Sodium Hypochlorite Vs. Calcium Hypochlorite

[Sappy.Hour]

Hi friends. I’m about to embark on my first dwc journey. Keeping it small and simple with just 2 individual 5 gallon buckets (not linked together). I have been doing some serious reading and have decided to try a sterile rez using Hypochlorites.

My question is what is the major differences between sodium and calcium Hypochlorite? Is it just one is liquid and the other is powder? I ask because I have several gallons of the sodium hypochlorite for using to shock my swimming pool. Will it still work the same as calcium hypo?

Any insight on this would be of great help.

 

[OldManRiver]

I wouldn't bother. It won't last. Better to use a little hydroguard to establish beneficial bacteria, keep your airstones running strong, and your reservoir will be fine.

 

[Sappy.Hour]

If I could get hydroguard locally or for less than $100cad on line I would. It’s why after some research I feel sterile is my next option. I’ve read up on different sterile options to how with (peroxide, bleach etc) and if the bleach works it would be a total game changer for me. In a good way. Thank you for your reply and hope some more insight comes in soon.

 

[OldManRiver]

Don't know where you get $100 CAD.
https://www.amazon.com/Botanicare-B...ocphy=9033612&hvtargid=pla-351053194315&psc=1

 

[Sappy.Hour]

https://www.amazon.com/Botanicare-B...ocphy=9033612&hvtargid=pla-351053194315&psc=1

Don't know where you get 0 CAD.

 

[Simplicio]

Hi friends. I’m about to embark on my first dwc journey. Keeping it small and simple with just 2 individual 5 gallon buckets (not linked together). I have been doing some serious reading and have decided to try a sterile rez using Hypochlorites.

My question is what is the major differences between sodium and calcium Hypochlorite? Is it just one is liquid and the other is powder? I ask because I have several gallons of the sodium hypochlorite for using to shock my swimming pool. Will it still work the same as calcium hypo?

Any insight on this would be of great help.

The sterilizing ability of both should be about the same.
Which is used depends on whether you want more Calcium or more Sodium in your buckets.
I've been looking into this, and my strategy going forward is to add 2 drops clorox per gallon nute solution. This is incompatible with having beneficial bacteria, which the clorox will kill.

 

[Sappy.Hour]

The sterilizing ability of both should be about the same.
Which is used depends on whether you want more Calcium or more Sodium in your buckets.
I've been looking into this, and my strategy going forward is to add 2 drops clorox per gallon nute solution. This is incompatible with having beneficial bacteria, which the clorox will kill.

Thank you for the reply @Simplicio. I’m assuming that being sodium one would probably want to use a lesser amount but more often. I’m also probably safe to assume that the calcium would be used by the plants as well. Maybe I will do an experiment with one of each and report my findings.

I’d be interested in following your grow as well once you begin. Thanks again for the reply.

 

[Indiva710]

This isnt too specific for your exact question however I do run rdwc sterlie and I use uc roots and h2o2 now I just dont know about using bleach with my plants in the system and even to clean as I have heard it likes to leave residue with plastic..I have heard people using pool shock instead of uc roots etc which there is a forum on here I believe that talks about it ...hope that helps

 

[Sappy.Hour]

This isnt too specific for your exact question however I do run rdwc sterlie and I use uc roots and h2o2 now I just dont know about using bleach with my plants in the system and even to clean as I have heard it likes to leave residue with plastic..I have heard people using pool shock instead of uc roots etc which there is a forum on here I believe that talks about it ...hope that helps

Thanks for the input. I’m actually running with pool shock right now and it’s great. 1 gram of pool shock to a gallon of water then I use 5ml of that solution per gallon of rez. Super white roots and healthy growth above. The pool shock is so diluted that even when putting 10ml per gallon my tds only goes up 2-3 ppms. Not strong but effective.

 

[Simplicio]

Thanks for the input. I’m actually running with pool shock right now and it’s great. 1 gram of pool shock to a gallon of water then I use 5ml of that solution per gallon of rez. Super white roots and healthy growth above. The pool shock is so diluted that even when putting 10ml per gallon my tds only goes up 2-3 ppms. Not strong but effective.

The active ingredient in the original Pool Shock is calcium hypochlorite, and in clorox it's sodium hypochlorite.
It's the hypochlorite that's responsible for the antisceptic properties, and both the sodium and calcium will just dissociate from the hypochlorite, and become nutes.
The sodium in bleach won't form a film on plastic any more than the sodium in nutes does.

Humans might not like to drink bleach, but it contains nutes that plants like.

 

[Indiva710]

Nice ya alot of people like the pool shock over UC roots however you can get uc for $36 a gal or 65 I believe for 2.5gal it's not too bad altho i wouldnt pay the 70-80gal they usually want most places I'm not sure if i can post where it's cheaper online or not on here as some forums they think I'm advertising for that company etc..however when i need to get more uc roots i think i will be getting some pool shock and see how I like it vs uc roots as I use that at 1ml per gal for rez change and 1/2ml per gal 1x a week I do res changes every 2wks and no problems but ya pool shock is cheap and if it works for you and your system is sterlie then keep on using it..I personally think running beneficials in hydro is a complete waste of money and will give you more problems than going sterlie it's not anything organic so y use things that benefits organics like bennies do not for hydro but that's just my opinion

 

[Sappy.Hour]

The active ingredient in the original Pool Shock is calcium hypochlorite, and in clorox it's sodium hypochlorite.
It's the hypochlorite that's responsible for the antisceptic properties, and both the sodium and calcium will just dissociate from the hypochlorite, and become nutes.
The sodium in bleach won't form a film on plastic any more than the sodium in nutes does.

Humans might not like to drink bleach, but it contains nutes that plants like.

I’ve been told by a young, student in biochemistry that plants actually need/use chlorine to some degree for photosynthesis although I’ve never validated his sayings. I’m not scared of it. Anything in moderation. I drain my hot tub twice a year into my lawn and it’s done nothing but give me the lushest green grass on the block lol. And I use waaaay more pool shock in that than my hydro girls.

 

[Kot]

I’ve been told by a young, student in biochemistry that plants actually need/use chlorine to some degree for photosynthesis although I’ve never validated his sayings. I’m not scared of it. Anything in moderation. I drain my hot tub twice a year into my lawn and it’s done nothing but give me the lushest green grass on the block lol. And I use waaaay more pool shock in that than my hydro girls.

Yes, plants actually need a little chlorine.

btw I use only h2o2 in my reservoir

 

[newh]

 

[Indiva710]

Yes I have heard the same they like small amounts however theres a diff between chlorine and chloramine that people do get confused too between the two as the chlorine is much more toxic and poisonous to us and plants....I have used bleach on my old rdwc setup and never found any build up as like I said its what I heard but never seen it from using it myself....I switch off on UC roots and h2o2 kinda just depends wat things Are doing however I got my UC roots gal for free and I bought my h2o2 prior but like them both the uc roots is safer to use but as with anything you add you have to be careful on how much you add also depends on your system rdwc vs soil you know..

 

[Sappy.Hour]

Yes, plants actually need a little chlorine.

btw I use only h2o2 in my reservoir

What % of h202 do you use? How much and how often?

 

[Kot]

What % of h202 do you use? How much and how often?

30%, 1 ml on every 30 liters, once every 5 days.