It will also kill the iron bacteria and any other algae or bacteria present in the system. In either case, chlorine treatment should take place upstream of filters in order to remove the precipitated iron and microorganisms from the system. Chlorine is available in either gas, liquid, or solid forms. Chlorine gas is extremely dangerous and not recommended for agricultural purposes. Solid chlorine is available as granules or tablets containing 65-70 percent calcium hypochlorite.
Liquid chlorine is available in many forms, including laundry bleach and postharvest wash materials.
Liquid forms typically contain between 5-15 percent sodium hypochlorite. Use chlorine only if the product is labeled for use in irrigation systems. The rate of chlorine injection required is dependent on the amount of microorganisms present in the water source, the amount of iron in the irrigation water, and the method of treatment being used. To remove iron from irrigation water, start by injecting 1 ppm of chlorine for each 1 ppm of iron present in the water. For iron removal, chlorine should be injected continuously.