DWC: Root Rot or Nutrient Stain?

This has been an adventure - first time growing. Kratky, had issues but the plants have recovered, transplanted to sterile (hydroclorous acid) dwc, and switched to using hydroguard 3 days ago. Before the switch the roots looked pretty good ( a hint of brown).

I am using the floura series (1/2 tsp per gallon) of each, and an extra couple ml of micro(for nitrogen).

Yesterday, my other plant that looks to be doing much better than he had been had a bulk of the roots turn brown while the plant was showing great new growth. I panicked and cut off the brown roots and gave it a spray of 3% h2o. It seems to be doing well.

After being pretty white yesterday, I picked up the cap of the other and found this. I don't have access to the plant right now, but does this look like root rot or nutrient stain? Temps in the grow room have been 67-74, so the water temp should be decent.

Thanks!!!

cztl said:

This has been an adventure - first time growing. Kratky, had issues but the plants have recovered, transplanted to sterile (hydroclorous acid) dwc, and switched to using hydroguard 3 days ago. Before the switch the roots looked pretty good ( a hint of brown).

I am using the floura series (1/2 tsp per gallon) of each, and an extra couple ml of micro(for nitrogen).

Yesterday, my other plant that looks to be doing much better than he had been had a bulk of the roots turn brown while the plant was showing great new growth. I panicked and cut off the brown roots and gave it a spray of 3% h2o. It seems to be doing well.

After being pretty white yesterday, I picked up the cap of the other and found this. I don't have access to the plant right now, but does this look like root rot or nutrient stain? Temps in the grow room have been 67-74, so the water temp should be decent.

Thanks!!!

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what do they smell like? if its rot, the smell will be varying degrees of foul

My girlfriend says "smells like stale water". I have no idea what that means

GH Flora series always gave me nice BROWN roots-plants thrived..........if you have slimy roots, it's rot.

Thanks @GBAUTO! Thats really good to know. I wish I posted here yesterday before chopping off a lot of my rooting system for my other plant. :-\

looks root rot, if it were the nutrients all the roots would look the same.
However, it just affected a small portion of the roots...

With hydroguard or other beneficial bacteria they establish a culture on the roots. I think it's just the hydroguard bacteria. If they start stinking or pull off easy then you got rot.

Also with root rot you generally see signs of a nute deficiency on the leaves.

What’s your Ph doing? Root rot is usually accompanied by drastic PH drops

ToFarGone said:

What’s your Ph doing? Root rot is usually accompanied by drastic PH drops

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Very true. If you see the pH drop into the 4's or even 3's then it's the most likely cause.

At least for me my ph always rises the minute it didn’t rise from the previous day or even dropped I’d suspect I had a root problem

Last grow i had serious root rot problem, ph went down to 4.8 few hours after a water change

Give dutch master zone a try

I agree with the pH dropping with root rot. The bacteria decomposing matter create organic acids that drop the pH. I have never personally seen pH do anything but plummet when root rot is present. Unfortunately when this is the case the rot has usually advanced past the point of treatment.

xfirex said:

Give dutch master zone a try

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Copper Sulfate. You can buy a pound for like 3 bucks online.

Renfro said:

Copper Sulfate. You can buy a pound for like 3 bucks online.

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And Chloramine. I hear good stuff about zone but havent used it.
My 2 cents.
If your running hydroguard and its working your shit should be squeaky clean, none of that brown slime. Been there too and it works....sometimes.
Brew an ewc tea with the fungi/bacteria mix/hydroguard and some humus. Before you go and nuke your roots like I did.... brew the tea, dump it in and let it work for awhile. That brown shit should loosen and fall off eventually when the tea works. Give it a week.
Which by the way, I don't think that's root rot at this point. It's just a consequence of your water and shit that has been growing in it sticking to your roots. After it attaches to and suffocates your roots, THEN you will probably get root rot.