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Root Rot - Brewing microbial tea is often considered - URGENT

JohnM

Member
Most growers (99%) have never had a root rot crisis, but a few growers (1.0%) have and do have root rot issues. This may be of interested only to the (1.0%) DWC and RDWC growers that do in fact have real root rot problems.
Of course during any root rot crisis, brewing a microbial tea ASAP is popular, like you need it right now. How fast you make the tea is of vital importance and often means the difference between salvaging a crop or total crop failure.
If you must brew a microbial tea, this may be of some interest for you.
How to Inject Pure Oxygen into Worthttps://beerandbrewing.com/how-to-inject-pure-oxygen-into-wort/ by Dave Carpenter
Oxygenation/Aeration https://www.wyeastlab.com/oxygenationIt was concluded that pumping compressed air through a stone is not an efficient way to provide adequate levels of DO.
Pretty nteresting, eh?
 
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Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
15 years with DWC and I suggest the numbers are more like 90% have experienced root rot.

Shows up every time:
Nutes are too hot
pH too low/high
Solution is too warm
DO levels are too low
Tainted biologicals are used

Thanks for the tip on the microbial tea, I've never used one. :D
 

JohnM

Member
Here’s a popular recipe for the microbial tea on the net.
http://www.rollitup.org/t/dwc-root-slime-cure-aka-how-to-breed-beneficial-microbes.361430/
This tea is clearly about multiplying the aerobic microbial soup as quickly and effectively as possible to combat the dreaded root rot problem. Of course the roots must first be sick and die before the fungi infestation comes to eat the rotting mess.
Choices and decisions to make here, you can prevent the root sickness and death vs. insuring water quality that will promote healthy roots/plants and preventing root sickness, root death/decomposition and root rot. But for not we’re looking at the emergency cure and treatment after the fact that the roots have dies and are currently rotting.
Heisenberg says, “Take care of impropoer res conditions FIRST. Even the tea will not save you from disease if you do not have enough oxygen or proper temperatures. Res water should be 70-75 F with bennies. Air pump should be at least 1wt per gallon. Light proof your buckets!”
Heisenberg recommends using air bubbles (2010) as compared to the beer brewers that are using pure oxygen... air or oxygen makes a great difference in how fast aerobic organisms will grow?
Heisenberg should consider looking at what and how the beer brewers are rapidly increasing the growth of yeast using pure oxygen.
Sounds logical to me.
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
I highly recommend 70F as a max temp. Using bennies is no reason to put your res in a potentially hazardous condition. No bennies? 69F is my max temp recommendation. ;)
 

JohnM

Member
Actually, if you have reviewed brewing the Heisenberg tea, this is all about creating optimal micro-organism incubation conditions (say in a 5 gallon bucket) when you brew (incubate) the Heisenberg brand tea. Making the microbial tea quickly is this thread is really about. The quicker the brewing, the quicker the emergency root rot treatment, hours and days count getting this RR crisis under control.
The concentrated microbial tea is actually a very concentrated microbial soup. Homemade tea is a very cheap emergency treatment after you have caught yourself a dose of the dreaded root rot and fungal infestation.
Incubating the microbial soup (the tea) requires time, a couple days to mature. The faster you can make, mature the microbial soup, the quicker you can treat the root rot/fungal infestation crisis and the race is on before the all the roots die. The brewing (incubation) process tales a few days so time is very valuable when you are watching your canna roots dying, stinking up the house. Massive slime production like an octopus in a bucket.
Only then after the microbial soup has been incubated and matured is the tea introduced into the hydroponic system. There is nothing hazardous here contrary to popular beliefs and re-enforced with bro-science beliefs. No disrespect for old beliefs, bro-science or real phobias intended.
I seriously doubt that the microbial tea (the Heisenberg concoction) or any other microbial tea recipe or concoction is incubated in the reservoir water. Brewing bennies (microbial teas) are certainly not popular with many DWC/RDWC growers, but the microbial “root rot cure” is popular and practiced with a few DWC canna growers. But, brewing teas like the popular (Heisenberg Tea) is a real mess to deal with and a successful cure is always iffy after the roots have been seriously damaged. I do like the “earthy odor” of the H-tea.
So what do you think is the real, primary cause of cannabis root rot in hydroponic DWC/RDWC systems? Clearly fungi do not cause hydroponic cannabis roots to get sick, die and rot, the fungi do quickly consolidate in great numbers and do feast on the stinking, slimy, rotting root mess in the bucket. That’s what fungi do, that is their only mission/purpose in life. Fungi are very, very old organisms… >1,300 million years old.
 

