Ultraviolet Sterilizers for H2O

I was thinking if using the UV would allow me to extend the amount of time between H2O changes or even make it unnecessary.

I have also been tempted to try Tarantula a microbial nutrient additive like Voodoo they claim to supply beneficial microbes for your plants to use..

Anyone have any thoughts??

With a device like
Pentair Aquatics Lifegard Ultraviolet Sterilizer It should kill all the microbes good or bad, and then would this be a bad thing?

perhaps just use it at flush time?

Chemical or organic fertilizers/soil media? It would work well with chemical nutrients but it would not be good with organic nutrients/media. Organic nutrients need the enzymes produced by the bacteria in order to be converted to compounds that can be readily uptaken by the plants so a UV light would not be a good idea with a soil media or organic nutrient system.

The main problem with UV light is they are not intense lighting as they are usually just flourescent tubes. This means they have minimal water penetration abilities so the device must be very clean inside so the water is usually run through a fillter before the UV light.

thanks for reply
I am using the flora series(bloom,micro and grow)
I think they have some organics in them not sure and I use a organic phDown (safer grow)

I will just try UV-C during the last 10days of flowering(during flush) and see the results (if any)
the device will sit in my res and has its own pump so it will circulate 24/7
I will set up a small filter for it as well.

I only have two res(15gal) so I dont mind dumping the water every two weeks
as I use it on my other house/yard plants(they are doing great)
My garden has nice results but like everyone
I would like anything to give a extra boost(flavor,potency,quanity)
as well as any aid in making my plants stronger or faster growing.
I was mostly wishing that UV-C would allow me to use my water over a longer period. (less work for me)
I havent tried using peroxide I might try this as well.

The GH Flora series are straight chemical preparations (no organics). With chemical nutrients you are usually better off using chemical pH adjusters and not adding anything organic. When you say organic you are basically saying a soup of nutrients with lots of bacterias and enzymes. While that is needed with organic to turn the organic forms of nitrogen nutrients ammonia into forms that the plants can uptake by first turning the ammonia into nitrites and from there into nitrates. However when you add those bacteria that are always present with organic fertilizers to chemical fertilizers they start turning the already chemically provided nitrates into nitrogen gas (denitrification).

My understanding is that UV light nicks DNA in active bacteria, but draining the reservoir reestablishes the ideal balance of nutrients. The UV light is only going to effect organisms, not enzymes or nutes.
Maybe a better strategy would be to change the res, use the UV to sterilize it, then ad the probiotics with the UV left off until you want to resterilize again?

Peace

When talking enzymes your talking amino acids, when talking amino acids your talking micriobiolical action. While the UV lighting will not stop the plants roots from creating enzymes as a result of the presence of amino acids, with out microbilogical activity there will be not be many amino acids. With chemical nutrients this does not amatter with organic fertilizers and a soil based growing medium if would definitely not be a benefit as with organic nutrients the roots need the amino acids to create the enzymes needed to better utilize the nutrients in the form they are presented.