Res is growing brown stuff, clouding up, not sure wtf is going on

calvin.m16

calvin.m16

Well-Known Member
So I have replaced the RO filters, lines, used small amounts of bleach (calcium hypochlorite) and even mega shocked my RO system and tanks and I still keep getting this weird ass brown slime in my tanks and a white cloudy bullshit that forms within 24-48 hours.. I use CYCO GROW A&B in this tank, same issue happens but worse in my tank where I mix MaxiBloom. I have scrubbed the tanks out, bleached them, replaced everything except the pump and hose that I use but they have been soaked in super, super strong pool shock water for 48 hours and wiped down every centimeter of the reservoirs and cleaned them. It will look alright and clear for a day or so, then boom this shit starts to grow/bloom whatever.

I've used airstones, no air stones, beneficial bacteria (hydroguard) and pool shock and if the chlorine levels drop BOOM this brown shit forms everywhere. I do not understand what it is or how I can prevent this? I can't remember when this started happening as it has been a couple months now of fighting this issue.

Oh i will also say the shit seems to be collecting on air stones even when they are new, even with a new air pump. The pH of my reservoir raises when the issue is present. Sometimes if I use enough pool shock I don't see it and my PH stays stable, so a raising pH along with the brown slime would hopefully help isolate what the issue is??

The water only does this once it has fertilizer in it to feed on, so it's definitely some kind of algae/bacteria. I even replaced the pump and hose, still the same shit. Not sure what to do from here.

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theFLAKE

theFLAKE

Well-Known Member
Have you checked if the Res lid is truly light proof? Sometime you don't realise how much light can pass through a lot of lighter coloured plastics. Light is usually a culprit for slime growth if you already know your temps are ok.
 
Hook Daddy

Hook Daddy

Well-Known Member
What’s the temp of your res? If light is getting in somewhere and/or the temps are high you are much more prone to slime. You mentioned you added pool shock to the res, and once the chlorine dissipates the slime starts, trick is not to let the chlorine dissipate if you’re running a sterile res. Slime is exactly why people run sterile. Otherwise invest in a water chiller and keep as much light as possible out of the res and lines.
 
calvin.m16

calvin.m16

Well-Known Member
theFLAKE said:
Have you checked if the Res lid is truly light proof? Sometime you don't realise how much light can pass through a lot of lighter coloured plastics. Light is usually a culprit for slime growth if you already know your temps are ok.
Click to expand...
Yes it is pitch black in the room where the reservoir stands. I think it's possible my pumps and components are all contaminated with iron bacteria or something that doesn't need light to grow. Either way I just removed my filters from my RO system and ran super concentrated pool shock water through the whole system, let it get through all lines front to back and soak for 12 hours and then flushed it all out with new filters and fresh RO. I am putting the sump pump I was using before in the garage for other uses, new pump is ordered and plumbing, also new airstone and airstone pump. Taking zero risks I feel like the contam is harboring in my air pump, water pump or Reverse osmosis system (lines, filters, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ).

I checked the reservoir today (no air stones or pumps in the tank) and its crystal clear. I feel like this all started happening after I used some compost teas in my reservoir a few months ago. I'll never run organics again, at all. Sterile res all the way.

Still not 100% sure this is solved though, sometimes the res will stay normal until day 2-3. According to General Hydroponics support my erservoir should be completely problem free for a week. This is my plan anyhow I need to travel internationally and I would prefer mixing up a 50 gallon drum and having it drip feed my plants for a week. I really don't wanna have to pay and rely on someone to come into my grow and mix nutrients and water my plants.
 
calvin.m16

calvin.m16

Well-Known Member
Issue still not solved. My "solution" is I can only mix up a reservoir large enough for max 48 hours for this shit to not bloom. I've bleach mopped floors, fogged ceilings, walls and everything possible with Zerotol solution (stabilized hydrogen peroxide), pool shocked my RO system and lines for 24 hours and it doesn't matter this shit returns.

I think at this point I'm leaning towards just setting up dosatrons on a small reservoir that refreshes multiple times per day and kill 3 birds with one stone. A new 20 gal brute bucket that is used every day doesn't do this. When my water sits for more than 48 hours even with air stones in a pitch black room it grows this shit.

