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SIP Funk

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Gr33nSanta

Hi there, I have had great results with SIPs, some have been in the room for just over 2 years now. Most of my grow has been converted.

My only concerned now is, are the SIPs making me sick? (mostly skin rash, my partner has asthma developing)

Every time I fill the reservoir, the air from deep down needs somewhere to go, often you see the plastic cover swells like a balloon as I fill the reservoir. Also, sometimes if I peek under the plastic mulch I can see funky looking mushroom growing and I can't help but to think I might be breathing in some toxic fungus and mold, but I can not say for sure.

I am tempted to send a sample for microbial testing, the cannabis always looks phenomenal coming from my SIPs.

I did finally take one apart that was over 2 years old. The reservoir still looked surprisingly clean, still just straight sand. I thought the corrugated drainage pipe would be full of black mold or funk but it was not.

What do you guys think, am I over thinking? anyone else running SIPs with living soil? I really want to keep growing this way, it is so easy, plus it would be a hell of a job to take them all out of the rooms. There is like 150 lbs of sand per reservoir ha!
 
G

Gr33nSanta

Also, do carbon filters pick up some mold and fungi spores? I also use honeywell furnace filters, I use air from upstairs in the house so it's a closed loop system, so the air on the exhaust goes through a carbon filter and a furnace filter, the thicker ones, how reliable are those filters?
 

Cannavore

Well-known member
Veteran
are you pouring any thing but pure water into the reservoir?

if your plastic cover is swelling it almost sounds like gas buildup. does your reservoir smell like a public bathroom at a water park or rotten egg/sulfur?
 

Cannavore

Well-known member
Veteran
this is what my SIP's look like under the tarp


zGhcgHX.jpg
 
G

Gr33nSanta

The plastic only swells if there is too pressure when I fill the reservoir but either or the air is being forced out!

No smell. Water only but over 2 years that is about 10 times where I saturate the media from above at transplant.
 
G

Gr33nSanta

How many do you have cannavore? I have 14 x 55 gallons drums cut at the 2/3 mark.
 

Cannavore

Well-known member
Veteran
Around 10 of the earthbox juniors. I think they fit a cubic foot of medium. Im only on a couple cycles with them but havent noticed any affects to my health
 
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