The Fallacy of Insuring Minimal Safe Oxygenating RDWC Using Hydrogen Peroxide – They say that if you are really into “cheap oxygenation,” then surely one of the cheapest and easiest ways to oxygenate your nutrient solution is to use hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). They say that H2O2 can particularly be helpful if your solution is lacking in oxygen or your roots are suffering from root rot. Some even say that low oxygen levels are often causes big problems in RDWC hydroponics – some claim that opportunist fungi pathogens only thrive in low oxygen (hypoxic) environments (the dreaded root rot disease).
Dissolved Oxygen Saturation in nutrient solution: Do you know or Do you guess how much dissolved oxygen is in your nutrient solution? Most people guess and hope there will be enough DO. If you don’t know the DO Saturation, sometime you could guess right when the plants and root zones look healthy and sometimes you guess wrong and discover this when the plants begin to die and look sickly. When and if you guessed wrong, fungal opportunist are always waiting to attack. Most people have heard that these fungal pathogens fail to thrive in oxygen rich environments. Some believe this is true, some don’t and many are totally unconcerned.
Of course the only way to know if your nutrient solution is OK or really low on oxygen is test the Dissolved Oxygen Saturation with a DO Meter. But, that cost money. No one I know ever test the DO because everyone says those DO Meters cost too much so guessing is cheaper and everybody always hopes low DO will never happen to them. Most people just wait and see and hope. When the roots get slimy and brown, then they know beyond any doubt that they have got an opportunist fungi infection (root rot). That’s caused by a low-O2 problem in your water and root zone. Then comes crisis awareness and the emergency – the soup Rx.
So what is the world does low DO really mean? Low DO means anything below 100% DO Saturation in nutrient solution in RDWC regardless of nutrient temperature, solute concentration or barometric pressure – 65F – 82F. DO saturation and concentration can be tested and measured accurately with a DO Meter or other chemical DO test.
But, H2O2 is a potent chemical that is a known bacteria killer and it can completely rid your reservoir of all microbes, the good, the bad and the ugly. H2O2 is a killer and does not discriminate, this chemical will kill your Beneficial’s and everything else.
Hydrogen peroxide certainly has its uses as an antimicrobial disinfectant used for cuts and skin scrapes.
Then they say if oxygenation your primary purpose and you have a problem with using H2O2, then it is better to use an air pump in your reservoir for oxygenation while using beneficial bacteria. That is if you want to assume that air will insure minimal save oxygen levels for all the microbes in the solution and root zone. Most people believe that air is oxygen and plenty of air insures plenty of oxygen. But air is not oxygen, it’s mostly Nitrogen gas. Oh well, let’s assume that air is oxygen because air is free… more air equals plenty of oxygen.
Finally when all fails and opportunist fungi invade – wash the big brown chunks and slim off the roots, buy a chiller and chill your water. Maybe that will insure minimal safe oxygenation for the plants and microbe colonies, chillers and electricity is not Free. Free-Free-Free is a catchy buzz-word and very popular these days.
Horticulture science trumps hope and luck.
J
Dissolved Oxygen Saturation in nutrient solution: Do you know or Do you guess how much dissolved oxygen is in your nutrient solution? Most people guess and hope there will be enough DO. If you don’t know the DO Saturation, sometime you could guess right when the plants and root zones look healthy and sometimes you guess wrong and discover this when the plants begin to die and look sickly. When and if you guessed wrong, fungal opportunist are always waiting to attack. Most people have heard that these fungal pathogens fail to thrive in oxygen rich environments. Some believe this is true, some don’t and many are totally unconcerned.
Of course the only way to know if your nutrient solution is OK or really low on oxygen is test the Dissolved Oxygen Saturation with a DO Meter. But, that cost money. No one I know ever test the DO because everyone says those DO Meters cost too much so guessing is cheaper and everybody always hopes low DO will never happen to them. Most people just wait and see and hope. When the roots get slimy and brown, then they know beyond any doubt that they have got an opportunist fungi infection (root rot). That’s caused by a low-O2 problem in your water and root zone. Then comes crisis awareness and the emergency – the soup Rx.
So what is the world does low DO really mean? Low DO means anything below 100% DO Saturation in nutrient solution in RDWC regardless of nutrient temperature, solute concentration or barometric pressure – 65F – 82F. DO saturation and concentration can be tested and measured accurately with a DO Meter or other chemical DO test.
But, H2O2 is a potent chemical that is a known bacteria killer and it can completely rid your reservoir of all microbes, the good, the bad and the ugly. H2O2 is a killer and does not discriminate, this chemical will kill your Beneficial’s and everything else.
Hydrogen peroxide certainly has its uses as an antimicrobial disinfectant used for cuts and skin scrapes.
Then they say if oxygenation your primary purpose and you have a problem with using H2O2, then it is better to use an air pump in your reservoir for oxygenation while using beneficial bacteria. That is if you want to assume that air will insure minimal save oxygen levels for all the microbes in the solution and root zone. Most people believe that air is oxygen and plenty of air insures plenty of oxygen. But air is not oxygen, it’s mostly Nitrogen gas. Oh well, let’s assume that air is oxygen because air is free… more air equals plenty of oxygen.
Finally when all fails and opportunist fungi invade – wash the big brown chunks and slim off the roots, buy a chiller and chill your water. Maybe that will insure minimal safe oxygenation for the plants and microbe colonies, chillers and electricity is not Free. Free-Free-Free is a catchy buzz-word and very popular these days.
Horticulture science trumps hope and luck.
J
