[blahplunger]

Hi.I have been having a problem with pythium and brown algae lately and I now have it mostly under control.I started using chlorine at 2ppm in my res to keep it under control.I also use sulfuric acid as ph down and noticed that since I started using chlorine,it takes very little ph down to make the ph dip extemely low.Normally I would need one cup but now 1/8 of a cup sends the ph through the floor.It then recovers over a few hours to almost the same ph as before I added the ph down.This happens in multiple reservoir now so I know its not the probe.I also know that sulfuric acid and bleach react to make some nasty gas and some other by products.

I also am having problems with new clones introduced to the system.They are growing extremely slowly still after a week and a half.The roots are as white as can be and healthy but the foilage doesnt look right.There is nothing wrong as the ph and nutes are all correct.I do have larger plants in the same system that are growing super fast and couldnt be more healthy.Im starting to think that the chlorine and acid reaction is creating something I dont want in my res and its effecting the young plants since they are more sensitive than the larger plants.There is nothing else I can correct.Everything is in order.

Does regular ph down react the same with chlorine?I assume it does since its an acid.My next step is to start using h2o2 instead but h2o2 and sulfuric acid create a super potent oxidizer and Im worried it may harm the plants.I know commercial growers use chlorine in their systems without issues.I have to use something because if I dont the pythium comes right back.

[troutman]

If you mix a chlorine product with sulfuric acid you can get hurt or worse.

Sulfuric acid with sodium chloride (table salt) will make hydrochloric acid gas which can be very dangerous.

Hydrochloric acid gas will mess you and every other life form badly. You better not try it.

Here read this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_chloride