How Often Should I Change Out My Nutrient Reservoir-Really?

When growing in recirculating active hydroponics systems you need to change out your nutrients frequently-but how do you know when it's time to drain away your spent nutrients and start with a fresh batch? We explain everything in four minutes.

[@cbluebeard]

I put a float valve in my reservoir and keep a separate water tank above it (gravity fed), so the water level in the res always stays the same. With that variable eliminated, keeping track of ppm is super easy.

[@navigator902]

Cool Everest... been waiting for this video, cause I've mirrored your set up almost all the way and have researched this same advice...Your confirmation is all I needed.... Cheers....

[@damicolicious]

Hey Everest- Great video as always! This video inspired my creativity... I fitted a valve and a hose-threaded spigot in-line between the rez-pump up to the main line for the drip system. Now when I have to do change outs, I turn the valve to stop the water flow into the drip line, and after attaching a garden hose to the spigot - turn on the pump - and it all comes rushing out to easily feed my fruit trees or quickly fill buckets to take to other plants. (Always recycle my used water). Thanks again for the ideas!

[@Just4Growers]

Michael Damico I like your style Michael and I think your creativity has inspired me back! :) I hate reservoir change-outs and will be implementing some improvements to my set-up to ease the pain. As I say, "the easier you make this job, the more likely it is that you'll actually do it on time!" :) Please consider subbing the channel if you haven't already! Thanks again. Everest.

[@elenazaaba7522]

Thanks for the tips! I have recently started growing some plants using the kratky technique and some of my plants suddenly withered and died yesterday. While troubleshooting the issue, it got me wondering how often I should change the content of the reservoir and your video has explained all that comprehensively. Thank you again!

[@strumminfuel4625]

Awesome videos. I have a float setup that is connected to my reservoir. the water going in is ph'd, so the nutrient solution in the reservoir never becomes more concentrated(because of evaporation) and the ph remains in check so they are always getting everything they need.

[@Alapahauk]

Everest you are the greatest man! I love how you have sped up your more recent videos! My favourite youtube Channel. I watch your older vids on x1.25!

[@stephenreinhart7393]

Thanks for that. I’ve been so confused as to how often to change water

[@budj13]

This is both informative and very clearly presented. I have not found another video that presents the answers to nutrient reservoir top-ups and solution changes as completely. Thank you!

[@Just4Growers]

Feedback like yours is like a change of reservoir for my mind. (Or, at the very least, a top-up.) Thank you!

[@williamsimons6646]

Nice Video. Concise and to the point.

[@carny666]

Awesome this is exactly what I needed to know!!

[@MrChit-od9po]

Ran a crop of 2 diff veg, 3 diff herb from start to finished and only did a res change before flower and flush. I used GH- good stuff. They want you to USE it more than you need to. I run a filter in my res w active charcoal

[@jej5957]

Hey awesome video, you should think about hooking up your pump to a water hose to reach your drain. Whenever you're not using the pump just bend the hose to stop it.

[@Acolis]

Great info. Thanks for this

[@evergrinviveromovil9678]

great videos thaks for all the advice!

[@stephensellman9140]

Another great video! Thanks for sharing!

[@Just4Growers]

Stephen Sellman Thanks Stephen. I'll keep 'em coming! :) Appreciate the ++++!

[@jimmycompton6352]

Hello. I have wanted to switch from coco to hydro for awhile. limited 4x4 spot not a lot of room. I have 3 rows of 3 plants for a total of nine only entrance from i side, The door. I also use trellis netting. So if i have 9 plants in trellis netting, how would i get them out of their container, or bucket to clean the container or bucket. If i had drains on the buckets or container would draining it , flushing it be enough without disturbing and scrubbing if i used a product like drip clean? Your videos are so real and no BS. Awesome.

[@sva7242]

first time grower have plant growing now for three weeks looks good, how much nutrients should I add and when, thanks for any help

[@hallmaker31]

Great vid. I have an issue with changing out my reservoir. I built a home-made version of the Current Culture using ten 7 gallon buckets connected with 2' pvc. One of the 7 gallon buckets is used for the control. The rest are in a 3 x 3 pattern. I also have a 32 gallon Rubbermaid trash can that supplies the control bucket through a float valve. The 7 gallon buckets, filled with solution = 50 gallons and is constantly circulated. I have a water chiller that keeps it between 62 - 64 F. When I empty the system, I fill the 32 gallon trash can with 25 gallons of water for mixing a solution. The problem comes with the water temperature. After mixing, it can get as warm as 81 F. I am worried about my roots being shocked from the temperature change. I am thinking that I may raise the temperature on the water chiller to 68 F. And maybe freeze a couple gallons of water to drop in the 25 gallons of solution and hope the temperature drops enough. Any thoughts or tips?

