help - pH rising and scum bubbles on surface of water

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ResinLip

Member
Hey gang, I am running a drain to waste with Canna coco (with cal mag) and just mixed up a tank but it is getting like soap scum bubble build up on the surface. The only difference is that I added boost and blackstrap to the mix this time. the pH levels seem to be rising more rapidly now plus the bubble build up.

Is something going on or can I just clean off the surface scum with one of those handy tools from the fish store?
 
gr865

gr865

Well-Known Member
It is probably the molasses! When you are making compost teas and using molasses as your feed stock, you will get that foaming effect and a buildup on the side of you container from the M.
If you are only molasses occasionally add it separately w/nutes. I have been running Blumats and I do a weekly drench with lite nutes, molasses, mycorrhiza and SM90, I do not like adding them to my tank as I was getting a scum and particulates in the tank, so the drench works for me.
GR
 
chemphlegm

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
does the sm90 plant oils know the difference between killing good bacteria and bad bacteria in the mat?
 
R

ResinLip

Member
gr865 said:
It is probably the molasses! When you are making compost teas and using molasses as your feed stock, you will get that foaming effect and a buildup on the side of you container from the M.
If you are only molasses occasionally add it separately w/nutes. I have been running Blumats and I do a weekly drench with lite nutes, molasses, mycorrhiza and SM90, I do not like adding them to my tank as I was getting a scum and particulates in the tank, so the drench works for me.
GR
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Thanks. That's what I think too. I thought I tried black strap a couple of years back for a run but don't remember the bubbles.

I am adding 5ml / gallon of black strap on top of the Canna's "light feeding" schedule.
 
R

ResinLip

Member
chemphlegm said:
did those canna nutes suggest adding molasses to your mix in the directions ?
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Negative. There's nothing on the bottle that says you need cal mag either though. ;) I am using it to hopefully supplement "boost."

I am trying the molasses (again - but more carefully this time) after reading through a thread by HazyLady on the icmag forum.
 
gr865

gr865

Well-Known Member
chemphlegm said:
does the sm90 plant oils know the difference between killing good bacteria and bad bacteria in the mat?
Click to expand...
In reading I remember one member discussing this and he called the manufacturer and they said it would not damage beneficial microbes. This was confirmed by another poster,
 
R

ResinLip

Member
chemphlegm said:
always wondered why you dont just try the directions first, then move on to messin things up afterwards? its cheaper you know:P
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Really? How were you able to determine that the directions were not followed? Do you always stick to the exact feed schedule? What happens when you have a deficiency or want to try something a little different?

Thanks for your responses so far. They've been ummm.. helpful.
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
ResinLip said:
Not sure what that means but I did try running hydrogen peroxide in the tank for several runs a couple of years back when I pulled out my air pumps and went with "flooming."
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kinda like that but h2o2 is more temporary. i use chlorine in the form of HTH pool shock. simple to use, and can't get much cheaper. and chlorine is a nutrient that is actually used by the plant
 
chemphlegm

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
ResinLip said:
Really? How were you able to determine that the directions were not followed? Do you always stick to the exact feed schedule? What happens when you have a deficiency or want to try something a little different?

Thanks for your responses so far. They've been ummm.. helpful.
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yep. I knew you didnt follow directions when you said first your res was scummy, then when you said you added
molasses. I follow the directions. The only time I had an issue is when I didnt.

If the nutrient system is complete, and there is a deficiency, adding more of whats already in the nutrients wont do anything but cause more issue. the plant grows to its weakest resource, you choose which ones they are. your plant and substrate and nutrients will never be mollasses deficient. Your nutrients supply plenty of whats needed for superior growth . your plant wont eat the molasses, your beneficial orgs do. those are killed off by salt nutrients.
 
chemphlegm

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
gr865 said:
In reading I remember one member discussing this and he called the manufacturer and they said it would not damage beneficial microbes. This was confirmed by another poster,
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I've see that too, then saw the other side, still dont know. I used sm90 in all of my hydro fun for the win. no dirt sees it
 
R

ResinLip

Member
chemphlegm said:
yep. I knew you didnt follow directions when you said first your res was scummy, then when you said you added
molasses. I follow the directions. The only time I had an issue is when I didnt.

If the nutrient system is complete, and there is a deficiency, adding more of whats already in the nutrients wont do anything but cause more issue. the plant grows to its weakest resource, you choose which ones they are. your plant and substrate and nutrients will never be mollasses deficient. Your nutrients supply plenty of whats needed for superior growth . your plant wont eat the molasses, your beneficial orgs do. those are killed off by salt nutrients.
Click to expand...
It sounded like you were RTFM-ing me or something. Have been following Canna schedule for years. Switching from RO water to tap water seemed to work better for me. Fewer issues. Still need cal mag with my tap water. A foliar of Epsom salt was not enough. That and I had to run my pH at more like 6.2 to get the plants looking right.

Like I said, I don't remember the pH climbing so fast and I don't remember the bubbles. The molasses does gum things up and require more cleaning. Not sure the hassle is worth it. Probably I will just use up the molasses that I have in this run and skip it next time altogether.

I think I will just skip the scum off with something I find down at the fish store.
 
gr865

gr865

Well-Known Member
chemphlegm said:
I've see that too, then saw the other side, still dont know. I used sm90 in all of my hydro fun for the win. no dirt sees it
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I respect the person who did the research on the SM90 and the one that second it, they are both well know large scale growers.
As I said I don't like adding it to my rez, and the drench works great.
I also do a tub of compost tea using tested vegan compost with molasses as the feed stock, I do a drench of that about every two weeks or so.

GR
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
gr865 said:
Hey Rocky,

Got rates on the chlorine?
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for 1ppm, use 0.10 grams HTH pool shock per 10 gallons water. i use around 2 to 3ppm (up to 5 is safe for MJ) since i'm in hempys that stay pretty warm.

just need a pretty accurate scale. i got one that is to 0.01 for like 30 bucks off ebay. a 1lb bag of hth costs $4. and will last 10 years maybe?? lol.
 
R

ResinLip

Member
rkymtnman said:
for 1ppm, use 0.10 grams HTH pool shock per 10 gallons water. i use around 2 to 3ppm (up to 5 is safe for MJ) since i'm in hempys that stay pretty warm.

just need a pretty accurate scale. i got one that is to 0.01 for like 30 bucks off ebay. a 1lb bag of hth costs $4. and will last 10 years maybe?? lol.
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I may still have some shock laying around from when we had a hot tub. I need to learn more about this. Seems so easy to get some shock down at the 24 hour grocery store in a pinch.

Are you shocking RO water or tap water?
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
ResinLip said:
I may still have some shock laying around from when we had a hot tub. I need to learn more about this. Seems so easy to get some shock down at the 24 hour grocery store in a pinch.

Are you shocking RO water or tap water?
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either.
i usually mix half well/ half RO

i do drain to waste too. my pH is stable for up to 14 days. nice to go on vacation and not worry about your pH being all over the place
 
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