No more Slime aka Cyanobacteria

I been growing since year 2000 and begin with Hydro (DWC) in 2010, never have a problem until this year when slime come into my buckets and it was a bummer, couldn't get my babys grow anymore (root rot). So I start to get deeper and deeper searching for a solution to the MF (sorry for my french) slime or Cyanobacteria.

I use to use H2o2, but it seems that Slime was laughing and happy with it. So then I change to bleach (chlorine) with good results, but I found that the grow was not that good when using Chorine (0.5 ppm). Never try antibiotics but I know they work (IMO I believe is a bit too much using atibiotics for plants)

Then I read about EWC tea. And I found that ewc tea is just a grow of benefical bacteria, and I remember my years when I use to have aquariums, since with filters you need to do the same. And I figure, this benefical bacteria grow is probably what I need for DWC or RDWC, and BINGO 2 months already with the same aquarium principle for DWC and plant are growing nice and no sign of slime at all. Also you can add nitrogen like urea, and the bacteria will make it good fast for our plants.



So what is the secret?
You just need benefical bacteria in your buckets. How? Like in aquariums you have 2 easy ways to get benefical bacteria, you just need to give the bacteria a good place to stay there (biofilter media), wish you can find it very easy in any aquarium shop or homedepot. Basically is media where the benefical bacteria can survive wish includes (but not only) lava stones, ceramic biofilter media, bioballs, hydroton, etc. (just search for biofilter aquarium media on google). Basically media that will sink and have lots of room for bacteria grow.
Example:




So you got the media, and the bacteria?
Method 1: Add the biofilter media to the buckets (just enough to cover the buttom of the bucket 1 o 2 cm), add nutriens (like in flo), airstone + air pump, and leave it there for 30 days. And presto you will have bacteria, and never slime again.

Method 2: same than method 1, but instead of 30 days, you just need to add benefical bacteria culture (you can find it in aquarium stores easy) wait for 3 days and you are ready to go.

Or check this link
http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/natural-aquarium-cleaner

I am not sayin is the only method, but it works for me (and eco friendly). Hope you can try it, and you can post the results here. Best of luck! At least on my side plants are greener and growing faster, is a very easy and cheap method, no ppm, ec or dangerous chemicals and water is crystal clear. Good for cloners too!

Healty roots = Amazing Buds!

PS: sorry for my english, let me know if you do not understand something.

chileno1978 said:

I been growing since year 2000 and begin with Hydro (DWC) in 2010, never have a problem until this year when slime come into my buckets and it was a bummer, couldn't get my babys grow anymore (root rot). So I start to get deeper and deeper searching for a solution to the MF (sorry for my french) slime or Cyanobacteria.

I use to use H2o2, but it seems that Slime was laughing and happy with it. So then I change to bleach (chlorine) with good results, but I found that the grow was not that good when using Chorine (0.5 ppm). Never try antibiotics but I know they work (IMO I believe is a bit too much using atibiotics for plants)

Then I read about EWC tea. And I found that ewc tea is just a grow of benefical bacteria, and I remember my years when I use to have aquariums, since with filters you need to do the same. And I figure, this benefical bacteria grow is probably what I need for DWC or RDWC, and BINGO 2 months already with the same aquarium principle for DWC and plant are growing nice and no sign of slime at all. Also you can add nitrogen like urea, and the bacteria will make it good fast for our plants.

View Image

So what is the secret?
You just need benefical bacteria in your buckets. How? Like in aquariums you have 2 easy ways to get benefical bacteria, you just need to give the bacteria a good place to stay there (biofilter media), wish you can find it very easy in any aquarium shop or homedepot. Basically is media where the benefical bacteria can survive wish includes (but not only) lava stones, ceramic biofilter media, bioballs, hydroton, etc. (just search for biofilter aquarium media on google). Basically media that will sink and have lots of room for bacteria grow.
Example:
View Image

View Image

So you got the media, and the bacteria?
Method 1: Add the biofilter media to the buckets (just enough to cover the buttom of the bucket 1 o 2 cm), add nutriens (like in flo), airstone + air pump, and leave it there for 30 days. And presto you will have bacteria, and never slime again.

