Root rot in bloom? Please help me find a solution.

Stargrl Chi

Active Member
the one thing that has worried me about sticking the dwc unit into another tub with cold water around it...is the humidity problem that I would encounter...did you ever think about that? Just throwing out things for you to consider and etc.
reeffermadness-
Yeah, I have considered that but my grow room gets so dry and hot that it would probably be a welcome thing. I have never encountered a plant rot problem. I have two fans going in there now so I don't think rot can grow.


:-?
Everyone-
I haven't had time to take new pics yet sorry guys. But I will sometime this weekend. I need to finish up a lot of school stuff.


Some of the things I have tried to cool her down so far are:
-Buying a vent fan that was great, then taking it back... :sad:
-Then buying another fan, it is kinda cheap but it's bigger then the one I got in there right now.
-I also bought a moisture catch tray and a small stand to elevate her off the carpet. The plastic stands legs still need to be cut shorter.


The horrible story about what when down yesterday:
I bought a light vent fan with a 4 inch intake and some 4 inch dryer vent tubing set it all up and had it running for about an hour before my horrible step mother came knocking on my door asking about the slightly high pitched noise. :evil: She could hear the fan, during the day, all the way from downstairs. It was devastating, after all that effort I thought I had a solution.

But I couldn't keep it because Soina (the evil step mother) could hear it and she doesn't know about this grow. If she knew about it then she would tell everyone and cause drama. I am graduating this month so there will be a big gathering of the family and she could make a scene in front of them and tell them shit they don't need to know.

She would do that because she is a cruel BITCH & she hates it when I grow. I have a medical card so it is legal for me to grow but no one knows about it, it's a big secret. The last time I grew a plant she threatened to tell my mom's side of the family who are all very religious (mormons :roll:) and that would not go well with them. They would try to 'save me' or just shun me forever and make my mom look like a bad mom. Sadly I am letting Soina and my family reputation get in the way at the moment....

But I am not giving up! I have many plans to continue the
silent struggle to save my girl.

The new fan I bought is quite small and thin, I think I can put it inside of an air vent like the one that Tokecrazy showed me. I think that would be helpful.

I can do that this weekend. I'll update you guys with more pics and my progress when I get some more done...




 

closet.cult

New Member
geez. this drama just gets worse and worse. good luck.

i don't know anything about hydro, but the first thing i thought of when i saw your roots was: algae. is there any way light is getting to your roots? i hope you find the solution and write in. i'm interested.
 

SmokerE

Well-Known Member
My inline cfm fan I got from home depot hardly makes any noise. Cost about 25 bucks. Insulated ducting might muffle the sound too.
 

Stargrl Chi

Active Member
My inline cfm fan I got from home depot hardly makes any noise. Cost about 25 bucks. Insulated ducting might muffle the sound too.
I have insulated ducting set up because of the larger air blower attempt and I would like to buy a cheaper quieter small fan that would attach to ducting that is 4 inches wide. Dose the fan really have to be suspended from the ceiling? The one I returned needed to be, because it got so hot.

SmokerE-
Can you recomend a good brand of fan to me, that meets my specifications? Which brand did you buy?
 

Stargrl Chi

Active Member
good luck man
See that girl up there? PrettyHate, with that bouquet of buds? What she is holding was part of my first successful crop. <.< For some reason that strain must of been tougher or this new rez is causing me to get different results... I grew that in a 10 gallon rez that didn't get as hot from the light. But it was quite a bitch to dump in my tub, by myself most of the time. Until that wonderful PrettyHate came along to help me.

Same plant as in my avatar.
Strain: Bog Bubble, from sensi or one of those seed companys. That was a long time ago...
 

Stargrl Chi

Active Member
geez. this drama just gets worse and worse. good luck.

i don't know anything about hydro, but the first thing i thought of when i saw your roots was: algae. is there any way light is getting to your roots? i hope you find the solution and write in. i'm interested.

There is a possibility of some small light leakage. But right now I am concentrating on my heat issue. That is really scaring me, every light cycle she looks weaker and weaker and I loose more leaves to the heat. I don't know how the remaining ones keep dyeing and reviving themselves every dark cycle.

I will definitely take some more pictures of my rez,
setupand my struggling Purple Kush girl very soon.

For the past two days I have been working on the light box that one of these guys recommended to me. I have designed it out of duck tape and cardboard and I need to finish it, then cut out a hole in the side of my growing chamber for it to connect to. I am adding the skinny/tall fan that I mentioned earlier inside it as well.

I did a test today and sadly it looks like the air exchange doesn't have much effect on the plants drooping. I left the chamber door open for the majority of the light cycle with the big fan blowing into it and there was still drastic drooping. So I have come to the sad fact that my rez needs to be cooled and the only way to do that is with white plastic things, and ice. Or a really expensive, way out of my price range water chilling system...

