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Living organic soil from start through recycling
- Thread starter Gascanastan
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B
bajangreen
Defiantly a good read
http://ncof.dacnet.nic.in/Training_...English/Prod_Technology_of_Organic_Inputs.pdf
http://ncof.dacnet.nic.in/Training_...English/Prod_Technology_of_Organic_Inputs.pdf
Y
YosemiteSam
It is my understanding the red lake de is made up of amorphous silica which provides plant useable H4SiO4 which is why I was looking at it along with the cec benefit from the clay.
I always figure how "mushy" the soil is comes from the Ca:Mg ratio...the higher the Ca the more spongy feeling, the higher the Mg the tighter things get. And that is why I think the ratio is important...from a physics point of view...not from a chemistry point of view at high cec.
But I will definitely watch for that if I try it...thanks rrog.
I always figure how "mushy" the soil is comes from the Ca:Mg ratio...the higher the Ca the more spongy feeling, the higher the Mg the tighter things get. And that is why I think the ratio is important...from a physics point of view...not from a chemistry point of view at high cec.
But I will definitely watch for that if I try it...thanks rrog.
think_fast
Member
Can anyone shed a little more light on the deal with dechlorinating water through aereation? That is, cholaminated water, not just chlorinated water. Do the air bubbles alone do the work or is it necessary to add organic matter? Lastly, does any of the organic material become non-viable as a result of throwing it into water that contains chloramine?
Gardens Keeper
Active member
You cannot bubble chloramine out I know this for a fact. You can't even boil it out...You can filter it and that is all.
think_fast
Member
Somewhere earlier in this thread Gascan mentioned aerating 1 tbs per gallon EWC to decholaminate water after 24 hrs.
...perhaps I misread it. It was such good news to me at the time.
Gardens Keeper
Active member
No idea if that really works, but you can also use other chemicals to neutralize it should not have said, "that is all". I would be very interested to know how big of an affect it actually has under the microscope compared to water without chloramines wonder if MM has done any tests of this nature?
think_fast
It doesn't take all that long to dechlorinate a tank of water - about 30 minutes assuming that you're using an air pump large enough to brew a legitimate AACT for the size of your water bucket.
Chloramine is neutralized when it comes in contact with organic material (OM) - that's why it's used in public water systems (not defending its use - just explaining) to insure to some degree that when the water hits your home it will be 'safe' to drink.
The other thing is that it's a good idea to check the web site of your water supplier. The information will be provided if Chloramine is actually being used as its use is not universal. The last EPA estimates (2011) were that 20% of the nation's water systems uses Chloramine
HTH
CC
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I used to put water out in old blue plastic food containers and let it sit for a few days. I tested the water and it worked for removing chlorine and chloramine. The chloramine may have been mostly removed because the water just set out and some organic material got in but whatever it did work. Some one on another board was just trying to talk about testing with a TDS meter but there's no way that's going to tell you whether there is chlorine/chloramine present...however, there are test kits...
And yeah, I checked and my water supplier does add chloramine...
Now I'm using Pure Water Products sediment and double activated charcoal filters...and that's fast and works great. I'm also enjoying it for drinking water now too so it has worked well for me and plants so far.
And yeah, I checked and my water supplier does add chloramine...
Now I'm using Pure Water Products sediment and double activated charcoal filters...and that's fast and works great. I'm also enjoying it for drinking water now too so it has worked well for me and plants so far.
Coot; Did you measure that? We ran a 50 gallon bioreactor full out with plain chlorinated water for about 6 hours at a farmers market and when we dumped it at the end of the day it still reeked of chlorine. I should note that I just took the farm owner's word that chlorine was used in their water district.
I prefer using some molasses or other organic matter to use up (neutralize) the oxides.
MM
Good point - I forgot that I'm running a 80 LPM air pump with < 5 gallons of water. The pump is one of the Eco brands you've mentioned in the past.
CC
Good point - I forgot that I'm running a 80 LPM air pump with < 5 gallons of water. The pump is one of the Eco brands you've mentioned in the past.
CC
Weyenot
Member
Hello everyone; I have been reading this amazing collection of knowledge for several weeks and I think its about time I broke my silence. First off, thank you Gas for hitting the ignition switch on this collaboration; I am so grateful and incredibly inspired by everyone's input!! I really should have expressed my gratitude sooner but I am a bit of an introvert, plus I keep myself pretty busy with work and musings of many topics.
