Page 22 - Griffin Gazette - March 2026

surface, they can leave behind a visual film that collects dirt
later and makes the next cleanup harder.

One sanitation area that gets overlooked in indoor farming is
irrigation lines. A facility can look spotless on the outside but
still struggle with plant inconsistency because the irrigation
system is carrying problems. Over time, irrigation lines
naturally build up biofilm. Biofilm is a slimy layer made mostly
of bacteria that sticks to the inside of pipes and tubing
(Figure 2). This sort of matrix can make it easier for algae areas, or the FM20 Foamer can be used to treat
and mineral scale to form and compound irrigation clogging large spaces quickly. Sanitizers are not meant
issues. In many cases, it is one of the real causes behind to replace cleaning; they are meant to complete
uneven watering and moisture management headaches it. An innovative approach to irrigation line and
that seem to “never go away.” That is why smart sanitation reservoir maintenance is to outcompete biofilm and
programs include irrigation line cleaning, especially between algae-forming microbes with beneficial microbes.
crop cycles. Using a line-cleaning treatment to break up BioSafe’s Liventia SOS is new to the CEA world,
biofilm, followed by proper flushing, helps reset the system but it is quickly building major success stories as
so the next crop starts with clean water delivery. a non-oxidizing tool that helps keep hydroponic
systems cleaner while also providing increased
yields through plant stimulation.
Many indoor growers also benefit from thinking
beyond cleanup events and looking at water
treatment strategies (e.g., Ozone, Chlorine, Cold
Plasma, Hydrogen Peroxide/Peracetic Acid)
that keep systems stable during production.
Continuous treatment programs can help reduce
biofilm growth, algae pressure, and slime buildup
inside irrigation lines, reservoirs, and hard surfaces
that come in contact with water/fertilizer. This is
especially useful in long-cycle production systems
or operations that fight recurring wet-zone issues
around drains, floors, and irrigation manifolds. It
is important to manage how and where sanitizing
products are injected, since oxidizers do not
always play nicely with fertilizer inputs. In those
cases, the location of injection points, use of
Figure 2. Biofilm residue development in irrigation piping. contact vessels, and an efficient way of monitoring
sanitizer concentration within the system and what
After surfaces and irrigation components are cleaned and
is reaching the crop should all be considered well
rinsed, sanitizing becomes the finishing step. This is where
ahead of time.
products like ZeroTol 2.0 and SaniDate 5.0/12.0 come
into play. They are stabilized peroxide-based sanitizers used Sanitation is not the most exciting part of indoor
on hard surfaces, pots, troughs, and irrigation systems to farming, but it is one of the most profitable when
reduce microbial contamination and help prevent carryover done right. It protects the crop, reduces the chance
between crop cycles. These products are popular in edible of expensive surprises, and keeps facilities running
crop production because they break down cleanly and do more smoothly. When growers build sanitation into
not leave the kind of residues growers worry about. The the rhythm of production, they spend less time
key is using them at the right time, after cleaning, when reacting and more time producing. The message is
they can make full contact with the surfaces you want simple: clean first, rinse well, sanitize to finish, and
protected. One way to increase coverage, consistency, and your crops will show the difference.
contact time on both horizontal and vertical surfaces is to
utilize foaming equipment that applies compatible products
as thick foam (Figure 3). Dramm’s Foam 8L hand pump
foamer can be used for precise application in hard-to-reach