FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I have never tried water germination, but it seems a common problem is the growth of mold and algae. Is it possible to do water germination with an aquarium bubbler in the water? Oxygenating the water with the bubbler should have a similar effect to hydrogen peroxide, which kills mold through oxidation.

Would this work? (just asking before I waste good seed on a silly experiment)

elaineo wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 7:11 pm I have never tried water germination, but it seems a common problem is the growth of mold and algae. Is it possible to do water germination with an aquarium bubbler in the water? Oxygenating the water with the bubbler should have a similar effect to hydrogen peroxide, which kills mold through oxidation.

Would this work? (just asking before I waste good seed on a silly experiment)

2H2O2 goes to 2H2O and O2. So for every two mols of H2O2 you get one mol of O2 gas, approximately 32 grams of it. For each mol of air, you get 6.8 grams of O2. So there is a BIG difference here. Also, algae is designed to handle the amount of O2 in the air since air diffuses into water. The key is to increase what is normally soluble. H2O2 achieves this goal spontaneously at slightly warmer temperatures.

The reason why H2O2 is dangerous is that the O2 doesnt just form, sometimes it forms the O radical which violently attacks things since it is very electronegative. Air oxigen sometimes radicalizes but not as often as from a decomposition.

hungry carnivores wrote: The reason why H2O2 is dangerous is that the O2 doesnt just form, sometimes it forms the O radical which violently attacks things since it is very electronegative. Air oxigen sometimes radicalizes but not as often as from a decomposition.

Okay, so you need the free O- radical to kill mold and algae, which you don't get from aeration alone. I guess aeration would be more beneficial for, say, leaf pullings in water, because it could prevent the anaerobic conditions that lead to rot?

Exactly!

elaineo wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 7:11 pm I have never tried water germination, but it seems a common problem is the growth of mold and algae. Is it possible to do water germination with an aquarium bubbler in the water? Oxygenating the water with the bubbler should have a similar effect to hydrogen peroxide, which kills mold through oxidation.

Would this work? (just asking before I waste good seed on a silly experiment)

if you were to add lots of sunlight small ammounts might be produced, but i'd just use a few drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide because they don't seem to harm seeds that much. do take caution though(only when in high concentrations)