[@Just4Growers]

Hi David, thanks for your questions. Have you checked these awesome resources put out by the manufacturer? I think they cover everything you asked about. cch2o.com/rdwc-hydroponics-growers-guide/ cch2o.com/general-recommendations/ cch2o.com/under-current-5/using-a-top-off-reservoir-to-maintain-your-hydroponics-system/

[@unknowncuyler5449]

you can also get a freshwater testing kit from an aquarium store. use the nitrate tester. great for aquaponics. in hydro it will tell you how much Nitrogen in in the water.

[@Dacritzer]

Dude your AWESOME! Keep up the good work! I thoroughly enjoy your channel!

[@Just4Growers]

Thanks so much Shiner. It's really good of you to take the time to comment. I really appreciate the encouragement. Thanks again. Plenty more vids to come! :)

[@sushilsharma483]

Your videos are the best

[@Crimau12000]

Hi, thank you very much for such an informative video. Do you know if need to keep circulating the water all the time or just every x amount of minutes. Thanks a lot!

[@johnjamesbrown185]

Best on the net, explaining nutrient change. Thanks for very informative video, JJB

[@Just4Growers]

John James Brown Thanks so much JJB! Please don't forget to subscribe for regular updates on my grow! Thanks for stopping by. Peace and happy growing. E

[@imrecehak]

Hi, Everest! I am a AC tech and I am thinking of rigging up a chiller using parts from an old mini split unit and some control electronics to keep the nutrient solution under a controlled temperature range at all times. This also means that I would submerge a fairly large length of coiled up copper tubing in the nutrient solution... and this brings me to my question! For plain drinking water I believe that copper is harmless to us humans but I would like to know it that's the same for plants and also if it has any (bad) effect on the nutrient solution. I have the option of painting the submerged part of the coil with epoxi resin but would prefer not to cause that would work against the efficiency of the system. Thanks! Love the content.

[@kaloalex]

Copper in a salty solution (like a nutrient rez) will tend to contribute atoms to the solution (salts eat copper). I'd advise using a stainless steel coil. It's a touch more expensive, but stainless is non-reactive, which is what you want here.

[@beentheredonethat7572]

Damn you Everest, I was going to top off my reservoir but now I need to go do a reservoir change... Bye, gotta go..

[@Marie-uh8nm]

TY 😁

[@tonyc8285]

Thank you so much for all of the crash courses! What is the benefit of Diamond Nectar over, say, Down To Earth granular humic acid?

[@gangagrow5722]

Hi Everest. Well explained but I’m looking an answer for my coco's hand watering grow…how long last the nutrient solution (of for example hesi line for coco or something like that)? I do a big amount with the pH and EC regulated and then I just go watering the plants till its ended…Thanks!

[@nickbellizzi5857]

What about if the reservoir is cleaned with an oxidizing product to breakdown organic matter and sterilize the solution? I have witnessed hydroponic systems that have been in operation for multiple years without the whole reservoir ever being drained. Curious on your thoughts, enjoying the channel.

[@jmof0464]

Hey Everest what if your plants are very little and you almost don’t top it up when is it time to change it

[@brandonpillon3162]

Great Video!

[@Just4Growers]

Thanks Brandon.

[@imrecehak]

I understand that if you add 1/2 or 1/3 strength top-up solution you are replacing consumed water and nutes. But when you top up with just water how do you know how much concentrated nutes you have to add to get to that optimal EC level? You don't specify the procedure for that. Could you? Thanks in advance!

[@TheStrafendestroy]

Hello Everest I was wondering when changing nutrients reservoirs out could I put it on my in ground plants or is it considered bad practice and harm them or the environment over time.

[@orionsorbit]

Everest I got a question maybe you could help me with. It’s my first time ever using hydroponics set up. So question is supposedly you grew strawberries do I ever need to replace them with newer plants once’s I’ve owned them for a number of years?

[@nasem7470]

Everest! we really like your videos. Im getting the type of ebb and flow system you have but i was wondering if i need the air pump. I don't grow as many plants as you so ill definitely have time throughout the day to check up and stir my reservoir. The reason i ask is because im switching from a RDWC and the constant air pump on is a little inconvenient.

[@Just4Growers]

Hi Nick, your plants will definitely benefit from a well oxygenated, agitated nutrient solution. It's essential for RDWC of course - not so essential for substrate-based hydroponics. If noise / vibrations are an issue have you considered just aerating your nutrient solution using a timer for, say, 30 minutes before your irrigation?

