no, it was inside sun...i just got the second one today and just hooked it up. i want to start flowering should I wait to see what happens with this mold problem first?
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no, it was inside sun...i just got the second one today and just hooked it up. i want to start flowering should I wait to see what happens with this mold problem first?
hmm. i would give it a day or two after the peroxide was added, did you add it yet? looking any better? and is there any of that pink shit at all visible
Now that is some star trek looking stuff. I've never seen anything like that. At first when you described it, I thought it was algae which is often red. That happens when you let light in the res, but you say that's not happening so I'll have to believe you. Besides algae is not snotty. So pink snot it is. I'm going to have to take a back seat to Oldjim on this one. I've never seen anything like it, and I've never researched anything like it. If you hadn't got any other help, I would suggest 30% Hydrogen Peroxide. The low percentage ones (3 or 5%) put other stuff in that is not good for your plants. I forget what it is, but I read that somewhere. Another possibility is bleach. There is an amount that is proper (and it's small) to mix per gallon of water, and it will not harm your plants but it will kill a bunch of bad stuff. I would research both of those and see if that can help.
It looks like in your situation especially, you could benefit greatly from using a root inoculant of some kind. I use SubCulture by General Hydro. If you look for one remember that most are made for dirt farming. It will help you avoid several problems in the root zone and in general give you a healthier stronger plant. At least that's the theory, and it certainly hasn't been hurting my plants any. It may even have stopped the slime problem before it started, but I'm not sure. I don't know what you have, and I don't know everything the inoculants do.
That sucks about your light, sorry. The good news is your plants (at least the underside of the leaves) look more healthy all the time. I don't know how damaging your pink snot is, but I'm hoping you can get it under control and it won't slow down you plants at all. Good luck, and please keep us posted. Mmmmm, snot. Very interesting.
An anti fungal probably wouldn't hurt either, but I don't know if there are any designed to put in a reservoir.
:smokin:I got a aerogarden for Christmas from the wifie and I've searched the whole frickin web for solid info and techincal advise. This thread has provided more data then all others combined! I just started my first seeds and I know I need PH control and a bubbler right from the get go. Please keep posting and I'll keep following your lead!
Thanks,
Rick
Good Luck :)Quote:
Originally Posted by rick357
VERY GOOD IDEA.Quote:
Originally Posted by Opie Yutts
Opie, i actually been doing a quite a bit of research on this and apparently its quite common, just not in the amount you see here. and it (ive got it down to 3 different possibilitys) but all are not very harmful to the plants, they feed off the nutes and grow very rapidly, and are very unattractive
after spending the past few days researching the poop out of mold, fungus, etc. i decided to clean out the res and added a 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide solution at 1 1/2 tsp per gallon to my regular water/nute solution. I am slowly going to up the hydrogen peroxide to 2 1/2 tsp per gallon. plus i emptied the res and scrubbed all the slime mold off that i could. you should have seen the amount of purple (yes, it turned from pink to purple over the last 24 hours) slime that was on the roots. think slimer from ghostbusters. my camera is at work, otherwise you guys would have had some nasty pictures.
jimmybones, when i was scrubbing the aerogarden res i took out that magnet floaty thing with the "fill to" on it and i couldn't figure out how to re attach it so i left the whole thing off. do you think this will be a problem?
expect updates soon (w/pictures)
you just slip it on and turn it to the right to lock it in, but it wont affect anything also food grade peroxide is 35% pure, dont use that unless deluted, use the reg stuff you use on cuts/scrapes + with this mold problem i would go stright to 11.63ml (2 tsp) i have had a lot of expirence with mold (lost my last crop) and if you dont kill it asap it wont be easy to get rid of it (ESPECIALLY WITH THE MEDIA INCLUDED WITH THE AEROGARDEN IT WILL HOUSE THE BACTERIA MAKING VERY DIFFICULT TO KILL(ive had mold in my aerogarden aswell))
also this was posted by trynagethigh it shows the great effects of peroxide
Hydrogen Peroxide and Horticulture
By Bryce Fredrickson
Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) is a clear sharp smelling substance very similar in appearance to water (H2O). Like water it is made up of Hydrogen and Oxygen, however H2O2 has an extra Oxygen atom in an unstable arrangement. It is this extra atom that gives H2O2 its useful properties. H2O2 has been used for many purposes including cleaning, bleaching, sterilizing, rocket fuel, animal feed treatment and in addition many miraculous claims about its health benefits have been made. This article isn't about any of these; instead it will concentrate on horticultural applications. H2O2 is of great use for both hydroponics and dirt/soilless gardening.
