Hydrogen peroxide

Gixxerboy said:

Hydroponic gardening - Hydrogen peroxide in the system

All Hydroponic gardeners should know about the benefits of using Hydrogen peroxide in the Hydroponic nutrient tank. Hydrogen peroxide is water with an extra oxygen atom in it which, when broken down into the solution, helps to add extra oxygen to your Hydroponic nutrient solution. This extra oxygen is then applied to the Hydroponic plant's roots making healthier and more robust plants with lots of healthy new root growth.

In Hydroponic gardening, Hydrogen peroxide is also very helpful in sterilizing your growing medium and the surrounding growing area at the same time. It helps to prevent bacteria and harmful pathogens like fusarium, pythium and some other unwanted diseases from growing in your Hydroponic system. When we first starting introducing Hydrogen peroxide into our Hydroponic systems we were amazed by the difference in the plants. We did experiments with Hydrogen peroxide in different Hydroponic systems side by side with everything identical in all systems including lights, temperature, nutrients and flood times.

When we introduced Hydrogen peroxide into some of the Hydroponic systems we noticed the difference in less than 24 hours. Our heads of lettuce all stood up higher and were much bigger and after 3 days they didn't even look like the plants without the Hydrogen peroxide, They were much bigger and fuller and looked like much older plants. We have been believers in H202 in Hydroponic systems ever since.

Let's look at all this in more detail and see why Hydrogen peroxide works so well in Hydroponic gardening systems.


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Hydroponic gardening - Hydrogen peroxide in the system

In Hydroponic gardening, there are harmful bacteria strains that will thrive in low oxygen content water. If your Hydroponic nutrient tank solution tends to be usually on the warm side at 70 degrees or more, your Hydroponic tank and your Hydroponic growing medium is more likely to be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and pathogens. This is because room temperature or warm water holds very little oxygen in it. The warmer it gets, the less oxygen it holds.

This is not a good thing in a Hydroponic system as these bacteria and diseases can spread very rapidly if you don't have a good supply of oxygen in your Hydroponic nutrient tank. It can cause root rot in the plants and as they rot they they will remove even more oxygen from the water. Use of a good air stone in the tank helps to supply oxygen into the water and also adding Hydrogen peroxide as well.​

Hydroponic gardening - Hydrogen peroxide in the system

Adding Hydrogen peroxide into your Hydroponic nutrient solution not only adds extra oxygen into the water and kills off harmful bacteria but it also will help to grow bigger healthier Hydroponic plants with thicker, healthier leaves and branches. Hydrogen peroxide also increases a Hydroponic plant's ability to uptake more of the nutrients from the solution as well.

Regular strengths of Hydroponic peroxide are 3% 5% and 8%. If you read the label on a bottle of regular household Hydrogen peroxide you will usually see that the inactive ingredient is purified water, which is good. This is like pure distilled water which is also good. It should say something else on the label though. It should say that the active ingredient is Hydrogen peroxide-STABILIZED. There has been much controvery on whether or not stabilized Hydrogen peroxide is good for the plants so let's dicuss that.

Stabilizers are added chemicals that stop the product from beaking down on the store shelves. Although we usually want to know exactly what we are putting into the Hydroponic nutrient tank we have used regular 3% Hydrogen peroxide that you can buy in any store with never any ill effects on any of the plants. We have used it in strengths from 4 tablespoons per gallon of water up to 1 whole cup in a 12 gallon Hydroponic nutrient tank with no problems at all.

Adding 2 to 3 ounces a day to a five gallon tank has also been done. The plants all seem to grow great and very heallthy with no signs of any bacterial growth anywhere. We know of many other growers who use it also with no problems to the plants. Always store any Hydroponic Hydrogen peroxide solutions in dark or light proof containers. Light rays break it down which is why it is sold in light proof bottles to start with.

The plants usually tell us everything we need to know about what we are doing in Hydroponic gardening. I would say that if you get some burning or yellowing of the leaves in your plants to reduce the amount or the strength you are using as it may be too strong. You can also make up a 5 gallon bucket of water with about 500 PPM of 3% regular Hydrogen peroxide and use it to top off your Hydroponic nutrient tank when it is low. This is a good practice to help keep your plants healthy and your Hydroponic nutrient solution bacteria free.

