Roots down the drain!

[Ryn0nTX]

-Week 5
-Ebb and Flow
-GH nutes
-5 Gallon buckets
(full grow details at my grow journal here)

I have four plants that are all doing well, the largest one has roots that are headed down the drain...literally! I thought this would become an issue when building the buckets, but my options were limited. I could put a filter on the drain, but then that would stay clogged. What do you guys do to avoid this without root damage and even more, what can I do now to fix this with this current grow?

....and yes, I learned my lesson and will never use clear tubing again however without it, I wouldn't have seen the roots...who knows.

 

[SmokingWings]

I have four plants that are all doing well, the largest one has roots that are headed down the drain...literally! I thought this would become an issue when building the buckets, but my options were limited. I could put a filter on the drain, but then that would stay clogged. What do you guys do to avoid this without root damage and even more, what can I do now to fix this with this current grow?

I do not grow in a hrydro style set-up. None the less, why not just cut them off at the top elbow, just before the roots enter the first fitting. If the plant is healthy it will not kill it. The plant will not cry out in pain.

Many of us who grow in soil regularly chop off roots coming through the bottoms of our pots when when transplant into the next largest pot. Some people will whack off large chunks of roots if they are not ready to put the plant into flower. That way the plant slows down while it regrows the roots.

As for how to keep it from happening again, I have no clue. But the roots in the elbow and tube is an easily solved problem.

 

[Ryn0nTX]

Right-on Smokin! Yeah, I will definitely tweak this setup quite a bit for my next grow. I'm just going to have to check them every other day or so for now. Thanks for the input.