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 (H2) and Oxygen (O2), 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. 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. Pre treating the water supply with H2O2will 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. 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 color with dead tips or they easily pull away there is at least the beginning of a serious problem. An organic, ‘dirt like’ 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 viscous 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. How Hydrogen Peroxide prevents root rot/over watering. 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. 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 12 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%) H2O2when changing the nutrient. You would then add seventy-five ml's more every day. 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.(there may be shipping restrictions on high strength peroxides). 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. What to do if you already have root rot. In Dirt: Use peroxide water with an anti-fungicide and a high Phosphate fertilizer (9-45-15, 10-52-10, 0-60-0) for root growth. Or any other product with rooting hormone dissolved in it is helpful in regrowing roots and is strongly recommended. 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. Increase aeration of the water, get an air pump 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. Additional info Quote:How much to add US Standard 1.28*G/C= Liquid Oz's per day Metric 10*L/C= Ml per day C= % concentration of H2O2 L= Number of liters in reservoir G= Number of Gallons in reservoir Example: How much 3% H202 should I add to 7 gallons of nutes? 1.28*7/3=2.986 Oz's each day. Quote:Hydrogen Peroxide breaks down to hydrogen and oxygen within 3 days of being added either to a hydroponic solution or a soilmix. There is no residual with it, it becomes oxygen and hydrogen gas. It is not un-natural in the least, it forms the basic building blocks of life, its just a stable liquid form of oxygen. The additional chloroplastic activity as a result of the chlorophyll deeping will give you much thicker stems and larger leaves, with much deeper green. Yes the plants can absorb more light. the solution will also be much cleaner as the organic matter is oxidized to make...oxygen happy growing, john

Day 49 of flower. Thanks for the comment Cannabissapean. Flowers are filling in nicely. The light is giving even growth with the buds under the light being the same size as the ones on the outside. The biggest bud is in the back near the side of the tent not directly under the light. Haven't trimmed any leaves lately just pulling out the dead and about to fall off leaves. Started changing res every other day to keep nutrient levels up without feeding a higher strength. The plant is drinking about half of the 15 liters or more every day. Hard to know the exact amount with the roots displacing water as they grow. Haven't seen the roots in 5 weeks now but no bad signs in the water I drain out during res change.

Day 67 of flower. Harvest day 6 days of pure water flush. All trichs milky with some amber. Roots were massive. I will update after buds are dry.

A quick answer to why we should use EC instead of TDS The debate over EC and TDS has been an ongoing issue for a long time. These two measurements are used to determine the strength of hydroponic solution. Although they are widely used they should only be used as a guideline and you should always follow mixing instructions on the label of you nutrient. EC stands for Electrical Conductivity and is measured in mS/cm or millisiemens per centimeter. TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids and is measured in PPM or parts per million. TDS is acquired by taking the EC value and performing a calculation to determine the TDS value. Because TDS is actually a calculation it is really only a guess at what the nutrient concentration is. On top of that, there are three different conversion factors to determine TDS and different manufacturers use different conversion factors. In other words you could test the same solution with two different meters and get two totally different readings. But the EC is read the same by all meters the only difference is the conversion factor. Some additional information for the geeks like us First of all lets talk about the differences and similarities between EC and TDS. We all know that they are both a measure of the amount of dissolved solids in your nutrient solution. This measurement is used by growers to get an idea of how much nutrient is present in the solution. By maintaining the correct level of nutrients in the solution your plants will achieve maximum results. This all sounds very important but there are some major differences between the different meter manufacturers. Some of you may have noticed that some calibration solutions that are marked to read at a certain TDS may actually read different from meter to meter. This is where the problem begins. Some of you may have not even heard of EC and others may have heard of it but do not even know what it is. Unfortunately many growers in the United States have become very accustomed to using the TDS scale while in most other countries, including Europe, they don't use anything but EC. The fact is that TDS is actually a result of a calculation from EC. The problem is lack of consistency among manufacturers when it comes to conversion factors. This is where it may get a little confusing. Most meter manufacturers in the hydroponics industry use one of two conversions. There is the 442 conversion (40% sodium sulfate, 40% sodium bicarbonate, and 20% sodium chloride) which some say is the closest thing to a hydroponic solution. The 442 conversion is approximately 700 x EC in millisiemens (mS). Then there is the NaCl conversion (sodium chloride) which others say is the closest thing to a hydroponic solution. The NaCl conversion is approximately 500 x EC in millisiemens (mS). You can see where the confusion comes from because the same solution will read 2100 ppm on one meter and it will read 1500 ppm on the other. That is a difference of 600 ppm which as many of you know could be devastating. Both meters are functioning correctly they are just calculating the TDS using a different formula. So, if you do not calibrate your meter using the correct calibration solution your meter could give you a very inaccurate reading. The solution is simple, use EC. With EC, no conversion is required so all meters will read the same regardless of the manufacturer. Here is a chart showing some sample measurements: Electrical Conductivity (EC) Parts Per Million (PPM) millisiemens (mS) microsiemens (µS) NaCl Conversion 442 Conversion 1.0 1000 = 500 ppm 700 ppm 1.5 1500 = 750 ppm 1050 ppm 2.0 2000 = 1000 ppm 1400 ppm 2.5 2500 = 1250 ppm 1750 ppm 3.0 3000 = 1500 ppm 2100 ppm http://www.hydroponics.net/learn/debate_over_ec_and_tds.asp Take care

