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Hydrogen Peroxide ???

Wildlifer69

Wildlifer69

Member
Anyone add "Peroxide" to thier water to increase Oxygen levels?

I've heard tell of this, but have never tried it(scared I guess)

Does anybody have any good facts about this ?

I would only guess that it would kill off any useful Bacteria/Mycorrhizae,but will it benefit the plant?

Thanks All
 
Wonderon

Wonderon

Member
No facts, never tried it. But have heard about it before, someone once told me to use it on bait fish when you go fishing to keep the bucket water oxygenated. I guess a good way to test is to give it a try on the fish. What would be the purpose of using it on plants though as it would require you to keep adding it when instead you could just use an air pump.
 
chosen

chosen

Active member
Veteran
Lots of people do it in soil and hydro. I use it in my system as well. The better way to help with oxygen levels is to control water temps and keep them below 72.
 
hoosierdaddy

hoosierdaddy

Active member
ICMag Donor
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Neither an air stone or low temps can come close to matching the oxygenating power of H2O2. Not even close, really.
You might be able to increase the oxygen content of your solution by maybe 2 or 3 times by using the former methods, but using H2O2 can safely increase the dissolved oxygen content of the solution by as much as 100x or more.

And I think many folks have also misunderstood what happens to bacteria when in contact with H2O2. The conventional wisdom seems to be that using H2O2 will kill the beneficial bacterium, but that is not the whole truth.
We find two differing types of bacteria in a grow substrate, aerobic and anaerobic.
The latter being the type of bacteria that can harm the grow (it's what makes your water stink and grow bad things). H2O2 will indeed kill off most all anaerobic type bacteria, and by it's very nature it actually feeds and increases the health of aerobic bacteria, which is what we want it to do.

Not only will adding H2O2 to the solution increase the health of the bacterium, it also makes for a great propagation soak as well. It can help with those seeds that are tough to crack and root.

I add about 1 once (30cc) to every gallon of feed water I use. I have used up to 4 ounces per gallon (I am talking 3% hydrogen peroxide from the grocery store...as I NEVER mess with the highly volatile and caustic 35% types that hydro stores carry) and I have never seen anything detrimental come from it.
Although, the hydro store stuff may well turn out to be the better value if diluted properly, it is also easy to screw up with it. Hard to screw up with the 3% stuff.

*H2O2 will continue to decompose, creating oxygen and water for about 4-5 days after adding it to a hydro system. Probably less time if added to a soil type substrate (the drying of the soil can increase the degradation of the solution).
 
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W

Whatever

I agree with Hoosierdaddy for the most part and hard to over do it. Even with a chiller maintaining the res at about 68F and excellent aeration with a nice Alita pump and open lines, I actually checked DO levels, the use of 1 tbs of 3% per gallon every 3-4 days definitely helped. I saw a significant improvement in root health an development in the rockwool slabs I was using.

One interesting thing about H2O2 in water/res or even teas is it regulates the ORP value. I haven't seen anyone mess with ORP except one soil grower and think a DWC grower might see a noticeable improvement by maintaining proper ORP values. Keeping ORP within a specific range ensures optimal nutrient uptake and if using H2O2 it's probably best to check into ORP monitoring as excess H202 may actually hinder nutrient uptake...from my research and what I'm remembering.

I bought a nice ORP meter and calibration solution and was gonna get into it but stopped growing for an extended period. I tried to give it away on another forum to someone who was willing to do research and share but no takers.

I think the 35% is definitely a better value and fine to work with. Diluting is easy and just have to handle with a little care. I've heard beauty shops carry high strength H2O2 that's much cheaper than what the hydro stores sell. I talked to one H202 manufacturer and they said if they found someone selling their H202 at 35% to consumers they would stop supplying them.
 
Goat

Goat

Member
Ive been using 50ml/10L to prevent algae growth in my reservoir with great results. My plants are happy too!
 
hoosierdaddy

hoosierdaddy

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Whatever, the H2O2 used for hair coloring and other bleaching is usually about 6%-11% dilution.

H2O2 is a very benign sort of chemical in high dilutions like 3%, but in higher concentrations it is one of the most volatile substances we can encounter. Used as a rocket propellant.
It takes a federal ID and registration to posses H2O2 in concentrations over 35%.
 
W

Whatever

hoosierdaddy said:
Whatever, the H2O2 used for hair coloring and other bleaching is usually about 6%-11% dilution.

H2O2 is a very benign sort of chemical in high dilutions like 3%, but in higher concentrations it is one of the most volatile substances we can encounter. Used as a rocket propellant.
It takes a federal ID and registration to posses H2O2 in concentrations over 35%.
Click to expand...
I think I've seen it as high as 20% or at least seen other growers mention it is available in that high a concentration? At the least the cost per 'serving' seemed to be less than than the 3% product. I hear ya on that 35% stuff but have worked with it on an off for like 20 years. I first started experimenting with it back in my early health food product days, then in a chemical company then for growing hydro. I'm OK handling it but understand your warning about it. The cost for 35% is very inexpensive compared to the 3% for an equal amount of 'activity'.