JohnM

Member
DC - What specific kind of hydro rig do you run?
Seven years ago, my man Cannaculus posted this synopsis about brewing the Heisenberg Tea December 12, 2011 titled, “Heisenberg Tea Summary - Cheap Easy Beneficial Bacteria to Cure Root Issues” Check it out: https://forum.grasscity.com/threads/heisenberg-tea-summary-cheap-easy-beneficial-bacteria-to-cure-root-issues.958893/ I have not met nor talked with the Professor Heisenberg to date. But, I have talked with several beer brewers that are experts at brewing yeast for their beer. They do practice the more advanced technical yeast brewing methods that dramatic increase the yeast concentration and quality of their micro-organisms (yeast) during incubation. **These advanced technical applications also reduce the yeast incubation time 50% which is a major advancement.
If 90% of the hydro growers have had root rot problems, as you suggested, then 90% of these growers have probably used or at least heard of Heisenberg Tea or other microbial soups attempting to cure the RR that killed their canna roots.
The tea brewed to maturity in a couple days does has an “earthy” odor as compared to the odor of “rotting roots” in a hydroponic system,” i.e. the classic unmistakable odor of “death and decay” caused by rotting canna roots.
I find all this quiet interesting having worked numerous years in a microbiology lab incubating micro-organism cultures.
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
I've run swc, dwc, e&f, 24/7 drip, intermittent drip and hempy. I cure my root rot by fixing the environment and then using h2o2 as a clean up. Microbiology is fascinating.
 

JohnM

Member
How often weekly do your treat (disinfect) your reservoir water with H2O2?
Have you ever used Consan 20 Fungicide? It is a fungicide, disinfectant and deodorizer all in 1 bottle. One gallon - $50.00 is a little more costly than 3% H2O2, but does more too.
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
How often weekly do your treat (disinfect) your reservoir water with H2O2?
Have you ever used Consan 20 Fungicide? It is a fungicide, disinfectant and deodorizer all in 1 bottle. One gallon - $50.00 is a little more costly than 3% H2O2, but does more too.
I don't. The only time I use h202 is when I let the environment slide and I end up with root rot. I haven't had root rot in years. :)

No, I don't use any fungicides or teas or anything at all. Not even chlorine. Pure r/o, plus NPK/Micros, some epsom, acids and some silicon.
 

JohnM

Member
It is by far easier to prevent the root rot in a hydro-canna grow than to try and kill the fungi that thrive as they are feasting on the dead and dying root mass.
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
It is by far easier to prevent the root rot in a hydro-canna grow than to try and kill the fungi that thrive as they are feasting on the dead and dying root mass.
Truth. :)

So, do you have experience with using O2 for quick brewing teas?
 

JohnM

Member
I am interested in and do have experience growing microbial cultures (clinical microbiology). Expediting colony growth using different technologies and methods that increase colony growth and health is often vital treating rotting roots.
I do recognize a high positive correlation between brewing microbial teas (Heisenberg tea and other microbial concoctions) and brewing yeast for beer.
Brewing yeast is anticipated, pre planed and pro-active, whereas brewing H-tea is and acute response caused by pure crisis and considerer an emergency procedure whereas time requires for maturing the culture is critical in relation to total crop death and failure. Of course optimal microbial culture growing condition dramatically speeds the process of brewing the “cure.”
Like you, I have no issues with rotting roots nor fungal outbreaks coming to eat dead roots. I believe actively practice root death prevention and have no need for brewing teas and crisis intervention hoping to salvage a mess of dying/dead roots.
I find growing and manipulating the world of micro-organisms interesting and fun.
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
Awesome :)

Do you see any cross-application with teas brewed for foliar or root drench uses? I have to admit, I have zero experience brewing any teas except green and black teas for consumption. :)
 
15 years with DWC and I suggest the numbers are more like 90% have experienced root rot.

Shows up every time:
Nutes are too hot
pH too low/high
Solution is too warm
DO levels are too low
Tainted biologicals are used

Thanks for the tip on the microbial tea, I've never used one. :D

True, root rot is a way of life in southwest hydro.

Check it:
Hyat7hC.jpg


Thats how Id describe rotted pots, not premium OG Kush

Half the world is growing shit on purpose that the other half of the world would toss immediately and shut down over!
 

JohnM

Member
Awesome :)

Do you see any cross-application with teas brewed for foliar or root drench uses? I have to admit, I have zero experience brewing any teas except green and black teas for consumption. :)
For Consumption: How about Psilocybin cubensis mushroom tea of other species of magic mushrooms?
Culturing microbial colonies for beer or canna teas or buttermilk or yogurts has a high correlation however there are many applications for the microbial cultures upon maturity.
The point I find interesting is the what is used to expedite the colony growth of these cultures or how these microbial cultures are being grown as quickly as possible for whatever the cultures might be used for or how they are used.
I find high tech growing and manipulating micro-organisms cultures interesting and fun. I would venture a guess that companies that make and sell microbes are using these growing techniques like the beer brewers as that are selling microbes. Of course speed of mass microbe production means higher profits and that is basis of Capitalism… mass microbe production, high profits and many sales.
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
Isn't the peanut shells smell the azadirachtin/neem products? I'm so glad I never get 'earthy' flavors in my hdyro. LOL
 

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