1. What Does Hydrogen Peroxide do?
H2O2 is an unstable molecule, when it breaks down a single oxygen atom and a molecule of water is released. This oxygen atom is extremely reactive and will attach itself to either another O- atom forming a stable Oxygen molecule or attack a nearby organic molecule. Both the stable and O- forms will increase the level of dissolved oxygen. This is the method by which H2O2 is beneficial. Pretreating the water supply with H2O2 will drive out the Chlorine many cities use to sterilize it. This will also degrade any pesticides or herbicides that might be present as well as any other organic matter. Well water can be high in methane and organic sulfates, both of which H2O2 will remove. Many disease causing organisms and spores are killed by Oxygen, the free Oxygen H2O2 releases is extremely effective at this. H2O2 will help eliminate existing infections and will help prevent future ones. It is also useful for suppressing algae growth. The free Oxygen atom will destroy dead organic material (i.e, leaves roots) in the system preventing them from rotting and spreading diseases.
2.Over Watering
Roots require Oxygen to breathe and low levels are the main cause of almost all root diseases. Both soil and hydroponic plants often fall prey to the same syndrome although it is rarely recognized as what it really is. Hydroponic crops often fail due to "root rot" and soil crops succumb to "over watering." The real cause of both these problems is a shortage of Oxygen at the root zone. In a soil system the soil consists of particles, a film of water on the particles and air spaces between the particles. When too much water is put into the soil the air spaces fill with liquid. The roots will quickly use up what Oxygen is dissolved in the water, if they haven't drunk enough of the liquid to allow air back in to the soil spaces they will stop working. In this situation roots will start dying within twenty-four hours. As the roots die the plants ability to drink water and nutrients will decrease, this will cause symptoms of nutrient deficiencies (mostly pale, slow, weak growth), and strangely they will start to wilt like they don't have enough water. It is easy to make a fatal mistake at this point and add more water.
In a Hydroponic system the cause is a more direct simple lack of oxygen in the solution, this may be from inadequate circulation and/or aeration. High reservoir temperatures also interfere with Oxygen's ability to dissolve in the water. Temperatures above 70F (20C) will eventually cause problems, 62F-65F (16C-18C) is recommended. The same symptoms will appear as with soil plants but you can also check the roots. Healthy roots should be mostly white with maybe a slight yellowish tan tinge. If they are a brownish colour with dead tips or they easily pull away there is at least the beginnings of a serious problem. An organic dirtlike rotting smell means there is already a very good chance it is too late. As roots die and rot they eat Oxygen out of the water, as Oxygen levels are even further depleted more roots die, a viscius circle may be well under way. Reduced Oxygen levels and high temperatures both encourage anaerobic bacteria and fungi. The plants may still be saved but you will have to work fast.
3. How Hydrogen Peroxide prevents root rot/overwatering.
When plants are watered with H2O2 it will break down and release Oxygen into the area around the roots. This helps stop the Oxygen from being depleted in the water filled air spaces until air can get back into them. High Oxygen levels at the roots will encourage rapid healthy root growth. In a Hydroponic system H2O2 will disperse through out the system and raise Oxygen levels as it breaks down. Strong white healthy roots with lots of fuzzy new growth will be visible. This fuzzy growth has massive surface area allowing for rapid absorption of the huge amounts of water and nutrients needed for rapid top growth. A healthy plant starts with a healthy root system.
