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crust on hydro solution

P

pecker88

I didn't know how to explain it any better in title...
 
I'm using the masterblend 12g, cal nitrate 12g, mag sulfate 6g hydroponic solution, see here
After it sits in my Kratky hydro tub a few days it gets a film on the top of the water.
A few more weeks and the film solidifies and when touched breaks into small pieces.
 
The water I used was from a dehumidifier, raised pH with 1 tsp of baking soda to about 5.5 then added nutes.
 
All of the nutes were pre-dissolved in a high concentrate 1 gallon jug prior to adding to the tote.
 
1. Is the crusty stuff harmful to plants? (lettuce seems to be doing OK at the moment)
2. How would I prevent the crust in the future?
I'm planning a self-leveling/watering system that has 1/4" hose fed by a small float valve and reservoir; but I'm afraid it would get clogged.
 
thanks!!
 
Could it be the baking soda?  When I make up a big batch of the solution it sits out for a long time and it never gets a "crust".
Another thing to consider, what "grade" is the calcium nitrate (greenhouse, or agricultural)?  The agricultural grade can leave a film...
Agricultural grade looks like small yellowish gravel, greenhouse grade looks like tiny white spheres (like the little balls from broken styrofoam)
 
pepper_rancher said:
Could it be the baking soda?  When I make up a big batch of the solution it sits out for a long time and it never gets a "crust".
Another thing to consider, what "grade" is the calcium nitrate (greenhouse, or agricultural)?  The agricultural grade can leave a film...
Agricultural grade looks like small yellowish gravel, greenhouse grade looks like tiny white spheres (like the little balls from broken styrofoam)
Click to expand...
 
Cal nitrate is round white balls; so looks like greenhouse grade.
Masterblend is yellowish powder; mag. sulfate is clear crystals.
Must be the baking soda, or dehumidifier water. I've since scrapped the dehumidifier water idea. The pH is 3-4 for some reason and when storing it in totes it blooms weird jellyfish like floating things.
 
Easy enough solution though; I just put a Tee in the RO line since my grow area is in our basement utility room.
Wife loves the constant low RO pressure in the kitchen...."I have no idea what's wrong with the system" though...LOL
 
I had this happen to me when I added epsom salt to my GH nutes.  I think I added too much.  For me, I think the epsom salt or other compound was precipitating out of the solution and forming a film.  
 
pepper_rancher said:
pecker, are you mixing in the proper order?  Fully dissolve masterblend, then add cal nitrate and fully disolve, then the epsom?
Click to expand...
 
Yes. I pre-dissolved each of the powers into seperate gallon jugs (high concentrations), and labeled them #1, #2, and #3.
I then just pour 8oz of each into my 5 gal bucket of water.
 
I have a dif. 5 gal bucket of solution was sealed with a lid and it has no crust.
But the tote does have crust. Same solution, mixed at the same time.
 
If I rem. correctly, I dumped the baking soda into the tote then filled tote with solution from 5 gal bucket, so the 5 gal. bucket wouldn't of had any baking soda.
That's likely the cause; pH adjusting with non-pH adjusting powder, AFTER nuts were mixed.
 
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