Strange Slime buildup on roots

[richyrich]

ItsGrowTime, I highly suggest at this point that you get your beneficial from making your own Earth Worm Casting Tea. When it's done brewing they are ready to go. You don't need to prime the rez. That is why I didn't go with the bottled stuff. That and the price. Its super cheap and you can make some within 24 hours whenever you need to re-innoculate your hydro setup. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 10 days. I have been adding some to my EZ Cloner every 3 days. I think it has been 5 days since I put the cuts in the EZ Cloner. Yesterday, I seen the nubs on the cuts from where the roots will shoot out from so I hit them with House & Garden Root Excelurator (amazing stuff) and I have the roots already starting on most of the cuts. My EZ Cloner is running at 84F (edit) which would be frowned upon. I attribute rooting in 5 days to the warmer temps. No slime yet, fingers crossed.

Here is what I got in 5 days.

 

[richyrich]

Day 18 UV Reservoir Sterilization

Note: Taken under HPS lighting.

 

[D.I.trY]

thats seriously fucking healthy rooting - really nice! I absolutely agree with you, roots take off at these higher temps. THE reason to use benes regardless of slime!

 

[ItsGrowTime]

ItsGrowTime, I highly suggest at this point that you get your beneficial from making your own Earth Worm Casting Tea. When it's done brewing they are ready to go. You don't need to prime the rez. That is why I didn't go with the bottled stuff. That and the price. Its super cheap and you can make some within 24 hours whenever you need to re-innoculate your hydro setup. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 10 days. I have been adding some to my EZ Cloner every 3 days. I think it has been 5 days since I put the cuts in the EZ Cloner. Yesterday, I seen the nubs on the cuts from where the roots will shoot out from so I hit them with House and Garden Root Excelurator (amazing stuff) and I have the roots already starting on most of the cuts. My EZ Cloner is running at 81F which would be frowned upon. I attribute rooting in 5 days to the warmer temps. No slime yet, fingers crossed.

Here is what I got in 5 days.

If I get the results you're getting so far with the UV sterilizer then Ill just kiss beneficials goodbye and stick with the sterilizer. I doubt there's too much difference between homemade compost tea and the bottled stuff to bother with messing with any of it again. Of course Im way jumping the gun here as the sterilizer may fail miserably but your results are encouraging and since this is the 3rd or 4th time Ive been slimed, Im going for the permanent solution. Ive lost way too much time and money (time IS money) from this shit already.

Speaking of which, Im convinced that the slime is in the tap water. I notice the slime issue in the summer months only and of course that is when lakes (source of mine and many other people's tap water) start their algae blooms. During the winter its too cold for the algae to bloom so it's not a problem then. The spores make their way through the purification process and end up in our reservoirs, ready to rock on their newfound food source (res nutes). ETA: Scientifically I "proved" this hypothesis by hitting brand new tap water with Physan. Those of you that have used Physan know that it foams up real bad as it kills nasties and the foam is a gross color with the dead nasties floating in it. Well sure enough the tap water foamed up and some dead nasties floated up on small brownish foam patches. This shit is in the tap water straight from the spigot.

 

[richyrich]

Mycostop is developed from a naturally occurring bacteria, Streptomyces griseoviridis, Mycostop Biological Fungicide thrives in the root zone of plants.

Hydroguard (now called Aquashield) is derived from several beneficial bacteria including bacillus subtilis, paenibacillus polymxa, bacillus circulans, and bacillus amyloliquefaciens.

SubCulture-M is a Mycorhizae Root Inoculant that contains a wide diversity of endo and ecto mycorrhizal fungi that colonize plant roots.

SubCulture-B is a probiotic inoculum of beneficial microorganisms that will help increase the vitality and yield in all plants. Whether in soil or hydroponics, our proprietary blend of bacteria and trichoderma fungi colonize the root zone and media to form a symbiotic relationship with your plants.

Advanced Nutrients Tarantula contains 19 types of organic beneficial bacteria that colonize plant roots and leaves, giving you growth and harvest benefits you’ve never imagined.

