The Importance of Dissolved Oxygen in Cannabis Cultivation
If you are growing cannabis, dissolved oxygen is an essential element. It helps fuel plant growth and also helps plants fight off disease. But what exactly is dissolved oxygen? What does it do for your plants? And how can you make sure that enough of it is available in your water? Keep reading as we break down the importance of dissolved oxygen in cannabis cultivation and how you can make sure your grow room has the best possible setup for healthy growth.
Dissolved Oxygen and It’s Importance
Dissolved oxygen is important for growing healthier, bigger, and more productive plants. It is defined as the amount of oxygen that exists in water or soil, not bound to any other substance. Dissolved oxygen levels are measured in ppm (parts per million). Dissolved oxygen levels can be measured by a basic chemical analysis method, an electrochemical analysis method, or a photochemical analysis method.
The optimal level of dissolved oxygen needed by cannabis plants depends on several factors, including the strain you’re growing; its life cycle stage; whether youre growing outdoors or indoors; and what kind of medium you’re using to grow your plants on. For many growers. the ideal dissolved oxygen concentration for cannabis plants usually lands between 6 and 8 ppm.
Dissolved Oxygen: The Fuel to the Cannabis Growth Cycle
Cannabis plants use dissolved oxygen to fuel their growth cycle and remain strong through the process. Dissolved oxygen can stimulate the growth of beneficial aerobic microbes, prevent the increase of disease-causing anaerobic microbes, and promote healthy root growth. In promoting healthy root growth, dissolved oxygen can help prevent root rot in your plants saving you money on sick plants down the road.
Plants are photosynthetic organisms that convert light energy into chemical energy through the process of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis requires carbon dioxide and water as inputs, along with sunlight as an energy source. The byproduct of this process is oxygen gas. Oxygen gas is an essential element for animal life on Earth. The amount of dissolved oxygen in your water can affect the overall quality of your water.
The Importance of Monitoring Your Dissolved Oxygen Levels
If you do not have enough dissolved oxygen in your water, your plants will suffer from a lack of growth and overall health. As mentioned before, oxygen is essential for plant growth. If you don’t have enough dissolved oxygen in your water, it can cause issues with the development of new leaves and shoots. Additionally, if there is no dissolved oxygen present in your nutrient solution or hydroponic reservoir, then this can lead to health problems such as powdery mildew or mold spores growing on top of their leaves (which could potentially infect other plants).
There are a number of ways to add dissolved oxygen to your water. Aeration is the most common and effective way to increase dissolved oxygen levels in water. Aeration involves injecting air into the water, which then dissolves and raises the oxygen levels. Oxygenation is a less common but more direct way of increasing dissolved oxygen levels in water by adding pure oxygen to the water, which then dissolves and raises the oxygen levels.
Dissolved Oxygen is Essential to Healthy Cannabis Growth
Healthy cannabis growth starts with a healthy dose of dissolved oxygen. The amount of dissolved oxygen present in water has a direct impact on how well your plants will grow. If you’re growing cannabis indoors under artificial lights, then you need to be especially careful about making sure there’s enough dissolved oxygen available for them at all times so they don’t suffer from any deficiencies or health issues related their ability to breathe properly.
Adding aeration to your watering system can be useful in making sure there are proper amounts of dissolved oxygen in your water. Testing your water often is an important part of making sure you’re doing the right things to have your plants grow to their full potential.
Manage Dissolved Oxygen Levels with the Help of Grow Flow
As a grower, you know that dissolved oxygen (DO) is an important component of your cannabis cultivation. It’s what helps regulate the growth of plants and ensures that they have enough DO to survive. Grow Flow offers water filtration systems, like reverse osmosis systems, that can help filter out disease-causing microorganisms without removing some dissolved gases like dissolved oxygen.
In addition, to reverse osmosis systems and water softening systems, Grow Flow offers water analysis tests to give you a better understanding of what is currently in your water. Once you can define your current water quality, Grow Flow professionals can offer you guidance and support on how to improve your water and maintain that quality standard. If you’re ready to enhance your water quality and manage your dissolved oxygen levels efficiently, contact Grow Flow today!
