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I don't have any hydro/aero set ups going now but I thought I'd pass on some great info I used to keep plants happy and healthy. This kills 99% of all pathogens and adds much more O2 to you nutrients. I promise you'll love it. The beginning discuses store bought products then followed by "DIY" methods. If you'd like to make your hydroponics a "Bioponic" hybrid system w/ the same beneficial bacteria found in the best of soils. I can show you instructions for making a "Biofilter" used to create then provide a "home" for the bacteria. It's the same as a trickle filter used in aquariums but adapted to work w/ your reservoir. It's the best of both worlds all in 1;)
JD
Oxy-Plus"® It should be noted that "Oxy-Plus"® is a product name that is easy to confuse with other products. There is also an "Oxy-Plus"® brand name product from "Growth Technology" with 17.5% H2O2 content, not the 35% content as the article below mentions. It's believed the 35% solution has been revised since the below article was written, and is now a 17.5% solution carrying slightly modified instructions. The mixes from both the below article and the revised instructions are compiled at the end of this message.
"Oxygen-Plus" is not the same as "Oxy-Plus"®, in fact both names seem to be commonly used where any oxygen related product is concerned. I've seen an "Oxy-Plus"® product meant to be taken internally by humans, another product to put in with your wash, and there are more. Yet another is a mild plant food but doesn't state the H2O2 content on the label.
Look for good labelling, make sure you know which product you have, or at least know the H2O2 content.
"Oxy-Plus"® contains 35% Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) in a stabilised form. H2O2 is highly oxygenating in action. It is a chemical which is fundamental to life itself, participating in many of the metabolic processes in plants and animals. When added to the nutrient tank it will quickly break down into pure water, releasing the extra Oxygen ion into the solution where it can be taken up by the roots in much the same way as nutrient ions.
In plants the extra Oxygen provided will massively stimulate protein production at the cellular level. This will greatly enhance the photosynthetic process, leading to bushier plants with larger leaves, thicker stems and shorter internodes. Plants will be stronger and leaves will be darker, thus collecting light with greater efficiency and further improving photosynthetic response.
"Oxy-Plus"® has many applications in the greenhouse or growroom. It can be used to improve germination of seeds and to increase strike rates of cuttings. It can be added to the nutrient tank and also used as a Foliar feed. Finally it can be used at the end of the season to disinfect the system and to clear out decaying organic material from growing media.
Test Strips. Used to monitor levels of "Oxy-Plus"® in nutrient solutions. Strips are easy to use and show a wide range from 1 - 100 PPM. H2O2. These readings will allow the easy monitoring and maintenance of effective levels of H2O2 in the nutrient tank. Optimum level for hydroponic systems is 30 - 100 PPM H2O2 .
Growing with H202 35% "Oxy-Plus"® is just one of a number of high performance Growth Enhancers now available to the dedicated grower. These instructions are based on a range of agents, including "Oxy-Plus"® which work best together. In all cases "Oxy-Plus"® can be used on its own for the applications suggested. In all cases it is important to stick to the recommended dosage. "Oxy-Plus"® is a very powerful chemical and higher doses can be harmful to plants.
MORE IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE:
Seed Germination.
To a Litre of lukewarm water add :
15 drops "Oxy-Plus"®
5 mls ( 1 teaspoon) "Nitrozyme"®
Stir thoroughly. Soak seeds in this solution for 24 hrs. before germinating in the usual way. Seeds treated in this way will germinate faster and produce more vigorous seedlings.
Cuttings (Clones).
Stock plant (mother). Stock plant should be sprayed or misted with "Nitrozyme"® about two weeks before cuttings are to be taken. This will produce a flush of vigorous new shoot growth and provide plenty of material for cuttings.
To each Litre of lukewarm water add:
5 mls ( 1 teaspoon) "Nitrozyme"®#
1 - 2 mls "Agral"
15 drops "Oxy-Plus"®
Mist stock plant thoroughly with this mixture. Apply when light levels are low, early morning is best time.
Treating Rockwool.
Take an appropriate amount of lukewarm water.
Adjust pH to 5.5.
For each Litre add :
15 drops "Oxy-Plus"®
5 mls "Nitrozyme"®
Allow Rockwool cubes to soak in this solution until thoroughly saturated. Set aside to drain.
Take cuttings in the usual way. Most species are propagated best from softwood tips. Selected material should show signs of healthy vigorous growth. Stems should be thick and firm and foliage should be dark green. We highly recommend "Clonex"® Hormone Rooting Gel as the best product for root initiation. Once all cuttings are in place, mist them thoroughly.
For misting solution, to each Litre of lukewarm water add:
5 mls ( 1 teaspoon) "Nitrozyme"®
1 - 2 mls "Agral"
15 drops "Oxy-Plus"®
To encourage speedy root initiation on your cuttings, it is necessary to pay attention to the environment in which this is taking place...Cuttings need to be kept in a very humid environment and will benefit from frequent misting. Best way to ensure ideal rooting environment is to use a propagator with a heated base and a high clear plastic cover. Keep cover on for at least three days then begin to open vents. Mist regularly with "Nitrozyme"® Foliar as above.
Hydroponic Systems To each 10 Litres of Tank Volume add :
5 mls ( 1 teaspoon) "Nitrozyme"®
2.5 mls."Oxy-Plus"®
5 mls "Earth Food"
Sir thoroughly before circulating to plants. "Oxy-Plus"® should be added to tank two or three times a week to maintain optimum levels of free Oxygen in the solution. Test strips are available to assist the grower in this (see your Hydroponic retailer).
If it's convenient to add "Oxy-Plus"® on a daily basis, then it should be added at the rate of 5ml per 20 Litres of tank volume.
Foliar Feeding :
Rocket Fuel .
