HYDRO First timer... Algae Kicking my @$$

[alltatup]

Aw shucks, DW, it ain't no thang but a chicken wang... we havin a smokeout in the dungeon wit da mary jane...

Just check out my sativa thread and you won't think I'm so intelligent...

 

[Haagzilla]

I am on my first Bubbleponics grow and I cant find an answer to cleaning the reservoir. Do I need to drain it completely every 10 days and scrub/sterilize the tub and air stones? Or do you just drain the liquid and refill with ph'ed water with new nutes? Thanks !

 

[alltatup]

Hi Haagzilla, I used water with some hydrogen peroxide in it to wipe out my reservoir if there's lots of residue, but I don't do that every time. Sometimes I'll take out the air pump and the air stones when i'm wiping down the res and stick them in the bucket of water and H2O2. I don't want a big buidup of residue on the stones or in the pump.

And I change my reservoir every week.

 

[DW2]

Haagzilla, During the grow I drain the reservoirs each week and re-fill with fresh pH'ed water and nutrients. After the grow is over, I drain and rinse the reservoirs, then I fill them up (to or above the water line) with a 50/50 mixture of white distilled vinegar and water (tap water), this helps to 'loosen' any minerals that may have precipitated out of solution during the grow. I then drain and wash down with an antibacterial dish soap and scrub thoroughly with a cleaning pad. The last step is to soak, over night, with a 50/50 bleach and water solution, then drain, rinse, and dry. I do not reuse the air stones, water pump, or their tubing. These parts are inexpensive enough (2" x 4" air stone $3, water pump $10) to risk cross contamination, if You can not boil it or soak it in bleach, then it gets tossed.