Greenhouse fiberglass & algae question
 

I know this isn't an orchid question but it's related I think.
I'm asking before trying something.
How can you clean algae off of fiberglass without damaging it?
Would bleach work?
If not how about one of those bath room tile sprays.

Greenhouse fiberglass & algae question
 

I use bleach at the rate of 1 tsp per gallon in a hose end sprayer, wet down
the surface I'm trying to clean and then brush it off. On my twinwall I use
a soft cloth, and have had no damage, on teh walkways and benches and walls
I use a plastic scrub brush. Rinse again with the bleach from the dial n
spray and I'm done.

No, I don't try to avoid the plants when I do this. No, I don't kill them.
I just move them as needed so I can get to the surface I intend to clean so
I don't elbow them off the bench. Yes, they do get wet. If I feel guilty
about thisI hose them off after I'm done, but really I don't feel guilty
very often. *G*. Yes I try not to get my pleurothallids wet. everything
else is treated as above.

K Barrett
"dusty" wrote in message
s.com...
I know this isn't an orchid question but it's related I think.
I'm asking before trying something.
How can you clean algae off of fiberglass without damaging it?
Would bleach work?
If not how about one of those bath room tile sprays.

Greenhouse fiberglass & algae question
 

K Barrett wrote:

I use bleach at the rate of 1 tsp per gallon in a hose end sprayer, wet down
the surface I'm trying to clean and then brush it off. On my twinwall I use
a soft cloth, and have had no damage, on teh walkways and benches and walls
I use a plastic scrub brush. Rinse again with the bleach from the dial n
spray and I'm done.


But would you do this on a poly covered house? I don't know if
polyethylene film reacts with bleach or not, or if you could scrub off
any UV inhibitors or other coatings... Just curious. I also wonder if
calcium hypochlorite would work as well as sodium hypochlorite...
Hmmm.... I bet those 'oxy-clean' type cleaners would work well too,
somebody should try that experiment.

I agree that the bleach doesn't seem to harm the orchids in any way. It
has never hurt any of my plants. I've even been known to put some in my
water tank to kill various scummy bits. Cheaper than physan and
probably more effective. I probably wouldn't do that all the time, but
three or four times a year doesn't seem to hurt. I don't grow
pleurothallids...

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit
LittlefrogFarm is open - e-mail me for a list )

Greenhouse fiberglass & algae question
 

I tend to use clear water with a hard stream from the hoes or with a cheap
pressure washer. Stuff comes off pretty easy although I often have to make
a second 'spot clean up' pass. If it seems really bad or the crud has been
coming back too quickly, I will use between a 1 and 2 percent bleach
solution blasted from a hose. I do rise off plants that get wet with the
bleach.

Pat


"Rob Halgren" wrote in message
...
K Barrett wrote:

I use bleach at the rate of 1 tsp per gallon in a hose end sprayer, wet
down
the surface I'm trying to clean and then brush it off. On my twinwall I
use
a soft cloth, and have had no damage, on teh walkways and benches and
walls
I use a plastic scrub brush. Rinse again with the bleach from the dial n
spray and I'm done.


But would you do this on a poly covered house? I don't know if
polyethylene film reacts with bleach or not, or if you could scrub off
any UV inhibitors or other coatings... Just curious. I also wonder if
calcium hypochlorite would work as well as sodium hypochlorite...
Hmmm.... I bet those 'oxy-clean' type cleaners would work well too,
somebody should try that experiment.

I agree that the bleach doesn't seem to harm the orchids in any way. It
has never hurt any of my plants. I've even been known to put some in my
water tank to kill various scummy bits. Cheaper than physan and
probably more effective. I probably wouldn't do that all the time, but
three or four times a year doesn't seem to hurt. I don't grow
pleurothallids...

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit
LittlefrogFarm is open - e-mail me for a list )

Greenhouse fiberglass & algae question
 

Rob Halgren wrote in
:

K Barrett wrote:

I use bleach at the rate of 1 tsp per gallon in a hose end sprayer,
wet down the surface I'm trying to clean and then brush it off. On my
twinwall I use a soft cloth, and have had no damage, on teh walkways
and benches and walls I use a plastic scrub brush. Rinse again with
the bleach from the dial n spray and I'm done.