I can't remember what that company said but think 20% is the highest concentration they will allow one of their customers to repackage it at and sell in the consumer market?
 
hoosierdaddy

hoosierdaddy

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Well, the customary food grade dilution is about 35%, which is what we will find in hydro stores. Some products may say that they are nothing more than a 35% solution of H2O2, others may try the marketing mumbo jumbo and tout it as a miracle product full of enhancing properties.

Actually, it is not a clear cut savings to use the hydro store stuff.
I pay about $.89 for a pint (16 oz) of 3% at ANY grocery, drugstore, etc...
I've seen pints of miracle solutions (35% H2O2) for $20.
The hydro store stuff is a bit more than 10x more potent, yet cost much more than 10x the price. (10 of the drugstore 3% costs me $8.90)
Things like more bottles, and trips can be considered, but for me it makes better sense to use the safer product.
Some folks like me also do not like to frequent hydro stores at all.

I have no doubt that many folks here are meticulous in all that they do with their grow, and using a product that requires special attention is old hat. But for many of us folks that tend to be a bit clutzy from time to time, caustic solutions have no business in our hands around our precious plants. :)
 
W

Whatever

I'm aware the customary food grade dilution is 35% but thought they sold something in beauty shops that was lower than 35% but still very high. Some peroxide manufacturers put restrictions on the sale of any product over a certain % to retail customers.

As for the hydro store 35% H202 lol...I was paying about $10 per quart of 35% at the local health food store and gallons went for $30. I started with the 3% to see if it would work then switched to the 35% for savings. I was using 3 bottles of 3% every 3-4 days and got to be a pain.

Wildlifer69 - Bottom line through all this mumbo jumbo is H2O2 will help and yes will kill your microbe life. I ran GH salts in rockwool and preferred to keep things sterile anyway.

EDIT - and yes if you get 35% on your skin it will burn.
 
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Wildlifer69

Wildlifer69

Member
Whatever said:
Wildlifer69 - Bottom line through all this mumbo jumbo is H2O2 will help and yes will kill your microbe life. I ran GH salts in rockwool and preferred to keep things sterile anyway.

EDIT - and yes if you get 35% on your skin it will burn.
Click to expand...
So any Mychorrhizae will be depleated with the addition of H2O2?
 
Wedge Antilles

Wedge Antilles

Member
W69....I use hydrogen peroxide(i use the 3% from the grocery store, i wont mess with that 35% either) in my FFOF soil.....I use 1 table spoon for every gallon of water. Seems to help, especially when its hot outside, like right now..lol....How is the mollasses coming? I'm got me a bottle of grandma's, thanks to your positve re-inforcment!!
 
Wildlifer69

Wildlifer69

Member
Wedge Antilles said:
W69....I use hydrogen peroxide(i use the 3% from the grocery store, i wont mess with that 35% either) in my FFOF soil.....I use 1 table spoon for every gallon of water. Seems to help, especially when its hot outside, like right now..lol....How is the mollasses coming? I'm got me a bottle of grandma's, thanks to your positve re-inforcment!!
Click to expand...
Hello Wedge A.,

So far so good with the "Grandmas"
The leaves are shiney & reaching upwards toward the lite~
My Girls seem to be Very Happy & Robust! :dance:

I was thinking of using H2O2 , But fear it may kill off my benefical Bacteria's & Mycorrhizae....Do the advantages out way the possible disadvantages :chin:
 
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W

Whatever

Wildlifer69 said:
So any Mychorrhizae will be depleated with the addition of H2O2?
Click to expand...
I have to refer to Hoosierdaddy for any experience he has and studies he can refer to. From what I understand fungi are less sensitive to H202. As for the bacteria thing I have a friend who's been growing for about 35 years and breeding for much of that time. Over the last few years he's gone 100% organics and does microscopy work to observe the soil microlife and watches how they react to different things. He said bacteria were negatively affected even with a small addition of H202.

Whatever impact H202, when used sparingly, will have on soil microlife it will bounce back pretty quickly. That's one of the reasons, I'm pretty sure, I was told it was important to monitor ORP when using H202 so you don't over do it for one. I think something like calcium peroxide may be better to use in soil for oxygenation than H202 but a grower I chatted with said H202 is probably easier to regulate and would have to agree.

For the most part in hydro aggressive aeration will be just fine to provide adequate O2 levels to the roots. It's more important in something like DWC than Ebb & Flow. Water will settle at about 7 PPM of Dissolved Oxygen after 3 or so days. I set my E & F res to achieve 9 PPM so it would not go stale as I figured most of the root aeration occurred as the nute solution drained after each feeding cycle.
 
Wedge Antilles

Wedge Antilles

Member
Wildlifer69 said:
I was thinking of using H2O2 , But fear it may kill off my benefical Bacteria's & Mycorrhizae....Do the advantages out way the possible disadvantages :chin:
Click to expand...


Good question, im not entirly sure.....I do have too say though that adding the h202 does help out on the heat stress, but im not too sure if it will do a reverse effect for you. I am so excited to add that first drop of granma's....How much do you add per gallon of water
 
Wildlifer69

Wildlifer69

Member
1 Tablespoon Per Gallon ~ But What I'm using isn't BlackStrap,just "Grandmas Unsulphered" can't find the BlackStrap Around Here.
 
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