Dtw drip irrigation problem

[PJ Diaz]

Are you using manifolds and all feed lines are the exact same length? Assuming you'd be running a quality filter straight from the res and clean it daily? Is the pump matched or are you trying to make do with what you have?

I don't. My system is super simple, and geared for 4-plants in a 4x4 tent, 4-drippers per plant. I use an expensive aquarium pump (285 ghp I think), and it does have a removable sponge-type filter, but it really doesn't do much, and I don't clean it often. Because I use low flow pressure compensating emitters, maintaining equal length lines has not been necessary. Once I tried without emitters, and that quickly became a nightmare trying to get equal flow from all tubes. I have one 1/4" line coming out of my res, and I just use T's to daisy chain my emitters together.

 

[Turpman]

With emmiters the trick is to get the pressure up so each emmiter has the same pressure. Lengt of 1/4" runs will have less effect on flow out of each emmiter at a higher pressure. Low pressure pumps dont work very well becaus of low pressure causes pressure drop in longer runs.
Cheep positive displacement pums have been working for me. Have a couple years on them now. You need to set up an adjustable bypass valve. It opens at a set pressure, lets excess pressure go back to the res. Dosent take much 5 or so lbs. The flows will all be close.
Ive since gone to recycle instead of waste. So i just water the crap out of the pots a few times a day. Just use 1/4 tubing off a 8 valve manifold. All runofff goes back to the res. Once the res gets dwn to almost empty i dump and refill. Little different from DTW but worked very well in the greenhouse last summer.

 

[Richalpha]

Appp

Yep, I use Jacks 321, plus Mr Fulvic and Clean Kelp in the res every time. The Fulvic also allows for lower ppms. I won't grow hydroponically without kelp and fulvic. The only other thing I add is Southern Ag Garden Friendly Fungicide to help keep the res happy. Oh, and I do sometimes add Mono Silicic Acid during veg up to week-3 of flowering, however I prefer foilar with that.

Application rates for the clean kelp?

 

[PJ Diaz]

Appp

Application rates for the clean kelp?

5ml/gal

 

[Richalpha]

Thanks. Clean kelp is definitely some of the cleanest kelp I have ever seen. I had an issue with either kelp4less kelp(5ml gallon) or their fulvic acid(1/8tsp per gallon) and it stained and almost instantly began collecting on my roots.

With clean kelp(10ml gallon) my water only has a slight tint to it and my roots still look the same 2 days later.

Sidenote: Applying orca and southern ag directly into my net pot cause my roots to explode.

 

[rkymtnman]

Sidenote: Applying orca and southern ag directly into my net pot cause my roots to explode

i posted this in a different thread but didn't get an answer.

i was thinking about adding a myco to my mix but i use southern ag. it's a fungicide so it should kill the mycos, right?? they are a fungus aren't they?

 

[PJ Diaz]

i posted this in a different thread but didn't get an answer.

i was thinking about adding a myco to my mix but i use southern ag. it's a fungicide so it should kill the mycos, right?? they are a fungus aren't they?

My understanding is that the bacteria in GFF is a "mycorrhiza helper bacterium", so in essence they work well together. Yes, they are a fungus, but the bacteria doesn't target all fungus the same.

Check out this study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6312232/

 

[Richalpha]

i posted this in a different thread but didn't get an answer.

i was thinking about adding a myco to my mix but i use southern ag. it's a fungicide so it should kill the mycos, right?? they are a fungus aren't they?

My understanding is that it's all about Balance. They would compete with the other mycos and bacteria on the surface of the roots but since they don't multiply inside of the system, aslong as a fair amount of each of them are added the strongest/most fit bacteria and mycorrhizae would continue to coexist. I did notice how orca and great white dont contain the specific strain of bacteria found in souther ag but they do contain mycos(endo and exto) and a few different strains of bacillus. I've seen a few other growers who had success with using both of them but its no telling whats actually populating and colonizing the roots.

I seen a guy online take a sample of his dirt and check his biodiversity, I wonder could the same thing be done with the roots.
It will probably be years before someone will do some research of this caliber.

 

[rkymtnman]

Check out this study

interesting. guess a mycos brand that uses that R irregularis would be the one to try then. thanks for that link

 

[rkymtnman]

found this on a retailer site of different rhizophagus strain:

Wallace Organic Wonder Mycorrhizal Inoculant's are a super - concentrated organic, single species of Endo Mycorrhizal Fungi containing only Rhizophagus Intraradices. Why “Endo?” Because Ecto Mycorrhizae have NO BENEFICIAL effect on any vegetables, fruits, flowers or herbs. Ecto Mycorrhizae are used on Conifers (cone-bearing) and Oak trees. Why does Wallace Organic Wonder only use "Single Species Endo Mycorrhizae?"Because single species Rhizophagus Intraradices (Endo Mycorrhizae) outperform all other species in a nutrient and organic environment, eliminating rootzone competition, and are the fastest and most aggressive colonizing mycorrhizae in the world. Adding Trichoderma and other microbes into a product is not advised as NOT all organisms get along.
Mycorrhizal Fungi are an organic beneficial organisms, also known as mycorrhizae, that live on the roots of plants. Field trials show, once established, Wallace Organic Wonder’s Pumpkin Pro Mycorrhizal Inoculant will dramatically enhance the root system of your plants, increasing nutrient and water capacity and maximizing yields. Standard root systems can’t simply reach pockets of nutrients and water without the “super – mining” effects that mycorrhizal gives to your plants.

 

[Richalpha]

found this on a retailer site of different rhizophagus strain:

Wallace Organic Wonder Mycorrhizal Inoculant's are a super - concentrated organic, single species of Endo Mycorrhizal Fungi containing only Rhizophagus Intraradices. Why “Endo?” Because Ecto Mycorrhizae have NO BENEFICIAL effect on any vegetables, fruits, flowers or herbs. Ecto Mycorrhizae are used on Conifers (cone-bearing) and Oak trees. Why does Wallace Organic Wonder only use "Single Species Endo Mycorrhizae?"Because single species Rhizophagus Intraradices (Endo Mycorrhizae) outperform all other species in a nutrient and organic environment, eliminating rootzone competition, and are the fastest and most aggressive colonizing mycorrhizae in the world. Adding Trichoderma and other microbes into a product is not advised as NOT all organisms get along.
Mycorrhizal Fungi are an organic beneficial organisms, also known as mycorrhizae, that live on the roots of plants. Field trials show, once established, Wallace Organic Wonder’s Pumpkin Pro Mycorrhizal Inoculant will dramatically enhance the root system of your plants, increasing nutrient and water capacity and maximizing yields. Standard root systems can’t simply reach pockets of nutrients and water without the “super – mining” effects that mycorrhizal gives to your plants.

It looks like MycosWp is the product that fits the description. Its made to be mixed into water and used as a drench or added into the res. Its inexpensive and contains the most aggressive strain of Rhizophagus Intraradice

 

[Richalpha]

I didn't add any orca after my res change, only Southern ag. 2 days ago I added mycoswp to my system, I added it to a pitcher with an airstone in it then top fed it in (the transport medium can leave behind some residue in your system). After the first day of using it I thought I was tripping and noticed some white hairs coming out of my roots. This picture is of day 2. Lets see what happens in a week.