How does electrolysis affect salts in solution?

[shane21]

Not sure if this is the best sub category to ask...

I've successfully raised Dissolved Oxygen (DO) in a hydroponic nutrient solution via electrolysis using this device here...

http://www.o2grow.com/

My question is, assuming starting with pure RO or distilled water, that has only had nutrient solution later added to it,
any crud that builds up on the emitter screens over time must be coming from the salts of the nutrient solution, correct?

Question then is, how significantly might I be detrimentally affecting my nutrient solution, subjecting it to electrolysis?

IOW's, how are any of the compounds in the nutrient solution, like N,P,K, etc., possibly being changed, modified, or diluted?

BTW, I'm usually running about 40 gallons of nutrient solution at between 300 and 1,000 PPM liquid fertilizer added and at a
pH of around 5.8. The O2 device is on for maybe 10 minutes every hour, 4 hours day in total, 24/7.

If I'm taking some nutrients out of play, that's not a big deal, I can just run a little higher PPM concentrations, but if I'm
modifying any via the electrolysis that go on to the plant roots to possibly do harm, that's what I'm trying to sort out here.

Could any of these nutrients be getting changed or modified into something unintended via the electrolysis, is the big question.

Thanks for any insights.

- Shane

 

[ashtree]

Shane

You probably should be in water treatment.

A couple of comments.
I would not be certain about how much DO is being added by the O2grow device unless you have a dissolved oxygen meter to measure before and after.
I wouldn't be too worried about the electrolysis effects changing the compounds in solution. Sure you may get some build up on the electrodes which may reduce the concentrations and perhaps balance between certain substances a bit but beyond that it should not be a problem.

Regards
Ashtree
"Any water can be made potable if you filter it through enough money"

 

[shane21]

Ashtree, thanks for the comments and reassurance.

Yes, verifying DO increase with meter here, pretty happy with it, so far.

- Shane

 

[ashtree]

Shane,

Are you using a DO meter or something else?
What levels are you seeing before and after?

Regards
Ashtree
"Any water can be made potable if you filter it through enough money"

 

[jari001]

Theoretically speaking, electrolysis can produce oxidation/reduction of ions at the anode/cathode, respectively. It can also directly damage large organic molecules by oxidizing them.

If your system acts like a person that waters their garden, meaning a one time delivery of water at given time intervals, perhaps you can sidestep any concerns by adding in the nutrient solution after the electrolysis portion of the line? Otherwise, you might just have to keep two eyes on your plants for any signs of poor growth.

 

[shane21]

Ashtree,

With Sper Scientific 850048 I've seen numerous different DO increases at different temperatures,
varies with whether just straight RO water or with nutrient solution (salts) already added, but
typically I get 2-6 additional mg/L in a five gallon test bucket within minutes. As far as % of
saturation, based on temp, I can go from 50% to well over 120%.

- Shane

 

[shane21]

jari001, thanks, yes makes sense.

- Shane