** Need help ** Killing the males in a DWC shared tub.

Tym

Well-Known Member
Like the title says.. I have a DWC shared tub with 5 plants in it. They've been on flower for 1 week now. Vegged for 5 weeks.. They are big and the roots are all grown together. They have been for like a month..

My question is, now that they are showing sex, and I have to kill a couple males, what's the best way to do it?. I was thinking of just cutting the plant at the base of the stem and just leaving the netpot and all the roots there...

Any ideas? How do you guys suggest I go about this?
photo(34).jpg
 

Weedler

Well-Known Member
You can do that. I have seen some people cut the stems & the roots then they replace reservoir after a few days because most of the roots have dropped down to the bottom that would be the males. Not sure how this works it probably puts unwanted disease into the water because there would be some roots breaking down etc. Maintain healthy reservoir & I do not see why not. I have never done it so I would wait for someone to chime in. Looking closely at your photo looks like the net pot would pull right out for the most part roots would come with it... see if that works first?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tym

Heisenberg

Well-Known Member
Remove the plants rather than cut them off. Seperate the roots as best as possible. Sometimes you can use the water to sort of coax them apart. Don't be afraid to cut what you need to. Obviously you want to preserve as much of the female's roots as possible, but it won't hurt them to loose a portion of their root base. In fact, it should spur a round of new shoots.

I would recommend getting some beneficial bacteria in there (if you don't have already, those are beautiful roots) to eat up the dead stuff that's sure to be floating around. You could use an enzyme product but in a DWC enzymes put you at risk for slime problems.
 

Tym

Well-Known Member
Cool. I clean the res every 2 weeks. Next scheduled is tomorrow..
I guess I'll cut the males at the base. And maybe worry about the roots after..
 

Weedler

Well-Known Member
I would pull the male root mass through the top and coax the other roots off like Heisenberg said good advice there probably best approach to get as much as possible before starting to "cut"
 

Tym

Well-Known Member
Hehe yeah, I probably will.. I'm going to do it first thing tomorrow morning..
 

Tym

Well-Known Member
+ Rep for you guys, thanks :) DWC is awesome, and will replace dirt for me.. But I'm still learning about it..Next go round, I'm using separate buckets.
 

Bubbleponic

Well-Known Member
pull as much out , the deeper you keep the roots in the water the easyer they will seperate. but you can just cut the base, leave it there for a day then pull out..... make sure you have root eating beni's and keep cool 68 deg......beni's s should turn dead roots to plant food....
 

lapperll

Member
I would remove the male root mass. It will not hurt the females if you have to cut some of their roots. You can actually prune your root mass if it is getting too large, just don't take more that 1/3. Heisenberg is right about the bennies, you want something to eat the dead root mass.

my 2 cents
Lapper
 

Tym

Well-Known Member
What is bennies? Is that the name? If I go to my hydro shop and ask for it will they have it? Or is it a brand name?
 
Top