Advanced Nutrients Piranha is a broad range of trichoderma and other beneficial fungi.

My point of posting all of these bottled and packaged beneficial microbes is to show that none of them contain the full range of microbes in one bottle or package. SubCulture-B seems to have the most, but then notice they only include trichoderma fungi and leave out the endo and ecto fungi. You have to buy SubCulture-M if you want them. It's all marketing crap to charge you a ton of money per bottle or package. I know there are more products out there that may have a fuller range. If anybody knows of any, please, share. I just went with what I knew off the top of my head.

With earth worm casting tea (depending on the way its made) it contains a full range of beneficials; bacterias, endo/ecto fungi and trichoderma fungi on the cheap. And you know they are fresh and active. I shy away from the bottles and packaging because some are dormant and not as ready to go at application and you, also, have to consider shelf life and degradation.

 

[richyrich]

If I get the results you're getting so far with the UV sterilizer then Ill just kiss beneficials goodbye and stick with the sterilizer. I doubt there's too much difference between homemade compost tea and the bottled stuff to bother with messing with any of it again.

I kind of misspoke. My suggestion was just if you had thought of going the beneficial route again. By all means go with the UV now. This is going to be good because you have the slime upon you now and we will see if UV is effective once stricken with the slime. Please, do share the results on this.

 

[opt1c]

difference between mycostop and all those other beneficials; mycostop kills other beneficials; it kills everything; it is the only bacteria colony left standing when all is said and done

those others make enzymes and crap that the bad bacteria, slime, eats; just like algae in a pond... might as well package up pondwater; mycostop doesn't come in a bottle it comes in a sealed packet that is kept at a controlled temperature in a fridge/freezer; it's some serious shit not some marketing hype for the hydro stores to make a buck on; hell most don't even carry it

seriously TRY mycostop; all i have to say; it WORKS

if you don't believe me look up and see what all those strains of beneficials do according to the epa

good luck with the uv; all my dwc plants always got slimed towards the end never the beginning; maybe something to do with the age of the exposed roots; i dunno

 

[ItsGrowTime]

So far not much of a difference. I moved the worst affected plants into a 10gal DWC (they're basically still seedlings) and installed the UV in there with them. So far not much of a visible difference. Ill give it more time to see what happens since I guess I don't have much to lose at this point.

That mycostop is sounding better and better. If the UV fails Ill give that a shot.

 

[richyrich]

By no means am I trying to put down Mycostop or dis-encourage anyone from using it, but Mycostop is only a biological fungicide (fungus, fungi).

Here is something I pulled up on a quick search. I am led to believe that it has no anti-bacterial properties even being that it is a bacteria. The monster that we are battling is a bacteria (a form of cyanobacteria called brown slime algae). Please, correct me if wrong.


Summary

Streptomyces griseoviridis Strain K61 is a soil bacterium that can prevent certain disease-causing fungi from infecting plants. It is not expected to harm humans, other non-target organisms, or the environment.

1. Description of the Active Ingredient

Streptomyces griseoviridis Strain K61 is a naturally occurring soil bacterium initially isolated from peat in Finland. It seems to act against disease-causing fungi in at least two ways. By colonizing plant roots before the disease organisms get there, it deprives them of space and nourishment. It also produces several kinds of chemicals that may attack the harmful fungi. (A closely related bacterial species produces the antibiotic streptomycin.)
2. Use Sites, Target Pests, And Application Methods
* Use Sites: Certain plants in containers, greenhouses, or in the field.


* Target pests: Specific kinds of fungi that cause seed rot, root and stem rot, wilt, and damping off diseases in various food crops, ornamentals, and tree seedlings.


