the power of orp
“Keeping
the killing power constant, at a
reading determined to be fit
for your application, is critical
to keeping pathogens and
diseases non-existent in a
hydroponic system.”
So, let’s say you decide to use ORP
as a means of maintaining a sterile and
disease-free environment and you have
access to an ORP meter. How do you use the
readings to make decisions about your system?
If you are facing a potential plant disease, research
suggests water with an ORP of 680 mV or higher can kill
pathogens such as pythium and root rot in less than three
seconds. Water with an ORP this high can kill the E. coli
bacteria in under three seconds as well. Under normal
conditions, and when a pathogen is not suspected to be
present, maintaining an ORP reading of approximately
420 mV is considered safe and effective. Keeping the killing
power constant, at a reading determined to be fit for your
application, is critical to keeping pathogens and diseases
non-existent in a hydroponic system.
Although the study of ORP contains a lot of twists
and terms that seem to be misleading, it is a relatively
straightforward factor to control. Whether you are growing
organically or otherwise, keeping an eye on ORP has its
benefits. If you implement reducers, such as beneficial
micro-organisms, as a part of your organic system,
eliminating oxidizers will keep the ORP and killing power
low, making sure you aren’t canceling out the benefits
of one resou