[@nasem7470]

Wow, i did not think of that. I will definitely use a timer and set it up that way. Thanks a bunch for the info and reply Everest, your awesome.

[@Boostoverdisplacemnt]

I got so many bubbles going in mine that if i leave my blue lab meters in the reservoir while the air pump is on, it throws off the reading. I have to have the water stagnant to make a reading.

[@Pad6]

Same. Sometimes I just get a sample of the water and read that after it has sat a bit, not sure if your setup allows you to do that.

[@Boostoverdisplacemnt]

I just unplug the air pump while im taking a reading. Its just a simple dwc setup

[@subhashsubu6322]

whether it is suits for any type of climate and temperatures

[@Onelovej]

Congratulations I see your chennel growing cheers 💯🌱👀

[@TheShleafHerder]

Learned about water nutes from Mr.Grow who shouted you out...So here I am...empart your knowledge on me oh Ganja Guru. I hope to share some content with KZbin soon!

[@bluepawn]

where did you get your automatic device for the PH, Conductivity etc ? Can I get all details please ? great video ! thanks !

[@Just4Growers]

go to www.bluelab.com

[@jorenellenbroek]

Really good video, once again! Thanks!

[@Just4Growers]

Porums Thanks Porums-we've got some awesome videos for this coming year. Lots going on in the garden. Tons of hard work ahead so thanks for the motivational feedback-sincerely appreciated! Peace and happy growing, E.

[@lohitjagarapu9351]

Thanks for the guidance Everest!! I have two questions now: If you were to add beneficial bacteria to the water reservoir, would that prevent nasty bacteria from growing as the beneficial bacteria would out-compete them? Also, to minimize water loss from the light, if you were to put a plastic tarp under the light, can you let water condense on it and then reuse the water? Thanks again for the help mate :)

[@OrdinaryAverageMan]

1. You DO NOT NEED beneficial bacteria in hydroponics keep your equipment clean to avoid any nasty stuff 2. DO NOT have any stagnant water lying around your grow area its a magnet for infestation of nastys of all kinds

[@print-console]

Did you leave your res open? Have you ever encounter frothy and cloudy res water? My hydroponic solution always turn cloudy and frothy eventhough I already flush bleach into the system.

[@fsxpilot8355]

Thx for this proper info. Would like to pick your brain with this question:whit what do I clean out the tanks? Just water or is there a safe cleaning agent perhaps? I had root rot after a pump died and I want to make sure no fungy survive to live another day 😉

[@ConsciusVeritasVids]

I'd spray some hydrogen peroxide on the inside of the tank and wipe it down with a clean towel if you're worried about survivors. If you're concerned about root rot, or just want better overall plants, I'd recommend adding Orca (liquid mycorrhizae with beneficial bacteria) in your hydro reservoir. The beneficial fungi and bacteria inside the Orca colonize your plant roots to prevent and even treat root rot, and they have the added benefit of helping your plants uptake nutrients in more readily-absorbable forms. In my tanks I couple Orca with a surfactant called SM-90 and even with reservoir temps in the mid 70s I've never had a problem with rot or disease on my roots - Just massive pearly white root balls.

[@Sahity]

At what level of conductivity/ppm ou know you need to refresh the fertilization in the system? sorry if this a too dumb question.

[@triniguy2008]

When topping up the reservoir if the ppm drops how do you adjust back to the required ppm ? Do you add all our nutrients in the same amounts used the first time the solution was prepared to kick off ? Thanks

[@tristanlyons7896]

To get back to your ppm One u need to know how many liters or gallons you used as a top up Then he said use 1/3 Id use half probsblh

[@U_Barely_Ugly]

How often should I change my water, if I'm running a run-to-waste drip irrigation?

[@davidchillton1744]

Or you can keep the temp under the minimum required for bacteria to be able to grow

[@SmashDab]

Where do I get that stir stick ?

[@kenabisan4731]

So if i have 30 gallons, i habe to change the water every day?

[@michaellashway3362]

How do you know what to add back into your reservoir after you top off to get your ppm's back to where they need to be

[@Just4Growers]

Good question Michael! Try making up a half-strength nutrient solution in a separate container and add that.

[@whatsmynameagain7774]

Do you still have to change water if you use silver bullet or any anti pythium products?

[@SugarGliderTribe]

After hearing a bunch of stoned youtubers talking about a lot of useless gibberish, FINALLY found one that got straight to the damn point. Thank you.

[@Just4Growers]

Thanks Emanuel - I hope you’re subscribed!

[@Drewcifer1972]

I do not have city sewer, but a septic tank. I can't find any info if it's ok to dump it in there. This is also my first home. I don't know if my Sump pump goes into the septic tank or directly to the drainage field.

