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Thread: Using Physan 20 for plants getting algae in S&H

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  1. #1
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    Rebecca Luce
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    Question Using Physan 20 for plants getting algae in S&H

    Hi all!

    I just had a question I thought I would pose - I didn't find an answer by searching through past postings....

    I have lots of 'chids in S&H - phals, oncids, catts, little bit of everything - in S&H, and they're all doing swimmingly, except that when it starts to get warmer and sunnier outside, I'm getting algae growth in the reservoir and its just kinda nasty.

    SO, I bought some Physan 20 since everyone seems to love that stuff - I know to use it in *very* dilute concentrations....can I just pour it through the S&H media? or do I actually have to de-pot the orchids and "sterlize" the media with the Physan? I was hoping I could just pour it through, they are starting to throw new leaves... Will it be harmful if the Physan water sits in the reservoir?

    Let me know what you think :-)

    Thanks for your help!
    ~Becky :-)

  2. #2
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    The algae does look nasty and keep coming back every year, but so far I have not seen them cause any problems (at least I think I do more harm to my plants than the algae).

    I use two methods when dealing with algae growth on my SH pots depending on the situation.

    Option 1: Transfer the plants to another SH pot and sterilize the old pot.
    If the plants are sturdy enough for relocating to another pot:
    1. Get a similar sized SH pot
    2. Remove the plant and rinse the pellets from the old pot.
    3. Transfer the plant and pellets to the new pot.
    4. Let the old pot dry out.
    5. Once the algae dries up on the old pot, just rinse it with a strong water flow and it should easily fall off.
    6. Sterilize and store the cleaned up pot for later use.
    With this method you rotate two SH pots for one plant as often as needed.

    Option 2: Use Physan 20 to kill the algae.
    1. Mix an appropriate solution of Physan 20 and water.
    2. Cover the reservoir holes to prevent the physan from flowing out.
    3. Pour in the solution into the SH pot all the way up to the level of the algae growth.
    4. Let it sit for 10 minutes and then uncover the reservoir holes. The Physan 20 solution will drain all the way down to the reservoir level.
    5. After 2-3 hours, pour generous amounts of water into the SH pot to rinse the reservoir. Physan 20 can kill algae in as little as 20 minutes. You will want to remove as much dead algae from the reservoir as possible. Live algae is relatively harmless to the orchid - dead algae fouls up the water and could cause problems for the orchids.

    This method allows you to keep the plant in the same pot, but it is a little more tedious and some algae strains might need a stronger or longer dose of Physan 20 to kill. I do not know the effects of stronger concentrations of Physan 20 on orchids so be careful there.

    A periodic spraying of Physan 20 into the SH pot goes a long way in preventing serious algae buildup in the first place.

  3. #3
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    Rebecca Luce
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    Thank you so much for the excellent advice! I think tonight I will try the second option - and make sure I rinse everything very well. I really appreciate the help!!

    ~Becky

  4. #4
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    Bruce Brown
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    Quote Originally Posted by wetfeet101b View Post
    The algae does look nasty and keep coming back every year, but so far I have not seen them cause any problems (at least I think I do more harm to my plants than the algae).

    I use two methods when dealing with algae growth on my SH pots depending on the situation.

    Option 1: Transfer the plants to another SH pot and sterilize the old pot.
    If the plants are sturdy enough for relocating to another pot:
    1. Get a similar sized SH pot
    2. Remove the plant and rinse the pellets from the old pot.
    3. Transfer the plant and pellets to the new pot.
    4. Let the old pot dry out.
    5. Once the algae dries up on the old pot, just rinse it with a strong water flow and it should easily fall off.
    6. Sterilize and store the cleaned up pot for later use.
    With this method you rotate two SH pots for one plant as often as needed.

    Option 2: Use Physan 20 to kill the algae.
    1. Mix an appropriate solution of Physan 20 and water.
    2. Cover the reservoir holes to prevent the physan from flowing out.
    3. Pour in the solution into the SH pot all the way up to the level of the algae growth.
    4. Let it sit for 10 minutes and then uncover the reservoir holes. The Physan 20 solution will drain all the way down to the reservoir level.
    5. After 2-3 hours, pour generous amounts of water into the SH pot to rinse the reservoir. Physan 20 can kill algae in as little as 20 minutes. You will want to remove as much dead algae from the reservoir as possible. Live algae is relatively harmless to the orchid - dead algae fouls up the water and could cause problems for the orchids.

    This method allows you to keep the plant in the same pot, but it is a little more tedious and some algae strains might need a stronger or longer dose of Physan 20 to kill. I do not know the effects of stronger concentrations of Physan 20 on orchids so be careful there.

    A periodic spraying of Physan 20 into the SH pot goes a long way in preventing serious algae buildup in the first place.
    Excellent information, John. Thanks!!


    Cheers,
    BD

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