Small Space Anti SLIME setup help needed...!!

I have tried to get a small (1-5gal) setup going with no luck...

My main problem is BLACK SLIME... Yep thats a great smily for that stuff... =[

I have tried a DWC and it was a complete failure... I should have a few pix and stuff about it if you search...

I decided to try again with a simple dripper for now in a 1gal black bucket...I had it going for less then a week and found black slime around the bottom of the bucket/res... So far it has not attacked the roots but i fear it is only a matter of time...

What i need is a reliable and SMALL (1gal water res) system that will not grow black slime but healthy plants...

Maybe i just do not have the space i need to get a wet system running well... Hopefully someone out there can help... =]

Thanks... =]

PeacePot& Microdot

moon47usaco said:

I have tried to get a small (1-5gal) setup going with no luck...

My main problem is BLACK SLIME... Yep thats a great smily for that stuff... =[

I have tried a DWC and it was a complete failure... I should have a few pix and stuff about it if you search...

I decided to try again with a simple dripper for now in a 1gal black bucket...I had it going for less then a week and found black slime around the bottom of the bucket/res... So far it has not attacked the roots but i fear it is only a matter of time...

What i need is a reliable and SMALL (1gal water res) system that will not grow black slime but healthy plants...

Maybe i just do not have the space i need to get a wet system running well... Hopefully someone out there can help... =]

Thanks... =]

PeacePot& Microdot

Click to expand...

Hi, Are you using black, light blocking, buckets? Is your grow space really warm? Are you changing your solution at least 1x a week? Are you using Molasses or any other sugars? Where does your water come from and can you filter it? Are you aerating your nutrient solution? How much nutrient and what kind are you using. Sorry for all the questions but ...
Happy Gardening! GrowIT!

H202 or hygrozyme... Dont get aqua sheild though, that shit makes my ph drop like a son of a bitch.

KingInDaCloset said:

Hi, Are you using black, light blocking, buckets? Is your grow space really warm? Are you changing your solution at least 1x a week? Are you using Molasses or any other sugars? Where does your water come from and can you filter it? Are you aerating your nutrient solution? How much nutrient and what kind are you using. Sorry for all the questions but ...
Happy Gardening! GrowIT!

Click to expand...

Yes black bucket with a white plastic cover over the net pot/rocks...

Yes it is pretty warm and small... My water gets above 70-75 just sitting in my house... It gets in the 80's in the bucket under the lights...

I had it in there for less then a week before i found more lime but yes weekly changes...

No sugars, will it help or hurt the slime... ??

I use RO water from the grocery store RO machine...

I use organic Botanicare system and it is at 1/4 strength now...



@Michael Phelps i am using hygrozyme and using h202 will kill your nutrients so it is only a good solution for flushing... =0

Thanks all... =]

moon47usaco said:

Yes black bucket with a white plastic cover over the net pot/rocks...

Yes it is pretty warm and small... My water gets above 70-75 just sitting in my house... It gets in the 80's in the bucket under the lights...

I had it in there for less then a week before i found more lime but yes weekly changes...

No sugars, will it help or hurt the slime... ??

I use RO water from the grocery store RO machine...

I use organic Botanicare system and it is at 1/4 strength now...



@Michael Phelps i am using hygrozyme and using h202 will kill your nutrients so it is only a good solution for flushing... =0

Thanks all... =]

Click to expand...

Your temps are def to high, I have the same issues, generally i freeze 6 water bottle's with water ph'd at 5.7, Open the lid, toss 3 open frozen bottles in their and i do this every 12 hours, if you can do it more often it will def help, Good job with the hygrozyme, use less then it recomends on the bottle, alot of hygrozyme will increase some slime build up, i generally use between half and 3/4's the suggested amount.

Horticulter grade h202, 50% only kills certain kinds of nutes, i personally dont use h202, just hygrozyme and GH nutes (lucas formula). From what i know about h202 nutes is it generally kills organic nutes, thats why if your using hygrozyme its suggested you only use a small amount of h202. Alot of people on this site use h202 through their entire grow and they grow great herb. I could be wrong though, im smokin a blunt to the dome and am way blazed.

Anyone care to correct me?

moon47usaco said:

Yes black bucket with a white plastic cover over the net pot/rocks...

Yes it is pretty warm and small... My water gets above 70-75 just sitting in my house... It gets in the 80's in the bucket under the lights...

I had it in there for less then a week before i found more lime but yes weekly changes...

No sugars, will it help or hurt the slime... ??

I use RO water from the grocery store RO machine...

I use organic Botanicare system and it is at 1/4 strength now...



@Michael Phelps i am using hygrozyme and using h202 will kill your nutrients so it is only a good solution for flushing... =0

Thanks all... =]

Click to expand...

Hmmmm....well I would clean the crap out of the whole system, everything, dish soap and water. Finish cleaning everything with a dilute solution of clorox in water. Then rinse again. Might have the slime living in the pump, or tubing that re-circulates from the pump, or even in the lid edge. If you are re-using your planting medium like hydroton be sure to re-sterilize it too. Lastly, I've seen pretty dirty grocery store water machines and it's entirely possible a little mold is living in the machine somewhere. At a restraunt I used to work at the ice machine used filters etc. but it still had the black mold in it at certain times of year (particularly winter) Service techs eventually cleaned it but you could smell it. Lastly there are algae killing solutions available too. I'd clean it first really good though yourself be fore using any of those products...
Last, last lastly, if you can use a bigger reservoir it may keep the solution cooler. I use Coleman coolers (5gallon & 20 gallon) and they insulate pretty good. Anyway good Luck with this. GrowIT!