Enzymes vs h202 etc; active vs sterile

[Newcouch]

Hi,

 

Can you help me with some confusion please?

 

I have been reading a lot of the bubbler and rdwc threads, and am setting up a first time bubbler - see 'aussie pot'.  i am familiar with nutrients and ph, ec etc, but i cant get this root rot avoidance thing right in my head.

 

It seems we have two methods;

 

a) use enzymes which act at the first sign of rot and eat it, turning it into useful nutrients and actually making the entire grow more nutriently available etc, or

 

b) regularly blitz the reservoir with h202, silver bullet etc.  this keeps the medium sterile and so kills root rot and other stuff. but has no other benefit. (well, h202 has an extra 0 for the little blighters).

 

Now i am guessing that enzymes might be more productive but more difficult to control whereas the sterilisers are a bit of a sledgehammer. I am guessing that professional grows keep their medium sterile since it is more of an easy guarantee.

 

Now i have run a fair few simple hydro set ups over the years and never actually had root rot, despite a very lazy approach. I wouldnt say my roots are sparkly white, but they dont seem bothered - esp in the hybrid soil wick systems i regularly use. In pure perlite dripper systems they run pearly white. In garden hydro i dont pay much attention to ph, so they are probably a little alchline if that makes a difference.

 

So my feeling is that i research h202 and silver additives a bit more ad plan to just nuke the nutrient at regular intervals and not worry any more.

 

But enzymes fascinate me and sterile 'soil' always feels wrong....

 

Any advice please?

 

Thanks

 

Newc

 

add. three methods (noone expects.....) Dont use either and just keep light away and change res every week.....

 

 

[badbillybob]

i tend to go sterile with mine, ive never had success with enzymes. 

im a world expert on root rot, after screwing my last 5 or 6 rdwc adventures up, by trying stuff like tnc mycorr hydro, and others.  beneficials, including hydro specific.

ive also screwed the up by using sterile additives like silver bullet , h202, endrosan 8 etc, but this has been more used as a reactive measure to rot which has already taken hold, so i cant blame that. 

 

before i started using all these additives, i honestly had zero rot issues. 

 

so if/ when i get my rdwc love going again i am just going to use my chiller, set to 18 degrees and tap water. it worked for me for years, i only got issues when i tried to get clever. cover or insulate the pots, change out the nutes every 7-10 days for fresh, use ABSOLUTELY NOTHING with any organic ingredients in it, (i was on ionic), and keep it simple. 

DO NOT use root boosters or other additives, or boosters, because you dont need them in rdwc.

 

just use a chiller (a definite this one) ,grow, bloom , silicone (if you like), and ph down, and enjoy the ride. 

if you want to be sure to be sure, get a uv filter, and run the water through this.

 

good luck with it

[Newcouch]

Cheers, BBB.

To be honest, thats what i am looking to hear. I have grown plants for years without fussing. Let nature take its course. Of course, pay attention to the basics, and if you are growing hydroponically, try to emulate nature - but not replace it.

feelings at the moment are; go sterile, but not gressively. Just provide the right nutes, dont dechloro the owater (i think this is a massive factor), and trust / witness the plants.

Nature knows.

 

Newc

[badbillybob]

thats my plan for my next one too, it served me well for years.

i only got issues when i fucked about with additives