Grow Mediums Cloudy water?

[greenjeans]

I mixed up a fresh res a few days ago, covered it with a piece of cardboard and left it sitting while I was gone for the weekend. I phed the water first, then added 1/4 strength nutes (Humbolt 3-part), and a teaspoon of superthrive. I mixed well between each addition to the water. I phed a second time about 24 hours later. When I looked at it last night,(I was going to do the res change today) the water is cloudy looking. It has a tiny bit of white stuff floating on top as well.

Is this due to letting the water sit for a few days? I will be dumping it and making a fresh one for today's change, but I am curious about what caused it, and am a bit worried now. lol. My research suggests bacteria, and I don't want that ending up happening in the actual res..

Perhaps it could have to do with the fact that the water sat for the 3 days with no bubbler? Because it was in the house? I'm stumped on this one.

 

[oldster]

Hi greenjeans, I have had that happen to me. I think the Superthrive causes rapid growth of bacteria in the water. I started adding everything other than the Superthrive and add it just before use and the problem went away. Bubbling the water also seem to help but I found that even bubbling the water with the Superthrive in it still got cloudy and had a funky smell.

 

[greenjeans]

So did you stop using the superthrive? I have definitely seen a lot of mixed reviews on it..

 

[oldster]

I still use it for the first month or after transplanting but I add it to the container I use to water the plants with not the bucket I bubble my water in.

 

[greenjeans]

Thanks for the info, oldster.