Dose a working water chilling system even exist that is around 100$?!
 

Stargrl Chi

Active Member
Is it possible?
Could I just go out and buy a soil mix and put her in her net pot into a soil medium? That would solve my temperature issue.

I have been trying everything! I don't want to lose her, but last night she didn't revive herself like she has been for the past week. She looks like she is going down the road of no return! I need to bring her back!

I didn't turn on the light this morning, since right now that seems to be her enemy. So she will stay in darkness until I think of something better to try.

I have been using water bottles and ice for the past two days and in these days she has been getting worse. I even rigged a rope thing so I could float a frozen water bottle in the tank without it getting to her roots. That didn't effect the water temp at all..:sad:

I need to know if its possible to transplant a plant like mine who has grown into her net pot like PK has and put her into a dirt environment after she was raised in hydro. Do you guys think this would help her or only shock her to death??
Is it possible?
 

midgradeindasouth

Well-Known Member
You can always put her in soil.
It will be a task getting the roots out.
I would put that plant in atleast a 3gal pot if not 5 or 10 gal.

If you put it in soil mix the soil with something like perlite 50&#37;/potting soil 50%.
The mix will give you good drainage and allow o2 to get to the roots.

You may want to rinse roots off with a h2o2 solution.
I would say about 20% peroxide per 1 gal of h2o.

Good luck
 

nongreenthumb

Well-Known Member
Ok heres whats up.

You have root rot, Pythium to be exact.

"Root rot" is a common waterborne disease that can seriously affect indoor and outdoor crops year round. "Pythium" is a generic term for several different root rot and stem rot fungus species (including Pythium, Verticillium, and Phytophthora, and Fusarium). Root rot is also known as "damping-off" in seeds, seedlings and clones.

Pythium can rapidly infect crops in vegetative and flowering stages. Damage includes strain infection, reduced yields, and crop failure. Pythium is particularly damaging in high-density dwc / hydroponic / aeroponic systems, as these recirculating systems provide ideal conditions for rapid growth and spread of pythium spores. One infected plant can quickly spread rot to all plants if the system has an interconected irrigation system.



Pythium typically thrives in oxygen-poor (anaerobic), warm (75-85 F), and poorly circulated nutrient solutions. Heavy clay soils with poor drainage are high-risk soil planting sites.

Sources of infection:
Unsterilized tools and equipment
Unfiltered water
Dead roots from previous crops
Infected plant material (i.e. clones taken from infected moms)


Symptoms
Initial:
Yellowed, droopy and wilting leaves (possibly exhibiting mineral deficiencies). Leaf curl over - ram's horns' - roots are unable to uptake nutrients at that strength because they are infected.
pH becomes more acidic (pH should rise slowly in a healthy system)
'Burnt' root tips (browning tips may also be a result of light exposure, or over fertilization)
Reduced water consumption and rising nutrient strength
Brown colored roots. (Note: GH "Micro" will stain roots brown as well; stain darkens @ ppm's. Healthy root should be white or slightly tan)

Advanced:
Brown and slimy roots with a slight to strong rotting odor. Plant may appear healthy.
Reddish and swollen root collar, becoming blackened over time. Eventually the plant will fall over as all connecting tissue will have been 'eaten away'.

Note: Root damage is permanent; new root hairs can form, but damaged roots will not regenerate. Lightly infected roots may turn white again if treated promptly


Emergency action
1. Hydrogen Peroxide root dunk
-Remove each plant from system, snip off diseased roots.
-Dip/swish each plant and container into a strong H2O2 solution, until diseased roots have been removed. Repeat as required.

2. Sterilize equipment
All equipment should be disinfected (including hoses and pots, etc) with bleach solution or 10% h2o2 solution before plants are reintroduced into the system. Rinse well.

3. Add root rot medication. Add anti-pythium additives, Vitamin B1, and fresh nutrients to a sterilized reservoir at a lower strength, at cooler temps. Reduce light levels. After a week or so, after new roots appear, add some root boost additives.

Roots with root rot do not heal, you will never eradicate that problem from the plant once its there, you can only control it and kinda keep it at bay.

Before your next grow make sure to properly sterilize everything, and get all the temps and conditions better
 

Stargrl Chi

Active Member
Ok heres whats up.

You have root rot, Pythium to be exact.

"Root rot" is a common waterborne disease that can seriously affect indoor and outdoor crops year round. "Pythium" is a generic term for several different root rot and stem rot fungus species (including Pythium, Verticillium, and Phytophthora, and Fusarium). Root rot is also known as "damping-off" in seeds, seedlings and clones.

Pythium can rapidly infect crops in vegetative and flowering stages. Damage includes strain infection, reduced yields, and crop failure. Pythium is particularly damaging in high-density dwc / hydroponic / aeroponic systems, as these recirculating systems provide ideal conditions for rapid growth and spread of pythium spores. One infected plant can quickly spread rot to all plants if the system has an interconected irrigation system.



