Tutorial Organics for Beginners

[Weird]

I think if your air pump is pulling cold air into your brew constantly it will force the heater to run constantly killing Microbes.
I run a small electric room heater in small area pointed at my 5 gallon bucket and air pump. Keeps water and air intake warm.

As it gets colder I am going to bring brew into warm area for 27 hours. Im sure you will work it out.

tbh it was a rhetorical question meant for mm.

I use them in my teas when the ambient temperature is so cold it makes the environment counter productive.

there are concepts such as maximum efficiency, applicable necessity, and relativity which puts both realms into proper perspective.

 

[mx628]

Thanks for the info guys. Just to clarify, the tea should be around 68 degrees? The aquarium warmer posted that was bought at walmart says it keeps water at a solid 78. I wonder wrapping the barrel in an electric blanket or put it on a sort of heating mat would work too. Something to dial in.

 

[Former Guest]

now you could get electrocuted that way and it's not enough to keep it warm the whole time. microbes become dormant if it gets too cold and if it gets too hot, pathogens are more likely and that's no good either. if you have a spare bathroom, many people brew in their bathtubs with the barrel setup in the bath tub using it as a catch tray for leaky foam (which is why you should not use a blanket or heat mat).

so read this website top to bottom and it will contain everything you want to know and if you have anymore Q's, hit us up

http://microbeorganics.com/

 

[Ph-patrol]

My thoughts on brewing tea

My objective is colonizing microbes through the processes of fermentation. The bucket,air stone, pump are really a incubator of sorts. In that the maintaining of an even temperature during the process is essential for the colonies growth .

Cold air and a cold floor with a hot element will cause an unstable Temperature and environment for Microbe colonization.
The Heating element runs much hotter than what its internal thermostat is set at. It just shuts off at a set temperature. Pumping cold air in is just plain counter productive. Keep a insulated pad underneath incubator will stop cold from radiating in and creating a cold spot.

The opinion of a newer organic Grower.

 

[Microbeman]

what is your recommendation on heating teas being brewed in cold places?

In my my basement gets below 60 degrees.

I am not going to heat the basement when I can simply use a heater to heat the tea.

I am missing something here?

If it works for you, using an aquarium heater then go for it. I just pointed out that it is not something I recommend, meaning that I don't dis-recommend it.

I do prefer using the ambient temperature to effect the temperature of the liquid but I get your point. BTW my aquarium heaters do not go below 78.

60 is not so bad and the pump will add some heat. How warm do you heat it? I like 65 to 72 for optimum results for soil microbes. Others differ with me though.

Maybe using the heater in the plain water but removing before commencing the extrapolation would work best.

 

[Microbeman]

Lab Tested: 99% Pure Organic Worm-Castings

Do they provide the lab results?

 

[Microbeman]

I think if your air pump is pulling cold air into your brew constantly it will force the heater to run constantly killing Microbes.
I run a small electric room heater in small area pointed at my 5 gallon bucket and air pump. Keeps water and air intake warm.

As it gets colder I am going to bring brew into warm area for 27 hours. Im sure you will work it out.

This is what I have done. BTW usually the pump warms the air a bit.

 

[Microbeman]

Just one more little point, a quirk I guess; fermentation strictly speaking refers to an anaerobic process such as when fermenting EM, etc. so is not formally applicable to using an open bioreactor with aeration. I know that many in the scientific world have butchered the use of the word but I'm a little anal about it. I also don't really like the word 'brewing' applied to the process. This is why I often use the word 'extrapolation'

 

[Weird]

If it works for you, using an aquarium heater then go for it. I just pointed out that it is not something I recommend, meaning that I don't dis-recommend it.

I do prefer using the ambient temperature to effect the temperature of the liquid but I get your point. BTW my aquarium heaters do not go below 78.

60 is not so bad and the pump will add some heat. How warm do you heat it? I like 65 to 72 for optimum results for soil microbes. Others differ with me though.

Maybe using the heater in the plain water but removing before commencing the extrapolation would work best.

Thanks for the input I appreciate at it.

My heater goes to 68 and I use a fish tank filter so circulate water that creates very little heat (which is my experience with these types of filters).

Let me clarify the conditions so there is some relevance. The location of my brewer is not heated and gets very cold in the winter.

Now before I continue, I understand that I am breaking convention but above and beyond the reasoning above I have other reasons I will detail after.

I use this to brew, fish tank filter (with carbon removed) and sometimes a bio wheel left in (I will explain my reasoning). I also use an airstone at the bottom of the ewc/compost that is in the screen.

Now while I do not have a microscope to check bacterial populations over the years I have become pretty good at using anecdotal observations to gauge results especially as I gain more and more comparative experience.

First a note on the tech and why I like it including the biowheel. These filters (as well as many other aquarium filters) are designed to support and sustain populations of bacteria over the term.

