Chief Bigsmoke's Fantasy Factory

[chief bigsmoke]

Today I took the next step in the evolution of our growroom and designed our own tea brewing kit.
$20 DIY Tea Brewing Kit
Supplies bought from local pet food store:
- Reclaimed container *sanitized
- Air pump
- Airline tubing
- Air stone
- Tea brewing bag
- A Canadians best friend: Duct tape

Steps

1. Clean everything
2. Attach pump pieces * don't plug in yet
3. Pour unchlorinated water into container. I use Reverse Osmosis water only.
4. Place the airstone end of the pump assembly into the bottom of the container. I had to attach a little metal piece to weigh down the airstone. Keeping it in place at the bottom of the container. Make sure you don't restrict the airflow if you have to attach anything to your airline hosing.
5. Plug in Air pump assembly
6. Add any desired fertilizers to the unchlorinated aerated RO water. I added 1 tbsp of General Organics Bio-thrive vegan Bloom 2-4-4, 2 tbsp of GO's Bio Root 1-1-1, and 1 tbsp of ZHO root innoculant.
7. Fill the tea brewing bag with 1.5 cups of Earthworm castings and 4 tbsp of dried Kelp Meal.
8. Attach the brewing bag to the duct tape and drop the bag below the waters surface. I tried to place the bag over the airstone.
9. Leave for 24-48 hrs. Use a clean wisk or a clean spoon to stir the "poop" soup. 4 times clockwise, then 4 times counter clockwise. *this is a great time to share some of your positive thoughts and prays to your plants as the the bio-dynamic process kicks into overdrive...

I ended up diluting the tea after 48 hrs at a ratio of 1:1 tea to pure RO water and I fed the tea to my special little clones and they are lovin' it. *flooded cloning tray. I thought there would be a stinky smell after brewing for a couple days but there was only a faint smell. I was very happy with that result. I would definitely reccomend this simple system for anyone wanting to super-charge their plants diets. Brewed teas contribute to strong and healthy root systems, which lead to stronger branches and enhanced flowers.

I am so excited for my next cycle knowing that I have a better understanding of what I'm doing and my genetics are now into overdrive. My next batch of clones were giving to me as a mystery by a med-friend that was moving. They know the genetics but all they told me was that they are "Very Special". We both liked the idea of me running them with a blind eye. I was given 4 different clones and each were labelled with different coloured elastics. These colours will be used as the names of the clones as they mature.

We will have a fun time together trying to guess what genetics they are. I was given a couple clues and maybe by the end of the cycle my friend will pipe in with the actual genetics if we have been unsuccessful at guessing ourselves.

 

[TB Gardens]

Ummmmmm where do I buy this?

Proven, patent pending technology? If it's not absurdly priced I would love to try it.

By the way, looking great in here brother! Excited to see what genetics ur buddy gave ya

I know whats on my Christmas list in the next decade... I just wish they made a smaller unit.


Here is some product info:
Biowave is a revolutionary patent pending machine that increases plant yields by an average of 20 %. It operates by creating a subsonic harmonic wave that radiates out from the machine and makes plants breathe better. Biowave has been tested on the farm, in greenhouses, and in hydroponic growing facilities, and all tests confirm the gain in yield as well as a 55% gain in total dissolved solids. Many growers also have reported a huge reduction in insect loads. Current tests by Dr. Lynette Morgan in New Zealand have further confirmed the above results in greenhouse tomatoes. Biowave offers a three year limited manufacturer's warranty on parts and labor.

Dimensions: 34.5" x 12" x 12"
Wattage: 60W
Operating Voltage: 110v or 240v
Product Weight: 49 lbs

 

[TB Gardens]

Good lord that's expensive. You right, it's on the future wish list ;-)

 

[chief bigsmoke]

Good lord that's expensive. You right, it's on the future wish list ;-)

haha I know eh... they need to make a pocket sized version. I would love to have an acre to work with but thats not a reality.