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Hydroponic gardening - Hydrogen peroxide in the system

Hydroponic stores carry other forms of Hydrogen peroxide available that has been made with no stabilizers and is actually more cost effective to use. One popular Hydroponic product and probably used more than any other is a 35% strength food grade Hydrogen peroxide that can be diluted down to a safe Hydroponic usage level.

To get a 3% Hydroponic solution you would mix this Hydroponic product at 1 part of the 35% Hydrogen peroxide to 11 parts of water. This is strong stuff and it can burn your skin and other things also. Mix it in a separate container with gloves on before adding it to your Hydroponic tank. This 35% Hydroponic food grade product is also used in drinking water for farm animals to help reduce the bacteria in the water they drink so you may also find it at farm stores. Some beauty salon supply store also have it for bleaching of the hair.

When used in Hydroponic systems, Hydrogen peroxide also helps to eliminate the chlorine making the water more pure. It makes strong healthy white roots with lots of fuzzy new growth in Hydroponic plants. This, in turn, allows the plants to absorb more of the Hydroponic nutrients and gives faster overall growth.

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good info. thanks.

Posted by tapla


H2O2 has an extra O atom (compared to H2O) in an unstable arrangement. It's the extra atom that makes it useful in horticultural applications. Generally, we're not concerned with aerobic forms of bacteria normally occurring in container media or on roots.


Since H2O2 is an unstable molecule, it breaks down easily. When it does, a single O- atom and a molecule of water is released. This O- atom is extremely reactive and will quickly attach itself to either another O- atom forming stable O2, or attack the nearest organic molecule.



Many disease causing organisms and spores are killed by O, the free O H2O2 releases is extremely effective at this. H2O2 can help eliminate existing infections and help prevent future ones. The free O atom can destroy dead organic material (i.e, leaves roots) that are rotting and spreading diseases.


Reduced O levels and high temperatures encourage both anaerobic bacteria and fungi. When plants growing in soil are treated with H2O2 it will break down and release O into the area around the roots. This helps stop the O from being depleted in the water filled air soil air spaces until air can get back into them. High O levels at the roots will encourage rapid healthy root growth and discourage unwanted bacteria/fungi.


I know it comes in several different strengths. I'm thinking 3%, 5%, 8% and 35% solutions. Cheapest is 35% which you dilute (to 3%) by mixing 1:11 with water. Plastic or glass is best to store it in, & the container should be opaque to prevent light degradation. If three-liter pop bottles are available in your area they are ideal for mixing and storing H2O2. Once you have it mixed at 3% (or start with 3%) mix it at the rate of 1-1/2 tsp/gallon of water as a cutting dip & up to 2-1/2 tsp/gallon to water containers with on a regular basis. Start at the lower concentration and increase concentrations gradually over a few weeks.


H2O2 in high concentration is a powerful oxidant & will bleach skin white & oxidize almost anything it contacts - quickly, so be careful with it if you use it. A solution that's too strong can kill any organic molecule it contacts.

CALIFORNIA STATE SCIENCE FAIR
2006 PROJECT SUMMARY

by Kehly D. Kirk


Project Title: Adding H(2)O(2) to the Mix: Effects of Hydrogen Peroxide on Germination and Plant Growth


Objectives/Goals
Hydrogen peroxide can benefit plant growth in two major ways: 1) improved aeration; and 2) killing
microorganisms that may be harmful to plant growth through its bactericidal/algaecidal/fungicidal
qualities. This project was designed to test the effects of various concentrations of hydrogen peroxide on
germination and plant growth.


Methods/Materials
20 Petri dishes, filter paper, 3 Jiffy Easy Grow Greenhouse Kits, potting soil, tap water, hydrogen
peroxide solution, and seeds (cantaloupe, cucumber, radish, spinach, watermelon) were used. The Control
Group was watered with tap water as needed and the Experimental Group was treated with one of three
different concentrations (low, nominal and high) of hydrogen peroxide solution as needed. Petri dishes
and greenhouses were checked for seeds that had germinated and data recorded daily. After most of the
plants in the greenhouses had germinated, additional data including leaf color intensity, stem height, and
overall appearance was collected weekly.