Method 2: same than method 1, but instead of 30 days, you just need to add benefical bacteria culture (you can find it in aquarium stores easy) wait for 3 days and you are ready to go.
View Image View Image
Or check this link
http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/natural-aquarium-cleaner

I am not sayin is the only method, but it works for me (and eco friendly). Hope you can try it, and you can post the results here. Best of luck! At least on my side plants are greener and growing faster, is a very easy and cheap method, no ppm, ec or dangerous chemicals and water is crystal clear. Good for cloners too!

Healty roots = Amazing Buds!

PS: sorry for my english, let me know if you do not understand something.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip! I been having issues and been using a steady diet of H2O2. Never had the issue until I moved the system to a new location... Have plenty of hydroton. If I use that should I clean it after each grow cycle and start over?

Hi, no need, just clear it with plain dechlorine water. Benefical bacteria lives on hydroton.
You can blech it, but you need to start the culture again.

Seeing more and more people having success with bene's in hydro. chileno

Buddy has been using bennie tea and waste away by Dr. Tim's aquatics after your recommendation.
root explosion with this method, water has never looked cleaner in the cloner.
best part is he hasn't changed the water in any of his cloners since doing this.
lazy man's dream, thanks alot!

you know what, fuck it, im gonna put some EWC and lava rocks at the bottom of my bucket over the air stones.

ive been thinking about it, debating it for a good while now, especially after reading the Heisenberg thread about it, and yeah im just gonna go ahead and get it done

someone already did this with a aquarium filter that has a biofilter, its the main reason why I bought the lava rocks anyway

EDIT: heres the thread I was talking about! check it out!: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=254482y

I was just thinking about buying some lava rocks or something. Can you reuse them? I have some more mycogrow coming in the mail to make tea. Would a sponge help?

---Snip---

the biofilter is where the good stuff lives, lava rocks do the same thing.
like mini condominiums for the bennies.
i like the whisper 10 to keep water moving in the cloner, but don't use the carbon filter bag at all.
we all know adapting and learning is what makes us top of the food chain and all,
but i could kick myself for not finding this info out earlier.
it is so easy a caveman could do it.

thanks for posting! Great info!

Jeeyah said:

I was just thinking about buying some lava rocks or something. Can you reuse them? I have some more mycogrow coming in the mail to make tea. Would a sponge help?

Click to expand...

Hi, sure you can re use them as much as you want.
Sponge might work:

In my system i use both,lavarock combined to waterfall effect in the oxy/chill bucket and a fish filter in rez no air stone.Pic at around 8 week of 12/12.

overbudjet said:

In my system i use both,lavarock combined to waterfall effect in the oxy/chill bucket and a fish filter in rez no air stone.Pic at around 8 week of 12/12.

View Image

Click to expand...

Hi, actually the air pump is not needed, exacly as in Aquariums (air pump is not needed if you have waterfall or enough water/air movement.
The waterfall do the work, air pump is needed when diluted air is to low...lava rocks are great for bennies!
Great setup you have there!

About Carbon Filters:

At beggining are not very good since they took nutrients from solutions, but after they get saturated, the work great for bennies! they live there and love it. I do not see real use in carbon filters but to remove chlorine.

HIGHLY believe in implementing aquarium practices in hydro. this was a simple one gal bucket placed on the return back to the rez. the bottom has holes in it, then a layer of nylon / polly fiber, then inch of hydroton, then like 4 inchs of lava rock. on the top of the lava rock i would then place a nylon mesh bag filled with ewc casting an seakelp an mycorhizze. Pondzyme as well. one of the best filters i made to date. i never sterilize the system in between runs just remove any sediment buildup an replace with fresh water..