What up GC have a couple Q last week my buckets started becoming empty by the days end using 3-3.5 gallons per bucket. I have been adding water already ph just wondering is this normal? next PPM I watched 5 dwc buckets indoor from start to finish thats what made me want to try outdoors. My friend followed his friends recipe of nuts from start ti finish. I like to push my girls to the extreme with the nuts. so i began increasing by adding 20 ml a week to 1 bucket im on a budget so using sensi grow a&b hygrozme (b52 and vodoo just started last week) now i have ever bucket at 120 ml of both a&b, 30 ml hygro, 30 ml of b52 and vodoo now my friend kept his PPM around 1000-1200 I have mine @ 1800+ no burn first time doing anything in water is this okay LOL
im using similar nutes, not as many and im getting mad root rot, i was thinking the sensi was responsible for the brown tinge but yours are so pretty
when i do my bucket change every week. i started by just throwing them in a fresh water bucket, now i have the same bucket with a ton of holes and just let hose water run over the clay pellets for 5 minutes or so usally makes them pretty clean
BBB, 3 to 3.5 gallons per day outside is not that unusual. 1800ppm is hot as hell!!! What is the ppm of your straight water before adding nutes? That value can be deducted from your after-mix total to get a better representation of the actual nute strength. Most bubbleheads usually run around 900-1100 ppm. You're outdoors with plenty of light and an excellent root ball formation, so your plants can handle a stronger nute formula than a lot of indoor grows, but I wouldn't get too extreme either. Looks like you have a 5 gallon bucket inside another bucket, that's a good system. Makes nute refresh especially easy. Great picture on the root ball, but I'd be VERY CAREFUL lifting the plant out of the top bucket, especially with the size of the root ball you got there. The weight of the root ball can damage the main roots where they connect to the base of the plant's trunk. That section of roots will die & cause root rot, which can ruin your day. Didn't see any air hoses, what's your aeration system for those buckets? All in all, looking really sweet, bestaluck to ya!
NF, you're thinking is probably right on, many nutes will stain the roots in a hydro system with no harm. But that doesn't mean you have root rot. Root rot is a bacterial infection, usually caused (or at least encouraged) by not enough oxygen in the root zone, and temps too high in your bucket. Common problem with non-circulating deep water culture. Also the reason you see many indoor growers going to a recirculating DWC setup. The circulation helps aeration and makes chilling the nutes easier in the reservoir. But I'm rambling. If you actually have root rot, there will be a foul smell coming from the reservoir, and your roots will be slimy like a giant snot ball. So no stink, no slime, you're OK. Add a good high volume air pump and air stone to each DWC bucket & you're playing it safe. Your plants will thank you
i have a 9L per min air pump running 3 buckets, i think light got through earlier and i cant cure it does smell though
i have a really good air pump i think LOL Thanks for the insite on the roots i will wear gloves and pick them up
The cheapest solution I have found for root rot is HTH Shock 'n Swim, available at Ace Hardware, $5 for a 1# bag. Enough to last for ages. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of the powder in a gallon of water and shake vigorously. Then shake it some more. Then ask your girlfriend to shake it for you while you smoke a blunt & watch. Or video it if you're inclined to share Then, add 2 fluid ounces of this mixture for each 5 gallons of nutrients in your bubble buckets. Keep this up every time you add new nutes, and until the rot is gone. You can use the full strength solution for cleaning your buckets between grows. Just fill up the bucket(s), bubble for a day, dump, rinse and air dry. Ready for next time. BTW, once you have encountered root rot, I never try to re-use the air stones. This mix might clear them, but I always play it safe & replace. Hope this helps & bestaluck to ya.
Hmmm, interesting. Been thinking of building a box for mine out of central air filters & duct tape. I'd love to see a pic of the muffler you fashioned.