Results
Data results indicated significantly better results in Experimental Group vs. Control Group in some areas.
For cantaloupe: better germination in the Petri dish and greenhouse kit at nominal concentration. For
radish: better greenhouse growth and color at low concentration and germination in the Petri dish at
nominal and high concentrations. For watermelon: better germination in the Petri dish at nominal
concentration. Other results (Experimental Group vs. Control) were essentially similar, significantly
worse, or unable to determine due to small sample size. Therefore, data collected from the experiment
only partially supports the hypothesis.


Conclusions/Discussion
Application of hydrogen peroxide was found to have significant benefit for cantaloupe, radish, and
watermelon. Depending on the plant, too little hydrogen peroxide was ineffective while too high a
concentration proved to be toxic. Further research should be conducted to determine optimal
concentrations for different plant types.


Summery Statement
This project was designed to test the effects of various concentrations of hydrogen peroxide on
germination and plant growth.

Help Received
Parents purchased the materials and provided oversight when I gathered my data to double-check for
accuracy; Father assisted in preparation of charts and graphs


http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/History/2006/Projects/S1610.pdf

Obviously preformed by a younger person but interesting none the less.

http://www.using-hydrogen-peroxide.com/gardening-with-hydrogen-peroxide.html


Mixing charts for gardening with hydrogen peroxide


To water or mist plants, to soak seeds, to add to water used to wash sprouts:


To spray on sick or fungusy plants:

h2o2 is no good for organics it kills all the good microbes too. you can use it if you really need it but be ready to put good microbes back with a strong compost or benificial microbe tea

Heisenberg said:

Bennies refers to beneficial microbes. I prefer running a sterile res, but there are some people like myself that are plauged with the problem of brown slime algae, which is actually a cyanobacteria. This mimics the appearance of root rot with at least one notable difference...it never goes away. The sterilizing products available, of which I think Dutch Master Zone is the best, do a great job of killing root rot and everything else, except for this slime. In fact, if you have the slime, sterilizing the res just removes any competing microbes, so it grows out of control. Anyway, when this turns out to be the case the solution is to go the opposite way, and instead of sterilizing the res, you add as many beneficial microbes as you can in order to displace the slime.

Some people buy bennies in bottles or powder form. That can get expensive. They can be harvested much cheaper by bubbling some earth worm castings in some clean water. After 24hrs or so the beneficial bacteria and fungi will be breeding in the water. You can then keep this in the fridge and add a cup to the res every few days. The idea is that the microbes will colonize the roots and form a protective coating, depriving the slime of food and housing.

Even though it's fairly cheap and easy to keep bennies in the res, I really wish I could just add a sterilzing agent and be done with it. For a while, before the slime showed up, I was using Dutch Master Zone and I had really thick cord-like roots. Zone is really safe for the plants, ive used it at 3x the recommended dose trying to kill the slime. Zone can also be used as a spray to kill powdery mildew.

Physan 20 is a great product to sterilize equipment. It can also be used as a temporary soak for the roots to sterilize them if you already have a problem, but continuous use in the res is frowned upon. Some people are concerned it will contaminate the end product since is it so concentrated. I personally notice my plants are a little stressed if I run it in the res for more than 24 hours. If you use this product be careful, they say it will kill a septic system in no time.

Enzymes are a touchy thing if your goal is to fight root disease. It's really important to know exactly whats wrong before you try it. If you have pythium they say it will help, and i've heard it does. If you have the slime, enzymes will cause it to explode. That is why you hear some people saying zymes saved their plants, and others say it killed them.

I gave up trying to keep a sterile res when I found that bennies work for me, but I have been itching to try a few other sterilizing products that no one has tried on the slime yet, just because I hate it so much. I want to see it die!

