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Old 12-05-2014, 06:37 AM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Lake Havasu AZ.
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Hello wilder,
First, the so called Kratky method is a self proclaimed name for a water culture system that simply lacks the air pump. Water culture systems have been used for many, many, decades (both with and withough't an air pump), and is not a new type of system, even though some guy put his name to it and wants people to think so. Water culture systems withough't air pumps are mostly used in third word country's where electricity is simply scarce. If your worried about an energy bill, it will cost you less than five cent's to run an air pump 24/7 all month long, so there is really no reason not to.

Any nutrient solution is fine regardless of type of hydroponic system. The type of plant is what will make a difference. You want a nutrient that works well for the type of plants your growing. However the mineral elements are slightly heaver and will settle at the bottom of the reservoir in stagnate water. That means your nutrient solution wont remain evenly mixed very long withough't any water movement.

I also agree with your hydro shop owner that you should be using an air pump and stones, especially with organic nutrients. Their a few reasons why. First organic nutrients need beneficial microbes to help break down the organic mater into the raw chemical elements that the plants can then absorb. The beneficial microbes need both the dissolved oxygen and water movement supplied by the air pump to live, multiply, and survive. Also if you choose to use organic nutrients you really should have some kind of bio-filter material, and that would really only work with some kind of water movement. Second, stagnate water will only provide an ideal environment for pathogens to live and multiply in (organic nutrients or not). Pathogens are microorganisms that are harmful to plants, and you don't want them to have an ideal growing environment.

Quote:
I suppose my main questions is; whats the best way to keep my water/nutrients, and resevoir clean and avoid pathogens in a non-circulating system?
There really is none...
Unless you want to use chemicals harmful to the plant like H2O2, Bleach, or Chlorine as a last resort. Even if you do, it will also kill the beneficial microbes necessary to break down the organic material in organic nutrients. Like the nutrients, they will settle at the bottom and become heavily concentrated at the bottom, killing the roots (making food for pathogens to feed on), while not doing much of anything higher up.
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