DR120 with 1kW, DIY UC, sealed with CO2

[InstantKarma]

Here's my new tent setup. It's a DarkRoom 4x4 with a 1000w HPS. I have it sealed with a 5000 BTU window AC with a Sentinel CHHC-1 controlling the temp, co2, and humidity.

The UC system is four Lowe's buckets with a 20 gallon Brute can for the res. 2" PVC and Uniseals with PVC all the way to the pump intake.

I will be running House and Garden's full lineup (Aqua Flakes, Roots Excellurator, Drip Clean, Magic Green, Multi Zen, Top Booster, Bud XL, and maybe Shooting Powder) at 68F with the 1/10 hp chiller.

The clones are AlienDog from PNC.

It's day 7 since I put them in the buckets and I haven't had a lot of growth up top but the roots are all exploding. I started it off at 1.2ec and thought that might be a little much so I backed it down to 0.7ec yesterday.

 

[InstantKarma]

A little root porn

 

[!PeAcE!]

subbed diddley dooo lol thumbs up man

 

[Neo 420]

I'm watchin..

 

[Mitch Connor]

tagged

 

[InstantKarma]

Quick question, over the last day or two I have been noticing a slight mildewy smell when I first open the reservoir lid. The water has been steady at 68, should I be worried?

Thanks

 

[Neo 420]

I say yes...Are the roots appearing to "darken"? Is there any slime or coating on the bottom of the rez? PH rising or lowering?

 

[InstantKarma]

Roots aren't darkening and the pH has been stable. No slime in the res. Should I run some h2o2 through it?

 

[!!!]

A chiller, an AC, and a kilowatt in a DR120.. making the most of your space I see? sweet setup..

Does the air from the AC hit the plants?

I wouldn't touch a thing until you see symptoms that indicate there's a problem.

 

[Neo 420]

As i agree not to doing anything yet, there should not be a moldy smell coming from the rez. Keep a watchful on it. Check your roots daily and monitor it. The H202 will kill your "bennies" in the multizene.

 

[InstantKarma]

A chiller, an AC, and a kilowatt in a DR120.. making the most of your space I see? sweet setup..

Does the air from the AC hit the plants?

I wouldn't touch a thing until you see symptoms that indicate there's a problem.

The air is aimed straight down the middle of the plants, sort of indirectly hitting them.

As i agree not to doing anything yet, there should not be a moldy smell coming from the rez. Keep a watchful on it. Check your roots daily and monitor it. The H202 will kill your "bennies" in the multizene.

Cool, that's the plan. I'm not running Multi Zen yet, just aqua flakes and roots excel. From reading the description I don't know if there are bennies in it.

I don't see any slime or discoloration of the roots, but the smell is becoming more intense. Has anyone used h2o2 with roots excel with success?

 

[!!!]

What exactly are you putting into the res? Just Aqua flakes and Root Excel? Have you used this regimen before? Perhaps the smell is coming from these products?

24/7 bubbled water at 68F is unfavorable for most bad microbes... how long has the the water been in that res?

 

[Neo 420]

What exactly are you putting into the res? Just Aqua flakes and Root Excel? Have you used this regimen before? Perhaps the smell is coming from these products?

No. I have experience with both those products and they do not leave behind that sort of smell.

24/7 bubbled water at 68F is unfavorable for most bad microbes... how long has the the water been in that res?

68F is a great temp to have your rez but it is still possible to have the bad guys invade at 68. It's several factors which I myself learned the hard way.

InstantKarma
There are "alive" substance with the multizen (Enzymes)

The more intense smell is alarming me. Just keep a close eye and report back. I have been wondering the same thing about using root ex with h202. I suspect there is something "alive" in roots ex (hence the lightproof, super air tight bottle) but never had any corroborating evidence. I will investigate that more tomorrow...

 

[ImaginaryFriend]

IK,

Questions for odor:

How old is the solution in the reservoir?
Are you running RO?
How much air are you pumping through your system?
At your current site, have you ever had root rot issues in hydroponics?

Design question:
What size is your recirculating pump?

I really like the insulation detail.
I really like the fact that you did a direct rip off of the UC layout. I can't ever follow instructions... always change a successful system into failure through my clever innovations.