But would you do this on a poly covered house? I don't know if
polyethylene film reacts with bleach or not, or if you could scrub off
any UV inhibitors or other coatings... Just curious. I also wonder
if calcium hypochlorite would work as well as sodium hypochlorite...
Hmmm.... I bet those 'oxy-clean' type cleaners would work well too,
somebody should try that experiment.

I agree that the bleach doesn't seem to harm the orchids in any way.
It has never hurt any of my plants. I've even been known to put some
in my water tank to kill various scummy bits. Cheaper than physan and
probably more effective. I probably wouldn't do that all the time,
but three or four times a year doesn't seem to hurt. I don't grow
pleurothallids...

Rob


Hi Rob
Two things where noted on the greenhouse grade of polyethylene film I
bought;
1. do not clean with soap or detergents
2.Do not abrade (I suppose that means scrub)

I'm guessing the UV treatment is on the surface rather than in the poly.
That seems like a dumb idea to me but then they sell more poly that way.

Thanks for all the answers
Dusty

Greenhouse fiberglass & algae question
 

I remember our double polycarb came with tear away labels stating only one
side
was UV treated. We had to mark each sheet on the outside. It also said that
the
UV treatment wears off after 10years? So I imagine bleach would not be good.
--
Cheers Wendy

Remove PETERPAN for email reply

dusty wrote:
Rob Halgren wrote in
:

K Barrett wrote:

I use bleach at the rate of 1 tsp per gallon in a hose end sprayer,
wet down the surface I'm trying to clean and then brush it off. On
my twinwall I use a soft cloth, and have had no damage, on teh
walkways and benches and walls I use a plastic scrub brush. Rinse
again with the bleach from the dial n spray and I'm done.


But would you do this on a poly covered house? I don't know if
polyethylene film reacts with bleach or not, or if you could scrub
off any UV inhibitors or other coatings... Just curious. I also
wonder if calcium hypochlorite would work as well as sodium
hypochlorite... Hmmm.... I bet those 'oxy-clean' type cleaners would
work well too, somebody should try that experiment.

I agree that the bleach doesn't seem to harm the orchids in any way.
It has never hurt any of my plants. I've even been known to put some
in my water tank to kill various scummy bits. Cheaper than physan
and probably more effective. I probably wouldn't do that all the
time, but three or four times a year doesn't seem to hurt. I don't
grow pleurothallids...

Rob


Hi Rob
Two things where noted on the greenhouse grade of polyethylene film I
bought;
1. do not clean with soap or detergents
2.Do not abrade (I suppose that means scrub)

I'm guessing the UV treatment is on the surface rather than in the
poly. That seems like a dumb idea to me but then they sell more poly
that way.

Thanks for all the answers
Dusty

Greenhouse fiberglass & algae question
 

"Rob Halgren" wrote in message
...

But would you do this on a poly covered house? I don't know if
polyethylene film reacts with bleach or not, or if you could scrub off
any UV inhibitors or other coatings... Just curious.

What's twinwall made out of? Isn't it some sort of polycarbonate? And the
UV inhibitor is on the outside - of the twinwall I bought... I can't speak
for fiberglass.

K

Greenhouse fiberglass & algae question
 

I use bleach at the rate of 1 tsp per gallon in a hose end sprayer, wet down
the surface I'm trying to clean and then brush it off. On my twinwall I use
a soft cloth, and have had no damage, on teh walkways and benches and walls
I use a plastic scrub brush. Rinse again with the bleach from the dial n
spray and I'm done.

No, I don't try to avoid the plants when I do this. No, I don't kill them.
I just move them as needed so I can get to the surface I intend to clean so
I don't elbow them off the bench. Yes, they do get wet. If I feel guilty
about thisI hose them off after I'm done, but really I don't feel guilty
very often. *G*. Yes I try not to get my pleurothallids wet. everything
else is treated as above.

K Barrett
"dusty" wrote in message
s.com...
I know this isn't an orchid question but it's related I think.
I'm asking before trying something.
How can you clean algae off of fiberglass without damaging it?
Would bleach work?
If not how about one of those bath room tile sprays.

Greenhouse fiberglass & algae question
 

K Barrett wrote:

I use bleach at the rate of 1 tsp per gallon in a hose end sprayer, wet down
the surface I'm trying to clean and then brush it off. On my twinwall I use
a soft cloth, and have had no damage, on teh walkways and benches and walls
I use a plastic scrub brush. Rinse again with the bleach from the dial n
spray and I'm done.


