light getting to water

[whysohigh]

ok im new on here so try not to get pissed if this is posted on here already, i couldnt find it.
any ways i have a hydro setup using some 1/2" clear tubing to feed the water from the pump, my problem is that i like the clear stuff so i can see in the tube and make sure everythings ok, but it seems to be making algea grow and i have to keep cleaning the tubing out. is there another alternative or do i just have to suck it up and get some black tubing?

 

[spike1499]

you can either get some more pipe or bind your clear with tape to keep the light out.
but either way you need to block that light out or the algea will start getting to the roots and then you have big probs.

growem green----------------------spike.

 

[whysohigh]

does it have to be any kind of special UV tape or anything or will regular electircal tape work?

 

[Florida Girl]

You don't need to see the water in the tube, if you turn on the pump an the water is coming out the end to the plants then that's all you need to see to know it's working.

I'm not sure how your setup is but a lot of people use a sprinkler system 6 or 8 station drip with the black drip hosing attached. I did this for my first grow and it worked great... You should be able to get the drip station and hosing for around $20 at Home Depot.

 

[spike1499]

any will be ok as long as it blocks the light out.

growem green---------------spike.

 

[whysohigh]

see thats my problem, i cant find the black tubing, i live in michigan and all that gardening stuff is seasonal. i cant even find a small fan for air flow because its seasonal at every store in this retarded state, i have basically a 12 pot ebb and flow with a drip set up, all in clear tubing tho, the last place to check today is menards and if they dont have it i think im just going to buy a handfull of e tape.

 

[Florida Girl]

see thats my problem, i cant find the black tubing, i live in michigan and all that gardening stuff is seasonal. i cant even find a small fan for air flow because its seasonal at every store in this retarded state, i have basically a 12 pot ebb and flow with a drip set up, all in clear tubing tho, the last place to check today is menards and if they dont have it i think im just going to buy a handfull of e tape.

Wow... I've never heard of that... did you check Home Depot and Lowes? It's where contractors get their stuff so they should have the tubing all year round. This is not typical "seasonal gardening" stuff.... landscape contractors always need this stuff.

Are you sure you looked in the right location in the store? Ask a sales associate where it is.

 

[whysohigh]

ive been to home depot at least 6 times in the last week, asked a different person every visit, even drove 20 miles to the next home depot which is next to lowes, nothing, the only asnwer i get is that its all seasonal stuff and will be back in the spring. thats michigan for ya.

 

[whysohigh]

ok menards saved the day i got the last 2 10ft rolls of the black stuff, imagine that. they even had a fan, i know where im going from now on, home depot can suck it.

 

[Florida Girl]

ive been to home depot at least 6 times in the last week, asked a different person every visit, even drove 20 miles to the next home depot which is next to lowes, nothing, the only asnwer i get is that its all seasonal stuff and will be back in the spring. thats michigan for ya.

WOW that sucks! I've only lived in warm climate States so I guess I just took it for granted that all Home Depots and Lowes would have those items year round.

ok menards saved the day i got the last 2 10ft rolls of the black stuff, imagine that. they even had a fan, i know where im going from now on, home depot can suck it.

... thanks for the chuckle ... MI Home Depot can suck it!!! Glad to hear you found the items you were looking for... Yeah Menards!!!!

 

[AeroKing]

IMO, tubing should be insulated and blocked from light. I use the rubber wrap around pipe insulation. Self stick tape holds the seam shut.

 

[whysohigh]

yeah the black tubing sucks ass all around i ditched it all together, so i guess the black crap attracts light (duh) and that basically turned my black tubing into a water heater. so the high water temps in the rez brang back the algae even using hygrozyme.