Looking for alternative to bleach for sterilizing hydro system

fridayfishfry

Well-Known Member
I used bleach to clean my grow tent and it corroded my tent poles; I'm now turned off to the idea.

Hydrogen peroxide is a option but I don't believe it.

I've been using warm water with a good scrubbing and dish soap at times.

Will watered down bleach solution corrode my water pump? Looking to sterilize plant-less system on recirculate setting
 

Lordhooha

Well-Known Member
I used bleach to clean my grow tent and it corroded my tent poles; I'm now turned off to the idea.

Hydrogen peroxide is a option but I don't believe it.

I've been using warm water with a good scrubbing and dish soap at times.

Will watered down bleach solution corrode my water pump? Looking to sterilize plant-less system on recirculate setting
Why don’t you believe the h2o2 would work? It’s very effective.
 

JSB99

Well-Known Member
I used bleach to clean my grow tent and it corroded my tent poles; I'm now turned off to the idea.

Hydrogen peroxide is a option but I don't believe it.

I've been using warm water with a good scrubbing and dish soap at times.

Will watered down bleach solution corrode my water pump? Looking to sterilize plant-less system on recirculate setting
How strong is your bleach mix? It should only be about 10:1 to 20:1. It shouldn't be so strong that it strips anything away. You're not "cleaning" with the bleach mix, you are "sterilizing". For cleaning, you want to use degreasers, like Dawn dish soap, and/or amonia. After cleaning, spray with bleach mix and let dry.
 

fridayfishfry

Well-Known Member
I place h2o2 at sterilizing tap water

You want good cleaning without a dulling soap residue get some TSP. Trisodium Phosphate. Excellent for vinyl siding so should be safe for plastics and metals in tents.

I buy food grade 29 - 35% hydrogen peroxide for all my sterilization needs and it can be mixed safely with TSP.

:peace:
I never heard of TPS but it checks out. (Just heard about phosphates in lakes from detergent) How much is needed per gallon? I looked at some given numbers and they seemed high.
 

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
I place h2o2 at sterilizing tap water
I never heard of TPS but it checks out. (Just heard about phosphates in lakes from detergent) How much is needed per gallon? I looked at some given numbers and they seemed high.
I'd just put a Tbsp in a couple liters of water for the light cleaning a tent would need. Dump the leftovers in the compost heap or around some trees/bushes so they eat up the little bit of phosphate. Not enough to worry about really and it's not toxic.

White vinegar cleans pretty good too and is damn cheap and very harmless. I drink apple cider vinegar daily but too pricey for washing walls with. :)

I scrub our filthy utility sink with baking soda and eat that too. (Not the scrubbings just the baking soda. ;) ) That works great where scrubbing is needed and breaks down grease and oils really well too.

:peace:
 

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
TSP is a very heavy degreaser type detergent. Its also food additive so its not harmful in small doses. Works very well
Food additive? Which foods so I can avoid eating them!

I'm fussy about what I eat and never saw that on any food label. Lots of hidden glutamate and high fructose corn syrup tho. They call that glucose-fructose up here in Canukistan and it's even in Campbell's tomato soup now too. :(

:peace:
 

HydroRed

Well-Known Member
I too have used TSP. We used it for washing walls in a smokers home. Very slick soapy stuff once added to water & great for cleaning. @Aolelon is correct about it being in food as well. My father used that stuff for everything...except for dinner :bigjoint:
I dont think Id use vinegar on anything metal since the acidity can flash rust things in a matter of hours. Definitely dont mix vinegar and bleach. It gives off a toxic gas.


Why don’t you believe the h2o2 would work? It’s very effective.
X2
 

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
dont mix vinegar and bleach. It gives off a toxic gas.
Chlorine gas. Turns into hydrochloric acid in your lungs and you drown internally. Lots of people die every year taking shortcuts by mixing pool chlorine with the muriatic acid in a small pool shed because they are to lazy to make two trips to the pool and too stupid to be allowed to play with chemicals. :)

Yet the gov't does nothing but bitch about the "chemicals" us growers use on our pot.

:peace:
 

Aolelon

Well-Known Member
It's used in cereals.
TSP is most commonly used to reduce the acidic nature of foods, especially breakfastcereals, as it modifies cereal color and aids in the cereal's flow through the extruder. Other uses are: ... Acts as a leavening agent to “fluff up” foods like cakes, breads and baked goods.
 

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
It's used in cereals.
TSP is most commonly used to reduce the acidic nature of foods, especially breakfastcereals, as it modifies cereal color and aids in the cereal's flow through the extruder. Other uses are: ... Acts as a leavening agent to “fluff up” foods like cakes, breads and baked goods.
Damn! More stuff to put on my shit list. :)

Don't eat processed cereals so OK there. And the wife makes most of the cakes, bread etc with multigrain and whole wheat flours. Grow most of our own veggies every year, Raise chickens. Lots of chickens. Smoke naturally cured tobacco leaf and my own pot.

Haven't had a Big Mac in over 30 years either and used to love them.

Miss junk when you stop eating it but that goes away soon enough. Too many toxins in our world without willingly consuming them in what passes for food these days.

:peace:
 

Aolelon

Well-Known Member
Lol I was kind of dumbfounded honestly when I found TSP was used in food. Because I've used it for so long before that as a cleaning agent and I mean it's a pretty strong cleaner so I was kinda like oh hell no.
 

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
Lol I was kind of dumbfounded honestly when I found TSP was used in food. Because I've used it for so long before that as a cleaning agent and I mean it's a pretty strong cleaner so I was kinda like oh hell no.
There are so many chemicals added to processed foods that aren't on the labels it boggles the mind. People wonder why obesity, diabetes and cancer are so epidemic and it's staring at them off their plates. Soda pop is one of the worst things to drink whether regular or diet. I haven't had any kind of pop in over 6 years and even then it was one a month for decades before.

I'm no purist but feel a lot better after cutting junk food down to a bare minimum.

:peace:
 

fridayfishfry

Well-Known Member
I'm sold on h2o2 for rez solution sanitation before and during growing. For tap water sanitation and for root health (getting minor funks out)
food grade (29%or 35% h2o2) 3-5ml per gallon

I will use TSP and bleach mixture for cleaning grow stone medium and post-grow system scrubbing.
2Tbsp TSP + 1 cup scentless bleach per gallon.

fff
 
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