Can O2Grow Replace Pumps and Stones?

[Jewels]

Check out this chart. Fourth column - capillary qualities.

Those stones in your photo's have no "wicking". I find if you dip the toe of the hydroton, at the waterline, it will provide a more forgiving riparian buffer.

I am "rooting" for 'ya !

 

[PhatNuggz]

I am "rooting" for 'ya ! I see what you did there

Thanks, but I used that crap (hydroton) before switching to ornamental stones, which I have used for 4+ years. They are NOT the cause of my problems

Pre O2G: For the last 3 grows I had the dumb idea to raise the water level above the bottom of the net pots, which kept the RRs saturated 24/7= root rot. Did the same once the young plants were transferred to F & D, which MIGHT have been ok, BUT, I combined that with flooding every hour, which also kept the RRs saturated= root rot.

This time I was so afraid of that again that I moved the young plants which had lots of roots exiting the sides of the RRs, but the tap root had not shown up yet. So, when I moved them into the grow tote I was only using the O2G, which does not agitate the surface of the water. The lack of splash eventually dried out the RRs

The lesson: When the young seedlings are in the nursery phase, use the air pump 24/7 (being careful of the water line in relation to the bottom of the net pot) until the tap exits the bottom, then move to the grow tote enlist the O2G + the pump, but now reduce the pump operation to ~ 30 minutes on/ 1-2 hours off IN BETWEEN O2G cycles, which requires another timer

Whoop Whoop: the 50/50 plant is recovering

 

[PhatNuggz]

I noticed the 2 plants weren't taking off as they should. Close inspection I have a small net pot with the Rapid Rooter inside a 4" net pot, but did not see any horizontal roots exiting either of the RRs, neither had I put sufficient amount of ornamental stones in either. That's done, but plants look a little bleached out today, probably some shock involved

 

[PhatNuggz]

Made fresh nutes today, the previous batch was made about a month old, and while it might be ok, I think a spark was missing

 

[PhatNuggz]

In a discussion about the O2G on another grow site: Yes it separates O2 and H. Unlike air pumps, it does not introduce CO2, and the micro O2 bubbles are easy for the roots to absorb. The problem is O2G is not forthcoming at least for cannabis growers. They likely want to avoid the Feds

The O2G operates 30 minutes on ~ 3-4 hours off. And yes it does create a Cl gas smell when on. PERHAPS, the CL gassing under the tote lid is toxic to the roots. Maybe I need to vent it better. Ok instead of completely covering the empty net pot slots I filled the net pots with stones just to prevent light leaks into the nutes. Now, there should be enough air venting. Fingers crossed

Update: I turned off the COBs, now only using ~ 100w of r/b monos in hopes that lower tent temps will kickstart root development, but it is quite possible the trapped CL gas has been the problem

 

[PhatNuggz]

Late yesterday I cut the bubbler times from 30 minutes to 15, and probably need no more than 5 minutes. I also disconnected 1/2 air stones. I have a programmable timer that I can implement if needed Mostly the stones are to agitate the roots, which currently don't exist: it also dissipates the DO. I thought to replace the stones with a cir pump, but 185 gph is really huge in ~ 2.5g nutrients.

Yesterday I removed ~ 10 ozs of nute liquid, Checking the netpots this morning the RRs are still wet all the way up, so I removed another 10+ ozs and left the netpots outside the nutrients to dry out a bit.

The amount of CL gas is no longer as strong now that I replaced the covers with netpots filled with stones, post O2G cycle.

One plant continues to get taller, though there still no roots exiting the net pot

 

[PhatNuggz]

delete double post

 

[PhatNuggz]

2/5 seedlings are already about an inch above the RR

 

[PhatNuggz]

The 'large' plant continues to grow new leafs but still not roots extending outside the net pot. WTF?

I placed the 2 newest seedlings in 4" net pots 2 days ago. I waited until the tap root was ~ 1/2" outside the small net pot, but the roots still have not exited the net pots.

 

[PhatNuggz]

Although the 3 plants are 'growing' the roots are far behind where they should be. I decided to remove the ornamental stones for now. I inserted toothpicks in the Rapid Rooters (which are inside 1" net pots, and let them float inside the larger 4" net pots, with the top covered to prevent light leak into the rez

The larger plant does have a number of root tips peeking out the sides of the RR, but these should be 2-3" by now

At least they're still alive. Now I just need to kickstart

 

[PhatNuggz]

Seems like nothing has worked so far. This morning I got an idea which, if it doesn't work I will go back to either hydroton, or lava rock, but only a very small amount.

I just cut up coconut hairs, which are shaped into pucks for starting clones. I semi-lined the 3" net pots (including the bottom) and inserted the 1" net pots. I will hand spray every couple hours

Looks a lot like this https://www.amazon.com/EZ-Clone-EZ-Coco-Collars-Pack/dp/B01H5VM5AY/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=coco+clone+pucks&qid=1568638578&sr=8-1-spell


I also doubled the number of 15 minute on bubble cycles in an effort to keep the coco moist.

Fingers crossed

 

[PhatNuggz]

As I still don't have roots exiting the bottom of the net pots. I decided to unplug the O2G until roots are established outside the net pots and am now running the bubbler 24/7 as the coco strings (looks like the husk hairs formed into pucks, very airy and does not soak up and hold onto the water/nutes as either the Rapid Rooters, or the coco pellets

 

[Bc_ca]

Hi

 

[Bc_ca]

So the roots are submerged in a soluble medium.
Let’s start without plants.
Pure r/o water straight from the filtered u/v unit less than 100ppm.
This soluble medium medium is hydrogen 2 part oxygen 1part balanced as water .
Now what the 02gen is trying to do is raise the oxygen ratio of your existing soluble medium by releasing hydrogen part leaving your medium more biased (leaning) toward a free 02 soluble source for plant uptake.

 

[Bc_ca]

Now here is the problem.
Salts are chlorides.
Electrolysis in a salt (soluble) type solution ie.. a RDWC liquid medium with nutrients upon powering up the o2gen will release chloride or chlorine based gas from that activity. Is this not so?

 

[Bc_ca]

I mean let’s keep our observation focused upon simple results physical
Detected.
A bucket
R/o water
Add the 02gen paddles
Plug in power and no electrolysis occurs at the paddles surface.
No conductivity exist. ( We clean hi voltage power lines with r/o water )

 

[Bc_ca]

Now if you add your nutes ratio for your grow setup
The salt of the nutes makeup provides conductivity for the electrolysis to occur at the paddles.
Now here is where our next observation required our attention

 

[Bc_ca]

1 molecule of tap water is loaded already with many solubles right?

1 molecule of r/o water is sterile untouched
So we want to add a extra Disolved
Goodness to our sterile untouched.
O2 gen can not help without conductivity.
If you add really small amount of nutes to begin conductivity you might squeeze it in

 

[Bc_ca]

What you see with your own keen grow experience and good observation is that the homeostasis
(Balanced) sustainable environment
Using the O2 gen creates a stated by product a imbalance not worthy of your happiness.
Your diligence in trying to provide the best growth environment for your plants has presented a realistic experience of how our soluble medium of our RDWC needs a protected balance. Thanks for this thread to post

 

[Bc_ca]

I myself was going to try out with the O2gen in RDWC but after reading your diligence in pounding a path unbeaten air bubbles it will remain thanks PhatNuggz