Dwc And Oxygen (an Essential Nutrient), Not Air, Aeration Or Hydrogen Peroxide (h2o2)

[J Henry]

Lately, I’ve been reading about the positive effects of dissolving oxygen continuously to insure minimal safe DWC dissolved oxygen saturations and even DO supersaturation.

Water that is low in DO is evidently a problem for some farmers, root zone hypoxia, fungi proliferation, root damage, all kinds of problems related to low oxygen issues.

Any of you have any thoughts, opinions, hands on experience, scientific research about continuous administration of supplemental oxygenation to insure and maintain DO saturation and/or DO supersaturation through the growing cycle?

Been thinking out of the box on these cold winter days.

Cheers

J

 

[indicabush]

Are you referring to air injection technology?

 

[J Henry]

Are you referring to air injection technology?

Thanks for joining in indicabush -
With all respects:

No, air and air injection technology is actually a very inefficient way to insure even minimal safe continuous DO saturation continuously in DWC nutrient solutions. A sure way to understand and demonstrate how poorly (air) mechanical aeration technology really oxygenates is to simply test the aerated water with a DO meter at different water temperatures and solute concentrations. The DO test results are often shockingly low, then it becomes clear why fungi growth exacerbates because of hypoxic root zones.

Contrary to popular belief and advertisement, air is not oxygen although there is a little bit of oxygen in air gas mixtures. The little bit of oxygen in air that dissolves in water is very limited by Henry’s Gas Law, barometric pressure, water temperature, solute density, biological oxygen demand in the DWC nutrient water. Air is a mixture of gases, very low in oxygen 20% and very high in Nitrogen 80%.

Air or aeration is a very inefficient method of oxygenation if insuring minimal safe oxygenation is important is adverse DWC conditions (changing water temperatures, changing solute concentrations and increasing biodiversity in the water and at the root zone are real issues when insuring, guaranteeing safe DO saturation is the point.

Cheers

J

 

[indicabush]

@J Henry ...My medium is soil looking to expand in to DWC. I can read all I want, but it's information like the above that I'm lacking. Your explanation is really appreciated.

 

[J Henry]

@J Henry ...My medium is soil looking to expand in to DWC. I can read all I want, but it's information like the above that I'm lacking. Your explanation is really appreciated.

indicabush – Clearly you’ve been posting on THC Farmer a while. Should this type post be posted on another forum? Which DWC forums/websites discuses new cutting edge things like DWC oxygen supplementation with pure oxygen?

Have you ever had fungi proliferation problems caused by root zone hypoxia (insufficient oxygenation)) in your soil cultures over the years that you know of? I know that low, insufficient oxygenation problems in DWC is a non-issue (out of sight - out of mind) for some growers and major concerns sometimes for other growers.

I find the application of supplemental oxygen administration to counter act low oxygen dissolved oxygen saturations very interesting in DWC hydroponics… like crop insurance. Of course the oxygen application must be cost effective (equipment, daily operation cost and the oxygen gas) compared to the cost of crop failure from fungal infestations and/or frank plant root hypoxia and suffocation. The personal cost of a sickly crop in time and energy is very disappointing. This kind of crop insurance would require continuous oxygen administration maintaining no less than 100% DO saturation at any and all water temperatures (68 F 0 79F and greater) and solute concentrations. Aerobic microorganisms in nutrient solution and the wet and dry root zone (even in soil cultures) consume a tremendous volume of available oxygen that must be calculated in the total oxygen demand equation and replenished continuously just like people need a continuous second to second, minute to minute supply of oxygen. It is a fact that Fungi and disease thrive in low oxygen deficient conditions.

More thoughts out-of-the-box today.

Cheers

J