HYDRO Funk identifications

[Smoklahoma]

Just started 2nd grow. Can someone tell me what this is? Been fighting it all week. Searching here and Google can't find seem to find any picts. I sterilized all equipment ,airstones, hydrocorn, room with bleach first then with H202. Planted Sunday, Monday night opened door and smelled like something dying. Looked in the buckets and barrels and I see this crap! Next day grow shop has me use Enzymes Koplete cleaner at foam strength. Seemed to work pretty good, next morning it's back. Went back to grow shop got some Orca came home and added to systems. Still growing!

[Poppa]

Sorry I can't help but am following this so if you get an answer it will be in back of my mind if I contend with it's likes in the future. I will say I see no roots and might go so far as to pull the starter plug and start over with all newly sanitized components (only item I might retain is the air pump).

[Tersky]

There is some biologic contaminate it looks like. Are you using hydroponic friendly (non organic) nutes? What is your res temp? If it is above 75 F then it is too high. Do you use Hydroguard or a similar product? If not you should. It helps keep root rot at bay.

[Smoklahoma]

I am using GH flora trio line, same as last time. I can only get hydroguard when they bootleg it in, so I was going to try Orca. Last grow I didn't use anything, didn't have a problem. Highest temp I've seen so far is 71. The new lights,5 gal buckets( was 3.5 gal) I think contributed to the rise in temp. Was cycling water every 6 hrs, now every 3 hrs. Temp back down to 67.

[Tersky]

I actually switched from hydro to coco cause i got tired of basically keeping my whole room sterilized. The tiniest amount of biological material can ruin a whole plant. Never tried Orca and since i dont do hydro anymore i unfortunately dont have a good idea on what is on the market. It sounds like you are doing all you can. I suggest not only bleaching your clay pebbles but bake in oven. There is a method so google it before doing so or you might destroy the clay pebbles. It's been so long i cant remember the process but basically if you do it wrong your pebbles will crumble. BUT, this should also kill any biologics trapped inside the pebbles. Good luck man. Hopefully someone else can help you out more. Its just been a few years since i have done DWC.

Oh side note i have used H2O2 before but the issue is once you start putting it in, you typically have to keep putting it in for the rest of the grow, but it can help.

[DW2]

Howdy Smoklahoma, That could very well be the beginning of root rot (brown algae). Tersky is on the right track, the reservoir water temperature should be between 62° F and 70° F, I use ice bottles (changed out as needed) to keep the temperature down within range. The water should be WELL aerated (I use four 2 inch by 4 inch air stones in my six gallon reservoirs), and ALL possible light leaks should be blocked. I wrap my reservoirs with bubble wrap to keep down the temperature and cover the hydroton in the net pots with aluminum foil to block the light. Also, do not use clear tubing for the air and irrigation lines as it can act as a 'light pipe' and allow light into the reservoir.
You might also try adding 2 to 4 ounces of hydrogen peroxide (per gallon) to shock the algae and knock it down.
I am about to start my 11th grow and I have used the above mentioned methods to keep the root rot down and have had good yields.
Good luck with Your grow.

[Smoklahoma]

I have 2x3 air stones in each 5 gal bucket, 8 inch round stone in each 55 gal res. I replaced air line to black before I started this grow.

[Smoklahoma]

Well I basically started over yesterday. Removed started plugs from pots ( couple had some roots hanging). Mixed up 34% hydro at 4 ml per gal. cycled a couple times, then drained. Mixed up another batch , cycled a couple times, wiped everything down as I was draining and rinsing. Filled up with fresh water cycled couple times then drained and rinsed. Soaked hydrocorn and air stones in fresh 34% hydro mix for 6 hrs and rinsed and soak in fresh water then rinsed again. Wiped out net pots with same 34% mix then rinsed. I even gave each seedling and starter plugs a dunk in the same mix. Put it all back together , mixed up new batch of notes and see what happens? I am thinking my culprit might have been the filter I use on the end of my hose. No filter this time!!

[Smoklahoma]

Thanks to everyone for their posts and comments. 60 hrs. in and it hasn't shown back up yet. Not going to do a victory dance to quick but I might be ok? I will not be using a filter on my hose again

[Tersky]

Hope that was the culprit and everything goes smoothly from now on! Hydro can be a headache sometimes cause how quickly things can go south. I have had root rot issues before despite treating my tent like a damn clean room (masks and gloves so as not to introduce biologics to the system). It can be frustrating at times but i still love hydro!

[Smoklahoma]

11 days later and still no sign of the funk returning. Had to be that filter, cause nothing else is different. Thanks to all.