Despite my silence I can be rather wordy when the flow gets going and I feel the force building!
Coot- your statement regarding how it is impossible to use amendments to attain a healthy soil makes so much sense, thank you for sharing that nugget! I have been organically minded since the start of my gardening adventures(except for a slight detour a few years back when I allowed my priorities to change in the direction of money) but alot of things didnt click and I see now that I was looking at the parts and not the whole. The soil really is living and if it isnt healthy it wont perform at its best just like any other creation. Thank you for making this a bit clearer for me!
Coot, I also am curious about the neem meal from Neem Tree Farms in Florida. I have been doing research trying to find the best option for me because I am on the east coast and shipping can be alot! I have checked out KIS and they will be my first pick as long as NTF doesnt prove to be a better source. The neem meal that NTF sells comes from a company called JungleGrowth which sells soil mixes that are labelled as natural/organic. Vicki from from NTF tells me that the meal is organic and I have sent a letter to JG to confirm this but I have yet to hear back; have you heard anything about this product? I would appreciate your input. The neem she sells goes for $35 per 20lb box(with shipping) so this would be a good option if its actually organic.
I look forward to participating more in the future.
Again, my deepest gratitude for all the knowledge and experience that has been shared!
W
Despite my silence I can be rather wordy when the flow gets going and I feel the force building!
Coot- your statement regarding how it is impossible to use amendments to attain a healthy soil makes so much sense, thank you for sharing that nugget! I have been organically minded since the start of my gardening adventures(except for a slight detour a few years back when I allowed my priorities to change in the direction of money) but alot of things didnt click and I see now that I was looking at the parts and not the whole. The soil really is living and if it isnt healthy it wont perform at its best just like any other creation. Thank you for making this a bit clearer for me!
Coot, I also am curious about the neem meal from Neem Tree Farms in Florida. I have been doing research trying to find the best option for me because I am on the east coast and shipping can be alot! I have checked out KIS and they will be my first pick as long as NTF doesnt prove to be a better source. The neem meal that NTF sells comes from a company called JungleGrowth which sells soil mixes that are labelled as natural/organic. Vicki from from NTF tells me that the meal is organic and I have sent a letter to JG to confirm this but I have yet to hear back; have you heard anything about this product? I would appreciate your input. The neem she sells goes for $35 per 20lb box(with shipping) so this would be a good option if its actually organic.
I look forward to participating more in the future.
Again, my deepest gratitude for all the knowledge and experience that has been shared!
W
think_fast
Member
If 30 min is sufficient to dechlorinate (chloramine included) roughly 5 gallons of water using an 80 lpm pump, and we take this ferrari-engine-powering- a-honda analogy and make it proportionate for most growers who are using something more along a 20 lpm pump per 5 gallons water, we get 4 hours of bubbling to adequately dechlorinate water. Just to be safe.
H
Heliopolis
No problemo, sir. All things worth having are worth waiting for.
That's a nice collection of information. Thanks for sharing.
Hey CC!
question for you man....
a few years back i remember reading in a thread with a post from you about pre mixing dyna-gro neem oil and pro-tekt and storing it for a ready to use mix.
i cannot for the life of me find this thread again to get the info posted.
now my question is how long of a shelf life does this have after mixing? my guess is long enough to use it all?
kinda tired of mixing small amounts at a time, would rather have a ready pre-mix.
question for you man....
a few years back i remember reading in a thread with a post from you about pre mixing dyna-gro neem oil and pro-tekt and storing it for a ready to use mix.
i cannot for the life of me find this thread again to get the info posted.
now my question is how long of a shelf life does this have after mixing? my guess is long enough to use it all?
kinda tired of mixing small amounts at a time, would rather have a ready pre-mix.
OrganicLearner
Member
Well, it was nice knowing you guys a ball of fire should hit us any minute and turn us all into biochar anytime now lol..
Once you mix the neem and pro-tekt into the water, you should use within 8 hours or less.
Before you add it to the water, I'm unsure of that. I doubt it would stay emulsified, in which case it would be the same as keeping it all separate and mixing it when ready.
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