Pythium typically thrives in oxygen-poor (anaerobic), warm (75-85 F), and poorly circulated nutrient solutions. Heavy clay soils with poor drainage are high-risk soil planting sites.

Sources of infection:
Unsterilized tools and equipment
Unfiltered water
Dead roots from previous crops
Infected plant material (i.e. clones taken from infected moms)


Symptoms
Initial:
Yellowed, droopy and wilting leaves (possibly exhibiting mineral deficiencies). Leaf curl over - ram's horns' - roots are unable to uptake nutrients at that strength because they are infected.
pH becomes more acidic (pH should rise slowly in a healthy system)
'Burnt' root tips (browning tips may also be a result of light exposure, or over fertilization)
Reduced water consumption and rising nutrient strength
Brown colored roots. (Note: GH "Micro" will stain roots brown as well; stain darkens @ ppm's. Healthy root should be white or slightly tan)

Advanced:
Brown and slimy roots with a slight to strong rotting odor. Plant may appear healthy.
Reddish and swollen root collar, becoming blackened over time. Eventually the plant will fall over as all connecting tissue will have been 'eaten away'.

Note: Root damage is permanent; new root hairs can form, but damaged roots will not regenerate. Lightly infected roots may turn white again if treated promptly


Emergency action
1. Hydrogen Peroxide root dunk
-Remove each plant from system, snip off diseased roots.
-Dip/swish each plant and container into a strong H2O2 solution, until diseased roots have been removed. Repeat as required.

2. Sterilize equipment
All equipment should be disinfected (including hoses and pots, etc) with bleach solution or 10% h2o2 solution before plants are reintroduced into the system. Rinse well.

3. Add root rot medication. Add anti-pythium additives, Vitamin B1, and fresh nutrients to a sterilized reservoir at a lower strength, at cooler temps. Reduce light levels. After a week or so, after new roots appear, add some root boost additives.

Roots with root rot do not heal, you will never eradicate that problem from the plant once its there, you can only control it and kinda keep it at bay.

Before your next grow make sure to properly sterilize everything, and get all the temps and conditions better

Wow you do know your stuff. Thanks for the information about the problem.

Would I still be able to treat the problem If I did all the sanitizing and stuff then placed her into a dirt pot with 50% perlite, 50% Peat moss and 1 cup of dolomite lime. I can feed her Ph correct water. With my nutrient mix at a low strength.

I use Flora Nova brand, grow and bloom nutrients.

Do you guys think that will be ok? I couldn't find vermiculite, is it alright for me to grow in a dirt mix without it? I am starting with out added fertilizers since I am going to be using liquid nutrient additives. I didn't want anything added in there that I couldn't manage.

So will this work? I already bought all of the things I mentioned above. Perlite, peat moss and dolomite lime.

Is vermiculite really essential? The lady at the garden place says they don't sell it anymore because it is like asbestos and the dust from it can get into your lungs and cause lung cancer. I don't need to be at anymore of a risk for that.. v.v Is there a substitute that I should add before I transplant and make my dirt mix?

I should probably ask the dirt growers on the forum, since I kinda gathered hydro growers here... I might make another thread if you guys can not help me any further.

I really appreciate the time all you guys spent on here trying to help me, I hope she pulls through thanks to all that good advice.
 

Stargrl Chi

Active Member
These are some pictures of my plant right now and some of the things I have been working on to try and lower the temperature.

What most of the leaves are starting to look like now:


My multi-chamber creation:


The new fan for the unfinished vent:


Around where the new vent will go:


Her death like state at the moment:


Insider look at my rez:


It's all I've had for the longest time until I started having problems..
My horrible air ventilation system:


The new ducting I plan to buy a quiet fan for: (When I can find one)



Thats it for now but there will be more I will take pics when I transplant to dirt. I feel like that is my last option right now..

 

nongreenthumb

Well-Known Member
I think your best bet is to keep it where it is, and use the preventitive measure and fixes to keep it at bay, because you cant get rid of that disease its going to be better to keep it somewhere you can keep an eye on it, and watch how the cures make it better, my worry is that if you put it in soil you wont see if its getting any better or not until you see things either get worse on the leaves or get better. Keep going the way you have and bath her with the hydrogen peroxide and prevent the roots from getting worse and try and help new roots develop by getting rid of the dead ones and promoting new growth, possibly with a root enhancer.
 

Stargrl Chi

Active Member
I think your best bet is to keep it where it is, and use the preventitive measure and fixes to keep it at bay, because you cant get rid of that disease its going to be better to keep it somewhere you can keep an eye on it, and watch how the cures make it better, my worry is that if you put it in soil you wont see if its getting any better or not until you see things either get worse on the leaves or get better. Keep going the way you have and bath her with the hydrogen peroxide and prevent the roots from getting worse and try and help new roots develop by getting rid of the dead ones and promoting new growth, possibly with a root enhancer.
What kind of root enhancer would you recommend?
 

