Hydrogen Peroxide: How much? and why? look here...

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Hydrogen Peroxide and Horticulture
By Bryce Fredrickson

Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) is a clear sharp smelling substance very similar in appearance to water (H2O). Like water it is made up of Hydrogen and Oxygen, however H2O2 has an extra Oxygen atom in an unstable arrangement. It is this extra atom that gives H2O2 its useful properties. H2O2 has been used for many purposes including cleaning, bleaching, sterilizing, rocket fuel, animal feed treatment and in addition many miraculous claims about its health benefits have been made. This article isn't about any of these; instead it will concentrate on horticultural applications. H2O2 is of great use for both hydroponics and dirt/soilless gardening.

1. What Does Hydrogen Peroxide do?
H2O2 is an unstable molecule, when it breaks down a single oxygen atom and a molecule of water is released. This oxygen atom is extremely reactive and will attach itself to either another O- atom forming a stable Oxygen molecule or attack a nearby organic molecule. Both the stable and O- forms will increase the level of dissolved oxygen. This is the method by which H2O2 is beneficial. Pretreating the water supply with H2O2 will drive out the Chlorine many cities use to sterilize it. This will also degrade any pesticides or herbicides that might be present as well as any other organic matter. Well water can be high in methane and organic sulfates, both of which H2O2 will remove. Many disease causing organisms and spores are killed by Oxygen, the free Oxygen H2O2 releases is extremely effective at this. H2O2 will help eliminate existing infections and will help prevent future ones. It is also useful for suppressing algae growth. The free Oxygen atom will destroy dead organic material (i.e, leaves roots) in the system preventing them from rotting and spreading diseases.

2.Over Watering
Roots require Oxygen to breathe and low levels are the main cause of almost all root diseases. Both soil and hydroponic plants often fall prey to the same syndrome although it is rarely recognized as what it really is. Hydroponic crops often fail due to "root rot" and soil crops succumb to "over watering." The real cause of both these problems is a shortage of Oxygen at the root zone. In a soil system the soil consists of particles, a film of water on the particles and air spaces between the particles. When too much water is put into the soil the air spaces fill with liquid. The roots will quickly use up what Oxygen is dissolved in the water, if they haven't drunk enough of the liquid to allow air back in to the soil spaces they will stop working. In this situation roots will start dying within twenty-four hours. As the roots die the plants ability to drink water and nutrients will decrease, this will cause symptoms of nutrient deficiencies (mostly pale, slow, weak growth), and strangely they will start to wilt like they don't have enough water. It is easy to make a fatal mistake at this point and add more water.

In a Hydroponic system the cause is a more direct simple lack of oxygen in the solution, this may be from inadequate circulation and/or aeration. High reservoir temperatures also interfere with Oxygen's ability to dissolve in the water. Temperatures above 70F (20C) will eventually cause problems, 62F-65F (16C-18C) is recommended. The same symptoms will appear as with soil plants but you can also check the roots. Healthy roots should be mostly white with maybe a slight yellowish tan tinge. If they are a brownish colour with dead tips or they easily pull away there is at least the beginnings of a serious problem. An organic dirtlike rotting smell means there is already a very good chance it is too late. As roots die and rot they eat Oxygen out of the water, as Oxygen levels are even further depleted more roots die, a viscius circle may be well under way. Reduced Oxygen levels and high temperatures both encourage anaerobic bacteria and fungi. The plants may still be saved but you will have to work fast.

3. How Hydrogen Peroxide prevents root rot/overwatering.
When plants are watered with H2O2 it will break down and release Oxygen into the area around the roots. This helps stop the Oxygen from being depleted in the water filled air spaces until air can get back into them. High Oxygen levels at the roots will encourage rapid healthy root growth. In a Hydroponic system H2O2 will disperse through out the system and raise Oxygen levels as it breaks down. Strong white healthy roots with lots of fuzzy new growth will be visible. This fuzzy growth has massive surface area allowing for rapid absorption of the huge amounts of water and nutrients needed for rapid top growth. A healthy plant starts with a healthy root system.