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Absorber

Absorber

Well-Known Member
Ph buffer when added will cloud the water sometimes, its not an issue and it will dissipate . Are you sure the brown stuff isnt sediment in the water settling ,what are the resevoir temps ? I also use Cyco neutrients in a flood and drain bell syphon setup @500-600ppm .
Ive only recently added a chiller but used to run it without one without any issues but used to get nervous about resevoir temps getting to 27°c so i added one .
 
Jjgrow420

Jjgrow420

Well-Known Member
Hm not quite sure what it is but you ever try a uv sterilizer ? You can get exp ones that run in line or you can just get an aquarium one and run it off a timer in the res. It's what I used for a long time, but now I just use hypochlorous acid and I don't have any issues.
 
calvin.m16

calvin.m16

Well-Known Member
Jjgrow420 said:
Hm not quite sure what it is but you ever try a uv sterilizer ? You can get exp ones that run in line or you can just get an aquarium one and run it off a timer in the res. It's what I used for a long time, but now I just use hypochlorous acid and I don't have any issues.
Click to expand...
Tried inline and submersible UV sterilizer it never 100% kept it at bay. I'm literally mixing MaxiBloom and or CYCO Grow A+B into RO water and using General Hydroponics ph up Pro (hydrolyzed water).

If I use 0.1 gram of 52% HTH (Calcium Hypochlorite) per 10 gallons of water and use the reservoir up within 48 hours things are fine, but if I use 0.1 gram per 10 gallons and wait a few days with the bubbler going then this stuff will appear.

I run drip irrigation and have yet to have problems with an upstream sediment basket filter followed by a 120 mesh disc filter and fortunately that bulky stuff was in my veg barrel that doesn't go through drippers (yet). My RO membranes are partly doing their jobs because that shit would have definitely clogged them up by now.

Today I'm headed to the hardware store. I'm going to plumb my supply line from after my 5 micron pre filter/softener on my house vs the current configuration of it getting water straight direct from the really shallow shitty well.

Pulled my RO membrane and haven't disassembled to inspect the inside sheets but this looks pretty fucked for only 5 weeks of use @ 15-30 gal per day
.1725901321323.png

I'm using DOW filters too, so it's odd such a high quality filter would do this.

Starting cheap by just RO filtering softened water, if that doesn't work then I will build a new "800 GPD" RO system with UV sterilization.. I'll also soak all the new components in Isopropyl Alcohol before assembly.

This is occurring in multiple separate rooms with different barrels and fertilizer. The only thing that is the same is the RO water they get.
 
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calvin.m16

calvin.m16

Well-Known Member
I already had a complete room cleanout and shutdown this year, can't do it again but if I could I'd run a sulfur burner in there a couple runs and hit it with some chlorine gas.
 
Jjgrow420

Jjgrow420

Well-Known Member
calvin.m16 said:
Tried inline and submersible UV sterilizer it never 100% kept it at bay. I'm literally mixing MaxiBloom and or CYCO Grow A+B into RO water and using General Hydroponics ph up Pro (hydrolyzed water).

If I use 0.1 gram of 52% HTH (Calcium Hypochlorite) per 10 gallons of water and use the reservoir up within 48 hours things are fine, but if I use 0.1 gram per 10 gallons and wait a few days with the bubbler going then this stuff will appear.

I run drip irrigation and have yet to have problems with an upstream sediment basket filter followed by a 120 mesh disc filter and fortunately that bulky stuff was in my veg barrel that doesn't go through drippers (yet). My RO membranes are partly doing their jobs because that shit would have definitely clogged them up by now.

Today I'm headed to the hardware store. I'm going to plumb my supply line from after my 5 micron pre filter/softener on my house vs the current configuration of it getting water straight direct from the really shallow shitty well.

Pulled my RO membrane and haven't disassembled to inspect the inside sheets but this looks pretty fucked for only 5 weeks of use @ 15-30 gal per day
.View attachment 5424148

I'm using DOW filters too, so it's odd such a high quality filter would do this.

Starting cheap by just RO filtering softened water, if that doesn't work then I will build a new "800 GPD" RO system with UV sterilization.. I'll also soak all the new components in Isopropyl Alcohol before assembly.

This is occurring in multiple separate rooms with different barrels and fertilizer. The only thing that is the same is the RO water they get.
Click to expand...
Hm. Got me stumped
 
J

joesoap2013

Well-Known Member
I used to use h2o2 you can use that
I would always pour that in the res first clean everything out first before using anything
 
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