Need some help here guys, set up bubble buckets with a recirculating sump and Im getting a mold like growth in the sump on my veg side... I just emptied and cleaned the entire system 4 days ago, theres about 25 gal tsv , ionic grow 2.0 ec, 100 ml of hygrozymes and 200 ml of 3% h202, put new set of plants and 3 days later had this white mold looking growth around my return inlets (see pic below)... Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated, Im at my wits end with this... A few other things maybe worth mentioning this is my second round with this system and the first time I had a funky kinda scaling almost snake skin growth in there.. Also I have a bubbler in the sump, cud this be a issue? I use hormenex on my cloner , any issues there? Its the white stuff around the hose the inlet returns
looks like foam sealant around the inlet/outlet of the pipes. The pipes looks metal. Maybe a rection to the materials used.
No its not foam its a growth of some sort, those r just plastic fitting with rubber grommets from the hydro store.. I used the same supplies to build my flower system n also a buddies veg n flower so I don't think its any of the materials. Also I cleaned the whole system with bleach water in between the last round thinking maybe there was a fungus in something wen I bought it from the store.. Thanks for the suggestions though fellas, keep em coming please
Are you sure about the soup temp? Take a temperature reading. Also, the fungus may be "dendrite" or metal crystals like the stuff that grows on batteries. however, since you say there is no metal in the system, that should not be it. If the fitting is leaking a bit that would be a start. At the temp you say you are running at, below 70 deg F, almost all the bad crap won't grow. What are you using for water?
Just double checked the temp with a digital meter its at 74.2 f the lights have been on for 11hrs as of now should b around peak temp.. Defiantly no leaks .. Only thing that I can think could have metal wud b the pump? But its from the hydro store n I assume its safe
You said under 70 F at first. I think you are growing bad stuff and you need to get the temp down to at least a constant 68. I run a chiller and run @64 deg F.
Ok im gonna try n control the temp with some frozen water bottles n c if that will help. Thanks for all the help ill keep this updated..
Also, check to see if your fittings are leaking and if so get some hose clamps. Leaks are puddles of soup exposed to light and air and grow wonderful unwanted shit.
Dear Sir, I am a beginner is this grow world but, if you asked me to come up with my best answer, I would say that the metal is causing the white stuff to grow. I say this because I had a metal thermometer probe in my DWC reservoir. I was using H202 and Dutch Master ZONE, maybe together at some times; maybe not. But this weird white stuff was growing on my airstone. As soon as I took the metal probe out of my system, no more white stuff growing on the airstone. Sorry if I am wrong though.
Thanks but again guys but, THERES NO METAL IN THE SYSTEM... Everything is made from plastic and rubber hoses ...
I may have missed it, but are there any light leaks? If your Rubbermaid tote isn't 100% light proof, you will grow algae even at optimum temps. Use a flashlight and see if light will penetrate the plastic wall of the tote/sump. If it does, cover your tote with the aluminum ducting tape that so many here use to keep their systems light proof. My .02 cents....... chunk
I think you may have nailed it, just checked with a flash light and it defiantly pierced through the lid, Im gonna try covering it with something better and see ... Thanks
get "aluminum foil tape" by the paints and tape area at wal-marts world wide. Don't get the cheap kind. The kind that is like a buck more will be able to be torn by hand and not fuck up. The cheap shit REQUIRES scissors pretty much.
Check the hoses to see if they have gone "soft" or swelled. That will indicate a reaction with the soup.