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View Full Version : How should I bleach the AeroFlo?



SunLake
11-01-2009, 12:00 AM
General Hydroponics website says:

"Sponge off all parts with bleach to disinfect. Rinse everything thoroughly to
remove all traces of bleach. To be sure that the system is free of chlorine refill it
with water and run it for a few hours, then drain again before introducing a new
crop."

But I can't reach my whole hand in the grow chambers so I'm wonderin do I:

A. Sponge off everything I can reach and leave it alone.

B. Sponge off everything I can reach and then shake some water around in the grow chambers?

C. Run the system with some bleach, would this hurt the pump/filter or leave chemicals behind the couldn't be flushed by running another time with clean water. Which would require 5.4 gallons of bleach, lol.

So I'm leaning on B, but I'm wondering if anyone has any tips.

LOC NAR on probation
11-01-2009, 12:58 AM
Don't run bleach through it. A cup of bleach in a gallon of water to wash spounge it down. Tap water with chlorine to run in the unit and then empty out. Rinse with good water befrore use.

nexusmick
11-01-2009, 06:27 AM
Have you got any H2O2 or commonly known as hydrogen peroxide ?

Safer than bleach, put it in your tank. Run for 24hrs then drain and refill.
Over the course of 24hrs the H2O2 will break down completely ready for your next crop.

Your local hydro store should sell it ? Instructions on the bottle as to amounts to use. At 35% concentration I think it is about 50ml per 10 litres of water for sterilisation...

You can also use it during your grow so as to introduce more oxygen to the roots. This will be at a lower dilution ratio though.

Hope this will help :)

SunLake
11-02-2009, 01:06 AM
Thanks, I'll have to get that! I've got all the parts drying out right now, I just splashed some very high diluted bleach around, then filled each grow chamber up with water. Going to let them dry and then rinse tomorrow.

Now my problem is figuring out if I should start my lights or nutes yet in the rapid rooter tray, I've got half with leaves and half with problems and still need some germ time, so I'm worried the light or nutes might be too much for the germinating seeds. I'm using LEDs though so heat shouldn't be an issue for them so as long as the nutes won't burn them I need to figure out if I should go 18/6 or 24/0 and should I use just bloom at 200ppm or 1.5ml of each GH 3-part as GH calls for in seedlings.

disrupt86
11-02-2009, 03:38 AM
yup dont use the bleach with your pumps, u can use bleach in your rez but dont run it through the lazer spray line.h202 will work and there are many other products that will do the same,u can buy regular peroxide and calculate how much u need.if u cant get your hands on any hydro specific brands.personally though i would dissasemble the whole system and cap off the ends of the tube and slosh bleach water up and down the tube,as well as the manifold.then run your h202 through the system.good luck friend