[@ulysesj-a9659]

We had a rose shrub for 3 years all the waste that came from the nutrients were sossed tho the rose it became guge bush as tall as a wall of thorns, what I'm trying to say reuse for small plants won't hurt em

[@tomforrest]

Try bringing your outside hose all the way inside, wedge into the reservoir, go back outside and turn on the tap till it reaches the reservoir, undo the tap fitting and boom, syphon your water straight into the backyard :)

[@Just4Growers]

+Tom Forrest Good tip Tom-I'm in a basement so siphoning is tricky but I will definitely look to improving my drainage system for the next run.

[@surfyogi]

The AAHHGG at the end is the best mon

[@whynotohwell]

Have you ever had issues with your roots turning brown after a water change? For whatever reason, after I do a water change, healthy roots will turn pretty brown after I change water when they were fine before the change. I have no issues with oxygen, temperature or light penetrating the reservoir. Any suggestions?

[@chenyanwen]

whynotohwell Is the ph changed too much that what hurts your root? Mine always turn brown after week4th of FS, dosent matter do i change the water or not . But some lucky days with nice weather it might survive bit longer.

[@Bahria-Times]

Kindly tell me 1 thing, how much nutrients need for 1000 nft tomato plants for 4 month

[@GMT439]

Depends on how many plants there are in the system and what stage of growth they are at for a start.

[@Just4Growers]

Using the total volume of feed solution used since the last change-out as the key metric to determine when the dump and change the reservoir intrinsically encapsulates the number of plants and their lifecycle stage.

[@DanceySteveYNWA]

Everest Fernández, can you do a video about root rot/pythium treatments and prevention.Sterile res vs beneficial living res, h202 etc...Thanks.

[@Just4Growers]

Great idea-will tie in nicely with my experiments with dissolved oxygen. Thanks!

[@DanceySteveYNWA]

Everest Fernandez respect pal,you're one of the few people I trust their opinion regarding viable horticultural techniques.

[@kernduong1445]

Bud swelling

[@georgeromero1276]

In DWC grow do you account for gallons in each bucket plus reservoir? Example: 4 buckets 5 gal. each plus reservoir= 25 gal. After refilling reservoir up to 25 gal. then replace?

[@Just4Growers]

Yep! Exactly !

[@user-rm3wx6uf6v]

How about when your plants are very small still, if it takes 2-3 weeks to top it off, should you wait that long to do a reservoir change anyway?

[@Just4Growers]

+s yes, when your plants are small they take our far less water and nutrients from your reservoir so you can wait longer between change-outs.

[@shauryagupta654]

How to discrete the water

[@sparkyarreff1917]

Great info! p.s. Respectfully, questions are raised, not begged.

[@Just4Growers]

You can beg a question (petition principii) but only to question the premise of a statement. As I'm not questioning the premise of the ease of reservoir change-outs then, you're right, I should have said "raises the question" :) Thanks to Google and your good self, I learnt something today! Much appreciate amigo. :)

[@sparkyarreff1917]

Point taken, and appreciated. Cheers.

[@Octology_]

Hey Everest awesome and informative video! What are your thoughts on completely cleaning out an Ebb & Flow system between harvests? I'm running a TitanControls E&F setup like in your other videos and I'm finding a lot of conflicting information about how clean/sterile I should get it before my next round of plants go in. Is a diluted bleach solution an option or is that overkill? I'd really just like to ensure that anything that COULD be living in the system (tubing between buckets where I can't see especially) is dead and can be rinsed out. Thanks again!

[@Just4Growers]

+Zildjian Hi Zildjian. A diluted bleach solution is not overkill-I think that sounds ideal and I'd definitely run that through the system in between crops.

[@Octology_]

Awesome, I'll give that a shot. Thank you!

[@Just4Growers]

+Zildjian Good luck!

[@mariecurie8700]

Hello Everest I got a res with a recirculating feed (like yours). I was concerned that I will not be able to maintain a small res because it might be too sensitive, I got a large 115 gallon res. I made the solution, adjusted the PO, covered with the lid, and put an airstone there. So far so good. I haven't fed the plats via the res water because I had to flush them due to the high PH of my Grodan cubes (I dunk in a bucket of water with adjusted PH) . Two days later the water in the res had 7.4 PH. Wow! I use Flora series + CalMag+. I adjusted the ph again to 6.4 this time. Two days later it is 7.5. Is it normal? I think the res got bacteria growing though it is closed with the lid , but should it affect PH by this much? Thanks!

[@matdahl1463]

Did gou eved find out why this was happening im having the same issues amd ots driving me insane

[@mariecurie8700]

@@matdahl1463 Nope. Moved to soil. I must add that I saw people using Grodan cubes and slabs but all of those use drip irrigation. Feeding solution goes from top to drain. It seems like it washes out the high pH.

