Root Rots & Slimes killed off using Enzyme products. Some questions.

[t33to]

I just acquired a product called Guardian Angel which seems to be helping my roots defeat some kind of slime in my dwc system. I'm using rain water so I've been told to expect this kind of behaviour. On the back of the bottle it says that the product is derived from sugar and yeast, and that made me curious, can I make this stuff on my own somehow? I tried googling a variety of search terms, such as "sugar, yeast, enzyme, root rot" but all of the search results seem to be about making DIY CO2 generators or scientific studies I can't comprehend.

Is anyone here able to comment on this matter? Thanks a bunch!

Also, fwiw, I was thinking about getting a UV filter to kill off organisms in the water before they ever enter into my system. Does anyone have experience using a UV filter for this specific purpose? I have a hard time believing that a UV filter can kill 99% of organisms on a single pass through the mechanism, so I was thinking about having a pump continually recirculate the water through the filter for a day or so before using it.

Cheers!

 

[MD84]

Why are you using rain water? I started off this current grow using 'stress zyme' but my roots were not developing at all. As soon as i stopped using it and switched to a sterile system they grew as normal. But the brown sludge started so the product was clearly working on that front. Maybe i was using it at too high a concentration but atleast the old roots that died did not result in any root rot. It would be interesting to know what they use to make the enzymes though.

 

[t33to]

Why are you using rain water? I started off this current grow using 'stress zyme' but my roots were not developing at all. As soon as i stopped using it and switched to a sterile system they grew as normal. But the brown sludge started so the product was clearly working on that front. Maybe i was using it at too high a concentration but atleast the old roots that died did not result in any root rot. It would be interesting to know what they use to make the enzymes though.

There is no city water, and no well, it's a rural community.

Normally I just put 1ml of chlorine bleach per 5 gallons of water into my system at every top up, but the bleach hasn't been able to defeat or prevent the slime this time and I have read in multiple different places that too much bleach in a hydro system can severely harm the plant especially during the last few weeks of it's life.

 

[MD84]

There is no city water, and no well, it's a rural community.

Normally I just put 1ml of chlorine bleach per 5 gallons of water into my system at every top up, but the bleach hasn't been able to defeat or prevent the slime this time and I have read in multiple different places that too much bleach in a hydro system can severely harm the plant especially during the last few weeks of it's life.

I tired Calcium Hypochlorite on one of my ladies last grow but really struggled with lock out towards the last few weeks. I didn';t have a chlorine meter though. Do you do regular res changes?

 

[therevverend]

It seems like you should be able to find some way to kill the slime with something less toxic then bleach. Although bleach works well, evaporates quickly especially when heated or exposed to air or light. As a brewer I think of stuff like boiling the water, Campden Tablets (potassium or sodium metabisulfate) or a similar chemical that kills bacteria, or brewing your own bacteria that doesn't produce slime. No idea if potassium metabisulfate is poisonous to plants but there's got to be something that kills bacteria that doesn't kill plants.

I like the filter idea, I'm not a hydro grower so I'm way out of my element but if they filter water to make it safe for humans they can filter water to keep out bacteria.

 

[t33to]

or brewing your own bacteria that doesn't produce slime. .

I appreciate the response! Do you know any bacteria's or methods I could use to achieve this?

 

[frostqueen]

There is no city water, and no well, it's a rural community.

Normally I just put 1ml of chlorine bleach per 5 gallons of water into my system at every top up, but the bleach hasn't been able to defeat or prevent the slime this time and I have read in multiple different places that too much bleach in a hydro system can severely harm the plant especially during the last few weeks of it's life.

That's not nearly enough chlorine. Not even close. Chlorine isn't as toxic as people seem to think. I've done tests on this. You can go up to 5 ppm at least before seeing any problems with the plants. For perspective, our city water right out of the tap is 4-5 ppm in Portland, Oregon. I was surprised it was so high. Note that tap water is used everywhere here on outdoor garden plants, so... yeah. Chlorine obviously isn't as bad for plants as some claim it is.

Most who use 'bleach' use calcium hypochlorite because it lasts about 3-4 days. Bleach lasts less than 24 hours so it fades fast.

The most widely used chlorine techniques for res sterility tend to start by dissolving 1 gram of calcium hypochlorite (AKA pool shock) into a gallon of water, this to then be added in small doses every few days to your cloner or res. Most people use anywhere from 1/2ml to 5ml per gallon.

I did measurements with some spendy chlorine test strips to see just how strong 10ml added per gallon of filtered water is and came up with about 5 ppm. I was surprised it was so low with that much added. I even double checked. Go figure. Anyway, I now use 5 ml per gallon of the c. hypochlorite solution every 4 days and the clones and plants do just fine with it. I'm sure others can chime in on how much they use.

