As more and more users reported their experiences, we refined our recommendations. To that end, we have created a short list of FAQs to address the most common questions being submitted.
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Please Note:
New Timing Recommendations
While these findings are not scientifically polled, consumer feedback has prompted us to reevaluate soaking times.
We have reports of some delicate plant types being damaged by the 12-hour soak time. THIS IS EXTREMELY RARE (to date, after reaching 250,000 users, we have seen only 1:34,000 occurrences) , but as we have almost a dozen reports of this occurring, we have established new timing recommendations.
To reduce the time in seltzer required to kill algae, we have added an optional alkaline pre-soak prior to the seltzer soak to kill algae in just 2-hours vs 12-hours.
These abbreviated times will not damage any plant types that we are aware of.
Note for pest removal only; 2 HOURS is recommended and should prove safe for all plant types.
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NEW SOAKING TIME RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADDING AN OPTIONAL ALKALINE PRE-SOAK FOR ACCELERATED ALGICIDAL ACTION.
To abbreviate Reverse Respiration soak times for the protection of some delicate plant types, while retaining the algicidal effects of Reverse Respiration, you may add an alkaline pre-stage to dissolve proteins in algae cells before the seltzer soak precipitates them.
This will reduce total soak times to only 2 hours to kill algae. A 2-hour seltzer soak must follow and is still required for the complete algicidal effect and for pest removal.
NOTES:
If algae is not a concern, to kill pests-only, the total soak time in seltzer will be only 2 hours.
Please adhere to timing, lighting, and enclosure recommendations set forth in the original Instructions.
The following method should kill most forms of algae while reducing the risk to delicate plants to near 0.
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NEW INSTRUCTIONS:
Make a solution of Sodium Carbonate (Baking Powder) to raise the pH by 3 points:
Use 1/8th teaspoon (about 550G) per gallon (3.78L) of water. This should raise the pH by approximately 3 points.
Fully submerge new plants in this solution for 2 hours. Darkness and container sealing are not required for this step.
After 2 hours, remove the plants and THOROUGHLY rinse the plants to remove the alkaline water to prevent it from diluting the seltzer.
Immerse the plants in the seltzer. Adhere to lighting and submersion recommendations in the Instructions area.
Reverse Respiration kills algae by shifting the pH. A high pH dissolves algae proteins and a low pH then precipitates the proteins, killing the algae.
The more dramatic the shift, the more potent the algicidal effect. The addition of the alkaline pre-stage increases the algae's enzymatic dissolution by a factor of 10,000. As such, this also reduces the time required in seltzer and should be safe for ALL plants.