 

[budman678]

I here. I've been wanting to get more into brewing my ACTs. I haven't made the plunge. I really like the roots organic line ut I feel that it hold be more beneficial to actually run teas instead of bottle ferts. Def more cost effective.

I am a fan organic/bio-dynamic practices on the farm I just have been able to recreate it in my garden. My indoor garden is beautiful but you should see my garden/backyard

 

[budman678]

Double post. Oops!!!

 

[Pimpslapped]

Howdy Chief.

I was curious as to whether you'd considered adding charcoal/biochar to your soil mix? My (admittedly limited) research leads me to think that it could be a viable and perhaps valuable addition to a living soil setup.

Also, don't forget you can make a perfectly functional worm bin out of a couple plastic tubs for a cheap solution there.

 

[chief bigsmoke]

Howdy Chief.

I was curious as to whether you'd considered adding charcoal/biochar to your soil mix? My (admittedly limited) research leads me to think that it could be a viable and perhaps valuable addition to a living soil setup.

Also, don't forget you can make a perfectly functional worm bin out of a couple plastic tubs for a cheap solution there.

Great suggestion Pimpslapped ! In efforts to keep things simple I've over looked charcoal/biochar. I'm about to create new spikes for my new project so you chimed in at perfect time. I'll try and find some info to post here on my thread about charcoal/bio char. Please feel free to post any relative data. *Highfive for the help!

regarding the worm bins: that would be a great idea. have you built your own? or have any plans you've seen that have been successful?

In my hort studies I've only been able to skim past most topics. Vermiculture is definitely listed for further exploration. As well as Plant tissue culture and a deeper dive into "teas".

Thanks for stopping by. I love having so many experienced growers so close at hand. I can read and study all I want but nothing beats actual experience.

 

[chief bigsmoke]

To add charcoal or not to add charcoal to a Living mix

To add charcoal or not to add charcoal to a Living mix

Based on this article I don't think I'll choose to use charcoal in my mix. further (limited) study is in progress.. it seems like its just a sub for materials like perlite. Which I'm already wanting to switch to make the switch to a peat/rice husk soil mix.





About Horticultural Charcoal
http://www.paghat.com/charcoal.html


In gardening newsgroups & bulletin boards, the value of charcoal in potting soils often arises. One person suggests the use of aquarium filter charcoal, & another suggests the use of crushed barbecue charcoal, both of which ideas may have certain problems. Yet another window-gardener is convinced charcoal has some purifying value mixed into potting soil, another thinks it's a nutrient. Other gardeners thought charcoal scattered in the garden might repel cats & surely would repel slugs. The majority of gardeners wrongly believe charcoal's presence in or under the soil of a potted plant prevents odors.

Packagers of gardening products are themselves responsible for some of this type of misinformation, as a lot of gardeners incorporate as factual even the most irresponsible advertising copy.

Barbecue charcoal has binders added that are reportedly sufficiently toxic to plants that barbecue ashes are not recommended for composts or garden soil enrichment. So I would presume it would have the same problems crushed for potting soils. Horticultural charcoal is a cheap grade of natural charcoal, but there is no reason to go for the highest grade "aquarium" filtering carbon which costs ten times as much with no added benefit.

Filtering charcoal is not the same thing as horticulatural charcoal. Much of what is sold for aquariums is not a wood charcoal at all, but is made by a completely different process from bituminous coal, peat, lignite, hardwood, or animal bone, followed by further processing & chemical washes. It retains a great deal more water than does horticultural charcoal, & less oxygen. Unlike filtering carbon, horticultural charcoal is untreated & unprocessed, hence much more a "natural" product.

Of the more-or-less inert moisture-retaining potting soil ingredients, perlite, vermiculite, peat moss, grated bark, & charcoal, serve the same functions. Any of these, or mixtures thereof, can be excellent addition(s) to potting soils especially for ferns, african violets, pitcher plants, & others that are particularly sensitive to dryness.