Hydro-fungicide - "Hydro-Fungicide has proven to be one of the most amazing products available in hydroponics. It enhances the growth and general well-being of hydroponic plants by destroying the micro-organisms on the root-zone area of the plants, without harming the plants or having a toxic effect. Hydro-Fungicide is completely non-toxic and bio-degrada to any other forms of life. It pierces the molecule of fungi and bacteria exploding inside the molecule thus destroying it. This means fungi and bacteria are unable to build up an immunity to Hydro-Fungicide."

Watermax - "Watermax is a noninvasive neutral pH water treatment for use in all greenhouse and hydroponic systems. By inhibiting the formation of scale, mineral deposits, and bio-film Watermax will dramatically improve cleanliness and equipment life span. Watermax promotes healthy, faster growing plants through increased oxygen, calcium, and magnesium intake. Watermax is a safe alternative to toxic and corrosive chemicals."

Zerotol - "ZeroTol is a non-toxic fungicide/bactericide/viricide that functions differently than other products. Instead of coating plant tissues with chemical toxins, ZeroTol oxidizes fungi (including spores), bacteria and viruses on contact thereby preventing infection. Leaves no residue. When used as an ongoing preventative program, ZeroTol can help clean your facility and plants of problems associated with phytopathogenic organisms."

Then there is always the option of UV sterilization. Pet stores sell submersible units for around $50. UV works great at keeping water sterile, but could effect your nutrient solution, depending on what you use.

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WOW Heisenberg,Learning about beneficial bacteria was next on my to do list and you explained a lot.Thank You so much for educating me.

stupidclown said:

h2o2 is no good for organics it kills all the good microbes too. you can use it if you really need it but be ready to put good microbes back with a strong compost or benificial microbe tea

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Thanks stupidclown for verifying to stay from HP with organics!

ganjaluvr said:

Like the thread. nice..

peace.

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Much Appreciated!

sirwolf said:

good info. thanks.

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Thank You sirwolf

Favre2Harvin said:

Some more good reads man thanks for all the great information again .

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Thanks for the kind WORDS!

Gixxerboy,

I am growing in DWC and have a problem with green algae. Would adding H2O2 to my nutrient rez help eliminate the green algae? I know just having green algae is harmless but it invites other problems. I read the thread and I cant determine if this would be beneficial to me or not. THANKS in advance.

Peace and positive energy to you

nailz92002 said:

Gixxerboy,

I am growing in DWC and have a problem with green algae. Would adding H2O2 to my nutrient rez help eliminate the green algae? I know just having green algae is harmless but it invites other problems. I read the thread and I cant determine if this would be beneficial to me or not. THANKS in advance.

Peace and positive energy to you

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[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Types of Algae

[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]The two types of algae that you are likely find in your pond are planktonic algae (usually called green algae, free-floating algae, or suspended algae), and green filamentous algae, usually called string or hair algae.
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Green algae are the algae that make your pond green and in moderate amounts are quite good for your pond. Green algae produce oxygen and they provide your fish and other critters with snacks. Green algae, however, become a problem during blooms. At this time they may become frothy and even turn a putrid yellowish color. Particular forms of planktonic algae, such as blue-green algae, can be toxic for some animals, including dogs and cats. [/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]String or hair algae are the gloopy, gloppy algae that can sometimes grow out of control. String algae usually cause the most problems for pond owners. They bloom early, grow aggressively, and cover ponds with their stringy mats.


[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Giving Algae the Boot

[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]If you do, despite your preventive measures, end up with a particularly bad algae bloom, there are some ways to reduce it. Do not use algaecides in your pond. Algaecides will kill algae but they’ll also kill your koi and your plants.[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Instead, add 35-percent hydrogen peroxide to your pond. This is obtainable at any pond supply store. Hydrogen peroxide kills most but not all of the algae in your pond, clearing up blooms.[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Although hydrogen peroxide has been shown to be safe when used in recommended amounts (talk to your pond supply store), some pond owners prefer to go the organic route by using logs of barley straw. Placed in the pond water, barley straw releases hydrogen peroxide as it decays.[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Don’t get carried away when it comes to battling algae. While excess algae can cloud the water, foul filters, and choke out other plants, shocking the algae from the pond can be even more problematic: a sudden die off of algae will cause a plummet in oxygen in your pond and a dramatic increase in ammonia, possibly killing even your prize koi.[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]And ultimately, a pond, unlike a pool, is a living environment. A balanced and healthy pond ecosystem is made up of all its elements, including the algae.


