First dwc effort but cant get ph stable
- Thread starter dw1
- Start date
P
psykadelix
Guest
Alright chaps am having a go at dwc and when i set the ph @ 5.8 the next morning its right up in the high 6's. Can anyone help me out please?
Bacterial infestation most likely combined with too low EC. Waste products produced by bacteria can cause runaway pH situation, usually high. You have to lower temperature, replace water on a daily basis with some type of disinfectant/fresh water. I use hydrogen peroxide 30% at 1mL/gal, or store bought at 15mL/gal. If you are attempting to run benneficials, good luck. I have never been able to keep pH stable using beneficial, although people say it doesn't matter since bacteria give the plants the nutes (they chelate them with special amino acids.) I wouldn't mess with bennies though personally. They help but there is a lot that can go wrong. For now run low food and keep changing out the water until pH stabalizes. If you can keep the res as cold as possible, but if you can't do it consistently (keeping temperature the same all the time), just let it ride. The ice bottle thing is terrible. The plants never get time to adjust to the root zone temp because its constantly changing. Once you get pH stable, add food.
one more wey to keep it stable, is not using any organic material. not even root stimulator.
i had brown slime problem, and waited 2 weeks for the ingredients i ordered online to make tea (heisenbers suggestion from RIU)
meanwhile, i used RO water, cal-mag, and GHE 3 part flora serias. the PH barley moved, as there was no bacteria activity in the water. the slime can't consume mineral nutrients.
there was some drift up, as in veg the water tends to rise, and drop in flower. the roots dump things to the water, thet why we use enzime.
i have the oposite problem now - the PH drop too much, and i know that using PH uo can make problems too. pottasium in it give you cak-mag problems, sodium gives you K problems...
meybe i will switch to tap water for more stability
i had brown slime problem, and waited 2 weeks for the ingredients i ordered online to make tea (heisenbers suggestion from RIU)
meanwhile, i used RO water, cal-mag, and GHE 3 part flora serias. the PH barley moved, as there was no bacteria activity in the water. the slime can't consume mineral nutrients.
there was some drift up, as in veg the water tends to rise, and drop in flower. the roots dump things to the water, thet why we use enzime.
i have the oposite problem now - the PH drop too much, and i know that using PH uo can make problems too. pottasium in it give you cak-mag problems, sodium gives you K problems...
meybe i will switch to tap water for more stability
P
psykadelix
Guest
I would avoid tap water like the plague. You simply do not have any idea what truly is in it. Tap water runs through all sorts of old ass leaky pipes and its a MAJOR source of fungal spores (pythium) and bacteria. Even with the chlorine/chloramines some stuff survives, and once it hits your reservoir its in heaven. Perfect temperature/food, and they can feast on the oxygen in there. People say well add a fuckton of good bacteria and you''ll be A-ok!! Not so. Those bitches go to war. They suck down even more oxygen and eat even more food and produce more shit (waste products). Unless you're changing your reservoir like every other day your roots will be left in the dust. Also tapwater may contain chloramines which do NOT dissolve even when left out. Even at 2 ppm, they act as a hormonal disruptor, growth suppressent, root suppressant. Tap water is like rolling the dice, especially with hydro. Soil is a little more forgiving. Start with RO- 0 -ppm -UV treated water (if you can)-if not light treat it with hydrogen peroxide or something similar prior to use- that way when shit fucks up you know it was your dumb ass and not something unknown in the water. Always know what goes into the buckets- exactly.
psykadelix, do you think it a good idea to treat tap water with hydrogen proxide and then use it?
i heard that after 24 hours the H202 is no longer in the water and you can use it safley in the res.
i killed one of my plants using it, and it stunted the groth of others, so i am trying to avoid it.
on another note, here is my solution to keeo the roakwool moist for seedlings -
one option is to keep the water level at 1 cm above the bottom of the net pot. this wey the hydroton pull the water up, (capilary action?) and keep the roakwool wet, but not saturated.
besides thet, i place small pump in the res, pull out hoses, and stick it in the net pot from the sides (you can make it top feed also)
the pump is on timer, 15 minutes every 2-3 hours or anything you think is good wet\dry sycle.
after the first few days, you don't need it.
i heard that after 24 hours the H202 is no longer in the water and you can use it safley in the res.
i killed one of my plants using it, and it stunted the groth of others, so i am trying to avoid it.
on another note, here is my solution to keeo the roakwool moist for seedlings -
one option is to keep the water level at 1 cm above the bottom of the net pot. this wey the hydroton pull the water up, (capilary action?) and keep the roakwool wet, but not saturated.
besides thet, i place small pump in the res, pull out hoses, and stick it in the net pot from the sides (you can make it top feed also)
the pump is on timer, 15 minutes every 2-3 hours or anything you think is good wet\dry sycle.
after the first few days, you don't need it.
Similar threads
- Article