The inert quality of these additions makes any of them especially good for pitcher plants or orchids, as opposed to ferns or African violets which also require a rich soil. Charcoal is sometimes used as a dominant component in home-made potting mediums for orchids & epiphytes, but reports are confused, some hobby growers claiming a great deal of charcoal harmed their plants, others swearing they had good outcomes. In tried-&-true recipes for orchid potting medium, charcoal is frequently a minor component, & there is more certainly nothing wrong with it in such mixes. However, consumers should understand that the numerous claims of amazing additional values beyond that of the bark or peat or perlite are baseless.

Any claims that charcoal has some benefit above oxygen- & moisture-retention in the soil are unfounded. Its one real value is for its porosity. If a gardener were planning to use it for any other reason, such other uses should be carefully re-assessed.

Any claims of value above that of sphagnum, bark, or perlite are either vendor bullshit or gardener mythology. It does NOT lower the possibility of odor-causing bacteria. It does NOT "absorb odors" or "improve drainage" when put in the bottom of pots before adding soil. It does NOT "retain Nitrogen for future use by your potted plants." It does NOT purify water by mixing it with soil. It is NOT a soil enrichment per se (though cheap charcoal may be as little as half carbon & the other half will be organic & break down in time; activated charcoal will not have much if any organic component).

Furthermore, it is NOT a good source of potash unless first burned, then it loses its porosity value. It does NOT "ward off plant diseases, parasites, insects, & slugs." It does NOT have a special purifying quality when layered into non-draining terrariums. It is NOT an anti-fungal agent equivalent to sulfer or copper. As a surface-spread it does NOT inhibit algae growth; indeed the opposite may be true: if it is an activated carbon, it will have some phosphate content from having been washed in phosphoric acid; this will leech from the product & increase algae growth. All these claims are made for charcoal without foundation.

Activated carbon charcoal sold in aquarium stores has an "activation" lifespan (in aquaria filters) of as little as 15 minutes & is by & large a "traditional product for rubes!" although for its brief period of activation it can indeed remove many impurities from air or water. It is rather expensive to adapt for potting soils when no "activation" value actually exists when it is mixed with soils. In aquariums that 15 minutes of "activation" requires water to be cycled through the filtering charcoal repeatedly to have its short period of effectiveness. You can't just add it to the gravel & expect some benefit, nor can it be added to potting soils with any serious expectation that it can filter out odors just sitting there. Bacteria live very happily in a soil mixture with charcoal, & whether it stinks or not depends on type of bacteria & overall condition & degree of sterilization of the soil.

During its brief activitation life, water filtered through activated carbon can be "softened" toward the acidic side of the pH scale. In hydroponic systems, it has a short-lived value as a water softener without requiring chemical softening. When adding chemicals to soften water, this can be harmful to certain sensitive plants & epiphytes due to an accumulation of chemical salts no less hazardous than the impurities in contaminated or hard water, so lowering the pH naturally with charcoal is significantly better. But this usefulness is not part of its value in soil mixtures; bark & peat are better natural acidifers in the potting medium per se.

Bear in mind that horticultural charcoal is not the same as filtering or activated carbon for hydroponic systems or aquariums or air filters. Activated or filtering carbon is made at very high temperatures then chemically processed, but horticultural charcoal is made at normal burning temperatures without further processing. This makes the claims that horticultural charcoal has filtering properties all the more manufacturer- & vendor-generated lie or exaggeration. Neither activated nor horticultural charcoal affects odors when mixed with soils, but horticultural wouldn't have a filtering capacity in any context whatsoever.

The "activated" type of charcoal is more porous & would retain more water but less oxygen. If water were cycled through it repeatedly for about 15 minutes (completely separate from any soil mixture), it could indeed absorb accumulative salts that may have dissolved in recycling water systems from fertilizers or pesticides or alkalinizing minerals. It has no added effect of this kind mixed right into the soil. Indeed, it would have the opposite effect of keeping the salts from washing through with normal watering.

Recently the Consumers Union issued a report on air filters that use activated carbon, & found that the majority of such filters on the market do not filter anything whatsoever from the air! This is again because the activation period of charcoal/carbon is quite short, & any good it might do it will do immediately, then no more.

