New hydroponic setup showing foam

[indoorsprout]

I just got a new recirculating hydroponic system going, and it holds 60 liters of nutrient solution. After letting it run overnight with air stones in most of the tanks, I noticed there's quite a bit of thick foam on the surface. I used a special nutrient mix along with some added peroxide. Is this normal, or should I be worried?

 

[plastic.catcher]

A little bubbling is normal, but thick foam usually means there's some organics or a reaction with the peroxide and nutes. As long as it doesn't smell funky or slimy, it's not a big deal but if it keeps building up, maybe cut back the peroxide or checking if something is breaking down in the mix

 

[sheenxmae]

You might want to keep an eye on how concentrated your solutions are because if they're too strong, you'll notice they foam up a lot more.

 

[hydr0farmer]

I had the same foam problem when I built my first recirculating system last year. I added hydrogen peroxide to help the roots, but it mixed with the nutrients and made thick foam. I found out that warm water, lots of bubbles, and some extra stuff can cause more foam. I turned down the bubbles and stopped using peroxide for a while, the foam went away and the plants did fine. It's a good idea to check your pH and watch how the roots are growing, just to be sure everything's okay.

 

[Colonel HB]

+1 @hydr0farmer. Don't forget to check the water temperature, pH stability and make sure your tank is clean. You can clean your tank if needed and refill it to rule out contamination before it becomes a bigger issue.