Help!! I think I'm breeding PM in my ventilation system :/

[Team Microbe]

ok so basics on my powdery mildew situation:


-10x5 flowering tent
- 65-75F & 20%-40% RH
-passive intake system sucking air outside through a Phresh filter
-more than adequate air movement in the tent (2 Air King oscilating fans on full blast)


*OUTSIDE air being sucked in through my window to my two 600 watt air-cooled hoods.. then out the side of my tent and re-circulated through-out my bedroom (that has my veg/flower tents in). This is almost a close-looped system... I just don't have the option of venting the other side of my hood intake out my window without a long ass line of ducting. Is this where my problem is coming from you think guys? Conditions are NOT favorable for PM in my room - this is why I am so confused as what to where it's coming from. I pop seeds too, no clones. So it's not from an infected mother plant...


My theory is that my ducting is getting too moist/humid from the outside air's humidity levels and is pushing spores into my room.



What do you guys think?

(I only started getting PM after I set up this new system/tent... before this I had a sealed room)

 

[Team Microbe]

the layout:

the layout:

Here's what the room looks like before and after construction if it helps clear up any confusion:




(from the same angle after construction)

As you can see above, that duct that dips behind the tent is supplying cold air to my hoods seen below (while the one closer to me is scrubbing the exhaust air and pushing it outside). The air being pulled in from outside and pushed through my hoods is then being spat back out the side of my tent and re-circulated back through my room, in the passive intake vents and back out my exhaust. I'm worried the PM is getting in this way...


inlet


outlet (before lights were installed)




Would you guys recommend using a small carbon filter to treat the air coming in through my hoods? Or running the extensive ducting needed to complete a close-looped system (for the hoods). I'm almost certain the PM is coming from the ducting, I see it sweating sometimes if it's humid outside. I live in the north east though, so it's winter right now.



Any help is much appreciated though, threw as much info as I could at you guys so I hope that helps!

 

[TheCleanGame]

All of my intakes use high micron HEPA filters.

Keeping the spores out in the first place goes a long way toward prevention. I highly recommend setting up something of the same once you have your current issues fixed.

Sucks, but the best way is to toss everything that's hard to scrub/clean and replace it.

Keep it Clean!

 

[budleydoright]

The spores are everywere. All it takes are the right conditions. High humidity and low temps. You might get a temp RH data logger and see what kind of swings your getting. Temp and humidity swings are often responsible.

When I had it the only thing that worked for me was eagle 20 and it worked great.

 

[the gnome]

I don't see any fans for air circulation in there
air movement is critical, the only time i ever dealt with Pm was when i decided not to run a occillating fan for a while.
once your in bloom and get it you can only manage it

you can get fungaflor bombs and do your room up before plants go in and it kills all spores.
its listed for use in greenhouses w/plants but i haven't used it like that.
Volck oil is an old school remedy that is way low on the toxicity scale, takes care of lots of critters too like spider mites, white flies and its an ovacide... great stuff

 

[Team Microbe]

I don't see any fans for air circulation in there
air movement is critical, the only time i ever dealt with Pm was when i decided not to run a occillating fan for a while.
once your in bloom and get it you can only manage it

you can get fungaflor bombs and do your room up before plants go in and it kills all spores.
its listed for use in greenhouses w/plants but i haven't used it like that.
Volck oil is an old school remedy that is way low on the toxicity scale, takes care of lots of critters too like spider mites, white flies and its an ovacide... great stuff

Damn, so I need to oscillate the air OUTSIDE of my tents too? haha and I thought 2 Air Kings were enough... I never thought about outside the tent though...

 

[Team Microbe]

The spores are everywere. All it takes are the right conditions. High humidity and low temps. You might get a temp RH data logger and see what kind of swings your getting. Temp and humidity swings are often responsible.

When I had it the only thing that worked for me was eagle 20 and it worked great.

That's the thing that blows my mind man, I have a 48 hr hygrometer/thermometer and my humidity literally never rises above 40%.. at any point in time. It's real dry where I live (northeast) so I'm wondering if it's in my ducting bc that's the only place I can imagine moisture building up.

 

[Team Microbe]

All of my intakes use high micron HEPA filters.

Keeping the spores out in the first place goes a long way toward prevention. I highly recommend setting up something of the same once you have your current issues fixed.

Sucks, but the best way is to toss everything that's hard to scrub/clean and replace it.

Keep it Clean!

oooo where did you find the high micron HEPA's? Are they designed for duct work?!

You're totally right though, they're everywhere in the air I've read. Before I installed the new vent system I never got PM since no outside air was getting in. I like the efficiency of the passive intake though so I don't wanna change it, that's why I'm interested in this HEPA filter. I have one for my room but it's obviously not doing a very good job.....

