Foamy res.

[Naycha]

After a couple of days my res starts to get a little foamy, and a few days after that it's a full on bubble bath. Also as the week progresses the nute turns a milky colour.

 

I've been adjusting the ph every feed or two with white vinegar, and have been cleaning the res weekly with water and bleach. I'm growing in clayballs.

 

It doesn't really seem to be affecting the plants, so I was wondering has anyone else had this problem and if I should worry about it or not?

 

 

Cheers in advance.

[Ozzy420]

This is the 1st time i have come across this.

 

Has this been going on from the start if not trace ya steps back to the point when it start to happen and see what u have been doing diffrent and then go from there...

[SukonmiSkunk]

not real sure.. maybe the vinegar is causing a reaction with some of the nutes in there

 

most hydroponic nutrients contain some form of dish washing liquid.. its not harmful.. it helps with water retention.. or something.. like a wetting agent... but this will usually froth out in a few hours max.. not exactly sure whats going on in your resi tho... there seems to be an awful lot of bubbles.. maybe decrease the amount of air pumping in...

 

what nutrients and additives are ya using?

[Naycha]

Has this been going on from the start

 

Yep. The first week I hooked up the res I thought it must not have been cleaned properly, though now I'm sure I've cleaned it well enough.

 

not real sure.. maybe the vinegar is causing a reaction with some of the nutes in there

 

most hydroponic nutrients contain some form of dish washing liquid.. its not harmful.. it helps with water retention.. or something.. like a wetting agent... but this will usually froth out in a few hours max.. not exactly sure whats going on in your resi tho... there seems to be an awful lot of bubbles.. maybe decrease the amount of air pumping in...

 

what nutrients and additives are ya using?

 

I'm also thinking it might be the vinegar, maybe I should buy some ph down. Although if the plants aren't being affected should I really bother? Then again I wouldn't know if the growth was affected as I haven't seen this strain grown before.

 

Maybe it is the amount of air being pumped in. There are two 12 inch airstones in there, and the only airpump I have is 1200L an hour (I have the dial down to the lowest setting)

 

I'm using Dutch Master Advance with no additives.

 

Cheers for the quick response.

[SukonmiSkunk]

Dm nutes definitely contain dishwashing liquid.. i use DM nutes.. and i get the same thing.. not quite as bad.. but then i dont have that amount of air pumping into the resi... I dont think its anything to worry about.. if the plants look fine.. and arent experiencing blotches on the leaves,.. then im sure its nothing to worry about...

 

maybe decreasing the amount of air youre pumping through... i just have a small airpump they use for fishtanks.. if you havent got another air pump.. maybe you can make a branch off... to take some of the air out of the resi...

 

but really.. apart from looking frothy in the resi.. i dont think its much to be stressin about...

[Naycha]

I'll try removing one of the airstones and see what happens.

[bufo marinus]

Gee I'd be swapping the Vinegar for Phosphoric Acid and connecting the other 2 airlines up meself?

[Naycha]

Gee I'd be swapping the Vinegar for Phosphoric Acid and connecting the other 2 airlines up meself?

 

Where do I get Phosophoric Acid, does it cost much?

[Naycha]

Couldn't get phosophoric acid locally, so I switched to Hydrochloric.

 

Res is now clear as a bell, it seems the vinegar was suspending part of the nutrient in the solution.

 

Hopefully growth will pick up a bit as they would have been missing out on whatever was suspended.