Bleach for running sterile rez?

.Smoke

Well-Known Member
CDC states approximately .75ml/gal in clear tap water is safe for sterilization for drinking/consumption.
I'm guessing that's an okay ratio to use in a rez for R.O. water? (7.5% sodium hypochlorite)

Can anyone who uses bleach give some suggestions please?

(I know h202 and pool shock are preferred, but I'm just looking to try the bleach atm)
 

Wastei

Well-Known Member
There are some posts by various people here, eg. from @rkymtnman and @Wastei

and here

I actually prefer bleach to Pool Shock. Cleaner and easier to use, at least our local brand. The very small amount of sodium is beneficial if anything. I use 3ppm in DWC and 0.5-1ppm in Aeroponics.

Here's a dilution calculator I've always used:
http://www.foodsafe.ca/dilution-calculator.html
 

ҖҗlegilizeitҗҖ

Well-Known Member
I've seen people that have added it to tomatoes plants and the plant lived lol
I wouldnt want to do it.
The effectiveness to danger to plants might not be worth it.
I use UC roots. A great product, doesn't damage roots at all and my roots are extremely white
 

Wastei

Well-Known Member
I've seen people that have added it to tomatoes plants and the plant lived lol
I wouldnt want to do it.
The effectiveness to danger to plants might not be worth it.
I use UC roots. A great product, doesn't damage roots at all and my roots are extremely white
So you're still using chlorine (hypochlorous acid). UC Roots has terrible shelf life, is very unstable in solution and is ridiculously expensive.

Sodim hypochlorite has longer residual effect and is therefore more effective as a sterilizing agent. Less frequent applications = less work and cost. Thought maybe you would like to set your head straight! Cheers!
 
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Failmore

Well-Known Member
Imo it is easier to use a powder(pool shock) than a liquid bleach. Also would be much cheaper over time. Only issue i have had with the powder is it rusted the clamp on my container and it fell apart when I picked it up.
 

Wastei

Well-Known Member
Imo it is easier to use a powder(pool shock) than a liquid bleach. Also would be much cheaper over time. Only issue i have had with the powder is it rusted the clamp on my container and it fell apart when I picked it up.
Yes it may be, whatever do the work is the best approach. I had some issues with precipitations with Pool shock though running high amount of calcium in the feed. Worked fine with Dyna Gro but got milky precipitations with Jack's, maybe it was a fluke and diluting before adding will most likely mitigate this. But then you loose the easy aspect about just adding powder/granulates.

I also found making own concentrates I always had white precipitations at the bottom with Pool Shock and bleach is normally pristine crystal clear. When I had issues I moved back to old faithful bleach, most people will most likely never experience this problem but I thought I would at least mention it. Cheers!
 

Wastei

Well-Known Member
My only beef with bleach is that the concentration is rarely on the bottle and unscented is hard to find also. In Canada anyways.
That's the thing. You should always consider all things. I know our local bleach is some unusually high grade stuff. The restrictions for it's use and manufacturing is ridiculous where I'm from.

Most bleach I've seen online on videos is not clear like the local one we got. It also have clear concentrations listed and complete table of contents, 5% sodium hypochlorite 100% pure.

With our local Pool Shock (Calcium hypochlorite) listed at 70% purity, the you still have impurities like sodium chloride and calcium carbonate either way left from manufacturing(most people are not aware of this).
 
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kovidkough

Well-Known Member
so do you add bleach to feed and it won't mess with anything like precipitation, can you run calmag? TIA
 

Wastei

Well-Known Member
so do you add bleach to feed and it won't mess with anything like precipitation, can you run calmag? TIA
No nothing. Pool shock is adviced to be diluted in luke warm water also before adding it to pools, reservoirs etc.

Bleach is very diluted at the typical 5% strength. Doesn't really matter when you add it.
 
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