Hey guys sorry for the delay updating my journal and thanks for the kind words. I bought four new 1 1/2 litre Kilner jars while the Passion #1 was drying then a week after harvest on the 1st of October I trimmed the dry sugar leaves from the bud and put the bud into the Kilner jars. So I ended up with 8oz bud and 3oz of trim, plus a shit load of fan leaves and stalks, I put the fan leaves in a cardboard box as I stripped them off both plants during harvest, and I left them in the shed to dry slowly, and I have used half of them to make some canna butter, which I use it to make a couple of batches of brownies that give a mild vibe, which is nice in the morning. Unfortunately the stalks got moldy so I binned them, otherwise I would have used them to make canna butter too. The bud has a piney odour which is quite strong, it is a nice smoke fast hitting with a good high and strong body hit that is borderline couch lock, just how I like it, I waited until there were heaps of amber trichomes before I harvested them both. Gimmi de ting Doctor order me... Here are some images I took when I trimmed the bud and put it into jars. All the Passion #1 bud trimmed up bud in a heap on a bin liner. All of the Pasion #1 buds and a lighter to give an idea of the size of the buds. All of the Passion #1 buds in Kilner jars. All of the Passion #1 trim in an old ice cream container. All of the Passion #1 trim in a Kilner jar. A nice big bud for a test smoke. This season growing outdoor has definitely been the best so far out of the past 3 outdoor seasons, I just love the Passion #1 strain it performs well in the UK climate, I am really looking forwards to the 2018 season next year, hopefully I can improve on this years grow and get a better yeild. Happy growing guys. Gasmeter

Finished drying a few days ago and Ive already given away 3 oz's. Everyone loved it. The taste is great and the smell is very strong buds were dense. Great high with no feeling of being tired or couch locked. I did find more mold on the biggest buds and lost about 2 oz's :(. The molded areas were small maybe the size of a q tip but I didn't take any chances. Not sure what the total weight was because of the mold but the weight of the good buds that were dense and mature was about 13 oz's not including the moldy buds. As of now I have just under 10ozs left which is the legal limit here. I had a ton of fluffy popcorn buds about 8 oz's I had a friend make bubble with. The picture shows the 10 oz I have left. Thanks to everyone who followed along and commented :). I will post my next grow with more details.