4. How to use it.
H2O2 comes in several different strengths 3%, 5%, 8% and 35%, also sold as food grade Hydrogen Peroxide. The most economical is 35% which we recommend be diluted to three percent before using, as at this high concentration it can cause damage to skin and clothing. When working with food grade H2O2 it is very important that you clean up any spills or splashes immediately, it will damage almost anything very quickly. This is extra important with skin and clothing. Skin will be temporarily bleached pure white if not washed cleaned. Gloves are strongly recommended when working with any strong chemical.

Food grade H2O2 can be diluted to three percent by mixing it one part to eleven parts water (preferably distilled). The storage container should be opaque to prevent light from getting in and it must be able to hold some pressure. If three-liter pop bottles are available in your area they are ideal for mixing and storing H2O2. There are twelve quarter liters (250ml) in three liters, if you put in one quarter liter H2O2 and eleven quarter liters (250ml) water in the bottle it will full of three percent H2O2 and the bottle can hold the pressure that the H2O2 will generate. Three percent Hydrogen Peroxide may be added at up to three ml's per liter (2 1\2 tsp. Per gallon), but it is recommended that you start at a lower concentration and increase to full strength over a few weeks. Use every watering even on fresh cuttings. For hydroponics use every reservoir change and replace twenty-five percent (one quarter) every day. Example: In a 100L reservoir you would add three hundred ml's (3%) H2O2 when changing the nutrient. You would then add seventy-five ml's more every day.

5. Where to get it.
35% food grade: called food grade because it has no toxic impurities
Of course your local hydroponics retailer, whom you can locate over the web at www.hydromall.com. Direct order off the web (there may be shipping restrictions on high strength peroxides). H2O2 is used to bleach hair so the local hairdresser may have a source. The local feed supplier may have it in small towns. Prices range from fifteen dollars per quarter liter to eighty dollars a gallon. One gallon will treat up to fifty thousand liters of water.

3%5%, 8%
Can be found at most drugstores or pharmacies, prices start at a less than a dollar for a one hundred-ml bottle that will treat one hundred liters.

6. What to do if you already have root rot.

In Dirt:
Use peroxided water with anti-fungicide (benomyl) and a high Phosphate fertilizer (9-45-15, 10-52-10, 0-60-0) for root growth. Root booster (5-15-5) or any other product with rooting hormone dissolved in it is helpful in regrowing roots and is strongly recommended. If a plant is wilty adding Nutri-Boost may save it. Water heavily until liquid pours out the bottom of the pot. This sound like bad idea, but it flushes out stagnant dead water and replaces it with fresh highly oxygenated water. Don't let plants sit in trays full of water, the soil will absorb this water and stay too wet. Don't water again until the pot feels light and the top inch or two of the soil are dry.

In Hydro:
Change your nutrients. Add H2O2 to the system. This will add oxygen and chemically eat dead roots. If roots are badly rotted and can be pulled away by hand you should pull them off. They are already dead and will only rot, causing further problems. Add a fungicide to kill any fungus that is probably present in the rotted tissue to prevent it from spreading. Root booster will speed recovery. If plants are wilty Nutri-Boost may help save them. Increase aeration of the water, get an airpump and air stones, or more of them, for the reservoir. An air stone under every plant is usually very effective, but will require a larger air pump. Models that will do from forty to four hundred stones are available. Decrease the reservoir temperature, oxygen dissolves better in cold water and disease causing organisms reproduce slower as well. A good temperate range is 62F to 65F; anything above 70F will eventually cause a problem. It is also a good idea to remove any wilty plants from the system and put them on a separate reservoir so they don't infect plants that are still healthy.

Summary
The key to big productive plants is a big healthy root system and Hydrogen Peroxide is a great way to keep your roots healthy. It is a must to ensure the biggest best crops possible and to increase the chances of your plants thriving to harvest. Peroxide users will rarely lose plants or crops to root disease and will harvest larger and more consistent crops.


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NEVER GIVE UP!

I thought it may be informative..

 

they don't list any drawbacks. wonder if there are any?

 

That sounds bogus, plants breathe CO2 not oxygen.


And I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to drink peroxide and I wouldn't feed it to my plants either!


My plants get MG rose food (closest NPK levels I could find), Superthrive and a little bit of Epsom salt for the magnesium that plant foods don't provide. It might be a good idea to test a disposable clone in water mixed with H2O2 before giving it to a plant.