[@POLITICALYCORRECTify]

Thats why alot of people use feed to waste coz they cant be stuffed adjusting the nutrient reservior

[@endgameliberty5587]

Thanks for the great video Everest! I'm finding out my ppm goes from 1200 for my pepper to 2200 ppm within 10 days. Would you suggest I change the nutrient solution out entirely or just top it with pure water? I'm using the kratky method.

[@Just4Growers]

+End Game Liberty Great stuff my friend. I say create the EGL method and I think that should involve a res change. Your peppers sound like they're feeding heavily. Kratky might just work out okay for a 39 day lettuce but you're going to need to adapt your nutrient ratios for flowering and that might as well involve a res change to reset the micros. Anyway, like I said, nothing wrong with the odd res change to help Kratky along :)

[@endgameliberty5587]

Thanks man! love your videos (especially those that are not too fast - makes it easier for none native speakers like me to understand you). LOL

[@olly8435]

everest best how to grow weed vids on youtube even without any weed!

[@5winder]

Best ever? Nah... check out the weed nerd. Subcool 420 taught me to grow via video.

[@everythingallin4905]

@@5winder RIP Subcool

[@5winder]

@@everythingallin4905 He's dead?

[@5winder]

@Greyson Isaac Nobody cares.

[@howey935]

Every 7 days I change my notes I have a 6 pot DWC-R system with 33litre pots.

[@Sploocher]

you don't put a lid on your reservoir?

[@Juggernautss_]

does it matter how much water is in the resovoir to start with?? I have a 4 gallon container . not sure how much to put in it.

[@Just4Growers]

+Aa Yes-you should basically use the initial volume of nutrient solution in your reservoir as your guide post. Once you have added the same amount in top-up solution, it's time to change-out the reservoir. I hope this answers your question. Let me know if you wanted to find out something else. Best wishes, Everest.

[@hugohernandez7953]

I change it when ever the fuck i feel like it!

[@youngghxul5876]

what about the salt build ups and gunk that builds up inside of the bucket which the plant is growing in. HOW DO YOU CLEAN OUT YOUR RES AND BUCKETS?

[@Just4Growers]

I just rinse them out with a little soap and give em a good ol' scrub.

[@youngghxul5876]

+Everest Fernandez (Just4Growers) yea but how do you do it with a scrog and when do you? could you theoretically just drain and fill with new nutes the entire grow?

[@Just4Growers]

Yes-you should change out the nutrient solution completely once you have topped up a volume of top up solution equal to the size of the reservoir.

[@rmcnasty7319]

Mount your air pump above water level in containers If power is cut to pump. Water will siphon into the pump, destroying It.and clogging air stone.

[@senns7]

Hi Everest. Great videos. My question is this. I thought your nutrient reservoir was the white 30 gallon you have on the left. What is the black reservoir that you're adding your nutrients to? Is it just for mixing your new nutrients to put into your white reservoir? Thanks!

[@Just4Growers]

senns7 Hi Senns7. Thanks for your question. The black reservoir on the right feeds the tray above it. I add pure water to my reservoirs and then add nutrient concentrate if my PPMs have dropped a little low. Then I check my pH.

[@senns7]

Everest Fernandez Thanks! Oh, I also noticed that your white reservoir has a lid and the black one doesn't. Preference? Or does it matter?Do you still change your reservoirs the same way? Or have you come up with a different easier way. I hope you share if you do. Like you said changing the reservoirs is lame with the buckets.

[@Just4Growers]

senns7 Hi Senns7. Go for a reservoir with a lid as there's less loss through evaporation and reduced risk of plant debris falling into the reservoir. I am making some upgrades to my grow room over the summer-one of which will be an in-garden drainage point to make reservoir change-outs easier (as I recommend!) I'll be sure to show you all the upgrades in an upcoming video!

[@senns7]

Everest Fernandez Thanks again! I look forward to the video.

[@brianbabinski4693]

hello, I noticed your air pump hoses into your water reservoir. Mine are clear as well, but have built up some growth on them. What do you suggest? I read that black hoses prevent any growth build up, is that accurate? I just hate seeing the algie growth in my reservoir, any suggestions will help me. Thanks!

[@peterjones1420]

Brian Babinski use black hoses always but try to keep hot light off them to avoid them heating up.

[@jyoung2378]

What's that blue digital meter your using?