* Application Methods: Depending on the plant and other circumstances, the active ingredient can be applied to seeds, to the soil, to roots, to transplants, or as a dip or spray. Because it acts to prevent fungal diseases, rather than to treat them, the active ingredient should be applied before the disease organisms gain a foothold.
3. Assessing Risks to Human Health

Based on results of various studies, Streptomyces griseoviridis Strain K61 is not expected to infect humans or to cause harmful effects if ingested. However, users of pesticide products with this active ingredient may experience mild eye and skin irritation, as well as adverse effects on lungs. Therefore, workers are required to wear protective equipment, including a respirator that filters dust and mist.
4. Assessing Risks to the Environment

This active ingredient is not expected to harm non-target organisms or the environment.
5. Regulatory Information

Streptomyces griseoviridis Strain K61 (dried spores and mycelium) was registered as an active ingredient in 1993. As of March 2000, there was one end-product that contained this active ingredient.
6. Producer Information

Kemira Oy
Porkkalankatu 3
PO Box 330
00101 Helsinki, Finland

U.S. Agent
Butts International Inc.
PO Box 764
Fairfield, CT 06430

7. Additional Contact Information

Ombudsman, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (7511P)
Office of Pesticide Programs
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20460

 

[richyrich]

My mouth dropped today. 26 out of 29 cuts rooted so far in 6 days in the EZ Cloner that I had not been able to use for years. Even though I mastered rockwool, bye bye. I had to show you guys. No slime!!!

 

[ItsGrowTime]

The cloner is primed with the beneficials right? Nice roots. Now if the UV sterilizer can keep it away during growth you'll be set.

 

[Greyskull]

My mouth dropped today. 26 out of 29 cuts rooted so far in 6 days in the EZ Cloner that I had not been able to use for years. Even though I mastered rockwool, bye bye. I had to show you guys. No slime!!!

ez's are the shit....
mines been runnignhot and the heat is about to get real so I fucking plunged $$$ and got a 1/10hp chiller just for my ez60.
gonna have my wife paint some flames on the ez rez...

the cloner from hell.... i'll be able to get roots in 5-7 days in the arizona sun if i wanted to... overkill for sure.

 

[richyrich]

Yeah, I primed my EZ Cloner with beneficial microbes from the Earth Worm Casting tea I made a few posts back. The beneficials are letting me get away with 84F water temps in that thing. I once even plumbed a water chiller to an EZ Cloner and set it at 68F and was slimed.

Talking about temps, my UV light in the rez is letting me get away with high temps too. Rez is at 78-79F.

 

[ItsGrowTime]

Update on my slime combat measures. I don't want to call "success" yet but in just 2 to 3 days after sliming the results are very encouraging.

It *appears* that the combination of a dose of Physan20 to immediately halt new algae growth and the UV sterilizer has resulted in keeping the plants alive. Unfortunately I CAN NOT claim that this combination was 100% the reason for the appearance of survival as I have plants in 3 different containers, all slimed to various levels, all with different nute and treatment environments. Allow me explain the differences and let's see if we can pick out the keys.

Container #1: 10gal DWC of slimed seedling plants. HEAVY slime that appeared in fresh res mix overnight. Immediate treatment was approx. 5ml of Physan and a few hours later the UV sterilizer. Massive gross foaming. After a day or two in treatment, plants were removed and roots washed thoroughly under cool tap water. Dead roots and dead algae visibly came off. Some root mass still remained though not "pretty" roots. All gunk cleaned out of netpots and hydroton. A fresh res (separate 10gal container) was filled with tap water and treated with AquaShield and Subculture-M. Freshly cleaned plants were placed in res and sat overnight. The appearance of a few new but very thin roots was observed today. Plants appear to be in recovery and NO NEW ALGAE WAS OBSERVED. So Physan and UV for treatment and beneficials for recovery. Too early to say for sure they will recover completely but results are promising. Actually, I also can't say if the UV helped but I know it didn't hurt and considering the heavy slime, Im simply amazed that the plants appear to be starting a recovery. I guess if you have a particularly strong slime both Physan and UV working together are your best bet to eradicate it quickly.

Container #2: Older clones were moderately slimed overnight while in a freshly mixed 5gal DWC. Treatment was 5ml Physan20 for one day or so. Moderate foaming. After a day or two plants were removed, water dumped, thorough cleaning of 5gal (but I did NOT clean plants or netpots) container. Roots have a reddish brown color? New res was poured of fresh tap and also primed with AquaShield and Subculture-M. Nothing added other than that. Plants were reinstalled and sat overnight. New strong white root growth observed today! No slime observed either.