A side-issue would be what to do with "spent" activated charcoal when one is changing an aquarium filter. This will no longer be quite as inert because it will be infused with minute particles from pond or aquarium water. It seems to me a waste to just toss this in the garbage, & it should cause no problem adding it to compost or garden in small amounts. Filtering charcoal from some sources might be contaminated by harmful salts & chemicals after use, but from aquariums the contaminant will be nitrates & phosphates which fertilize a garden. The charcoal itself will still have moisture-retentive value & encourage beneficial nitrogen-generating microorganisms. The charcoal itself does not break down over time as peat or shavings would, so one would not want to be adding endless amounts, no more than one would add endless amounts of lava-rock crumbs or pea-gravel, rendering soils decreasingly loamy.

The factors that might place charcoal higher than other porous potting soil conditioners are these: 1) It is "natural" & even woodland soils are exposed to charcoal after burn-through. 2) It is "black" & might look nice mixed with black pea-gravel or very black loam or rich black compost, whereas some artificial conditioners make soils black & white pokadot. 3) For the few sorts of plants which are often transplanted from pot to pot so that they always have a fresh potting medium, charcoal & other coarse ingredients shake out of the roots very easily to be easily discarded & completely replaced. And 4) in the future (but not presently) various grades of charcoal might be manufactured from metropolitan green-waste, with environmental benefits of green-waste recycling. So far this is being done experimentally to produce high grade filtering-charcoal only, because the process is too expensive to make cheap charcoal. At present, the charcoals on the market use more energy & generate more pollution than is true of bark particles or ground lava rock, so that it cannot be regarded as the most environmentally friendly of all possible choices, though in & of itself intert.

In general charcoal should be thought of only as a substitute for perlite with identical value, not more not less. Like perlite it also functions to retain oxygen in the soil, so might be marginally better than vermiculite, which holds more water in the soil but less oxygen than either perlite or charcoal. As a porous potting soil ingredient charcoal needs to be mixed in thoroughly, & recommendations to use it as a surface layer or in the bottom of pots adds no actual benefit.

If one has made the assessments & is pretty certain it'll be useful, do a google search with the term "horticultural charcoal" & that will bring up dozens of vendors, or call around to the local garden centers, bigger ones should have it, or any that also sell orchids or pitcher plants should have it.

 

[Pimpslapped]

Great suggestion Pimpslapped ! In efforts to keep things simple I've over looked charcoal/biochar. I'm about to create new spikes for my new project so you chimed in at perfect time.

Do you have any application suggestions?

regarding the worm bins: that would be a great idea. have you built your own? or have any plans you've seen that have been successful?

In my hort studies I've only been able to skim past most topics. Vermiculture is definitely listed for further exploration. As well as Plant tissue culture and a deeper dive into "teas".

Thanks for stopping by. I love having so many experienced growers so close at hand. I can read and study all I want but nothing beats actual experience.

I've got little practical experience with charcoal I have to admit. There's a good bit of information to be found on this site and others regarding it's use. Make sure you're using 'lump' charcoal if you don't make your own. Briquettes are something I'd avoid having in my soil. Most people seem to have success with the charcoal broken into small pieces, I'd even add the dust and smaller fragments in. Especially doing spikes. Ideally I'd say it should be worked into the soil much like perlite and other additives.
This thread, by SilverSurfer_OG is what originally perked my interest: Tera Preta - Dark Soil - Experiment

This is a rather simple outline on how to make a functional worm bin. Here (offsite link) I made something along those same lines in the past and it worked rather well. There was a tutorial here (Listed in the DIY link-o-rama) that seems to have had all it's pictures go the way of the dodo, so that link is the closest equivalent I could find with a quick look around.

 

[chief bigsmoke]

Thanks Pimpslapped your help is greatly appreciated. I'll read the thread on charcoal and check out the worm bin site.

I'm weighing the pros and cons of charcoal and I'm not totally convinced yet. I have learned a bunch though!

