 423, as I understand it for new seedlings it should be 500-600. But I have also saw it should be only 300-400. No roots to see in bucket yet, may be next week.
@RichGene. iam going to try to keep this on topic and clairifie a couple things …One Don’t put a plant into a bucket that’s not Clean . Next PPm on that size seedling is 250-300 PPm Max … next, on the bubbles you want the water to be in motion ,But not to aggressive. as to seedlings have Very tender roots . also I Highly recommend Bottani Hydrogaurd … (you can get it thru amazon site ) . and get some lite a little closeer to her … she needs lite in order to process her nute’s Good growing … Hammer .
Thanks for the input Hammer. As far as the bucket being clean, it was cleaned when I got it and I run it with plane PH water for a little more than a week, with as much water as I could . There was a little dust build up on top when I toke the pic’s that has been wiped off. As far as the light, I moved it up to take pic. It is about 6" to 8". I have been looking in the Hydrogaurd. Will be getting it soon. As far as the little seeding itself, it is in rockwool and had roots 1-2 inches hanging out of it. That is why I put it in the bucket. I do keep check on the bubbles, Water level is to the bottom of the basket, looks to be about right and not drowning the roots. I will lower water when roots start come out of basket.
Most of all thanks with the PPM. I keep finding charts on it but they are different. I us General Hydro nut’s, even there chart is different? Would you have a good role of the thumb, as that is what it looks more like to me. I just would like something close to go on. I can adjust the nut’s to get it right, I just need to know what is right for each grow phase.
I do have a temp issue with them staying in the 90’s for almost 2 mouths now. But I think I am getting it under control now. Freeze bottle water and put in bucket. Also have a stand buy gal. jug of Nut’s in freg. to cool down if needed. Temp now below 70.
Hammer, did you see the next to last pic’s. The leaf’s color looks lighter around the edges. The soil is home made with no Nut’s. Been giving them liquid nut’s. Use same mix for a couple years, first time with totally home made soil. If BB goes ok may be last time using soil. Have not had this in past using GH nut’s.
Hey Rich , when you get 4-5 good leaf sets raise your PPM to about 5-600PPM . some things like how much can it be pushed will depend on many factors .climate control and Light amount are a couple of thing as well as soil vs hydro . Allways strive to keep it simple .Hammer
