Monster Algae from Black Lagoon.

[buz]

This grow is about 7weeks along. I use DWC. The strains involved are Caramel; Sour Crack; White Widow and Skyler White. It's general set up is like my first grow, plans taken direct from GWE page. This time instead of one rez fits all, it's 5 tubs, a main water rez and 4 growing rez's. A pump in the main rez supplies circulating water to the 4 growing rez's. I've been religious checking pH 3 - 4 times a day (typically), I've kept it around 6.1. Using that flora trio, CaMg, and now Hydro Guard (first dose this afternoon). I've done a little defoliation on maybe half the plants.

The algae issue. My understanding is algae needs light, nutrients and water. By default I can only try and manage the light. Which I have been doing. At first obvious small stuff, a clear hose exposed, stuff like that. Then more obscure things and the rez's get a foil wrap. After each suspect theres the 2 - 4 day trial afterwards hoping it's the solution. I'm getting depressed at this point, because of the effort put in and I'm not touching the algae problem. Last two resignations, I would drain and damp dry all the rez's. Then wipe down with clorox wipes. Finally water and nutrients. Each time too, I would gently clean most of the algae from the roots, I'm afraid this added to other shock events. My diagnosis is these plants have lived mostly in a state of shock - changing water every 3 - 4 days, root abuse. Oh, my latest and last effort was to make 'mattes' for the lids; I had a bunch of my sidewall reflective material left over and it worked perfectly. But still the algae is thick, and this is after a water change just 2 days ago. Light entering my system can't comprise of 0.0001% of available surface area.

So now what. All my plants 'feel' stunted and stunned. At 7 weeks aren't they nearing they genetic end? Should I keep nursing this crew?
The strains involved are Caramel; Sour Crack; White Widow and Skyler White.

[Joker]

I had some root issues starting about a month ago on my hydro, it never progressed to algie but I started hydro guard and that took care of it. Good luck

[Joker]

I see your totes are wrapped in foil, does that mean that they are clear totes? If they are that's likely your problem. If they are clear you probably won't win that fight no matter cause like water thru a Crack, light will find a way in.

[buz]

Hey Joker, I have no doubt this is an algae problem because all you need to do to find good roots is rinse the algae off and there they are. The foil is to deter light coming through although the totes a re blue to start with. I noticed that under the grow lights you could see shadows through them, so I wrapped them. At this point I figure I have about 99.999% of the surface area that light is looking for well covered. Now with hydroguard I'm getting hopeful again for the first time in weeks. Thanks for your responses.

[alltatup]

buz I just dealt with a terrible algae problem that lasted for around 3 weeks in flower. I was at the end of my rope and thought I was going to lose the entire crop. Here's the short version:

I found more than one light leak in my reservoir, which I completely blocked. I didn't find them at the same time, so after I blocked one, the problem continued.

I did an H2O2 rinse for two days, but I still had one of the light leaks, so the algae came right back.

I took each plant out and gave a thorough rinse under running water to get all the gunk off. There was so much junk on the roots!!!! My girls withstood it admirably. Like you said, under all the gunk, the roots were pretty much fine. I think in both your and my case, it's because we saw the problem and we got on it before the algae could suffocate the roots.

Hydroguard was definitely not going to solve this problem in my case. The algae was just too strong and abundant.

I blocked the second light leak, and then I added grapefruit seed extract powder to my nute mix for a week. No Hydroguard, because the GSE would have killed that. The GSE really did a good job of cleaning and killing anything left: it is widely used to kill algae in ponds, etc. And it didn't hurt my roots at all. I added 2 tsp of powder per gallon of water.

Like others have said, if it keeps coming back, you still have a light leak. I am so freakin glad that THAT lesson is behind me, and you will be, too.
My girls are in final flush, and a crop I thought I was gonna lose is glistening with trichomes. The buds got stunted for sure, but I think the harvest will produce some decent bud.

These plants are so hardy!!! Don't give up on them, as many on this forum kept telling me!!!

[rwdyredhead]

Girl, that story is inspirational! I'm so glad you didn't give up and saved your plants! Hearing your experience got my attention since I just started my 1st dwc grow. I will be on algae alert because of you sharing your struggle and frustration, so thank you.

[alltatup]

You're welcome, Rowdy!!

[gbauto]

Hopefully you'll get some positive results with the hydrogard. Biggest challenge at this point is getting back to a clean system. How are you aerating the pots? I've always used hydrogard and had a small amount of algae growth using orange buckets and a gray rez. Changed to black 3 gal buckets this year with no other changes and zero issues. Like you said-light is the only part of the trio you can alter so start there. That means black hoses and opaque containers(especially those directly under grow lights) to start. Gotta get that grunge out first though.

[DW2]

Buz, what is you water temperature? I had problems with my DWC grows also. I fixed all of the light leaks (aluminum foil on top of the net pots, and the best thing to control it was keeping the water temperature between 65 and 70 deg. F. (I am using ice bottles in the reservoirs). The brown algae does not grow well at temperatures below 70 deg. F.. It can be a hassle, changing out the bottles every 3 to 4 hours (this time of year, it only needs to be changed out once a day), but is well worth the results.
Good luck with subduing the brown hoard!

[buz]

DW2 - yeah our water temps this time of year are in the low fifties, room temp water is mid sixties.

Finished a water change today, using water brought to room temp. Thoroughly damp dried the rez's and wiped down with clorox wipes. Then disconnected the individual supply lines, put the water pump in a bucket of strong bleach water and filled the supply system with the bleach water - let stand for a half hour. Another clean up. My change water got a dose of hydro guard last night, now I added the rest of the nutrients and loaded the rez's - off and running again.

[DW2]

I have tried using bleach water to clean the lines, distributor manifold, and pump, but the stuff kept coming back. I now, change out everything (inside the reservoir at the start of a new grow, The cost (about $23) is worth it, I think, to keep the grow healthy. So far on the current grow, I have not had a bad out break, but I may also replace all of the net pots as well for the next grow.
You do have a very impressive grow area, very nice and spacious!
Good luck in the battle!

[gbauto]

I'll keep my bongs crossed...