But you're saying that the spores are everywhere in my house now? I don't have another 10 grand to spend on equipment

 

[vapor]

I took r12 and thick black plastic{6ml} and insulated my intakes they were dripping bad from the temp diff, i was getting pm outbreaks and moving massive amounts of air{rh never over 50%}, was pissing me off. Insulation has fixed the wet intakes and i have had no pm outbreaks, using milk asa sprays every 10-14daze keeps everything clean with a spray gun it is a 10 min jobby, i use no filters just move a lot of air! Interesting, i was thinking about my intakes being a breeding ground of sorts for pm, i am in a temperate rainforest so pm is everywhere maples i see it on a lot.

 

[the gnome]

Damn, so I need to oscillate the air OUTSIDE of my tents too? haha and I thought 2 Air Kings were enough... I never thought about outside the tent though...

oh christ... my bad I didn't see you had 2 air kings inside the tent
I lost my glasses a few days ago.....

but... check out the fungaflor I mentioned, bomb your rooms tent with it and it'll take care of the spores that are in there
there's another brand called trinity TR, comes in a bigger can.

this is kind of baffling getting PM with those conditions.
do you use a wet dry vac to suck up wet stuff?
someone said if they've been used to suck up water those things are are potentially loaded with all kinds of spores and crap and using one blows spores everywhere when you turn em on.

really not much you can do now in bloom except try to control it.
there's this stuff called green cure.
here's a recipe given to me

since your in flower... use the greencure-3 small scoops mixed with 1/3 cup h202 in a 32oz spray bottle water... spray all your plants...your grow area needs a cleaning too...easiest way get a antifungal bomb...Fungaflor.

 

[BushLeague]

New to the forum... hope I'm welcome. I've been researching lots of new technologies for grow rooms and came across this recently... I saw this thread title and thought I'd share.

Mold resistant flex duct:
http://www.jplflex.com/products/pdf/AMB-25-Brochure.pdf

 

[watts]

Indoor powdery mildew actually thrives in dryer conditions but can still get it when humid. Day and night temp differences are also very crucial. I would get insulated ducting and hepa filters if you are bringing outside air in.

 

[BushLeague]

How about using one of the UV air purifiers? I know they are a little spendy, but when your harvest is on the line it can be valuable to keep thinks mold free, as we all know. Here's a link to one: http://www.rambridge.com/product_groups/46?country=us&locale=en I don't have experience using these, just making a suggestion that hasn't been mentioned unless I overlooked it.

 

[TheCleanGame]

oooo where did you find the high micron HEPA's? Are they designed for duct work?!

I make mine for about $50 for up to 18" intakes.

You know... those 3m allergy/pollen filters you can get for your furnace? Check the hardware store, buy the largest size you can afford to make an enclosure for.

Pop a ducting starter collar onto it and you have a high-flow, low pressure, high micron filter.

Considering how much air we pump through our rooms... cutting down on the amount of spores coming through significantly reduces the chances and severity of outbreaks.
(P.S. If you're not working in there... keep your grow closed up. The filters don't work if you're not pulling air through them.)


Keep it Clean!

 

[Team Microbe]

oh christ... my bad I didn't see you had 2 air kings inside the tent
I lost my glasses a few days ago.....

but... check out the fungaflor I mentioned, bomb your rooms tent with it and it'll take care of the spores that are in there
there's another brand called trinity TR, comes in a bigger can.

this is kind of baffling getting PM with those conditions.
do you use a wet dry vac to suck up wet stuff?
someone said if they've been used to suck up water those things are are potentially loaded with all kinds of spores and crap and using one blows spores everywhere when you turn em on.

really not much you can do now in bloom except try to control it.
there's this stuff called green cure.
here's a recipe given to me

since your in flower... use the greencure-3 small scoops mixed with 1/3 cup h202 in a 32oz spray bottle water... spray all your plants...your grow area needs a cleaning too...easiest way get a antifungal bomb...Fungaflor.

Excellent, that's what I'll do then. Try to contain for now, then bomb the tents/room after I dry what's left in my tent now.. thank God it's only 2 girls! This happened with my last harvest though, and the tent was almost full. Lost a bunch of flowers!

I don't use one of those vac's though, I use a turkey baster instead. I think it's coming in from outside man... I can't think of anything that could be getting into my room except maybe trash bags in my garage expelling spores into the garage's air, then that being brought into the room that lies between the garage and the bedroom my tents are in. Either way, I'm gonna bomb.

Those things are safe right? for my dogs and I? My grow is right near my bedroom and while the growroom would be shut I don't want anything nasty getting out into my apartment afterwards ya know?

