Ozone as a sanitizer
Using ozone is a great way to help you keep a clean and sanitary grow room.
Good “housekeeping” like sweeping and picking up spills can go along way, but some times we need to do a littler extra to keep the growing area bacteria and disease free.
Let’s face it, a dirty grow room can harbor molds, viruses and disease which can be hazardous to the health of your plants. Which is why keeping a sanitary room is so important.
Ozone helps to destroy bacteria by altering it’s molecular structure, which makes it a great alternative to chemicals.
Where does ozone come from?
It is produced when a molecule of Oxygen, O2, is released from plants and sea plankton during photosynthesis. The sun’s ultraviolet radiation creates ozone by binding a third oxygen atom. It then becomes ozone, or O3.
This is the cause of the distinct smell in the air we tend to notice after heavy rainfall.
However, there are ways that we can artificially create ozone to use indoors.
How do we use ozone in the grow room?
There are basically 2 ways indoor growers can create ozone.
1) Corona Discharge – When a wire mesh type of medium (made from stainless steel) is charged with electricity and exposed to air (oxygen) produces ozone. The more electricity one subjects to the medium, the greater the ozone output.
2) UV – Ozone is manufactured by compressing outside air and pushing is across an ultraviolet bulb mounted in 2in PVC tubing. Check valves are used between compressor and bulb and after the bulb. The bulb used is a cold cathode type.
Be careful not to over use ozone.
At low levels ozone is safe to humans but at very high concentrations it can cause lung irritation, and in severe cases it can cause wheezing, asthma and permanent reduction in lung efficiency.
Even for plants, too much ozone can be toxic. Another downside is that it will also destroy the beneficial microbial life in your grow room. So it’s probably not a good idea to use it in the room with your plants.
So my suggestion would be to use ozone in your grow room in between harvests. This can help you to “get a handle” on getting your growing area sanitary before you start your next crop.
You could also attach it to an exhaust fan and use it to destroy the odor coming out of your grow room caused by those smelly plants some of you like to grow so much.
However you decide to use ozone, this natural disinfectant can be an invaluable tool in the fight against disease and bacteria.
Happy Growing!