Keeping a sterile res in dwc Shock Chlorine Advice

redi jedi

Well-Known Member
Let me see if I understand matters. I'm a chemist so I like to be clear.
1. You intend chlorinating water using pool 'Shock'. Basically this is adding bleach.
2, You do not intend using a high strength solution (you'd need PPE) to clean it prior to use, but to attempt to maintain a system full of plant roots, sterile?
OK. Assuming I've got the facts right... this is a daft idea.
1. Tap water has about the highest concentration of chlorine or chloramine that the roots can stand. Using a stronger solution will stunt, then kill your plants.
2. Tap water is not resistant to the growth of algae and bio-film-forming organisms of all sorts.
3. Sterility can only be achieved in an autoclave or a recondensing solvent bath. I don't think your plants would like those.
4. Even 100% alcohol leaves viable spores behind. 70% alcohol + H2O2 will sterilise but I don't think your plants would like that.
In other words, what you think is sterile is anything but sterile.
When we say sterile, its not the litteral meaning. A 'sterile res' is the opposite of using beneficial bacteria to prevent pythium. Tap water can range from .05 ppm to 5 ppm so the 2-3ppm most people run at is not going to harm the plants.
 

xIPhobiaIx

Active Member
I think if you want to keep a sterile rez the best way to do it would be using an RO filter and adding an inline UV BEFORE the water gets into the rez.
This way the chlorines have been removed along with other things and pathogens have been killed off with UV. This way the water in your rez is "sterile" and when you add nutrients no additives are messing with the compounds.

 

curious2garden

Well-Known Mod
Staff member
I think if you want to keep a sterile rez the best way to do it would be using an RO filter and adding an inline UV BEFORE the water gets into the rez.
This way the chlorines have been removed along with other things and pathogens have been killed off with UV. This way the water in your rez is "sterile" and when you add nutrients no additives are messing with the compounds.

If that were true we'd sterilize our OR instruments with it. It isn't. It creates an aseptic environment.
 

xIPhobiaIx

Active Member
you would need to run res water constantly thru a uv filter. once roots contact the water, your "sterility" is gone.
How so? If there are no pathogens present in the water than for them to be present later on they would have to get introduced somewhere.

The roots would not be providing it so as long as that happens it remains "sterile" in the case of bad pathogens.

Also you could always add bennies as well to the mix post uv sterilization.
 

shortarker99

Well-Known Member
How so? If there are no pathogens present in the water than for them to be present later on they would have to get introduced somewhere.

The roots would not be providing it so as long as that happens it remains "sterile" in the case of bad pathogens.

Also you could always add bennies as well to the mix post uv sterilization.
No matter how sterile the water is at first, bacteria will get to it, by contact with roots, by your airstones, by contact with the atmosphere. by contact with the container walls which have little pores where bacteria grows

If you want to keep sterile, you need to keep some oxidizing agent (like chlorine) in your nutrient solution.

Even more, the zones where no UV light is present, bacteria will grow. Also, it will destroy the chelates in your solution so you will have Fe deficiency
 

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
How so? If there are no pathogens present in the water than for them to be present later on they would have to get introduced somewhere.

The roots would not be providing it so as long as that happens it remains "sterile" in the case of bad pathogens.

Also you could always add bennies as well to the mix post uv sterilization.
from your media, from your room, from your roots, from what you just tracked in on the bottom of your shoes, from that sneeze as you left your room, etc.
 

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
I've ran hydroguard, and it worked for me, could've just been luck, but it has a short shelf life and it's expensive as hell. Plus with chlorine, you get the added benefit of pearly white roots that I haven't seen using anything else!
 

xIPhobiaIx

Active Member
I've ran hydroguard, and it worked for me, could've just been luck, but it has a short shelf life and it's expensive as hell. Plus with chlorine, you get the added benefit of pearly white roots that I haven't seen using anything else!
Have you noticed any impact on your plant's growth, etc.?
 

xIPhobiaIx

Active Member
Yup and worse the roots don't care for UV exposure and it's at the point of exposure you get the disinfectant actions. That's why Chlorine is such a good thing.
You would UV the water before adding the nutrients than when the nutes are added they are than given to the roots.
Than again the nutrient solution like the above mentioned and which makes sense can pick up pathogens from airs stones, etc. so back to square one I guess lol.

Guess the only way to stay sterile no matter where the nutrient solution is to use an oxidative agent such as chlorine, etc. or use bennies instead as that will also stay in the water and or soil to assist in disease prevention.
 

curious2garden

Well-Known Mod
Staff member
You would UV the water before adding the nutrients than when the nutes are added they are than given to the roots.
Than again the nutrient solution like the above mentioned and which makes sense can pick up pathogens from airs stones, etc. so back to square one I guess lol.

Guess the only way to stay sterile no matter where the nutrient solution is to use an oxidative agent such as chlorine, etc. or use bennies instead as that will also stay in the water and or soil to assist in disease prevention.
It's never sterile. Even the human biome is not sterile. Think in terms of asepsis. I would not use H2O2 because it's too fugitive. Chlorine gives the best bang for the buck if you're in hydro. If you're in soil you are working to cultivate your microbial herd which will assist with pathogen suppression and plant nutrition.
 

xIPhobiaIx

Active Member
It's never sterile. Even the human biome is not sterile. Think in terms of asepsis. I would not use H2O2 because it's too fugitive. Chlorine gives the best bang for the buck if you're in hydro. If you're in soil you are working to cultivate your microbial herd which will assist with pathogen suppression and plant nutrition.
So, what would you do in a SIP, hempy bucket, or Octopot where there is soil or coco, than roots below that are suspended in water?
Chlorine destroys organic matter naturally so it would affect the soil/coco so would imagine the only way forward is bennies.
Maybe a chlorine solution with less ppm would preserve the soil/coco? Not sure.
 
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