I'm looking into it further but at a quick glance YES SIR.Here is the full article....
http://www.northwestgardennews.com/id172.html




[/FONT]Salt also kills the algae. Do not over dose your pond, too much salt can cause your plants to die...This would not be a good thing 4 U!!
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]



[/FONT]

What do I do about algae or green water or string algae?

Green water is caused by the presence of phytoplankton or algae. There are many species of algae, some are suspended, single-cell organisms while others are filamentous or form "strings". Neither type is noted for directly creating health problems for fish but cause problems with water clarity and the overall appearance of the pond. As a result many persons attempt to eliminate the algae by a variety of methods. A few of the methods that have been used for both suspended algae and string algae are listed below in no particular order of preference. Regardless of the approach you may find that you ultimately must deal with reducing the nutrients that fuel the algae growth cycle. Norm Meck has written an excellent article regarding green water and algae control. You can access this article by entering [ "green water" "norm meck" myths facts theories sequel] exactly as shown within the square brackets into your favorite search engine.
1. Barley straw: Doses of barley straw (tied in a net bag and suspended in the pool, waterfall, etc.) have been reported to be successful for suspended algae when using 4-6 oz./1000 gallons. The use of dosages that are double what is typically called for (around 1/2-1 pound per 1000 gallons) is supposedly adequate for string algae. This may take a week to several weeks to work depending on the water temperature.

2. Some people add one pint of 3% hydrogen peroxide per 1000 gallons. This is said to not have any significant impact on plants or fish and is reported to work well on both suspended and string algae. The only potential problem is that if you have massive amounts of string algae you may create a very large oxygen demand so physically remove as much as possible before trying this method - this caution cannot be over emphasized. It may be necessary to have an aerator ready to put in the water or, for small ponds, it might be better to remove some of the water and the fish to a temporary holding tank until the dissolved oxygen returns to safe levels. Adding hydrogen peroxide, while effective in removing algae, will essentially result in re-dissolving the nutrients which contributed to the algae growth in the first place.

3. Provide 60% or greater coverage to minimize light availability. While this has been one of the recommended approaches for some years there is some evidence (see algae web-article by Norm Meck) that indicates that this might not work effectively.

4. Upgrade your filtration system to help remove nutrients. Several people on this and other sites have commented that Trickling Towers (TT) seem to eliminate algae (both suspended and string varieties).

5. Physical removal for string algae. Get a toilet bowl brush, straighten it out and strap it onto a pole. Then wind the string algae up like spaghetti. This is an effective method for small amounts of string algae and for small to moderate sized ponds. The removal of the algae from the pond will also serve to remove the nutrients that originally created the algae growth.

6. Ultraviolet lights have been used in-line for removing suspended algae but do not appear to work for removing string algae.

7. An additional help to control the growth of algae is to add snails to your pond although if you have large fish they may eat the snails. Depending on your climate and whether you plan to take your fish in for the winter you can also add algae-eating fish. Tadpoles are very effective algae-consumers so do not remove any frog or toad egg masses from you pond - they will produce thousands of little scavengers.

And of course... 8. There are probably a dozen or more concoctions out there sold to solve all of your algae problems. Some people will swear by these remedies while others will swear at them. You should not attempt to use any of the copper-based algacides unless you are very sure of your pond volume and you know exactly what you are doing. The hesitancy with the copper-based solutions is that they are not too forgiving if you overdose - you could kill your plants as well as the fish with a slight miscalculation. Ronaye, Steve and David
Entered by DRH1


http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/ponds/2002051559024333.html




I thought this was pretty interesting.......


Algae spores can sometimes even survive the treatment process by your local water purification system. The sad fact is you will never be rid of algae. That is unless you stop giving it the things it needs to live: water, nutrients, warmth and light. Which will also really piss off your fish. Luckily algae is harmless, some would even say beneficial since it does take up harmful nitrites and nitrates from the water and give off oxygen as a byproduct. It’s just…ugly.