Enzymes work really well, too. I use Z7 (which is an inexpensive but very effective enzymatic cleanser) on older plants in hydro or soil, and use the calhypo in my cloners because I run them at 75 degrees F. Z7 works really well in any res that stays under about 74 degrees. Hypochlorite is better when the temps go above that. I'm told by the Z7 rep that they can be used together, but I haven't tried that.

Using rainwater exposes you to a lot of environmental biolife. If there were a way to filter your water as it comes from the barrel you would probably see a lot less problems.

Try some basic tests on the side with a few extras to see how your plants do with the calcium hypochlorite at the suggested levels. The real proof is in how they respond, right? I think you'll be happy to see no problems.

 

[Chappi]

Once any root turns brown you have to remove it asap. If you get full blown brown roots; just take off as much of the affected roots and then some.

Sanitize reservoir with hydrogen peroxide

Then add fresh water with a mixture of hydroguard and some form of beneficial bacteria like orca.

For just maintaining a clean res I find an equal mix of hydroguard to orca does the job.

 

[t33to]

That's not nearly enough chlorine. Not even close. Chlorine isn't as toxic as people seem to think. I've done tests on this. You can go up to 5 ppm at least before seeing any problems with the plants. For perspective, our city water right out of the tap is 4-5 ppm in Portland, Oregon. I was surprised it was so high. Note that tap water is used everywhere here on outdoor garden plants, so... yeah. Chlorine obviously isn't as bad for plants as some claim it is.

Most who use 'bleach' use calcium hypochlorite because it lasts about 3-4 days. Bleach lasts less than 24 hours so it fades fast.

The most widely used chlorine techniques for res sterility tend to start by dissolving 1 gram of calcium hypochlorite (AKA pool shock) into a gallon of water, this to then be added in small doses every few days to your cloner or res. Most people use anywhere from 1/2ml to 5ml per gallon.

I did measurements with some spendy chlorine test strips to see just how strong 10ml added per gallon of filtered water is and came up with about 5 ppm. I was surprised it was so low with that much added. I even double checked. Go figure. Anyway, I now use 5 ml per gallon of the c. hypochlorite solution every 4 days and the clones and plants do just fine with it. I'm sure others can chime in on how much they use.

Enzymes work really well, too. I use Z7 (which is an inexpensive but very effective enzymatic cleanser) on older plants in hydro or soil, and use the calhypo in my cloners because I run them at 75 degrees F. Z7 works really well in any res that stays under about 74 degrees. Hypochlorite is better when the temps go above that. I'm told by the Z7 rep that they can be used together, but I haven't tried that.

Using rainwater exposes you to a lot of environmental biolife. If there were a way to filter your water as it comes from the barrel you would probably see a lot less problems.

Try some basic tests on the side with a few extras to see how your plants do with the calcium hypochlorite at the suggested levels. The real proof is in how they respond, right? I think you'll be happy to see no problems.

That is great to know about bleach, and the pool shock. I do have a mechanical water filtering system setup to drop out any solids but that clearly doesn't deal with the bacteria life. I will pool shock that system from now on before I draw off of it. Should I get one of those little floatly pool things that holds the bleach pellets in it?

 

[frostqueen]

Should I get one of those little floatly pool things that holds the bleach pellets in it?

No, I think that would be too concentrated. There is such a thing as too much. But if done at the level I suggested at 5ml/gallon, it works really well. In a closed system like an aerocloner or DWC, or your rainbarrel, I've found that you only really need the pool shock at the beginning. I hit it the first time, then 4 days later I do it again, and after that it almost always stays sterile.

Chappi has a good point with the Hydroguard and beneficials, but I don't do that until I already have well established roots, or if my res temps stay below around 72 degrees. Oxygen levels start to plunge at temps above that unless you heavily aerate the res.

Z7 and Hydroguard are similar. I've used both with good results at lower temps.

I've also tried to keep things sterile with hydrogen peroxide. I didn't have great results in my aerocloner. I use it for cleanup, though, and it's great stuff. Don't mix peroxide with chlorine, though! Massive bubbles.

There are many ways to do this. The right one is the one that works for you.

 

[Crooked8]

Hydroguard and hygrozyme work amazing in combination. Also running your water through some form of filter and a uv sterilizer will greatly reduce your issue.

 

[t33to]

Hydroguard and hygrozyme work amazing in combination. Also running your water through some form of filter and a uv sterilizer will greatly reduce your issue.

Just got a 1gpm uv sterilizer! Thanks for the tips!