---
title: "My Battle with Pythium (and How I Won)"
date: 2024-03-01T10:00:00Z
image: "/images/IMG_6475.jpeg"
summary: "Root rot isn't a death sentence if you catch it early and treat it aggressively."
---

It started as slight discoloration on the root tips. I ignored it. Two days later the whole reservoir smelled like a swamp. Pythium moves fast.

My mistake was trusting "beneficial bacteria" in a system running too warm (75°F). Pythium loves warm, low-oxygen soup.

The fix? A water chiller. Dropping to 66°F was the turning point. Cold water holds more oxygen, and Pythium hates that.