4. How to use it.
H2O2 comes in several different strengths 3%, 5%, 8% and 35%, also sold as food grade Hydrogen Peroxide. The most economical is 35% which we recommend be diluted to three percent before using, as at this high concentration it can cause damage to skin and clothing. When working with food grade H2O2 it is very important that you clean up any spills or splashes immediately, it will damage almost anything very quickly. This is extra important with skin and clothing. Skin will be temporarily bleached pure white if not washed cleaned. Gloves are strongly recommended when working with any strong chemical.
Food grade H2O2 can be diluted to three percent by mixing it one part to eleven parts water (preferably distilled). The storage container should be opaque to prevent light from getting in and it must be able to hold some pressure. If three-liter pop bottles are available in your area they are ideal for mixing and storing H2O2. There are twelve quarter liters (250ml) in three liters, if you put in one quarter liter H2O2 and eleven quarter liters (250ml) water in the bottle it will full of three percent H2O2 and the bottle can hold the pressure that the H2O2 will generate. Three percent Hydrogen Peroxide may be added at up to three ml's per liter (2 1\2 tsp. Per gallon), but it is recommended that you start at a lower concentration and increase to full strength over a few weeks. Use every watering even on fresh cuttings. For hydroponics use every reservoir change and replace twenty-five percent (one quarter) every day. Example: In a 100L reservoir you would add three hundred ml's (3%) H2O2 when changing the nutrient. You would then add seventy-five ml's more every day.
5. Where to get it.
35% food grade: called food grade because it has no toxic impurities
Of course your local hydroponics retailer, whom you can locate over the web at Home - Hydromall - Your source for all things hydroponic. Direct order off the web (there may be shipping restrictions on high strength peroxides). H2O2 is used to bleach hair so the local hairdresser may have a source. The local feed supplier may have it in small towns. Prices range from fifteen dollars per quarter liter to eighty dollars a gallon. One gallon will treat up to fifty thousand liters of water.
3%5%, 8%
Can be found at most drugstores or pharmacies, prices start at a less than a dollar for a one hundred-ml bottle that will treat one hundred liters.
6. What to do if you already have root rot.
In Dirt:
Use peroxided water with anti-fungicide (benomyl) and a high Phosphate fertilizer (9-45-15, 10-52-10, 0-60-0) for root growth. Root booster (5-15-5) or any other product with rooting hormone dissolved in it is helpful in regrowing roots and is strongly recommended. If a plant is wilty adding Nutri-Boost may save it. Water heavily until liquid pours out the bottom of the pot. This sound like bad idea, but it flushes out stagnant dead water and replaces it with fresh highly oxygenated water. Don't let plants sit in trays full of water, the soil will absorb this water and stay too wet. Don't water again until the pot feels light and the top inch or two of the soil are dry.
In Hydro:
Change your nutrients. Add H2O2 to the system. This will add oxygen and chemically eat dead roots. If roots are badly rotted and can be pulled away by hand you should pull them off. They are already dead and will only rot, causing further problems. Add a fungicide to kill any fungus that is probably present in the rotted tissue to prevent it from spreading. Root booster will speed recovery. If plants are wilty Nutri-Boost may help save them. Increase aeration of the water, get an airpump and air stones, or more of them, for the reservoir. An air stone under every plant is usually very effective, but will require a larger air pump. Models that will do from forty to four hundred stones are available. Decrease the reservoir temperature, oxygen dissolves better in cold water and disease causing organisms reproduce slower as well. A good temperate range is 62F to 65F; anything above 70F will eventually cause a problem. It is also a good idea to remove any wilty plants from the system and put them on a separate reservoir so they don't infect plants that are still healthy.
Summary
The key to big productive plants is a big healthy root system and Hydrogen Peroxide is a great way to keep your roots healthy. It is a must to ensure the biggest best crops possible and to increase the chances of your plants thriving to harvest. Peroxide users will rarely lose plants or crops to root disease and will harvest larger and more consistent crops.
[quote=wordsandwich]
jimmybones, when i was scrubbing the aerogarden res i took out that magnet floaty thing with the "fill to" on it and i couldn't figure out how to re attach it so i left the whole thing off. do you think this will be a problem?QUOTE]
it has a little notch you got to line up, and then just turn it to the right and its locked back in
,,
was it cracked? or broken?...