Foliar feeding is the most efficient way to maximise benefits from these extraordinary natural growth enhancers. University studies have shown that correctly applied Foliar nutrition can be up to TEN times as useful to the plants as dry fertilisers. The following recipe is widely used in California where it is considered the ultimate growth booster and is affectionately known as Rocket Fuel.
To each Litre of water pH 6, slightly warmed, add the following ingredients, stirring or shaking thoroughly between each new addition :
1. 15 drops "Oxy-Plus" ® This will remove any Chlorine and increase level of Oxygen availability, improving nutrient uptake and usage in plants.
2. 36 drops "Agral".
3. 5 mls "Nitrozyme" ®
4. 30 mls "Earth Food"
Shake mixture thoroughly and mist the entire plant. Plants should be treated in this manner every two to three weeks and definitely no more than once a week. Foliar feeding should ALWAYS be carried out in low light, early morning or late evening. The above solution can also be used to water the root zone of plants. First dilute the mixture with four volumes of water. (One Litre of the above mixture will therefore make up to five Litres of watering solution).
Cleanup. "Oxy-Plus"® can be used to clean and sterilise your hydroponic system and growing medium. It is a powerful and very aggressive liquid and it will effectively kill all pathogens and harmful bacteria. After application it will rapidly break down to harmless substances and there is no risk of damage to future crops. For this reason "Oxy-Plus" ® is a much better material for sterilisation than "Hypochlorite". If you are using a medium such as Perlite or expanded clay you will need to remove as many of the old roots as possible. You can then soak the medium in a concentrated solution of "Oxy-Plus"®. This will oxidise organic matter in the medium and assist in its rapid decomposition. Remember to flush medium with fresh water before re-use. You can also make up "Oxy-Plus" in the tank and circulate it around the system to sterilise all the pipework, drippers etc. Once again remember to flush the system thoroughly with fresh water before installing new plants. For cleanup solution To each 10 Litres of Tank Volume add : 25 mls "Oxy-Plus" ®
Attention "Oxy-Plus"® is highly concentrated. The active ingredient is a volatile and aggressive chemical. Treat "Oxy-Plus"® with great caution and handle with due care. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN
BELOW ARE pH's CALCULATIONS BASED ON THE ABOVE ARTICLE.
These are based on the 35% H2O2 solution. For sterilising, these figures should provide an adequate concentration to do the job. If anything it should be much greater than that needed if the instructions were meant for the 17.5% product. At worse you'll pay a few pennies more for H2O2, but you'll rest assured the equipment will be sterilised.
If you don't have instructions that came with your product, beware of using too high a concentration of H2O2 with living plants.
25ml Oxy Plus @ 35% H2O2 to 10 litres water for sterilisation. Or 2.5ml per 1 litre
3.785 litres = 1 gallon
3.785 x 2.5ml = 9.46ml/gal or 10ml/gal Oxy Plus for sterilising.
Drug store H2O2 is 3% solution, Oxy plus is 35%. Will need 11.7 times more drug store H2O2 to do the same as Oxy Plus 35%. 11.7 x 10ml = 117ml/gallon drug store H2O2 to sterilise, OR 1/2 cup per gallon.
Below are the recommended concentrations for various mixes from each set of instructions included with the 17.5% and 35% products. The parts per million of H2O2 for each is also noted for comparison.
Will assume that 20 drops = one ml for the below.
H2O2 content 17.5% = 175ppm at 1ml per litre. 35% = 350ppm at 1ml per litre.
Increase oxygen content in hydro systems, for use 2-3 times a week = 17.5%, 5 ml per 10L 88ppm 35%, 2.5 ml per 10L 88ppm
Increase oxygen content in hydro systems, for use on a daily basis = 17.5%, 5 ml per 20L 44ppm 35%, 2.5ml per 10L 44ppm
Optimum H2O2 Levels for hydroponic systems. 30-50ppm for the 17.5% solution 30-100ppm for the 35% solution
Note: 30-50ppm seems to be safe for hydro systems/tanks, and up to 100ppm may be OK for a short period of time. Use your best judgement.
Seed germination. 17.5% : 20 drops per Litre, 175ppm 35% : 15 drops per Litre, 262ppm
Misting solution. 17.5% : 15 drops per Litre, 131ppm 35% : 15 drops per Litre, 262ppm
Treating Rockwool. 17.5% : 30 drops per Litre 262ppm 35% : 15 drops per Litre 262ppm
Sanitising. 17.5% : 50 ml per 10 Litre, 880ppm 35% : 25 ml per10 Litre, 880ppm
The above concentrations translated into US Gallons : 2.5ml per 10 Litre or 0.25ml per Litre or 0.95ml per Gal 5.0ml per 10 Litre or 0.50ml per Litre or 1.90ml per Gal 25ml per 10 Litre or 2.50ml per Litre or 9.50ml per Gal 50ml per 10 Litre or 5.00ml per Litre or 19.00ml per Gal 5.0ml per 20 Litre or 0.25ml per Litre or 0.95ml per Gal 15drops per Litre or 0.75ml per Litre or 2.84ml per Gal 20drops per Litre or 1.00ml per Litre or 3.79ml per Gal 30drops per Litre or 1.50ml per Litre or 5.68ml per Gal
The needed amount of a 3% H2O2 solution to produce the above PPM values : 5.5ml per Gal 3% H2O2 for 44 PPM 11.0ml per Gal 3% H2O2 for 88 PPM 16.5ml per Gal 3% H2O2 for 131 PPM 21.8ml per Gal 3% H2O2 for 175 PPM 33.2ml per Gal 3% H2O2 for 262 PPM 111.2ml per Gal 3% H2O2 for 880 PPM
Appx 19 drops = 1 ml 1 ml = 1 gram H2O 1 litre = 1 kilogram H2O
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