-Luis Guerra-
Keeping your grow room clean is extremely important in order to maintain a disease- and bug-free environment. Not any old cleaner lingering underneath your kitchen sink will do the job properly, however. Some cleaners are ineffective, while others can leave a residue which can later leak into your grow. In this blog, I’ll go over some of my favorite ‘go to’ products and how to use them safely and effectively to keep your grow area pristine.
The stuff you buy at the store won’t cut it in your grow area, which requires a higher strength product. Our hydrogen peroxide is at a concentration of 29-30%, 100 times stronger than the pharmacy kind. H2O2 is an amazing sanitizer, and you can apply it (in solution) directly to your roots for a quick root drench. This will eliminate any pathogens that might be starting, or algae hanging around sucking up your nutes. At a rate of 3ml per gallon, your plants will be 100% safe. H2O2 can also be used to sanitize your reusable media (such as rocks or clay pebbles) in between grows to insure you start each grow with a clean, sanitized slate. Always use it to clean your trays, buckets, lines, air stones, and water pumps, just in case pathogens are lingering on any of this equipment. You can also dilute it and use it in a spray bottle to fight mildew and molds. DO NOT attempt to use this product without diluting it, as it is way too strong to be used alone. Also make sure to wear skin and eye protection whenever possible.
Clearex works by removing salts from your plant’s roots and/or any part of your hydro system. It is a scientifically-formulated isotonic drench solution, which effectively binds with the excess nutrient salt and safely leaches it away. Most of this residue is caused by magnesium and/or calcium salts. I use Clearex regularly to clean my cloner’s neoprene, buckets, net cups, drip lines, emitters, and media. Running a diluted solution through your lines, and deep-soaking for hours or overnight works great for stubborn deposits. You will benefit from using Clearex especially at certain times (eg. nutrient change, end of a grow, or periodically throughout your grow).
Bacillus subtilis is a spore-creating gram-positive bacterium. It produces natural antibiotics that are effective against a range of pathogenic bacteria including: Bacterial Leaf Spot, Rust, Downy Mildew, Powdery Mildew, Gray Mold, Bacterial Blight, Black Root Rot, Pythium and Early Blight.
Once you have finished desalination and sterilization of your area, inoculating with Substilis is a wise choice. Make a diluted solution in a spray bottle with unchlorinated water and cover all surfaces: grow trays, tent walls, tools etc.
By using these products you will have a far greater chance of avoiding harmful pathogens and pests during your grow, resulting in more production from your plants. I hope this information helps give you a better understanding on what cleanliness truly looks like in a grow space, and how to use some of these great sanitizing products for best results.
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