But would you do this on a poly covered house? I don't know if
polyethylene film reacts with bleach or not, or if you could scrub off
any UV inhibitors or other coatings... Just curious. I also wonder if
calcium hypochlorite would work as well as sodium hypochlorite...
Hmmm.... I bet those 'oxy-clean' type cleaners would work well too,
somebody should try that experiment.

I agree that the bleach doesn't seem to harm the orchids in any way. It
has never hurt any of my plants. I've even been known to put some in my
water tank to kill various scummy bits. Cheaper than physan and
probably more effective. I probably wouldn't do that all the time, but
three or four times a year doesn't seem to hurt. I don't grow
pleurothallids...

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit
LittlefrogFarm is open - e-mail me for a list )

Greenhouse fiberglass & algae question
 

I remember our double polycarb came with tear away labels stating only one
side
was UV treated. We had to mark each sheet on the outside. It also said that
the
UV treatment wears off after 10years? So I imagine bleach would not be good.
--
Cheers Wendy

Remove PETERPAN for email reply

dusty wrote:
Rob Halgren wrote in
:

K Barrett wrote:

I use bleach at the rate of 1 tsp per gallon in a hose end sprayer,
wet down the surface I'm trying to clean and then brush it off. On
my twinwall I use a soft cloth, and have had no damage, on teh
walkways and benches and walls I use a plastic scrub brush. Rinse
again with the bleach from the dial n spray and I'm done.


But would you do this on a poly covered house? I don't know if
polyethylene film reacts with bleach or not, or if you could scrub
off any UV inhibitors or other coatings... Just curious. I also
wonder if calcium hypochlorite would work as well as sodium
hypochlorite... Hmmm.... I bet those 'oxy-clean' type cleaners would
work well too, somebody should try that experiment.

I agree that the bleach doesn't seem to harm the orchids in any way.
It has never hurt any of my plants. I've even been known to put some
in my water tank to kill various scummy bits. Cheaper than physan
and probably more effective. I probably wouldn't do that all the
time, but three or four times a year doesn't seem to hurt. I don't
grow pleurothallids...

Rob


Hi Rob
Two things where noted on the greenhouse grade of polyethylene film I
bought;
1. do not clean with soap or detergents
2.Do not abrade (I suppose that means scrub)

I'm guessing the UV treatment is on the surface rather than in the
poly. That seems like a dumb idea to me but then they sell more poly
that way.

Thanks for all the answers
Dusty

Greenhouse fiberglass & algae question
 

"Rob Halgren" wrote in message
...

But would you do this on a poly covered house? I don't know if
polyethylene film reacts with bleach or not, or if you could scrub off
any UV inhibitors or other coatings... Just curious.

What's twinwall made out of? Isn't it some sort of polycarbonate? And the
UV inhibitor is on the outside - of the twinwall I bought... I can't speak
for fiberglass.

K

Greenhouse fiberglass & algae question
 

"dusty" wrote in message
...
"K Barrett" wrote in
news:xZXGc.41808$Oq2.26934@attbi_s52:

I use bleach at the rate of 1 tsp per gallon in a hose end sprayer,
wet down the surface I'm trying to clean and then brush it off. On my
twinwall I use a soft cloth, and have had no damage, on teh walkways
and benches and walls I use a plastic scrub brush. Rinse again with
the bleach from the dial n spray and I'm done.

No, I don't try to avoid the plants when I do this. No, I don't kill
them. I just move them as needed so I can get to the surface I intend
to clean so I don't elbow them off the bench. Yes, they do get wet.
If I feel guilty about thisI hose them off after I'm done, but really
I don't feel guilty very often. *G*. Yes I try not to get my
pleurothallids wet. everything else is treated as above.

K Barrett
"dusty" wrote in message
s.com...
I know this isn't an orchid question but it's related I think.
I'm asking before trying something.
How can you clean algae off of fiberglass without damaging it?
Would bleach work?
If not how about one of those bath room tile sprays.




Thanks
the bleach idea worked like a champ only I used a plastic sponge. one wipe
and rinse and it was gone. Did the underside of the roof with a dollar
store spung mop also.
on your fiber glass question the old stuff had the UV inhibitor built in
but the new stuff is coated like poly which I think is a rather dumb idea.
If you live near an airport like me you have to wash the soot off the roof
at least once a year (I use my car washer and soap for this.)

thanks to everyone
Dusty

Thanks for replying. No wonder they call you dusty....

K Barrett