 

[Pimpslapped]

Thanks Pimpslapped your help is greatly appreciated. I'll read the thread on charcoal and check out the worm bin site.

I'm weighing the pros and cons of charcoal and I'm not totally convinced yet. I have learned a bunch though!

I don't see it as a definite requirement by any means. In a basic sense charcoal could be viewed as a replacement or substitute for perlite in a soil mix. I'd say any further proclaimed benefits are as much hearsay as anything else. It does seem to me to be a more 'organic' option than using perlite. I have doubts about it's long term stability in the soil, but even broken down I don't see that it would be problematic.

Food for thought at least.

The worm bin is dead simple and easy to set up. I had a smaller version that worked rather well.

Edit: Well, not exactly a replacement for perlite. I can't think straight today. But a good home for microlife, which is one of the primary reasons for going with a living organic medium.

One idea that I've seen in use that I like and would employ if circumstances allowed at the moment, is adding char to the worm bins.

 

[chief bigsmoke]

Edit: Well, not exactly a replacement for perlite. I can't think straight today. But a good home for microlife, which is one of the primary reasons for going with a living organic medium.

One idea that I've seen in use that I like and would employ if circumstances allowed at the moment, is adding char to the worm bins.

I see no harm in adding "trace" amounts of anything found in nature. To perfectly replicate a perfect outdoor soil would be impossible to recreate. My goal is to simply try my best to stay away from monochromatic soil mixes and put forth my best effort to keep it all natural with as little animal bi-products as possible.

 

[Closet_Grower]

sup chief!!

its been a while since i've checked up and posted on here... how are ya?

grow is looking good... take care dude

cg

 

[chief bigsmoke]

New Guano Tea Recipe (Veg)

• 1/2 cup of Earthworm Castings
• 1/2 cup of Peruvian Seabird Guano
• 1/3 cup High N Mexican Bat Guano
• 1/4 cup of Kelp Meal
• 2 Tablespoons of Molasses
• 3 Teaspoons of Aquashield by Botanicare: Bacillus subtilis, Paenibacillus polymxa, Bacillus circulans, and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens
• 2 Teaspoons of a "balanced" Organic Fertilizer 5-2-7 by original organic. Which contains: Fish Meal, Alfalfa, Soybean Meal, Kelp Meal, Neem Cake, Rock Phosphate, Calcium Lime, Dolomite, Natural Potash and Humic Acid Derivatives

* I use only Reverse Osmosis water (approx. 5L)
* After brewing the contents of the bag will be donated to the local compost bin or distributed between our non-canna indoor plants.

I'll be brewing for 48 hrs and stirring a couple times to charge the bio-dynamic process. Once the tea is completed I will use my handy Hanna multi-tester and I'll determine whether I'll need to dilute or adjust the mixture.

Stay tuned for results....

 

[chief bigsmoke]

All the girls have been transplanted into larger 2 Gallon pots and they are all enjoying their first official work-out.

I'll be using Low Stress Testing to my advantage again this round. This time I'm shying away from breaking and twisting any of my shoots. There were several times last cycle when I would "snap" my branches in a Kyle Kushman style and I did see noticeable yield increases but I also noticed that some plants were really shocked by this technique. Sometimes while bending or twisting I would break the upper epidermis and I would leave the plant susceptible to viruses and bacteria.

So... this round I will train my plants in a much less stressful fashion. I'll be starting by using bamboo clothes pins. Which I'll use to weigh down the branches. Then the branches will strengthen without wasting too much energy on healing and creating scar tissue.

Thanks!

 

[chief bigsmoke]

Foamin'

Foamin'

New Guano Tea Recipe (Veg)

• 1/2 cup of Earthworm Castings
• 1/2 cup of Peruvian Seabird Guano
• 1/3 cup High N Mexican Bat Guano
• 1/4 cup of Kelp Meal
• 2 Tablespoons of Molasses
• 3 Teaspoons of Aquashield by Botanicare: Bacillus subtilis, Paenibacillus polymxa, Bacillus circulans, and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens
• 2 Teaspoons of a "balanced" Organic Fertilizer 5-2-7 by original organic. Which contains: Fish Meal, Alfalfa, Soybean Meal, Kelp Meal, Neem Cake, Rock Phosphate, Calcium Lime, Dolomite, Natural Potash and Humic Acid Derivatives

I was told that I could tell the tea was "brewing" when I would see foam form on top of the oxygenized water.