Branches have shot through the canopy, took a fair amount of training and a fair amount of mastery. it is illegal here in South Africa, but in jhb too many people are held down under the long arm of poverty. But I do this to give them a chance allowing them a better life to support their families

What happens to weed that has been cured when you cold water cure them or cure them again using cold water curing method

Time for an update to catch up again. 10 September 2017 End of week 18 and both of the Passion #1 plants are still doing great and the bud is quietly ripening. The weather has been a mixture of sunshine and showers in the morning then clearing up by lunch time. Here are some images I took today. Passion #1 plants outside in the shed. Passion #1 stalky plant top of plant. Passion #1 stalky plant top bud close up. Passion #1 leafy plant top of plant. Passion #1 leafy plant top bud close up. Happy growing guys. Gasmeter Likkle more

Thanks everyone for the positive comments I am really happy with this considering it's my first DWC grow. The plant size turned out perfect for my tent. I didn't use a TDS/EC meter but according to the nutrient calculator on the dutch master website it should have been around 1.6-1.8 EC. I didn't spend much time monitoring PH in the res just checked it 2 or 2 times and went off past experience. I always checked the PH of what I added and adjusted to what I thought the plant had absorbed. At res change I would always make it perfect at 5.8 and then add water with a PH around 5.5 between res changes because the flower formula I used would make the PH high. After a few weeks of flower I was changing the res every 3 days because the bucket only held about 15 liters. I have used dutch master nutrients for a few years and have a good feel of how much PH up or down to use so I can't give any advice on PH besides pick a good nutrient and stick with it till you understand the PH fluctuations you get from it. Everything was hand fed with no outside res because the bucket was not big enough for a float valve to slowly refill as needed. Temps were kept around 21 Celsius with DWC temps are very important because the water temperature has a big effect on dissolved oxygen levels in the res. The lack of airstone had me worried for awhile but the rootspa system (look up rootspa on youtube to see) worked great. I think airstones puts more work on the air pumps making them run hotter which in turn makes the air pushed in warmer and less able to hold dissolved oxygen. I think if I had 3 airstones it would have less dissolved oxygen because of the heat produced by the air pumps. Humidity stayed around 40-50 percent. The timer on my light is the only automated part of the grow. 24/0 veg 12/12 flower no slow progression and no extra 48 hour dark cycle at the end. Im sure it could have gone 2 more weeks but I prefer the mental high above the physical high which for me turns into being tired if I smoke early in the day. Now the bad news..... I found mold. Not much but I did lose about a 1/4 oz of top buds. The mold was on the inside where the bud was growing against the stem. I cut and hang upside down single steams well spaced and with a small fan on low moving the air around which usually makes them dry on the outside in a few days then I put them in a container to allow the moisture inside to come out and then I place them on paper or cardboard on the bottom of the tent till the outside feels dry then back in the container till moist again. I keep doing this till the plant doesn't feel moist after being in a sealed container for 24+ hours. This has always worked perfectly for me in the past making the final bud not to dry or wet and a very clean taste. I think the problem is I usually grow with coco and when I do I harvest when the coco is dry. With the DWC system I didn't drain it and let it dry out because I wanted to keep the roots healthy so I could see what they looked like. Here is a picture of the mold. I will post bud pics when drying is done. I will be doing a new grow after with more detail. PS it stinks so good in my grow room lol.

Day 63 Merry Christmas everyone hope your safe and happy The plant has been given nothing but water for 2 days now with no signs of nutrient deficiency so far. The fallen branch that got pinched is alive and healthy . The injured leaf in the bud picture is from moving the netting.

The fallen...... First troubles Ive had on this grow. Buds on the edge of the plant that aren't tall enough to be in the netting are falling down from there weight. One ended up pinching itself but doesn't show signs of dieing off so far. One picture shows the pinch and the other shows the bud after tieing it off to the netting.

Some photos before flush: Photo A- Cheese Photo B- sativa dominant super silver haze og kush cross

Realized I've only been posting of the one plant meanwhile I have another lady in the room not 100% sativa but the hybrid is taking a lot longer than the cheese I have - how much longer do you guys think?

Another update - nearly ready for harvest - been a long grow but hoping the well veg developed tress will add to the potency of the fruit. 2plant grow over 2meters squared Bless all the growers BW

15ml sea kelp per 100l + powder feed = definitely made a difference in 1week. 5 more weeks left let's nurture and hope for the best. BW