Grow Mediums Hydro roots question.

[steelrat]

When doing a res change, how long is it safe to have the roots out of the bucket and in the air ?

I can shield them from light by resting the net pot on top of a plant pot but what about air exposre ?


Thankyou!

steely

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and will i even need to clean out the bubbler bucket as i have a large res (25L) that auto tops up the plant bucket ?

 

[Grey Bear]

Just put the roots in a clean bucket around the same size as the one you are using.
I prefer not to keep the whole root mass exposed for more than 15-30 minutes, but I know a healthy root mass can be left for much longer with minimal damage or set back.
When harvesting, I have emptied the rez, and not seen a visible change in the appearance of the plant for over 12 hours. so that should tell you something.
If you keep a fairly clean grow area, your plants can handle quite a bit.

PS unless your lights are really bright, I wouldn't worry too much about the light they are exposed to during your rez change. The real problem comes with root exposure to light on a constant basis as algae forms on the roots.
If you see that or other debri, rinse it gently from the roots with cool water. If you get algae on your roots, you can keep it at bay by periodic rinsing.