Best cleaning chemicals for RDWC?

[donkeyjunk]

G'DAY,
I'm running a couple of x24 pot RDWC systems, and I've noticed a bit of slime build up.
throughout the grow I'm running maximum dosage of hypochlorous acid (uc roots),
and at the end off each run I do a 2 day cleaning flush with 4L of hydrogen peroxide and 4L of strong bleach,( then 3 water flushes)
but still end up with a bit of slime in the piping.
im just wondering if I could use something stronger like chlorine or similar?
any advice,?
cheers

 

[TorturedSoul]

at the end off each run I do a 2 day cleaning flush with 4L of hydrogen peroxide and 4L of strong bleach

im just wondering if I could use something stronger like chlorine or similar?

.

 

[PlanetJ]

I always rinse my buckets in chlorine before they get used again, but those are easy to clean out completely.
I suppose if you let it run with just water for another day after chlorinating, the chlorine will find its way out.
Also, not sure what you think bleach is, but its chlorine.

Your slime is likely temperature related and I dont think there is much you can do without a water chiller.

 

[donkeyjunk]

yeah I'm running 2 chillers per system, and the bleach is 100% chlorite, I was thinking along the lines of pool shock

 

[TorturedSoul]

I just had a thought: You aren't using the bleach and the H₂O₂ at the same time , are you? Because a teaspoon or so of the latter (at 3% strength) will pretty much instantly dechlorinate a gallon of my tap water (it has so much chlorine in it that it smells strongly of it). Which causes me to wonder if dumping four liters of the stuff into a like amount of bleach... might be counterproductive. Also, it should never be mixed with anything other than water, anyway.

Speaking of which, by the way, (chlorine) bleach is actually *more* effective when diluted with water. But don't dilute it until you're ready to use it.

There is a thing called accelerated hydrogen peroxide (AHP). AHP kills bacteria, viruses, mycobacteria, pathogenic fungi, and blood-borne pathogens. It's used in products such as Oxivir and Alpha HP, which are a blend of cleaning agents. I should probably mention that industrial strength hospital grade cleaning products aren't the cheapest substances in the universe, lol; I checked the price of Alpha HP a while back, and it was around $75US for a 2½-liter bottle.

And peracetic acid preparations are rapid-acting disinfectants. They are bactericidal, fungicidal, virucidal, mycobactericidal, and sporicidal. However, Peracetic acid can become unstable when diluted. It can corrode some metals such as copper and brass. Hospitals used Peracetic acid in automated machines to sterilize medical instruments (etc.). This type of product is probably also not real cheap, but that's just a guess.

Lastly, there are phenolics. Phenolics have been around for a long time. Sir Joseph Lister used a phenol called carbolic acid as a surgery antiseptic in the 1800’s. The antimicrobial properties of phenol derivatives have improved over time. Phenolics are present in hospitals today. These products are best for disinfection of non-porous surfaces and non-critical devices.

If you're going to use something other than regular Suzie Homemaker (lol) bleach or H₂O₂, be aware that many products will leave a residue behind when they dry.

 

[PlanetJ]

yeah I'm running 2 chillers per system, and the bleach is 100% chlorite, I was thinking along the lines of pool shock

maybe worth to see where you have warm spots in the system and isolate those, if you already have 2 chillers. Cant comment on the pool shock, I thought I was badass with thick bleach

Following along to learn from other peoples replies if you dont mind

edit: word of caution: do not ever mix chemicals unless its either prescribed by someone who trained for it, or on the bottle of the substance you are using. It's pretty easy to kill yourself and your loved ones.

 

[TorturedSoul]

edit: word of caution: do not ever mix chemicals unless its either prescribed by someone who trained for it, or on the bottle of the substance you are using. It's pretty easy to kill yourself and your loved ones.

No doubt, LMAO. When I was a kid, I woke up, ran to the bathroom, and urinated in a commode that Mom had just poured bleach into. Bleach plus ammonia, in a very small room with the window and door shut... falls somewhere between highly unpleasant and deadly, depending on the amount of chlorine gas released and your ability to stop mid-stream and escape. . . .

 

[ColonelBlake]

I've been using chlorine dioxide ( Oxine ) activated with citric acid for a couple years. It's used in commercial settings and excels at removing biofilm.