Purple_Ganja

Well-Known Member
If you couldn't provide proper ventillation to start with, why didn't you just go with CFLs? That's what I'm doing...

I can't afford a HID reflector w/ballast and all that expensive shit right now, so I put together some square aluminum tubing, drilled some holes, screwed some screws, and for like 135 bucks I made the most insane CFL setup, bulbs and all. If you're gonna go HID, DAMN good ventillation is really essential. I posted a thread on this earlier but I'll tell ya, K-mart and Target (that I know for sure of) has these little 5,000 BTU window A/C units with built in thermometer, timer and temperature settings for only about 100 bucks, sounds like one of these would solve most of your temperature issues. Fresh generated cool air, all you need for a good closet grow with a 400w hid, but make sure you split the air to go into the HID bulb as well as toward the plants.

Good luck with finishing your grow, PG
 

nongreenthumb

Well-Known Member
If you couldn't provide proper ventillation to start with, why didn't you just go with CFLs? That's what I'm doing...

I can't afford a HID reflector w/ballast and all that expensive shit right now, so I put together some square aluminum tubing, drilled some holes, screwed some screws, and for like 135 bucks I made the most insane CFL setup, bulbs and all. If you're gonna go HID, DAMN good ventillation is really essential. I posted a thread on this earlier but I'll tell ya, K-mart and Target (that I know for sure of) has these little 5,000 BTU window A/C units with built in thermometer, timer and temperature settings for only about 100 bucks, sounds like one of these would solve most of your temperature issues. Fresh generated cool air, all you need for a good closet grow with a 400w hid, but make sure you split the air to go into the HID bulb as well as toward the plants.

Good luck with finishing your grow, PG
If you go with this though, make sure that you also get yourself a de-humidifier, the ac unit is going to cool the air and add moisture, the nutrient tank stands a good chance of being warmer than the air and this is quite likely to increase humidity.

You could consider getting the little lunch bags and filling them with some ice cubes tie it up and keep it in the corner well away from the roots if this is possible.

Either that or change your res more often and use cold water, that way it will take a little longer for the water temps to get up.

There are also those little freezer blocks that you keep in cool bags for drinks on a hot day.

Ideally the temp of the water should be lower than the air temp.
 

Stargrl Chi

Active Member
If you couldn't provide proper ventillation to start with, why didn't you just go with CFLs? That's what I'm doing...

I can't afford a HID reflector w/ballast and all that expensive shit right now, so I put together some square aluminum tubing, drilled some holes, screwed some screws, and for like 135 bucks I made the most insane CFL setup, bulbs and all. If you're gonna go HID, DAMN good ventillation is really essential. I posted a thread on this earlier but I'll tell ya, K-mart and Target (that I know for sure of) has these little 5,000 BTU window A/C units with built in thermometer, timer and temperature settings for only about 100 bucks, sounds like one of these would solve most of your temperature issues. Fresh generated cool air, all you need for a good closet grow with a 400w hid, but make sure you split the air to go into the HID bulb as well as toward the plants.

Good luck with finishing your grow, PG
I didn't get CFL fans because I didn't know about them until someone mentioned them and showed me what they look like on this thread.

Plus I didn't have good ventilation systems because my last grow was vigorous and strong with a good yield with absolutely no ventilation accept when I opened the door to blow the big fan in every day. I must have had a freakishly tough strain to take that kind of abuse but it worked for me. So for my first few grows, thats what I did. Its only since this grow have I learned the importance of good ventilation. This Purple Kush strain must me much more fragile and sensitive....

She is probably going to die from it. I'm trying everything you guys tell me to do asap, but it looks like I am to late. She has been acting like she is beyond the point of revival. :(
 

Stargrl Chi

Active Member
If you go with this though, make sure that you also get yourself a de-humidifier, the ac unit is going to cool the air and add moisture, the nutrient tank stands a good chance of being warmer than the air and this is quite likely to increase humidity.

You could consider getting the little lunch bags and filling them with some ice cubes tie it up and keep it in the corner well away from the roots if this is possible.

Either that or change your res more often and use cold water, that way it will take a little longer for the water temps to get up.

There are also those little freezer blocks that you keep in cool bags for drinks on a hot day.

Ideally the temp of the water should be lower than the air temp.
I can't afford an AC right now and I heard they leak water out the back because they are suppose to be mounted on a window sill. That won't go down with me into the other side of my closet. o.o

I am going to stick with tethering the frozen things inside of my rez away from the root mass.

Thanks for those other items I could use nongreenthumb.
 
Top