Using foil on AG pods

[gardengirl55]

Hello all, I am new to the forum.  Actually didn't even know it existed until today....lol.  I have 2 AG units, and, each one has a tendency to have 'green' topped pods.  I'm assuming its algae.  After doing a couple of hours of YouTube videos and several 'googled' sites, I am seeing several people use foil on the tops of the pods to control light, which reduces the growth of algae.  However, I am also seeing some post that its not safe to do so, with each of his/her own reasons.
Are there any pros or cons to using the foil option that you guys may have used?  I am tired of having to throw away my sponges with seeds that are ruined without even germinating. 
Also, I've seen a few sites that show the use of foil around the outer edges of the top of the units.  My units tend to get some weird crusty buildup around the edges. I have no idea how or why seeing is there is no water there.

[Shawn]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

You are correct, it is algae.  If you read the Great Algae Debate thread you will see that light and nutrients can cause this.  However we have found that you do not need to add the nutrients until after germination although some still do add them.  I no longer do and have had luck in not having green pods.

With that said, I do not and most likely would not cover mine with foil as the heat from the light could heat up the pod too much but that is a personal decision.

If you are going to cover then why use the lights? I guess that is defeating the purpose of them.

That is my take.  Please wait as others chime in on the topic as well.

PS glad you found us and I hope reading thru the forum helps!

[maskedsonnet]

Never used foil before - I'm not sure why it would be unsafe though, other than possibly overheating the seed so it didn't sprout. When I have trouble with algae I swab it off the top of the pod with a q-tip dipped in peroxide. That'll kill the algae so the seed can finish sprouting, and it won't usually come back once the plant is up and shading the top of the pod. I also usually add a little peroxide to the water in the machine when I start a new project, since I always put nutrients in from the start. If you used anything, I'd recommend the stick-on labels to control lighting over the pods in place of foil.

As for the crusty build-up, I get that too, I think everyone probably does. Is it a kind of gross brownish color? If so it's from the nutrient solution residue/water bubbling out of the cracks at the top of the machine. It's not enough that the top of the machine ever actually gets wet, but enough to make the machine acquire a crust. In my case it's also minerals from the very hard water of this area along with the nutrients. I just scrape/scrub it off when I end a project and get ready to start a new one. I'm pretty lazy about it though, so the crust is kind of a permanent part of some of the machines now, it's not hurting anything so I never bother trying to get it all off. 

This is the top of my harvest, is that the type of crust you're seeing?

[lynnee]

gardengirl55, when I'm starting seeds from a pod that doesn't have an AG cover, I use generic adhesive covers purchased from AG or Amazon; OR I cut covers from yellow Post-It Notes. I make sure that some of the Post-It adhesive is at the edge to stick to the pod, to hold it in place to block out light.

I've used foil on pods and strawberry crowns, but found it hard to apply. Also, the foil looks crummy when in place.

The crust is something that eventually appears on all of my AG grow decks, even though I have minimal problems with algae growth. The crust comes off in the dishwasher when I clean the decks between plantings; OR it comes off with scrubbing or a citric acid/baking soda soak if you don't want to risk damaging your grow deck in a dishwasher.

The crust is harmless to your plants, so it's fine to leave it until you start a new garden.

[gardengirl55]

Yes, that is the crusty yuck that I get.  My unit is black, so, it kinda looks like limescale. I'm guessing its safe since most everyone is agreeing that they get it on thiers. Thanks for the response 

[gardengirl55]

Thanks for the response.  So far, using the foil caps doesn't seem to have raised the temp, as least not that I can tell.  Since its UV light, that could be why.  I'll leave them on for a little while longer and see what happens.  Thanks for the advice 

[gardengirl55]

So, an update on using foil to cover my pods.  It has been nearly a week so far, and, NO change in temp.  My plants are growing fine and don't seem to be harmed by the foil.  I am making sure the bright side of the foil is down, so as not to increase the heat on the UV side.  

[lynnee]

Good point about turning the bright side of the foil down!

[gardengirl55]

UPDATE ON 'USING FOIL ON A.G. PODS'...
Since originally posting this on 10/16/22, I've been using foil on all of my pods, and, as a 'liner' to the black caps that cover empty holes.  So far, I've had NO ALGAE at all growing in either of my 2 A.G. units. I also put it on my one Kratky jar.  It, too, has had NO algae growth  
So, if you are having problems with algae, don't be afraid to try this method.  I was skeptical about the temp and how foil can affect temps, but, for mine, I've had 0 problems with it.  


Using foil on AG pods

Oct 16, 2022 at 3:47pm lynnee likes thisReplyQuotelikePost OptionsPost by gardengirl55 on Oct 16, 2022 at 3:47pm

Hello all, I am new to the forum. Actually didn't even know it existed until today....lol. I have 2 AG units, and, each one has a tendency to have 'green' topped pods. I'm assuming its algae. After doing a couple of hours of YouTube videos and several 'googled' sites, I am seeing several people use foil on the tops of the pods to control light, which reduces the growth of algae. However, I am also seeing some post that its not safe to do so, with each of his/her own reasons.

Are there any pros or cons to using the foil option that you guys may have used? I am tired of having to throw away my sponges with seeds that are ruined without even germinating.

Also, I've seen a few sites that show the use of foil around the outer edges of the top of the units. My units tend to get some weird crusty buildup around the edges. I have no idea how or why seeing is there is no water there.

[darais211]

personally i would only use tin foil as a last resort it focuses photons and if the tin foil focuses to much in one area you can cause light burn, they sell covers on amazon for like $10.

but when it comes to algae light is only 1/2 of the formula, as Shawn and i have said before it also has to do with the water movement inside the reservoir (personally i use a air pump to help with this, others set their pump to active more often).

[lynnee]

gardengirl55, thanks for the update on using tinfoil to prevent algae! Are you using both foil and a black plastic AG cover on the empty deck holes?

[gardengirl55]

Dec 5, 2022 8:49:17 GMT -5 lynnee said:

gardengirl55 , thanks for the update on using tinfoil to prevent algae! Are you using both foil and a black plastic AG cover on the empty deck holes?

Yes, I line the black plastic discs with foil, just in case theres a chance that they are letting light slip by the edges.  So far, I've had NO algae growth at all, in either of my Elite tanks.  Prior to the foil strategy, I was using the green discs that come with the kits (as well as the ones you can buy in bulk), and, those DID get algae.