hydroton question

fart blossom · 04-03-09, 18:20

FOAF has a flood table and started using hydroton, and has noticed some white crystal looking rings appearing on top of the hydroton. Water doesn't reach that high, so is probably not because of the residual nutes. His guesses were either fungal growth or possibly (hopefully) extended exposure to light. Anyone seen this happen before?

He was also wondering if he should increase his waterings / day with hydroton, currently floods once a day.

He would greatly appreciate any advice.

the_other_chap · 04-03-09, 18:54

I think you'll find it is residual nutes.
Some solution is bound to creep up by capilliary action, even though it's not making the rocks look wet.
As the small amount of moisture evaporates, it leaves the nutes behind.

When (if?) you wash them, hot water will dissolve most of it.

It's not really going to cause any problems unless you reuse the hydroton a lot.

When I used to use it, I discarded it after about 5 crops as performance seemed to degrade after that.
Between crops I washed it thoroughly (soaked in warm water in the bath for a few hours then thoroughly flushed through with clean water).

Dr.Hallucination. · 04-03-09, 18:55

Well to me it looks like calcium from the water or whatever nutrients you are using in your bins crystallized on the rocks after drying.But you say the water level doesn't reach this high.Is it possible the rocks were wet at one point and just dried that way?It doesn't look like fungus to me but you really can not tell from that photo.

roscoe · 04-03-09, 23:10

ive seen this before im gonna says salts from nutes. no biggie just flush it away.

Quote:

When I used to use it, I discarded it after about 5 crops as performance seemed to degrade after that.
Between crops I washed it thoroughly (soaked in warm water in the bath for a few hours then thoroughly flushed through with clean water).

did you ever try a clear-x type product for a more complete leaching?

Indonesia · 04-04-09, 06:57

My foaf recently washed a bunch of hydroton with tap water, and had same type of stuff on hydroton. thought it might be hard water spots. Its hard to wash hydroton perfectly imo. my foaf washed for a very long time and still got some dust at bottom of ebb flow buckets.

the_other_chap · 04-04-09, 07:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by roscoe

did you ever try a clear-x type product for a more complete leaching?

No, I always figured it was going to be a lot more trouble than it was worth to "deep clean" the stuff.

I eventually got fed up with washing every grow and switched to NFT. Much less trouble!

mushmind · 04-09-09, 12:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_other_chap

No, I always figured it was going to be a lot more trouble than it was worth to "deep clean" the stuff.

I eventually got fed up with washing every grow and switched to NFT. Much less trouble!

whats nft?

Foster · 04-09-09, 13:26

Nutrient film technique is NFT. In most NFT setups there is little to no medium used. Sometimes only enough to hold the plants in position. The roots are continually bathed or intermittantly bathed in a thin flow of highly oxygenated nutrient solution.
Usually not suggested for beginners due to its precise requirements.
It can be a little more complicated than my explanation. But that's the basics.
best of luck. Foster

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04-03-09, 18:20	#1 (permalink)
fart blossom Mycophiliac Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 33	hydroton question FOAF has a flood table and started using hydroton, and has noticed some white crystal looking rings appearing on top of the hydroton. Water doesn't reach that high, so is probably not because of the residual nutes. His guesses were either fungal growth or possibly (hopefully) extended exposure to light. Anyone seen this happen before? He was also wondering if he should increase his waterings / day with hydroton, currently floods once a day. He would greatly appreciate any advice.

04-03-09, 18:54	#2 (permalink)
the_other_chap Pilot of the Future Join Date: Apr 1970 Posts: 848	I think you'll find it is residual nutes. Some solution is bound to creep up by capilliary action, even though it's not making the rocks look wet. As the small amount of moisture evaporates, it leaves the nutes behind. When (if?) you wash them, hot water will dissolve most of it. It's not really going to cause any problems unless you reuse the hydroton a lot. When I used to use it, I discarded it after about 5 crops as performance seemed to degrade after that. Between crops I washed it thoroughly (soaked in warm water in the bath for a few hours then thoroughly flushed through with clean water). __________________ Things get too straight, I can't bear it. I feel stuck, stuck on a pin.

04-03-09, 18:55	#3 (permalink)
Dr.Hallucination. Chasing the Rabbit. Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 2,422	Well to me it looks like calcium from the water or whatever nutrients you are using in your bins crystallized on the rocks after drying.But you say the water level doesn't reach this high.Is it possible the rocks were wet at one point and just dried that way?It doesn't look like fungus to me but you really can not tell from that photo. __________________ The man who walk's through the door on the wall,Will never be quite the same,As the man who went out. Last edited by Dr.Hallucination.; 04-03-09 at 18:57. Reason: edited because I am blind.

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04-04-09, 06:57	#5 (permalink)
Indonesia Mycotopiate Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 262	My foaf recently washed a bunch of hydroton with tap water, and had same type of stuff on hydroton. thought it might be hard water spots. Its hard to wash hydroton perfectly imo. my foaf washed for a very long time and still got some dust at bottom of ebb flow buckets.

04-09-09, 13:26	#8 (permalink)
Foster intotheoutside Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,854	Nutrient film technique is NFT. In most NFT setups there is little to no medium used. Sometimes only enough to hold the plants in position. The roots are continually bathed or intermittantly bathed in a thin flow of highly oxygenated nutrient solution. Usually not suggested for beginners due to its precise requirements. It can be a little more complicated than my explanation. But that's the basics. best of luck. Foster