Thanks again for the help dude, BIG help

New to the forum... hope I'm welcome. I've been researching lots of new technologies for grow rooms and came across this recently... I saw this thread title and thought I'd share.

Mold resistant flex duct:
http://www.jplflex.com/products/pdf/AMB-25-Brochure.pdf

oOoOo this looks interesting! And of course youre welcome!!

Do you know where to order this ducting by any chance? I couldn't find it on their website (I suck with computers lol) but that looks IDEAL for my situation man. I'll keep trying to find someone that carries that stuff... cheers

I make mine for about $50 for up to 18" intakes.

You know... those 3m allergy/pollen filters you can get for your furnace? Check the hardware store, buy the largest size you can afford to make an enclosure for.

Pop a ducting starter collar onto it and you have a high-flow, low pressure, high micron filter.

Considering how much air we pump through our rooms... cutting down on the amount of spores coming through significantly reduces the chances and severity of outbreaks.
(P.S. If you're not working in there... keep your grow closed up. The filters don't work if you're not pulling air through them.)


Keep it Clean!

Oh wow, I didn't think those blocked mold/fungi spores too. That's a pretty good idea! Thanks

And dude I learned that lesson the hard way, I have dogs and keeping that friggin tent door open "to gaze in at my girls" while working was the worst idea ever. My harvest had hairs intermingled all throughout my buds, couldn't even take the hairs out either bc the flowers were just harvested and sticky as hell. A nightmare! Thinking about some kind of bug screen that has magnets so I can just pop it open real fast and have it shut behind me when I'm working in there/watering

 

[noyd666]

Excellent, that's what I'll do then. Try to contain for now, then bomb the tents/room after I dry what's left in my tent now.. thank God it's only 2 girls! This happened with my last harvest though, and the tent was almost full. Lost a bunch of flowers!

I don't use one of those vac's though, I use a turkey baster instead. I think it's coming in from outside man... I can't think of anything that could be getting into my room except maybe trash bags in my garage expelling spores into the garage's air, then that being brought into the room that lies between the garage and the bedroom my tents are in. Either way, I'm gonna bomb.

Those things are safe right? for my dogs and I? My grow is right near my bedroom and while the growroom would be shut I don't want anything nasty getting out into my apartment afterwards ya know?

Thanks again for the help dude, BIG help




oOoOo this looks interesting! And of course youre welcome!!

Do you know where to order this ducting by any chance? I couldn't find it on their website (I suck with computers lol) but that looks IDEAL for my situation man. I'll keep trying to find someone that carries that stuff... cheers




Oh wow, I didn't think those blocked mold/fungi spores too. That's a pretty good idea! Thanks

And dude I learned that lesson the hard way, I have dogs and keeping that friggin tent door open "to gaze in at my girls" while working was the worst idea ever. My harvest had hairs intermingled all throughout my buds, couldn't even take the hairs out either bc the flowers were just harvested and sticky as hell. A nightmare! Thinking about some kind of bug screen that has magnets so I can just pop it open real fast and have it shut behind me when I'm working in there/watering

they have those pop open screen doors with magnets that shut auto for sale now in oz, so there on the net. my intakes were dripping moisture from cold air meeting the warm air, just wrapped them with a cloth that I check, no troubles so far. but those ducting lengths will trap moisture, there like gold dredge riffles.

 

[Team Microbe]

they have those pop open screen doors with magnets that shut auto for sale now in oz, so there on the net. my intakes were dripping moisture from cold air meeting the warm air, just wrapped them with a cloth that I check, no troubles so far. but those ducting lengths will trap moisture, there like gold dredge riffles.

Nice! I'll look for em today... tired of accidentally blazing dog hair! And I'm allergic too so my throat swells up a little bit.. talk about a buzz kill.

Mine don't sweat til the point of dripping, but that's a good point you make about wrapping it in something like cloth. I wish I didn't have to run ducting this long man, but I'm restricted to my only free bedroom in my apt so I'm workin with what I have lol

What would you do in this situation? Do you think maybe cutting off intake from outside all together would be best bet? And supplement with co2? Never dabbled in it myself so it's a little intimidating...

 

[noyd666]

maybe something like this=inovaair air purifiers. about 600 bucks oz. must be more brands and prices. make sure its running hepa filter.

 

[Team Microbe]

[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=41237&pictureid=1196399&thumb=1]View Image[/URL] maybe something like this=inovaair air purifiers. about 600 bucks oz. must be more brands and prices. make sure its running hepa filter.

I found an inline hepa filter for 6" ducting that runs for $100. It has great reviews:


http://www.amazon.com/Fantech-In-line-Filter-MERV-Duct/dp/B003E5U8BO

Anyone have one of these ^ bad boys??

 

[noyd666]

no but sound's good on review, good outside for condensation.etc.