You usually can't go wrong with common sense.


Also, I think this is in the wrong thread

 

the peroxide isnt being sprayed on the leaves its going to the roots where you need an oxygen inriched invironment. The peroxide has extra o2 molicule's thus making the root system healthier. To top it off it will also kill any pests around the root system and prevent any from forming. I would think this would work best in soil grow as there isnt much o2 for the plants in the soil thats why soil grows take longer than hydro to grow.

 

you can kill your plants with it ...that's why it is used @3% mixed to a gallon of water...and yes it help root growth and health.It is also shown to help the plant be more vigorous, and deter root rot and pests..this was put up for anyone that needed it...it may be in the faq's already , but if not here it is.


its not bogus in any way.. too much of anything is a bad thing including h2o2

 

Ct man i can't believe your statement, if you would have read the thing a little better you would have noticed it talks about how roots need oxygen to breathe to keep from rotting and getting disease, which rot and most root diseases are casued by bacteria and they thrive in anaerobic (oxygen poor) enviroments and the presence of oxygen is harmful for them, its toxic to them as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are to us. not busting your balls just giving ya some info, so know ya know and knowing is half the battle, ha you gotta love GI joe!

 

My bad!

 

I use it all the time and my plants are healthy as all hell. I use a whole bottle of peroxide in a 7.5 gallon res. It will not hurt your plants , my roots are white and healthy, i know because the walls of my res. is clear and the roots that are explosed to light are white and healthy. I use the cheap hydrogen peroxide at the dollar store, 50 cents a bottle, works great.

 

i have used hydrogen peroxide in most of my hydro grows and is good stuff. it oxygenates the water as well as clenses it! well worth it in my books...

 

i love this website


i love lamp!

 

Bump!


Was looking for mixing ratios and found this thread. Thought its worth digging up. Its a great read and shows how "multi functional" hydrogen peroxide is.

 

Nice bump. I saw wakenbake as the author and I was immediately curious. I too can attest to the awesomeness of using it to clean a hydro setup. It will curb some nute uptake in high doses. I use regular 3% in a 30 gallon setup for the first couple weeks I run about 30ml the day after adding my nutes during veg. It keeps the roots nice and white. I think of it as a safety net after transplant to make sure that any nasty that has built up or was hiding in the equipment is cleaned out. Good Growing! Steel

 

I add 1 tsp for every gallon per res change, I have high water temps (70F-72F), and my roots are extremely white and healthly looking. I have even cured two plants that had severe root rot with just plan 3% H202. The current Cheese I have going had it bad in the begining, but after fixing the roots up, and staying with the regimn, everything cleared up, and now all my roots are bright white.

 

I have to say I agree with ya on that point. You can hurt plants if you don't know what your doing. If you start off with clean equipment you won't need the sterilization benefit and a air stone keeps the water oxygenated and keeps the nutrients stirred. Plus if you grow with biologicals in your water or soil they wont be able to help out!


Oh and if you want to sterilize a clone look up a product called greenshield - specifically made for cuttings and cloning equipment.

 

I'm using 1.5 cc of 35% per gallon. It comes out to a calculated 140 ppm of peroxide. Don't really know how much it helps, as I've been using it since the start, in everything. Sure doesn't seem to hurt.


I found some test strips that will measure H2O2 from 0 to 90 ppm. Apparently they are intended for pool and spa use. I dipped one of the strips into some ph'd water (with the usual dose of H2O2) that was a week old and found that it actually measured 70 ppm.


OS


Edited due to bad math....

 

I use it, all the time. I dump about 1 ml of 29% h202 per gallon into my top off res, and that's it. That's 45 ml each flush (when I drain the systems and they re-fill.)


I have over-used it, and it fucks the plants up if you dose them too hard. Also, the straight 29% will burn your skin badly! I've accidentally splashed it on my bare fingers and arms and then 10 mins later I'm scratching and burning. Turns your skin BONE white.


It is a perfect alternative to using bleach or chlorine to get rid of bacteria, because it doesn't kill the plants! Just the opposite, in low doses it's very good for the plants.