Hello Heisenberg,
First, I just wanted to let you know how much the many of us out there appreciate your knowledge, input, and guidance. You are a botanical genius!
Secondly, I hope you don't mind some questions about my grow. I don't mean to hog your thread. I'll add relevant information related to the grow for you and for anyone else reading this to allow possible benefits to their own grows. I have learned a ton reading this whole thread through, twice even.
My plants are a few weeks into veg using DWC 5gal buckets, started from seed (Nirvana White Widow fem) -- for veg I'm using AN Sensi Grow A&B, for flower I'll be using AN Connoisseur A&B. I also have Snow Storm Ultra, and Botanicare Sweet Raw. Also on standby are 3% & 29% H202. Veg light is 1000w Enhanced MH on Digital Ballast. Flower light is 1000w Enhanced HPS on same.
On a few of the buckets I've experienced the dreaded slime forming in the root masses near the waterline. I tried to use 3% H2O2 in with my nutes at first, but it didn't seem to do much. I thought it was keeping it at bay at first, but felt like I wasn't making any real progress. I found this article and switched to your tea; axed the H2O2 for now.
I brewed up some of the EWC tea, using Ancient Forest EWC, Aquashield, and GH Sub-M (no ZHO available). I brewed it using your measurements, distilled water, and for 48 hours solid, then added it in. About 2 days later I cheered! I noticed the roots that were below the water line had become a bright white (formerly a light brownish), and the bundle of slime in the root mass near water level seemed to have been diminished in size/intensity. Then I did a bucket change a few days later.
The next day after replacing the liquids in the buckets (tap water, nutes, tea, pH down), I noticed the remaining bundle of slime had begun to grow again, it had returned in intensity. At around the same time I noticed the tips/edges of the leaves on the lowest leaf nodes were beginning to show signs of slime damage (see picture
). Only on the bottom leaf nodes though. The others look fabulous, including the new growth.
I was worried when I saw the slime damage so I filled up some clean buckets with just tap water and 3% H202 and let the plants sit in that for about an hour (with airstones). Then I changed out and replaced with the normal set of liquids (tap water, nutes, tea, pH down). The next day, the slime looked even worse, much darker. It was like the slime had blown up even more from the new liquid mixtures. Part of me thinks that some of this was due to the GH Sub-M blackish granules sticking to the slime, but I'm really not certain. Today it doesn't look horrible, but it definitely does not look ideal. See these photos:
Big Plant
2nd Plant
It appears to me that new root growth is occurring, but I don't feel comfortable leaving that slime bundle in there. Especially if it's going to continue to affect the roots and bottom leaf nodes. I feel it could potentially overtake the res. I might cry if that happened. LOL
I was thinking about flushing the roots with some 29% H202 that I got from the grow shop, but I'm not sure. How should I do it? Spray it on? Dunk them in? How much? Bottle says to dilute 3ml/gal and thats it. Is this even a good idea? lol... I really want to avoid cutting off the slimed roots. What other options might I have?
Also, I'd like to add some Botanicare Sweet Raw and Snow Storm Ultra into my res. Will the Sweet cause significant problems with the tea and/or the slime? I don't see any issues running the Snow Storm Ultra in res, and also a bit as a foliar. It says its not a carbohydrate- or sugar-based product, but it does caution against bacteria growth. The bottle suggests adding some 35% H2O2, but this probably isn't necessary with the tea in use. Or is it?
Finally, for anyone who ISN'T dealing with slime, this part is for you. If you want a great reason to start using this tea proactively, these pictures should do it for you.
Some of the buckets were never affected by the slime, and I added the tea as a prevention method as described by Heisenberg -- the lateral root growth in incredible! One plant's single first root was barely peaking out of the netpot, and must have grown a full 3" or more down to the liquid within 12-24 hours, no joke! One of the plants was in real trouble, cotyledons dying/browning before the first real nodes were even fully in. I kept the root crown lightly moist with half-strength nutes and the tea, and it totally saved it. You da man!!!!! Maybe we should call you Plant Jesus?
Thank you in advance for any input you could provide into the matter Heisenberg. It appears that you help many people on this forum and we can't thank you enough. Someone make this a damn sticky already! LOL... In all seriousness though, every DWC grower needs to know about this.
Best Regards,
Mr. Bond