[@Just4Growers]

Hi John. Thanks for your question. At 0:46 and 2:53 I am using a Bluelab Conductivity Truncheon. It measures the electrical conductivity of my nutrient solution from which I can infer the nutrient concentration. At 1:27 and 1:52 I am using the Combo Meter (also by Bluelab) which measures my nutrient solution's pH, EC and temperature, all in one (very) handy gadget. I have been using Bluelab equipment for over twenty years and swear by it. You can find their stuff at any decent hydroponics and indoor gardening store.

[@gangagrow5722]

Hi Everest! Hope you get this one...I go drain to waste, filling up the tank every week. But I'm just starting to this system and I don't know how to control algae (or maybe is fungi?!) that starts to grow...any tip? Thanks

[@darrendanylyshen1786]

Algae in the tank or on the rockwool? Algae on the rockwool is gererally just unsightly. Algae in the res may be more of an issue. I think some other poster said that adding hydrogen peroxide to your res can control the algae. If you clean the res regularly, however, algae shouldn't be much of a problem. Hope this helps!

[@gangagrow5722]

Yeah, the tank. Thanks for answer Darren. I did hear about H peroxide but it's not very clear for me yet. I'll clean more often I guess

[@ConsciusVeritasVids]

If you want to treat and even prevent problems like algae and root rot try a few of the products I use: SM-90 and Orca (liquid mycorrhizae). The Orca contains beneficial fungi and bacteria that colonize your reservoir and roots, and the SM-90 is a good all-around organic surfactant useful for soil and hydro applications, both for roots and as a foliar treatment for things like powdery mildew & spider mites. I use these two products in conjunction for all my DWC reservoirs and get fantastic results, because not only do they both keep the nasties away they also aid in the intake of nutrients which leads to an all-around healthier, more robust plant.

[@albertoguerreiro006]

hi , do you use same nutrients actually? but they change the name for aquatic earth / terra aquática and if you use it if you are happy with results ( taste, production,flavor , etc.) , thank's.

[@Just4Growers]

General Hydroponic Europe changed their brand to Terra Aquatica or TA. It's all good. I tend to switch nutrient brands a lot-and sometimes make up my own. If you previously used GHE you will not experience any adverse effects using the TA branded products.

[@Thryfte]

Nice, but this is SUPER tedious and you're buying huge transported jugs of water.. I was checking out EURFE Project on KZbin and he has videos growing Watermelons in huge containers of water from his aquaponics system, just a trash can full of water and he tops it up once if it needs it throughout the season, so that leaves me to wonder, is what you're doing completely necessary? in a DWC system, you should theoretically be able to leave the water there for the entire grow. Exparimenting with this now, if I get any interesting results I'll post some vids.

[@Just4Growers]

Thanks Thryfe, I'm always keen to learn about new methods and ideas. Looking forward to hearing more about your experiments. Peace and happy growing, Everest.

[@Thryfte]

So right now I have a young raspberry plant in a little hydroponics bucket, I changed the water after the first week, replaced it with rain water plus some added nutrients but didn't even really bother checking the pH or ppm as I'm really just trying to see just how easy hydroponics can be.. I already know how complicated it can get :P for undoubtedly better results. So its been sitting out front in a bucket of nutrient rich rain water for about 3 weeks now, there's some algae around the top and a few of the tips of the leaves aren't looking too hot, but when I first transplanted it a lot of it died off and a young shoot really took off, I'm just going to wait and see. In the EURFE Project video I think the guy said that he's not worried about oxygenating the water because of the gap between the surface of the water and the bottom of the pot, there's plenty of roots there to gather oxygen... Just experiments :)

[@ryanwillett728]

Not all DWC's have a short life span. I have a kale bed that has been growing since 4/16. I have to top it off weekly and change tanks every other week. With this process I've had these beds producing enough to cut twice a week for almost 9 months.

[@flatout5815]

I was under the impression that if a reservoir was completely dark(no light penetration) with plenty of aerators. That it shouldnt grow algae/bad bacteria. Im aiming to only clean system once every transplant. Every 6-7weeks or so. Seems fine so far. Besides my temp getting to high the first attempt. At around 75degrees the roots stop drinking. They don't like that. 😆

[@jeremyhand4700]

Hey Everest, Next question: How big res should I get? Could I get a big enough res just to not have to change the nutrient per grow?

[@Just4Growers]

Bigger is better insofar as there's less pH and PPM shift and the temperature of your nutes is more stable. But too big and you're wasting nutrients. I think I should make a video about reservoir sizing. What do you reckon?

[@jeremyhand4700]

+Everest Fernandez (Just4Growers) I know it would get at least a few watches from me!

[@mohsenaghdam3136]

Everest you really perfect,as always 👍🏽👍🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽❤️🌸🌷🌺💐

[@indoormagicgrows9486]

What are you stirring the water with? Thank You!