Types of Algae

Green Algae
This is a quick growing plant. It will appear if the water isn't being properly filtered or if sanitizer levels are allowed to fall. The free floating variety will turn water green and cloudy. The filamentous form grows on surfaces in long strands.




Yellow Algae (or 'mustard' algae)
This can grow on the surfaces of the spa or pool and even form sheets of yellow slime if left unchecked. It is tougher to get rid of than green agae and once established, normal levels of sanitizer won't control it.




Black Algae
This is the worst of the algae from a maintenance perspective. It has a tough protective coat that stops chlorine sanitizers penetrating and "roots' that can invade porous or rough surfaces. Even if all the visible algae is removed it often grows back quickly.




'Pink Algae'
This is not an algae but a bacteria. It causes similar problems to green algae and needs similar treatment.



Use the right Shock to clear up your Spa or Pool

A shock is a big dose of chemical cleaner. There are three types of chemical to destroy organic material and tackle algae and bacteria- chlorine, monopersulfate (MPS) and hydrogen peroxide.



http://hubpages.com/hub/Spa-and-Hot-Tub-Maintenance-Dealing-with-Algae

I am growing in DWC and have a problem with green algae. Would adding H2O2 to my nutrient rez help eliminate the green algae? I know just having green algae is harmless but it invites other problems. I read the thread and I cant determine if this would be beneficial to me or not. THANKS in advance.

Click to expand...

Hydrogen peroxide will help kill algae, but not as well as complete darkness. Also, once I started using dutch master Zone in my res, I was able to forget about chilling the res and light leaks don't seem encourage algae anymore.

Heisenberg said:

Hydrogen peroxide will help kill algae, but not as well as complete darkness. Also, once I started using dutch master Zone in my res, I was able to forget about chilling the res and light leaks don't seem encourage algae anymore.

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NICE tip again H thank you.

Hydrogen peroxide in earth’s natural watering system (rain)

When the garden is watered by rain, there is a small amount of hydrogen peroxide in the water. It is part of the earth’s cleaning system.....
As rain comes through earth’s ozone layer, some of the molecules of water (H2O) pick up an additional oxygen atom (O), becoming H2O2 – hydrogen peroxide!


Oxygen is O2, while ozone is O3. Ozone is very unstable -that third oxygen atom moves on easily. So the water has no trouble picking up some single oxygen atoms.
Hydrogen peroxide is also very unstable -oxygen is readily freed up to oxidize various things that it encounters (such as bacteria, viruses, mold, pollution…) In the process of oxidation, the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is broken back down into water (H20) and oxygen (O).


Hydrogen peroxide will oxidize many kinds of pathogens and pollution, so it helps to clean the air, as the rain falls. I’ve read that there is currently less peroxide in rain water than was common in the past, since oxidizing air pollution now "uses up" much of the peroxide. (Hydrogen peroxide is always "used up" by the oxidation process.)
Now, I think that cleaning up some of the pollution in the air is a fine use for hydrogen peroxide, as the air after a rain is so much nicer to breathe. But our plants like peroxide too!




Ways to use peroxide in the garden

• General fertilizer, either in plant water or sprayed on foliage.
  
• For sick plants. Spray on the leaves and add to water.
• Hydroponic gardening. Hydroponic gardeners often use peroxide to feed plants, by adding it to the watering system.
• Spray on tree cuts, to prevent infection.
• As a spray in the greenhouse, to control mold and mildew.
• Sprouting seeds before planting. Added to the water that seeds soak in, the seeds will sprout faster and grow stronger.
• Rooting cuttings. Added to the water, if you’ve put the cuttings directly into water. Or, if you’ve put the cuttings into soil or medium, use peroxide in the water you’re using to water the cuttings with.
• Mold or fungus on plants or in the soil. Hydrogen peroxide will help to control mold on plants or in the soil. If you’ve got mold on the plant, spraying the leaves is probably best…
  
• Weed killer. I’ve never used it this way, and I’m not sure I would want to… but I’ve read that 10% hydrogen peroxide will kill weeds. Personally, I would rather pull the weeds up. If you do decide to try this, I certainly would NOT use 10% peroxide close to other plants… and I would come back later and add a LOT of water after the unwanted plants ("weeds") have died. This is very very very concentrated……

Here is a article against H2o2.It is the first time I have ever read that the H2o2 effects the nutrient solution.Any thoughts?



