Marijuana, What Is Ozone?

Ozone is sometimes called the activated oxygen. It contains three atoms of oxygen rather than the two atoms we normally breathe. Ozone is the second most powerful sterilant in the world and its function is to destroy bacteria, viruses, and odors.

We are probably most familiar with ozone from reading about the 'ozone layer' that circles the planet above the earths atmosphere. Here the ozone is created by ultra-violet rays from the sun and subsequently helps to protect from the damaging ultra-violet radiation.

Ozone occurs quite readily in nature. In fact that fresh smell after a thunderstorm is actually the smell of ozone, most often as a result of lightning strikes. Ozone is also created by waterfalls. The use of an ozone generator can reduce or eliminates the strong marijuana smell in a grow room or where it is being smoked.

How Does Ozone Work?

While ozone is very powerful, it has a very short life cycle. When it comes in contact with odors, bacteria, viruses, etc... the extra atom of oxygen destroys them completely by oxidation. In doing so, the extra atom of oxygen is destroyed and there is nothing left including odors, bacteria, etc... except for plain stable oxygen.

How Is Ozone Produced?

There are two types of ozone production. The first one would be corona discharge which essentially is creating lightning and the second is ultra violet fluorescent tubes.

Ozone lasts at the very most thirty minutes. When there are a lot of pollutants in the air ozone, it will degrade at a very rapid rate and in some cases almost immediately.

Ozone generators are the most effective odor control devices available. Odor is caused by airborne pathogens which float freely and come in contact with our nasal passages. When generated ozone, or 0³ comes in contact with these pathogens one of the oxygen atoms detaches from the ozone molecule, attaching itself to the odor-causing pollutant.

This process, in essence, deactivates the odor causing particles in the air, leaving clean, fresh smelling air. Growers report that a good ozone generator will completely eliminate airborne odors from the most pungent crops, but will not affect the dried bouquet of the flowers.

There has been some debate over the safety of ozone and humans, however The EPA, USDA and OSHA have approved the use of ozone at concentrations of 0.1 Parts Per Million, for an exposure period of eight hours, without any side effects. Most home ozone generators produce less than .05 PPM, and exposure time is minimal. With this in mind, ozone generation is a safe and effective method of odor control.

From Someone: I don't have a garden but I do have an ozone generator that I like real well. Ozone at low levels is not poisonous....this misconception is from bad press and bad science.

Mine turned a musty/moldy smelling basement into a room that smells like fresh outdoor air. I have mold allergies and hated the smell. It doesn't just mask, it will destroy bacteria, viruses, and odors.

Grow Great Marijuana:
An Uncomplicated Guide to
Growing the World's Finest Cannabis

If you find instructions and books about growing hydroponic marijuana overly technical and hard to follow, this book is a very good choice for simple and accurate instructions. It does not cover advanced techniques so if you already know how to grow, this book would be of little value. But if you are a first time grower with no experience, this is the first book to look at.

It will explain the steps involved from start to finish (with text and images). Includes information on where to grow, type of hydroponic system to use, selecting a seed strain, lighting, fans, nutrients, security, clones, vegetative growth, flowering, harvesting, stress, pests, and more. Recommended for beginners only, this will show you everything you need to raise a hydroponic marijuana crop.

Marijuana Horticulture:
The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible

Over 500 pages with more than 1000 color images. If you were only going to get one book about growing, this book would be the best choice. Describes growing marijuana outdoors and indoors (with hydroponics or soil).

Also provides information that you can refer back to when things go wrong. A very comprehensive reference book for anyone interested in growing marijuana, either indoors or outdoors. Recommended for beginners and more advanced growers.

The Cannabis Grow Bible:
The Definitive Guide to Growing Marijuana
for Recreational and Medical Use

A very good source of information covering all aspects of growing, from seed selection to harvest, curing and more. Over 300 pages with almost 200 color and black-and-white photographs, charts, and tables. Recommended reference book for indoor and outdoor growers.

A great marijuana growing and breeding guide. Includes chapters on seeds, propagation and germination, growing indoors, growing outdoors, hydroponics, pre-flowering and flowering, predators, pests and plant fungi, breeding, and more.

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Resources for Growing Quality Medical Marijuana