Roots Growing out of Netpots and Stinky Reservoir

Hello,

I've searched relentlessly for answers to these questions, but have been unable to find acceptable answers. I'm hoping someone can answer them for me.

First question: Is it damaging that my roots are growing out of my netpots? I have an ebb and flow system and the light hits the roots, effectively pruning them. Is this bad for the plant? Will it stunt growth? Should I fill the reservoir full of hydroton in order to give the roots another place to grow?

Second question: My reservoir really begins to stink after 2 days or so of changing it. I have thoroughly cleaned the hydroton, so I know that's not the problem. I've been adding hydrogen peroxide as many people on these forums suggest, but I don't know if it's helping. On the last reservoir change, at the bottom of the reservoir was stuff that looked like dirt. I'm pretty sure it was dead algae. Also, I'm pretty sure I have proper air ventilation in the reservoir. Is it bad that the reservoir is stinking and murky? Are there any solutions to this? Perhaps using reverse osmosis water with a low ppm?

Thanks!

Im not professional. But I would think the Light + Air + Water on your Roots will be Breeding its own civilization of bacteria soon.

Clean Res. GOOOOOD, Make sure NO LIGHT PENETRATES THE RES. Make sure no LIGHT HITS THE RES WATER. make sure the light stops Pruning? your ROOTS CAUSE THAT CANT BE GOOD WHATEVER THAT MAY BE !

I'd fill the table with hydroton. That will cover the roots and prevent them from drying out. More than likely, you are smelling rotting roots or bits of it in your recirculating reservoir. Are you screening or filtering returning water at all?

RawBudzski said:

Clean Res. GOOOOOD, Make sure NO LIGHT PENETRATES THE RES. Make sure no LIGHT HITS THE RES WATER. make sure the light stops Pruning? your ROOTS CAUSE THAT CANT BE GOOD WHATEVER THAT MAY BE !

Click to expand...

No light is penetrating the reservoir. The only time the light hits the water is when the table is flooded for 20 minutes every 3 hours.

I'd fill the table with hydroton. That will cover the roots and prevent them from drying out. More than likely, you are smelling rotting roots or bits of it in your recirculating reservoir. Are you screening or filtering returning water at all?

Click to expand...

The smell can't be from little pieces of root because it began even when the roots of the plants were very small and didn't penetrate all the way through the netpots.

I think the smell is an algae problem, but as long as the algae is killed by the hydrogen peroxide, it's harmless right? the plants seem to be doing fine regardless of the smell.

Your plants look good, keep using the peroxide, not the cheap stuff but horticulture grade.

As far as the roots go, once you put hydroton in the bottom of your tray you will not be able to move or rotate the plants, you will kill the roots you are worried about, personally I would not worry about it and you will be fine. Good luck JR

Did you make sure to soak all your hydroton for a day and rinse them all again really well before you put them in the pots? i've seen people put hydroton straight from bag to pot and a similar scenario arises,not sure about the stink though

PetFlora said:

hydroton sucks. Get gravel or lava rock, better still consider switching styles to HPA

Click to expand...

Yeah nobody uses that shitty hydroton, I hate inert grow mediums, and even more than that I hate logic and reason.....JR

i say go off the plants, looks like there enjoying that

Otherexacerbater said:

Did you make sure to soak all your hydroton for a day and rinse them all again really well before you put them in the pots? i've seen people put hydroton straight from bag to pot and a similar scenario arises,not sure about the stink though

Click to expand...

That is the oldest myth on here and I get sick of seeing it. Hydroton is PH neutral and doesn't require long baths in PHed water. The only thing you need to do is rinse well to remove dust. How many people have YOU personally seen do that, and how were you around to see the outcome? I have NEVER ph soaked hydroton and I never will. I do however rinse the hell out of it to remove dust generated from shipping.

If that was my set up, I'd pot up to bigger pots, but that is just me. I think that the parts of the tray not being used need to have empty pots with some medium of something in them, to block the light. I know flood tables have exposed water that is exposed to light, but if that were my set up, I'd be using UV water systems that killed off bacteria and algae before they even get started. The idea to fill the tray with hydroton was good. You would lose mobility though....

The final answer rests with, what is your goal? Are you going to flower in that same tub? What is going to support plants that get 3 times as big as they are now? And the fact that your res stinks should tell you something. Your plants are the only thing growing in that system.

What type of nutes are you using? Fox farm? Fox farm will tend to stink after a few days like old fish, same thing with General organics.

Mine smells too, and my tubs(flood table) are full of hydroton. It's the nutes....they smell.

Smelly reserviors are not necessarily a bad sign. The best way to tell if it is harming you plants is if you have unhealthy looking growth. You dont seem too. You nutes are just a little smelly. thats all. Do you add 02 to your res? that can sometimes contribute to the smell.

This is an interesting thread, I am not pro or con about it, but it is interesting all the same. You may want to check it out.

http://rollitup.org/hydroponics-aeroponics/327967-bleach-instead-h2o2.html

Serapis said:

That is the oldest myth on here and I get sick of seeing it. Hydroton is PH neutral and doesn't require long baths in PHed water. The only thing you need to do is rinse well to remove dust. How many people have YOU personally seen do that, and how were you around to see the outcome? I have NEVER ph soaked hydroton and I never will. I do however rinse the hell out of it to remove dust generated from shipping.

Click to expand...

i never said anything about a ph bath, just a good bath none the less. i mean if you rinse them for 10 minutes, you'll see alot of brown water coming out. now let them dry and run water again. still more brown water. so again hydroton does not need a pH bath at all, i agree thats retarded. but you should still just soak the hydroton in water for a day just to make sure you get the residue off. that is one but not the only cause, and just an idea that hopefully you can cross off your list of possible problems.