DIY pump fed feeding system clogging up

[Diddy]

As per thread title my diy pump fed system is clogging up this run....i have used it twice before and never had an issue but this time im getting say 1 plant getting nothing and the other 3 feeding fine.....i blow through the tube it clears and im fine again for a few days. Now my pump has a filter/tights and a sock  round it and this stops gunk getting into the lines....but as i say this time round im getting these issues. 

Couple of questions - could it be that my pump is not as strong as it once was and hasn't got the puff it used to have ? 

what solution can i use to clean the pipes ? Will i need to clean them away from my plants and make sure any cleaning solution gets no where near my plants.....

 

[Diddy]

little bump on this incase anyone viewing missed it and can help ? 

[stu914]

Have you changed nutes?...or anything else?

 

[Diddy]

Just now, stu914 said:

Have you changed nutes?...or anything else?

 

Nope same nutes Canna A+B plus canna pk13/14 as im in flower now. It's a simple system just garden hose fed from a pump which sits in a 100l water but that holds pre made feed. The feed goes through hose which is in a ring with 4 small irrigation tubes think they are 6mm....no drippers just straight tubing - done that so it wouldn't clog lol. I would think i had buggerd it up myself but it actually worked and delivered well last two runs. 

Don't get me wrong my water is awful you boil two kettles of water in this area and your kettle WILL have lime scale deposits......Hence the tights/sock filter should stop larger particles but you can never stop the build up of limescale. I just wondered if there was something that is safe to run through the system without killing my plants if i didn't flush it through enough....I just don't fully trust the person doing it...ME lol.

Wondering if H2O2 would work ? 

[stu914]

9 hours ago, Diddy said:

something that is safe t

 

If limescale is the problem try using vinegar. I use it to clean my tea urn at work, kettle and iron at home.

50/50 water vinegar left to soak overnight, quick rinse and it leaves everything scale free with no vinegar residue.

atb

[Geo]

i`d say if you can clear it by blowing through the pipe its more likely biofilm than limescale which is like concrete. Recirculating a double strength milton fluid solution in the system for 4 hours between runs will remove any biofilm. If limescale has completely filled the pipework, the easiest option is to replace it.

[GoodToGrow]

Hi there, although this is my first ever post I have actually been a member of this forum for about 10years!! 

I feel like your issue may be more to do with air in your lines rather than nutrient clogging (canna A+B & PK 13/14 are synthetic nutrients and very unlikely to clog pipes - even with dripper systems). Could you provide some pics of your feeding system to diagnose?

I have built very similar systems to what you describe in the past and have never had any issues with clogging. 
Do you have the ‘manifold’ (where your 19mm hose converts to 4 x dripper lines) below the water level in your res - this is important to get even distribution.

A very similar sounding system I built consisted of the following: 50L storage box res, maxi jet 500 pump with around 200mm length of 19mm pipe with end stop, punched near end for 2 x 4mm dripper lines - all of this sits at the bottom of the res (below water level) and just the 2 dripper lines coming out of the top, making their way to the pots. 
Hope that makes sense and was of some help.  But as I said if you could post some pics of the system I could maybe diagnose further? 
 

Edit: under my username it says this is my 8th post.... god knows what my other 7 were 

Edited April 23, 2020 by GoodToGrow
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