 

[chief bigsmoke]

24 hrs.... and I assume the brewing process is in full effect.
The foam was pouring out the top of the container when I came home from snowboarding today. bio-dynamic magic

 

[chief bigsmoke]

The tea is done.

I ended up having to hook the air pump up to a timer so the foam had a chance to recede. I had it on for 4 hrs and off for an hour.

The finished product looks and smells ready. There is a light poop soup smell that I would account for the increased levels of guanos in this recipe. Which I should be able to lower next round when I reduce the overall recipe.

When I tested the ppm in my tea my Hanna tester took a reading of 1----- which I interpreted as "wayy too much" so I ended up diluting the mixture to the ratio of 8:1 (Pure RO water to Brewed Tea) To lower the ppm to 380. Which should be ideal for my early veg period. The pH was at 6.5


Thanks or tuning in! I can't wait to display these amazing secret genetics. You are all in for a treat.

 

[chief bigsmoke]

Chief Bigsmoke's Soil Recipe V2.0

40% Peat Moss

10% Earthworm castings

20% Perlite

20% organic potting soil mix

2.5% Mexican bat guano

2.5% Jamaican bat guano

1% Glacial Rock Dust: Glacial Rock Dust is a natural mineral product which is produced over many thousands of years by glacial action. A wide variety of rocks which contain a broad spectrum of trace minerals are collected and pulverized by the expansion/contraction action of the glacier.

1% Greensand: Mined in New Jersey from 70 million-year-old marine deposits, greensand contains 3 percent potassium and many micronutrients

1% Raw Earth (GH Product): Rare Earth is derived from ancient seabed deposits of pyrophyllitic clay that are blended with fulvate ore. By slowly releasing silicon, humates, and organic rare earth minerals, Rare Earth allows a crystal matrix to develop within growing plant tissue that protects the plant from heat stress and nutrient extremes by generating a protective silicon shield.

1% Kelp Meal: Kelp is widely available as a powdered meal. It usually contains a minimum of 2% potassium and many micronutrients

Trace Amounts of Dolomite Lime, rock phosphate, egg shells and coffee grounds

* Doses of ZHO root innoculant, Piranha and Tarantula

My soil recipe is a little different this round. Due to a smaller budget and new ideas here is the new recipe:


Soil Recipe V 3.0

50% Sunshine Organic Pro-Mix

10% Earthworm castings

25% Perlite * I want to change from perlite next cycle. Here's a great thread by the Mad Librettist to see my reasons why: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=202305

10% Vermiculite

1% Glacial Rock Dust: Glacial Rock Dust is a natural mineral product which is produced over many thousands of years by glacial action. A wide variety of rocks which contain a broad spectrum of trace minerals are collected and pulverized by the expansion/contraction action of the glacier.

1% Greensand: Mined in New Jersey from 70 million-year-old marine deposits, greensand contains 3 percent potassium and many micronutrients

1% Kelp Meal: Kelp is widely available as a powdered meal. It usually contains a minimum of 2% potassium and many micronutrients

1% "Balanced" Organic Fertilizer by Original Organics. Contains: Fish Meal, Alfalfa, Soybean Meal, Kelp Meal, Neem Cake, Rock Phosphate, Calcium Lime, Dolomite, Natural Potash and Humic Acid Derivatives

1% Quartz crystals: no particular reason

* Doses of ZHO root innoculant, White Clover, Ornamental Grass, Piranha, Tarantula and Aquashield

Notes: Each pot is still layered like they have been in previous cycles and I'll still be creating nutrient spikes for each pot this afternoon. Stay tuned for the recipe and handy dandy photos later on today...