This is my first hydro run, thought I'd do DWC since it's cheap and easy... The strain is Serious Seeds White Russian, feminised and grown from seed. Started in rapid rooters and then on into the DWC. The reservoirs are (3) 14 gallon rubbermaid tubs filled to 8 gallons (RO water), with 2 plants in each res. Started them on 55w pl-l flouros, vegged for 20 days using GH nutes and lucas formula at 0-5-10 (have had a Mg def problem at that strength). We're at day 8 of 12/12 and nutes are at 0-8-16 (after changing out the reservoirs) and they're under an aircooled 600w hps. pH at about 5.7, ppm's around 1200 and res temps around 69-72 F with light on. They've shown some serious growth and tons of white roots... So here's the issue: I've been using Dutch Master Zone after mistaking hydroton residue in the res for algae, but it never hurts to have it in as a preventative... On day 6 for whatever reason I decided to throw in 1 oz./gal of 3% H202 in each 8 gallon res. My dumbass didn't dilute it before pouring it in the reservoirs and immediately all plants started drooping badly, leaves and stems. They got better overnight except for one of them, and the rest still have signs of stress with kinda droopy, claw-like leaves. Yesterday I changed the res with the bad looking plant and added only superthrive and left it overnight...brought ppm's up to around 400 this morning. There hasn't been any change in any of the plants since yesterday. Any suggestions on what to do would be appreciated.
Drooping plants in DWC
- Thread starter Quiggly
- Start date
Suggestions? Throw the superthrive, H2O2 and DMZ in the trash. You've seen the benefits thereof. I routinely grow with 0-3-6 and less with no MG issues. I'd look to bad pH for that or are you using RO without CalMag?
You sound like you know how you got your problems. My suggestion would be to just keep it as simple as possible since you're new to DWC. If i was in your position I would just give them my normal nutrient program(minus a little ppm) instead of trying to add a little of this and a little of that and so on. If you're roots look healthy, you should be all set but they'll need some time to recover so you might not see them get better over night. As long as the problems aren't getting worse then you should be good.
I was using the RO without CalMag until the leaves on all plants started to get the rust spots...I've since added about 5ml/gal to each res. I read that the lucas formula was meant for RO and didn't need anything else...definitely not true.
Hydrolized
Member
My opinion.......
1. Get three more containers the same size as the ones your plants are in now. Fill them up to the top with 14 gallons of water, along with 1ml of Physan20 or if you don't have that, 20ml of Zone.
2. Take your plants out of your system and place them into these containers. The water should come all the way to the top of the net pots totally covering all the hydroton, ensuring all of the roots including air roots will be sterilized/cleaned. They will be fine without air for the time it will take you to clean your system (less than 20 minutes, I would hope).
3. While they are soaking, completely drain your system, and wipe every surface that contacts the solution with a physan20 or Zone soaked paper towel. Fill your system with plain water to rinse, drain, then refill your system with a weak nutrient solution. If your using 0-8-16, go with 0-5-10 for now, while the roots are recovering. First I would add 2ml/gal of Cal-Mag+, which will give you about 100ppm or 0.2EC, then add the 5ml/gal Micro and 10ml/gal Bloom, which will give you another 750ppm or 1.5EC, giving you a total of 850ppm or 1.7EC.
4. MOST IMPORTANT PART. Add 10ml/gal of BOTANICARE AQUASHIELD. It is a beneficial bacteria that will fend off pythium and other diseases. You can make your own EWC Tea, refer to the sticky in the infirmary "strange slime build up on roots"...Richyrich has tons of great info on combating root problems, but Aquashield is pre made and simply measure and pour, can't get it wrong.
5. Once all that is done, take your plants out of the "cleaning" containers and rinse off the roots using a sink sprayer or even spray bottle or similar with plain water. You want to get all of the Physan or Zone out of the hydroton and root mass because it will kill the freshly added bacteria in the Aquashield. Once rinsed, place into your system, and monitor PPM and pH every day, PPM should start going down, pH should stay stable or creep up.
That is just my opinion of course.
Good Luck.
1. Get three more containers the same size as the ones your plants are in now. Fill them up to the top with 14 gallons of water, along with 1ml of Physan20 or if you don't have that, 20ml of Zone.
2. Take your plants out of your system and place them into these containers. The water should come all the way to the top of the net pots totally covering all the hydroton, ensuring all of the roots including air roots will be sterilized/cleaned. They will be fine without air for the time it will take you to clean your system (less than 20 minutes, I would hope).
3. While they are soaking, completely drain your system, and wipe every surface that contacts the solution with a physan20 or Zone soaked paper towel. Fill your system with plain water to rinse, drain, then refill your system with a weak nutrient solution. If your using 0-8-16, go with 0-5-10 for now, while the roots are recovering. First I would add 2ml/gal of Cal-Mag+, which will give you about 100ppm or 0.2EC, then add the 5ml/gal Micro and 10ml/gal Bloom, which will give you another 750ppm or 1.5EC, giving you a total of 850ppm or 1.7EC.
4. MOST IMPORTANT PART. Add 10ml/gal of BOTANICARE AQUASHIELD. It is a beneficial bacteria that will fend off pythium and other diseases. You can make your own EWC Tea, refer to the sticky in the infirmary "strange slime build up on roots"...Richyrich has tons of great info on combating root problems, but Aquashield is pre made and simply measure and pour, can't get it wrong.
5. Once all that is done, take your plants out of the "cleaning" containers and rinse off the roots using a sink sprayer or even spray bottle or similar with plain water. You want to get all of the Physan or Zone out of the hydroton and root mass because it will kill the freshly added bacteria in the Aquashield. Once rinsed, place into your system, and monitor PPM and pH every day, PPM should start going down, pH should stay stable or creep up.
That is just my opinion of course.
Good Luck.
bendoslendo
Member
I've done this with H202 in DWC myself. The plants perked back up within 2 days.
I wouldn't trash the DMZ yet, it's a good product that has been keeping my rez funk free for a while now.
I wouldn't trash the DMZ yet, it's a good product that has been keeping my rez funk free for a while now.
Dont do any organics in Dwc.Theres a Sticky in the infimary on strage slime build up. Start there.Make sure to get clones before its to late
stillsmokin843
Member
Yea what jim said. Rez temps can make a huge differances also I have a question why were all the ferts mentioned here in veg have a o in the npk rating. No nitrogen for vegging plants? Sorry to get off topic. Best of luck in the garden. Ohh couldn't he just add some hydroguard and hydrozyime to fix that work wonders for me in hydro though I've never went dwc well not yet. Best of luck