[@Just4Growers]

Bluelab Truncheon

[@P2Tmedia]

how to avoid algae in my hydroponics can pipes hydroponics with flowing water avoids algae on roots

[@VincentS327]

Eduall Pro to avoid algae try covering your tank and tray and don’t let any light in

[@Grimeyknowledge]

What do you use to pump out the water?

[@Grimeyknowledge]

@@obsetube1725 What kind is what I was asking? I know it may sound stupid but I'm a novice at this.

[@et.sachin]

how to dispose the removed nutrient solution?

[@Just4Growers]

Dilute it two parts water to one part nutrient solution and use it to fertilize your lawn or container plants (once a week)

[@Itsmiimiibaby]

How do you get the water out of your reservoir?

[@Just4Growers]

I have an auxiliary pump and hose.

[@Mrod6779]

When he says ‘pure water’, is he talking about non tap water? Like distilled or filtered?

[@Just4Growers]

Pure water = reverse osmosis or distilled

[@amjadkhan1123]

is there a way to recycle the "used" water instead of dumping it down the drain?

[@Just4Growers]

Amjad Khan You could mix it 50 / 50 with tap water and fertilize your lawn with it if you have one Amjad.

[@amjadkhan1123]

appreciate the reply Everest. Many thanks

[@infringinator]

you dont dump nutrient water down the drain you are the dumbest person in the universe. Why you think farmers flush nutes out before harvest?

[@peterjones1420]

Amjad Khan Simply put - NO. It’s an expensive process that involves distilling the water. Too hard and too costly.

[@peterjones1420]

infringinator You can definitely dump ur nutes down the drain. The Gov is worried about the pH more than the EC/ppm. And hydro nutes are usually close to neutral pH.

[@brownland1]

DO I NEED TO PULL OUT ALL THE PLANTS FROM MY RAILS WHEN I CHANGE NUTRIENTS???

[@mrairsoftguy97]

Wm Brown no

[@Meleeman011]

what about introducing beneficial bacteria, or is that not relevant to changing out nutrient solutions?

[@CoolKoon]

Oh maaaaan, I feel that this is wrong on so many counts...if trace elements start accumulating as you top the container up with water, it means that your generic one-size-fits-all nutrients are pretty much useless (they contain those trace elements in concentrations that are just too high for that plant species and the plant is just not gonna absorb the excess) and should be replaced with something more specific to the species you're growing (preferably something solid and not generic). Perhaps you could try creating your own blend as the next step...

[@Just4Growers]

CoolKoon You’re right, it’s weird that trace elements accumulate with continual topping up with half strength nutrient solution. It shows that the uptake of certain ions is selective and that using manufactured stock solutions has its limitations. More to the point, why aren’t the trace elements being up-taken at the same rate that they’re being added? Chelates require a lot of protonic energy from the plant in order to release their “grip” on the caged element - nanotechnology offers a totally new way of supplying micronutrients / trace elements in a much more efficient way. I enjoy experimenting with formulations and cracking this problem, or at least mitigating it, is a central interest of mine.

[@CoolKoon]

Actually this absorption thing is FAR more complicated than that I'm afraid. Either way even if your theory would explain the slow absorption of the iron ions, it doesn't explain the slow absorption of the copper ions (which are almost always present in such mixtures as their sulfate salt, not as a chelate). And as you correctly pointed out, care must be taken to avoid an excess of micronutrients, because e.g too much boron and copper is toxic. But anyway, any well-researched plants have publicly available data on the absorption rate of its various nutrients during the various phases (initial growth, bloom, fruiting) of the plant growth as well (various pepper cultivars are definitely among them, probably cucumbers too, but I haven't done much research on the latter), so (in the absence of publicly available "recipes" for recommended nutrient ppm levels) I'd probably rely on those for reference. If you're interested, you might want to check out this site too: scienceinhydroponics.com/2010/07/preparing-your-own-hydroponic-nutrients-a-complete-guide-for-beginners.html There's a program there somewhere which allows you to mix up even your own batch of nutrients using off-the-shelf fertilizer-grade salts and it also contains TONS of other information about the matter of hydroponics nutrition in general.

