In our second blog of the series, "How to get the most out of your hydroponic system," the article below outlines some of the tips for treating root rot in hydroponic systems.
What is Root Rot?
Root rot is a disease that attacks the roots of plants that are growing in a wet environment. The cause of root rot is via fungal infection. Species of the Pythium or Fusarium fungi are the usual cause of root rot, and symptoms include discolouration of the roots and rotting at the lower part of the stem, called "damping off."
How to prevent and control root rot
Sterilise your grow system, tank and plant roots (every 7-10 days is best) and perform simultaneously with your routine grow room clean. The most effective way to do this is by using a sterilising solution that you can mix into freshwater, like RootRotX™.
Disinfect grow room surfaces and grow tent walls with RootRotX™ regularly, as well as your pots and tools, before reusing them.
If you are growing in soil, ensure that your roots are not water-logged, leading to low oxygen levels at the root zone. Using an air stone in your water tank ensures that your water remains super-oxygenated.
Suggested Treatment Plan for Root Rot
1. Inspect your plants' roots to see whether they can be trimmed before cleaning. Remove any brown and trailing roots, which look as though they have already begun to break down.
2. Drain down the system, emptying the contents of your water tank and replace with clean fresh RO or tap water.
3. Add 2ml of RootRotX™ to 1 litre of water to create a root rot treatment solution for your plants’ roots. So if you have a 120L tank, you will need to add 240ml of RootRotX to your water.
4. Run RootRotX™ sterilising solution through your system for 4-12 hours in your set dark period, and in the absence of nutrients will be the most effective way of treating your plants for root rot.
Note: To get the best cleaning results possible we suggest running RootRotX™ in the dark period when your plants are inactive, so that you do not hinder your plants' growth.
We suggest running RootRotX™ in the absence of nutrients whilst you are performing your cleaning cycle. The reason is that nitrogen in organic fertilisers can render RootRotX™ inactive.
When to use RootRotX™
It is impractical to clean inside of pots whilst plants are growing, but when you are using RootRotX, you can clean the inside of the pots, pipes and feedlines, easily. The best way to perform a grow system clean is by using a sterilising solution, like RootRotX™.
RootRotX™ is manufactured to a specific formula and removes the biofilm accumulating on your plants' roots. You only need a small amount of the solution to clean your tank - just 1ml of RootRotX™ diluted in 1L of clean water.
When root rot has already set in, dilute 2ml of RootRotX in one litre of water, to create your root rot treatment solution. Mix the solution in your system and tank before distributing through your system.
When you are transplanting your cuttings from one area to another, you can give them a head start by diluting 15ml of RootRotX™ in one litre of water. Dip your plant cuttings in the dilute RootRotX solution for a total of 20 seconds. For rooted cuttings, add slightly less at 3-5ml of RootRotX™ per litre of water.
During the flushing stage, add 3-4ml of water for the last 3-5 days of flowering.
What is RootRotX™
RootRotX™ is manufactured using 100% hypochlorous acid and contains zero bleach, making it entirely safe for use in your hydroponic system.