Ask Erik
by Erik Biksa2008-11-01Print Email
Hi Erik,

I was wondering if you could tell me a couple of ways to properly use hydrogen peroxide in a hydro system.

Thanks

This is a very good question. Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) has been used in hydroponics and indoor gardening for some time now, with a wide range of results. Typically it has been diluted to plain water or diluted and applied with nutrient solutions.

H2O2 has the potential to use the additional, unstable second oxygen molecule to boost higher oxygen levels in the root zone to help increase growth rates and yields. The oxidative action of the unstable second oxygen molecule is also useful in treating and preventing certain types of bacterial and fungal diseases, particularly in the root zone.

It sounds like H2O2 would be a very beneficial product to use with all feedings and nutrient applications. However, in reality this is simply not the case. The oxidative effects of H2O2 are very powerful. Coupled with the fact that the oxidative action is non-selective, the powerful effects of additions of H2O2 will break some very important chemical bonds in your nutrient solutions, rendering a large percentage of critical nutrients unavailable to your crop. Nutrient lockouts can hurt your crop and cost you yields.

Beneficial microbial life in the root zone, growing medium and reservoir are also seriously harmed by the powerful oxidative action that adding Hydrogen Peroxide creates when added to the nutrient solution or when applied with just plain water to the growing medium and root zone. Beneficial fungal and bacterial microbes help to improve the health, growth rates, quality and yield of your crop. These may occur naturally in many organic based growing mediums, or may occur through inoculations of bacteria and fungi specific products added by the grower.

So, when is a good time to use Hydrogen Peroxide? If germinating seeds or starting cuttings in an inert material such as rockwool, you can pre-treat the medium with a dilute solution of H2O2 several hours before any nutrients or plant material are added. Also, H2O2 is very useful in sanitizing growing systems and water to be used for nutrient solutions before nutrients, additives and beneficials are added to the mix. If H2O2 is given sufficient time to react with water and growing surfaces it can be beneficial. Typically, you should allow at least a few hours to pass before adding any nutrients, additives, or beneficials to water that has been treated with H2O2.

Firstly, during the initial reaction with the H2O2 to water in the reservoir and/or growing system, any bacteria or fungi that may potentially cause diseases will be oxidated/destroyed. This provides an efficient way to further sterilize water and growing systems. The additional benefit is that the Dissolved Oxygen (D.O.) levels in the treated water may be slightly elevated after most of the oxidative reaction between the Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) and any impurities such as fungi or bacteria in the Water (H2O) has occurred.

In the event of severe damage to individual plants or even entire crops due to pathogens in the growing medium or root zone, growers may consider trying an application of active H2O2 to the growing medium as a last effort before pulling the plug and starting a replacement crop. When H2O2 is applied with plain water to the growing medium/root zone just after being diluted, the oxidative effect of the active H2O2 may kill off the pathogens and leave the crop standing to possibly recover with some TLC from the grower. Again, this should be regarded as more of a last resort rather than a first line of defense, due to the fact that the nutrients and beneficial life in the growing medium and root zone will be destroyed. If H2O2 is applied at too high a dosage rate or the plants are particularly sensitive, H2O2 can damage or even kill the crop.

By exercising a degree of caution and understanding the ins and outs of the oxidative nature of the product, Hydrogen Peroxide may have a place on your shelf of growing supplies for pre-treating water, cleaning and sterilizing growing systems and surfaces and as a last resort for the treatment of root diseases.

Cheers
Erik Biksa



http://www.maximumyield.com/ask_erik_article_sh.php?articleID=386&yearVar=2008&issueVar=November

so in short then we really shouldnt be running peroxide with the nutes only before in anything..so i have been misinformed all this time? sob