[@Just4Growers]

Thanks for your insights amigo. No need to be afraid of complexity-we just have to take it step by step for the benefit of all viewers. We can deep dive into copper uptake if that's of particular interest. Copper can be supplied in chelated form, oxides and inorganic salts as a foliar application. I plan to focus on pathways for all the essential (and beneficial) elements further down the line. Copper is a redox-active transition element - the protein known as COPT1 is understood to mediate uptake of copper into cells, whereas other proteins are thought to facilitate intercellular transport. Of the 100+ copper containing proteins contained in plants around half of these are present in chloroplasts, bound to plastocyanin which participates in photosynthetic reactions. Soil growers can experience deficiencies in copper where their mixes are high in organic matter (copper readily forms complexes with organic substances) - high nitrogen can also lock out copper. Copper toxicity can occur when the levels in leaves is above 20 - 30 μg g-1 dw - although some species can tolerate way more than others. High copper will inhibit root growth before shoot growth indicating that copper likes to accumulate down there. When growing perennials, root colonisation with ectomycorrhiza can play an important role in mitigating the ill effects of high heavy metal concentrations. I know scienceinhydroponics website - a great resource. The software isn't available for Mac though so (rather than run an emulator) I just made my own spreadsheet to work out the PPMs of each ion. Happy to share it with you if you're interested. Thanks again for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it. Peace and happy growing, Everest.

[@CoolKoon]

Eh, I have to admit that maybe you know even more about this topic than I do :P I guess you read up on the topic a little bit since you made this video ;) "Copper can be supplied in chelated form, oxides and inorganic salts as a foliar application" - Yep. The copper oxides usually don't dissolve in water alone (so I guess they aren't used in agriculture that much, or maybe in "slow release" formulations at best) and the inorganic salts (particularly its sulfate salt) are much cheaper than the chelates (and pretty much equally soluble in a wide range of pH without precipitating out). This is why I said that the copper present in any fertilizer formulation will most likely be its sulfate salt (it's the cheapest) and not a chelate. "high nitrogen can also lock out copper" - Yeah, this is exactly what I was talking about when I said that it just isn't as simple as mixing all the ingredients in the correct ratio, shaking vigorously and that's it. Moreover I have a feeling that high nitrate content locks out copper both when its in form of a salt and when it's chelated too. "Copper toxicity can occur when the levels in leaves is above 20 - 30 μg g-1 dw" - Yeah, copper in excess (in contrast to iron) is toxic, which is why one has to be very careful with applying foliar sprays that include copper. "root colonisation with ectomycorrhiza" - Wouldn't that be somewhat problematic in a hydroponics setup? "The software isn't available for Mac though" - Since it runs on Linux, I'm guessing that it's been compiled using Lazarus. As it's been released as open source, I can see if I can compile it for Mac after my finals are over. Do you happen to have any PPM "recipes" for various plants as well?

[@thoughtfog]

are those thimble berries?

[@chadsmom101]

Can I add a cap full of Hydrogen Peroxide to my water solution to prevent bad smells? And is hydrogen peroxide good for plants? (I have a 3 gallon reservoir)

[@Just4Growers]

+Science Etc Hello amigo. If you’re using 3% H2O2 then start out a 1 teaspoon per gallon - you can go four times higher than this but see how your plants respond at a lower dose first. H2O2 has a sterilization effect on the nutrient solution and then increased dissolved oxygen levels which aids metabolic activity in the root zone.

[@chadsmom101]

Everest Fernandez Thanks! I’ll put this into consideration!

[@ConsciusVeritasVids]

Try adding beneficial bacteria and fungi to your nutrient water to combat the bad bacteria. I use Orca liquid mycorrhizae in my DWC reservoirs and not only does it prevent stuff like root rot, it also helps the plant roots uptake nutrients in more readily absorbable forms. Couple Orca with a natural surfactant called SM-90 and your plants will *show you* how much happier they are.

[@khmerpoem3505]

😍😍😍

[@dannyboy42223]

Any advice on DWC change outs?

[@Just4Growers]

Daniel Witzel Hi Daniel. Thanks for your question. Another amazing Daniel, Mr Daniel Wilson of Current Culture DWC systems-the inventor of the Undercurrent DWC system, answers this and other questions here on the Just4Growers website: goo.gl/rE3H80

[@dannyboy42223]

Thanks, good article indeed

[@Just4Growers]

Daniel Witzel You're welcome Daniel. Always happy to help, especially subscribers to my channel. Thanks ;-)

[@Eileenjuan]

If its good for lawn water why can't you recycle it to the plants?.

[@MikeJones-qo7vt]

1key thing he forgot is salt build up...u have to run jus plain water for a day to flush out salts then empty it out then refill add nutes top off next 15 days then repeat

[@Just4Growers]

Hello there and thank you for taking the time to share your insights. It's not necessary to run plain water for a day when it's time to change out your reservoir. As long as you're keeping on top of irrigations, topping off the tank, and measuring run-off, there should be no need for a mid-cycle flush. It may be beneficial to some growers who have let salts build up in their media, but it's not for everyone.

[@esk8spirit362]

Every time you accidentally piss in it after a night of heavy drinking...