Container #3: This is the wild card. 10gal DWC with very, very minimal sliming occuring overnight. The res contents are OLD. No joke. Had it sitting in my closet for like at least a month (being aerated of course) that I stick plants in when I need to move them for whatever reason. I can't remember if I topped off the water or not prior to install? 2ml of Physan yielded very, very minor foaming. No other changes made. I didn't even dump it. But slime is now gone and new white roots were observed today.

So there ya have it. Three separate containers, all with sliming to various extents and different treatments. Im definitely convinced that Physan20 is THE solution to stop a sudden onset of the slime. The catch is that the plant doesn't always survive, as Ive observed with previous slime episodes. Im also absolutely convinced that the slime catalyst is in tap water. I can't ignore that I get slimed overnight when plants are placed in fresh tap water with things the slime likes to eat like Cal/Mag and Hygrozyme to break the proteins down. Boom! Slimed the next day. Even the month old res water (but treated previously with beneficials) was nearly slime free. I probably did top it off, hence the sudden but minor slime. So bottom line, as richy as demonstrated before (and I now concur), priming your res water with beneficials PRIOR to plant installation and PRIOR to adding ANY other nutes or supplements is your very best bet to keep the slime away. Pour your new res, add benes and let that bitch circulate! Don't add anything to it until AFTER you have installed your plants and the benes start taking up the root zone. Anyway those are my observations and while Im not declaring victory yet my results are very encouraging. I also believe the UV sterilizer will work very well if you prefer to not use any beneficials. But like priming with beneficials, you MUST let the sterilizer thoroughly clean your tap water before any plants come in contact with it. I will continue to update on the status if you guys are interested.

Any thoughts?

ETA: As mentioned many times in this thread Hygrozyme is a big trigger for this stuff. I used to add Hygrozyme into a fresh res along with everything else at once. Im going to change that from now on. I do like what Hygrozyme does during growth so Im not bashing it at all. I will continue to use it. What I will do now is to wait at least a week after mixing a fresh res before adding it so that the benes can get a foothold in the roots first (or the UV can clean the tap water, whichever).

 

[richyrich]

IGT, excellent write up. Keep it coming.

 

[opt1c]

My mouth dropped today. 26 out of 29 cuts rooted so far in 6 days in the EZ Cloner that I had not been able to use for years. Even though I mastered rockwool, bye bye. I had to show you guys. No slime!!!

nice work man

u can't argue with results like that... gotta prime my ez's with some tea for the next run and see what happens... those are some happy cuts

keep fighting the good fight; looks like you're winning this time around


opt1c

 

[Connoisseur300]

the best advice you can get for that fuckin sorry ass slime! Transplant into soil asap or... Take clones from your plants. You have and start over. Your not going to win that fight. I guarantee it. I know it hurts but start over and stop the problems that will soon be compounding in your garden. Check out the beginning of my DWxGodbud scrog grow. I had problems with the same shit.
Sorry to bring bad news
Connoisseur300

 

[richyrich]

Day 8 EZ Cloner


Not sure what day but here is an update of the UV rez; happy plants.

 

[ItsGrowTime]

My plants are still recovering. Im slowly seeing new root growth appear daily. Looks like I got it beat! Ill continue to let root growth improve before I move them back into the main grow room. Im currently just letting the beneficial primed res water (minus nutrients of any sort) circulate through my grow system so things should be ready when I reinstall the plants.

Obviously I gotta disagree with Conn300 at this point. You CAN beat it if you act quickly and effectively.

 

[opt1c]

the best advice you can get for that fuckin sorry ass slime! Transplant into soil asap or... Take clones from your plants. You have and start over. Your not going to win that fight. I guarantee it. I know it hurts but start over and stop the problems that will soon be compounding in your garden. Check out the beginning of my DWxGodbud scrog grow. I had problems with the same shit.
Sorry to bring bad news
Connoisseur300

actually coco works way better than soil... no slime and faster growth with an easier flush... just my

richy... what strain are you cloning out?? is it an easy cloner? sorry for the pun