Have a Little Slime in 1st DWC

[rwdyredhead]

Almost to the end of my 1st week of growing my 1st dwc and to spite using hydroguard I pulled an air hose up to check it and it was a little slimy with some whitish looking buildup. I have a 4 5 gallon bucket set up & I've been trying to get my water temperature down since it's been staying at about 75 to 77 degrees. Any suggestions as to an easy way to keep the water cooler other than buying a chiller? And what can I do about the slime? My seedlings have just grown their 1st root into the water. Thanks

[tyler_ hobbyist]

I'm sorry I can't be any help but I'm very interested in this topic as I'm gunna start my dwc next grow for the 1st time

[DingusKhan]

Congrats Rowdy! As longs as they are white (when you rinse off any colored solution) and smell fresh, it's normal to have a light slimy film on the roots-that's the good bacteria in their protein matrix feeding the roots. When it turns brown or snotty looking, like when you have a bad sinus infection, or smells like rotting, that's when you have a problem.

[rwdyredhead]

The slime is on the air hoses and air stones and a little on the inside of the buckets. The roots look good(white) but they only just made it to the water in the last 2 days.

[DingusKhan]

That's fine. Remember, the whole reservoir is a living environment. Things that live in water are usually slimy to the touch because they produce proteins that feel like mucus. It's healthy as long as it's clear and fresh, not murky or smelly.

[tyler_ hobbyist]

Is there any light leakage in ur res? Iv herd that can cause it

[rwdyredhead]

I think so but I'm all over it.

[dontknownuttin]

Sounds like newt. salt build up. I run plain water every other feeding. Works for me. Salt build up is a non issue for my DWC

[alltatup]

Yeah but rowdy, you said you put Hydroguard in there, so that IS a living environment...

[rwdyredhead]

Could this be the good bacteria(hydroguard) living on the lines? Is that what you mean?

[alltatup]

Yes, after I read what DingusKhan wrote above. Hydroguard puts in the GOOD bacteria to elminate the bad bacteria. I never knew that healthy proteins in hydroponics were slimey, but welcome to my crib!!!!

[DW2]

Sorry to hear that 'You've got slim'. Do check for light leaks, I have net pot covers, but they can still let in some light so I cover the exposed areas with silver duct tape. I keep the temperature, of my reservoirs between 64 - 70 deg. F. by using ice bottles. I use about two a day (during the lights on period) with the cooler weather, and as many as four per day during the summer. I also insulate the reservoirs with the large bubble wrap, this helps to keep out the ambient heat.
I hope that you can get the slime under control.
Best wishes rwdyredhead!

[rwdyredhead]

Thanks DW2. That's what I was looking for, a cheap & easy way to cool them without spending a fortune on chillers. Didn't know they make net covers but I'm taking care of any little light leaks today by covering the whole buckets with black plastic for now. What do you think I should do for the slime? I'm changing the water in each bucket today but will cooling the water down w/ice bottles and fixing the light leaks stop the slime? And what should I wipe down the buckets and air hoses with to clean them? Bleach or just dish soap? Thanks a million

[DingusKhan]

I had better luck covering my bucket with shiny mylar rather than black. Intense light shining on black bucket will warm it up. Mylar will reflect the radiant heat from your grow light away from your reservoir. I didn't have to chill the water at all.

[rwdyredhead]

Sound like a great idea! I'll order some today & thanks. I didn't think I'd have temp problems since I'm only using 2 300 watt leds right now. No biggie tho, I'm gonna take care of the whole temp & light situation right away.

[tyler_ hobbyist]

If u use any chemicles make sure to raise them really good after or the chems might kill ur plants

[rwdyredhead]

I'll be sure to rinse everything really well. Thanks

[BuddMarsh]

Hi Rowdy, do you have your air pumps inside the tent? If the temp outside the tent is cooler than in the tent having the pumps outside the tent will put cooler air into the water and cool in down a bit.

[rwdyredhead]

I have my bedroom door open with a ac on at 68 degrees and an 6 inch exhaust blowing out of a small window in my grow room. I don't have them in a tent just a small room, maybe a 10x10. Usually the exhaust just pulls cool air from around the door but I've been leaving it open & it's not enough. I've got some bottles of water freezing right now to fix it tho.

[DW2]

rwdyredhead, Green75 told some one on an other thread to rinse the roots well with water and H2O2 in it. I have used H2O2 in the reservoir to kill it, but it takes a while, rinsing the root ball may speed up cleaning out the slime. The store variety of H2O2 is only a 3% solution, so you could use it full strength to rinse the roots. The preventatives, good oxygenation of the water, lower temperature, and sealing off light intrusions, are far easier than killing it off. I replace all of the lines (air and irrigation), air stones, and water pump new each time, if you can't boil it, toss it. The reservoir and net pots get cleaned with dish soap, an over night soaking in a strong (2 cups per gallon of water) bleach solution, then rinsed first with water and then a solution of Florashield (2 Tbls per gallon) in water. I have used the Hydroguard, but I have had better results with the Florashield. Do not use the Florashield if You are using 'live' microbial supplements. An agent from GH told me, in an e-mail, that it could be used directly in the reservoir, but no more than at 2-3 ml per gallon.

[rwdyredhead]

Much appreciated DW2.

[NebulaHaze]

If you're using Hydroguard in DWC you don't want to use H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) because it will kill your good bacteria that you've added. The point of Hydroguard is to grow a colony of bacteria that will outcompete the "bad" microorganisms that cause root rot, so you want to help your bacteria grow.

As far as seeing a little slime, if the water smells fresh and roots look completely white, I wouldn't worry about it. I would only worry if the roots or the plants themselves look unhealthy

[NebulaHaze]

Just in case anyone is interested, this is what Botanicare had to say about it:

"The organism in Hydroguard is pretty tough and will essentially go dormant when the conditions are not right for colonization. As long as the bottle is kept out of direct light and more or less at room temperature it will be fine. Storing it in the fridge probably won’t impact the Bacillus very much in any way. Please feel free to contact me with any additional questions or concerns."

[alltatup]

Thanks for looking that up, Nebula!! When it said store in a cool, dry place, I assumed it meant the fridge. Glad to know I don't have to keep it that cold.

[rwdyredhead]

Yeah thanks for going the extra mile like you do Nebula. It's nice to know that kinda stuff.