I think the most relevant thing in the success of the UC is the way the nutes run through the root zone (which you've imitated perfectly). I believe it to be both the direction and volume of flow (which is why I asked about your pump size).

How many gallons are you running in this system (guessing 22-26)... and do you have a res auto-top-off?

 

[InstantKarma]

IK,

Questions for odor:

How old is the solution in the reservoir?
Are you running RO?
How much air are you pumping through your system?
At your current site, have you ever had root rot issues in hydroponics?

Design question:
What size is your recirculating pump?

I really like the insulation detail.
I really like the fact that you did a direct rip off of the UC layout. I can't ever follow instructions... always change a successful system into failure through my clever innovations.

I think the most relevant thing in the success of the UC is the way the nutes run through the root zone (which you've imitated perfectly). I believe it to be both the direction and volume of flow (which is why I asked about your pump size).

How many gallons are you running in this system (guessing 22-26)... and do you have a res auto-top-off?

Hi IF,

The solution is almost a week old. The first two days, I didn't have a chiller and it was at 74f when I first hooked it up. I am running RO.

The air pump is 20 LPM and I have never had rot problems before here.

The recirc pump is 500 GPH and you were right on with the res size, 24 gallons. No top off setup yet.

 

[InstantKarma]

I have been wondering the same thing about using root ex with h202. I suspect there is something "alive" in roots ex (hence the lightproof, super air tight bottle) but never had any corroborating evidence. I will investigate that more tomorrow...

I was trying to find out the same thing, please let me know what you find. Thanks!

 

[InstantKarma]

What exactly are you putting into the res? Just Aqua flakes and Root Excel? Have you used this regimen before? Perhaps the smell is coming from these products?

24/7 bubbled water at 68F is unfavorable for most bad microbes... how long has the the water been in that res?

Only Aqua Flakes, Root Excel, and Drip Clean per their schedule. I have not ran it before.

Something else that just occurred to me though. I bought the chiller used from someone who used it for an aquarium. All I did was back flush it with tap water for a minute or so after I bought it. Maybe there were some nasties living in there.

 

[noreason]

I agree to check out the roots everyday for now.Don't add h2o2 if you don't really need IMHO
Tagged

 

[ImaginaryFriend]

Everything seems reasonable.

You could consider swapping the nutes out--at 24 gal this early in veg it shouldn't cost that much. If the odor comes back, well, something might be going on. If it doesn't, well, problem solved.

Is this your first RDWC?

I keep thinking it would be good to adding in a top off reservoir. Isn't that how the root zone nutrient level is maintained in UC? If the girls start drinking heavily, you might find quite a bit of fluctuation between water levels, and possible instability in solution. (If you us pH'd RO, you should be able to see swings in EC and pH that might tell you stuff about your girls eating habits and general health.)

I also read a post (where, when?) that suggests that within twelve hours of exposure to air, water roots begin to transition to air roots... which then can be drowned with the water level changes that follow from addbacks. The OP went on to say that he hasn't been too tight in maintaining his reservoir levels and that it hasn't been a problem, but that thought stuck in my head. The introduction of un-managed organics in RDWCs has caused me huge problems... and if you killed off your new air roots, that might do it.

Oh, is your 500gph set up to pushing back into your reservoir?

Your set up is sick. You followed through on all the details I planned, but failed to execute. Nice work. Best wishes.

 

[Neo 420]

You could consider swapping the nutes out--at 24 gal this early in veg it shouldn't cost that much.

Good call. Try this

I keep thinking it would be good to adding in a top off reservoir.

Another good call. Mandatory in my opinion.

The introduction of un-managed organics in RDWCs has caused me huge problems...

This is why I run a sterile res. I tried the "bennies" route. Utter faliure........ This bring me to point out root ex should leave a coat on your airstones and the bottom of the rez. In every instance, when I or my buddies used root ex, the coat comes. I am going to go out on a limb and say root ex has some type of micro activity going on with it. I recommend DWC'er run sterile rez's unless they have a solid understanding of the symbolic relationship micro's have with the roots or you will be breeding and feeding some bad stuff.