Dirt like Growth in Res Tank

[blindnovice]

Hi all,

I've never grown in summer before and hence I'm having trouble with heat.

 

Setup:

I have a 1m x 1m, bucket hydro setup with 120L nutrient tank & 600W HPS.

I'm seeing this rust coloured growth appearing in the tank (it looks a lot like dirt sitting on the bottom of the tank).

The first time I noticed it, I flushed the system and cleaned with bleach, then replaced everything. No luck - it just reappeared after another few weeks. I'm about to give up until it cools down, but having no smoke for the next few months is not pleasant thought.

 

My pH is normal (5.9-6.1) and nutrient levels are a bit lower than normal (10EC), but the temps in the tank have reached 29C.

 

Does anyone actually know what this crap is ? I realise I need to get the tank temp down and I'm trying various methods

at present. Basically I'd like to know what it is.

 

I'd appreciate any experienced / educated thoughts on this problem

 

cheers

M

[Chato]

I've seen quite a few problems with water but not really this rust that you speak of as i;ve never let my water get that hot for extended periods of time.

 

What additives are you using?

 

Any chance of a pic?

 

peace

c

[blindnovice]

Hi,

 

I've attached a picture from the bottom of one of my buckets ( the tank to hard to reach without lots of messing about ).

Each bucket has some of this stuff, and the bottom of the res tank is covered in it.

 

I've never seen anything like this before either, and I've had many problems over the years

 

thanks again.

M

[Chato]

Is it affecting the plants do you think? Are you noticing changes for worse as it appears?

 

Any light getting to your rezzy?

 

Did you wash your clayballs well before you started? Although the rusty dust from clayballs tends to settle all over the bottom of the bucket or tub as opposed to sorta clumping up like yours is.

 

You could possibly try putting a stocking over your pump to act as a filter just make sure you clean it fairly regularly.

 

 

peace

c

[Reverend]

Also what nutes and additives are you using, are they different from before?

[blindnovice]

The plants really didn't like it and I eventually had to pull them out (have none right now just this stuff ).

I do have light getting to the res, but this has always been the case for my setup, without issues previously.

And the clay balls are always washed clean before use.

 

I have just had a thought - I started using rain water from my tank to fill the res, so I wonder if some bug from the rain tank has infiltrated the system.

 

Anyway, thanks again

M

[blindnovice]

Also what nutes and additives are you using, are they different from before?

 

Hi Gills,

 

Never used additives, and the nutrients are same as always.

 

thanks

M

[Chato]

Could be a combo of new water source, high water temp and light getting to the rez.

 

peace

c

[blindnovice]

Yea I'm sure you are right, but I think my best option is to give it rest until the cooler months .

 

Every time I've had a grow problem and then fixed it, I think to myself - "Cool, Next year I won't have ANY troubles" How wrong can a man be!!

 

I just wish we could grow the shit out in the garden - would cut down on the gray hair.

 

 

Anyway, time to go do some holiday stuff before Monday

 

cheers to all

M

[brick]

Is it dirt or rust from the water supply? Down here in Vic after a lot of north winds then rain, the car is covered in redish brown dust that was blown in from the Mallee and Wimmera areas. It looks like sediment to me. Is it slimy or solid or muddy? When I was working on cooling towers years ago after strong north winds we would have to go and clean them out and they had similar looking stuff in the bottom but on a bigger scale.