Chlorine (bleach) for sterile reservoir question

[Quasar Jones]

What is the the proper bleach amount/interval to keep things clean throughout grow?
The USA EPA changed regulations in 2013-ish so that all bleach is now concentrated and mostly sodium hypochlorite.
What ppm of chlorine is recommended? 2 ppm? I think that would be .5 ml per 5 gallons


This is what I was thinking i'd use:

 

[hotrodharley]

Bleach:Water at 1:100 will kill anything. Standard in medicine for cleaning and sterilizing anything except gross blood spills (over 30ML) from a known hepatitis or AIDS patient.

 

[rkymtnman]

dutchmaster zone works well too. it's chlorine and copper and designed for hydro. it's pretty cheap to use. not as cheap as bleach though.

 

[Boppa]

Why not use hydrogen peroxide and provide a little extra O to the roots..

 

[redi jedi]

Using bleach @ 8.25% (sodium hypo...) try 1mL/10L

10L = 2.5 gallons

 

[Quasar Jones]

Using bleach @ 8.25% (sodium hypo...) try 1mL/10L

10L = 2.5 gallons

You are using 1 mL/10L in a sterile grow? and it's working? I'm doing aeroponics, so don't need extra O from H2O2

 

[redi jedi]

You are using 1 mL/10L in a sterile grow? and it's working? I'm doing aeroponics, so don't need extra O from H2O2

I currently use calcium hypo in granular form. But yes that was the ratio I used for bleach in RDWC. In aero you could most likely use less...In fact I doubt you would need to sterilize at all in aero/dtw. Maybe a one time dose for preventative measure.

 

[Atomizer]

You are using 1 mL/10L in a sterile grow? and it's working? I'm doing aeroponics, so don't need extra O from H2O2

I would use 0.2 - 0.25ml/10L

 

[Quasar Jones]

I would use 0.2 - 0.25ml/10L

cool that's close to the .5mL/10 gallon that I guessed. I'll do yours. I'm mostly concerned that I've had water sitting in the system while I've been waiting to start.

 

[Velvet Elvis]

.5 -1ml per 10 gallons is precise. wont hurt a thing besides the baddies but ive also used upwards of 1ml per 2.5 gallons with no problem too

 

[Atomizer]

Its better to use a low strength dose more frequently vs a high strength dose less frequently. The higher the concentration the faster it will decompose. Temperature accelerates decomposition, same goes for the presence of Cu and Mn in the nutes which act as a catalyst to speed up the decomposition

 

[Budley Doright]

I currently use calcium hypo in granular form. But yes that was the ratio I used for bleach in RDWC. In aero you could most likely use less...In fact I doubt you would need to sterilize at all in aero/dtw. Maybe a one time dose for preventative measure.

Not if water is to warm, I'm struggling with 70 degree water and I have went as high as 20 ml per 100L and it's still there running low pressure sprayers.

 

[redi jedi]

Not if water is to warm, I'm struggling with 70 degree water and I have went as high as 20 ml per 100L and it's still there running low pressure sprayers.

Yes but in aero the roots are not in water...they get misted but they're not sitting in water like DWC/RDWC. I needed to use 1ml/10L, every 3 days...I tried using less but it didnt work in my situation, also a reason I switched to calcium hypo.

 

[Budley Doright]

My roots are not in water either. I have went as high as 2ml per 100L and still have it but water is 70-71 so thinking that's it and my bleach is 5% calcium hypochlorite. I'm still trying to fight this crap and may actually switch to h2o2 next refill.

 

[Budley Doright]

Yes but in aero the roots are not in water...they get misted but they're not sitting in water like DWC/RDWC. I needed to use 1ml/10L, every 3 days...I tried using less but it didnt work in my situation, also a reason I switched to calcium hypo.

Actually using the sprayers have IMO caused the issues I'm having with the roots but it's only my theory lol. Even with the water being 70 the root zone temps can climb quite high when not being sprayed as the ambient temp is 74-75. To keep the roots cool they have to be sprayed lots and with the water at higher than 65ish root rot persists. I am seriously thinking of going back to a flooded root zone where I never got this. Again this has been a one off thing with three years of hydro growing so either my new set up sucks or Ive been lucky.

 

[KhanTheOG]

Does the bleach ever cause corrosive root damage?

 

[Tolerance Break]

Does the bleach ever cause corrosive root damage?

It will hurt your plant if you use too much, just like light, nutrients, and airflow.

 

[Tomatoesonly]

Can anyone shed some light on chlorine's reaction with ammonia? Ammonia is usually in most synthetic fertilizers. Does it create chloramine ?

 

[Tolerance Break]

Can anyone shed some light on chlorine's reaction with ammonia? Ammonia is usually in most synthetic fertilizers. Does it create chloramine ?

Never had a problem with Jacks 321. You're using something like 30 parts per million of cal hypo in the res.

 

[rkymtnman]

Can anyone shed some light on chlorine's reaction with ammonia? Ammonia is usually in most synthetic fertilizers. Does it create chloramine ?

probably depends of % of ammonia. but i'm not a chemist so that would be who i would try to ask