Hey everyone,
I’ve been running into a bit of an issue with my 55-gallon reservoir, and I’m hoping someone here might have some insight. After a few days, I start noticing this dark brown sludge on the walls of the reservoir, and when I drain it, there’s a decent amount of dark brown flakes at the bottom. I’m not sure what I might be doing wrong, so I figured I’d break down exactly what I’m doing step by step to see if anyone can spot an issue.
1. I start with RO water and add PowerSi, but I go under the recommended dose—about 0.3 ml per gallon instead of the suggested 0.5 ml.
2. Next, I mix in the Jack’s 321 nutrients, starting with part A. I mix it thoroughly with a paint stirrer on a drill until it’s fully dissolved.
3. Then I add the Epsom salts and mix until dissolved.
4. After that, I add part B from Jack’s 321 and make sure everything is fully mixed before moving to the next step.
5. Once everything’s combined, I check the TDS, which usually lands around 2.4-2.5. I dilute it with more RO water until I get it down to 1.9-2.1, which is my target range.
6. Finally, I check the pH. It’s usually low (around 4.0-4.2, probably because of the PowerSi), so I adjust it with General Hydroponics pH Up. I dilute the pH Up in RO water before adding it to avoid any issues.
Once everything looks good, I pop the air stones and irrigation pump back in, and the water stays clear for a few days. But after 3-4 days, the sludge comes back.
Any idea what might be causing this? I’d really appreciate any advice or suggestions!
I’ve been running into a bit of an issue with my 55-gallon reservoir, and I’m hoping someone here might have some insight. After a few days, I start noticing this dark brown sludge on the walls of the reservoir, and when I drain it, there’s a decent amount of dark brown flakes at the bottom. I’m not sure what I might be doing wrong, so I figured I’d break down exactly what I’m doing step by step to see if anyone can spot an issue.
1. I start with RO water and add PowerSi, but I go under the recommended dose—about 0.3 ml per gallon instead of the suggested 0.5 ml.
2. Next, I mix in the Jack’s 321 nutrients, starting with part A. I mix it thoroughly with a paint stirrer on a drill until it’s fully dissolved.
3. Then I add the Epsom salts and mix until dissolved.
4. After that, I add part B from Jack’s 321 and make sure everything is fully mixed before moving to the next step.
5. Once everything’s combined, I check the TDS, which usually lands around 2.4-2.5. I dilute it with more RO water until I get it down to 1.9-2.1, which is my target range.
6. Finally, I check the pH. It’s usually low (around 4.0-4.2, probably because of the PowerSi), so I adjust it with General Hydroponics pH Up. I dilute the pH Up in RO water before adding it to avoid any issues.
Once everything looks good, I pop the air stones and irrigation pump back in, and the water stays clear for a few days. But after 3-4 days, the sludge comes back.
Any idea what might be causing this? I’d really appreciate any advice or suggestions!