Bacteria are critical in maintaining the health of a fish tank. I removed the charcoal filter but having an epiphany as I write I will say this. The microbiology these filters support is not effected by charcoal and secondly this.

People are using RO to filter their water and it wastes water. Simply putting water in drums with an active charcoal filter might help people in applicable situations cut down on water waste.

Back to the filter setup however. When I was brewing teas with EJ I basically wanted tea available at the ready and it took at least 36 but more regularly 48 hours to get the tea to cycle properly.

With the biowheel in use that time was cut to 24 hours, for me simple anecdotal evidence of its efficiency. However there are far more advanced biological filters that are designed to maximize bacterial growth an sustain it throughout the filter's use.

Much like how no til living soil leaves existing bacterial populations intact so the next planting can be more effective I feel the bacterial mechanisms in these filters could be used to add value in what we do.

As far as ewc teas and other brews ive made with it seems effective enough to provide the benefits I need. It worked great when all I fed my gardens were organic teas (well the teas did at least). It provides visible results when I use it now (well the teas do at least). I get tons of foaming bubbles and lots of activity in regards to ph if those are barometers of bacterial activity.

I had all of those items on hand from time I spent in the pet trade so it cost nothing for me to start playing around. So while I can't actualize its efficiency compared to a vortex brewer being able to play around with stuff on hand had me brewing teas way sooner than I would have gotten into them had I had to do something more exotic.

The results have been effective enough that I haven't felt the need to change and I grow clandestinely, and do not want others including those who reside with me to be exposed to my work so deep down I prefer to use innocuous items as often was possible to aid in obfuscating their true purpose.

Sometimes I think I just like to rationalize and over think shit

 

[Weird]

Do they provide the lab results?

Good question, they do offer alot of information on their site.

I have used them for a couple years now and before that used other brands.

I have no pests but lots of worms active in my pots without adding any, I don't get weeds or any other pests and they perform well.

I love the quality out of the bag, ill have to get some pictures of it

 

[Microbeman]

I use 2 marineland Emperor 400s on an aquarium without the biowheels (turning) and with the filters filled with gravel, pumice and ceramic rings and planted with Pothos. Your system likely works fine for growing bacteria and flagellates but the pump likely chops up fungal hyphae.

 

[wizardoz9]

At the end of September I posted about a problem I had with my grow and received all good advice and comments. It seemed to be going well until this week when new problems arose-see pictures. It's at the end of the 5th week of flowering and now it seems like it's doing a slow death. I'm just watering with ewc and molasses until harvest if they last that long. Obviously I must have done something wrong when I mixed the soil so I'm mixing a new batch which should be ready by the end of December and wondering if the new mix is ok.
The base is:10 parts pro mix hp
3 parts vermicrop's vemiblend compost
4 parts ewc
4 parts perlite
to that I'm adding per cf
1/2 cup neem meal
2 cup kelp meal
1 cup crab meal
1/2 cup alfalfa meal
2 cups fish meal
4 cups glacial rock dust
1 cup azomite
1 cup oyster shell flour

I want to add some gypsum but I haven't found anyone that carries it here.

I plan on watering with ewc/molasses, aloe vera and and seed sprout teas as needed.

all comments are appreciated
Thank you

 

[Weird]

I use 2 marineland Emperor 400s on an aquarium without the biowheels (turning) and with the filters filled with gravel, pumice and ceramic rings and planted with Pothos. Your system likely works fine for growing bacteria and flagellates but the pump likely chops up fungal hyphae.

nice tank. interesting information, If I need to specifically brew fungal teas I can go with airstones and simply nix the filter?

I don't need most effective, I need gets the job done.

 

[genedigger]

yo wizard dude i got the same thing before when ive gone heavy on the mollases.if your that far into flowering just use cold water til the end.ive had them much worse looking than that and they made it out ok.

 

[Ph-patrol]

At the end of September I posted about a problem I had with my grow and received all good advice and comments. It seemed to be going well until this week when new problems arose-see pictures. It's at the end of the 5th week of flowering and now it seems like it's doing a slow death. I'm just watering with ewc and molasses until harvest if they last that long. Obviously I must have done something wrong when I mixed the soil so I'm mixing a new batch which should be ready by the end of December and wondering if the new mix is ok.
The base is:10 parts pro mix hp
3 parts vermicrop's vemiblend compost
4 parts ewc
4 parts perlite
to that I'm adding per cf
1/2 cup neem meal
2 cup kelp meal
1 cup crab meal
1/2 cup alfalfa meal
2 cups fish meal
4 cups glacial rock dust
1 cup azomite
1 cup oyster shell flour

I want to add some gypsum but I haven't found anyone that carries it here.

I plan on watering with ewc/molasses, aloe vera and and seed sprout teas as needed.

all comments are appreciated
Thank you

Did you give any cal mag during your watering program? I see you used Oyster flour. But It seems like a calcium deficiency.

 

[Kozmo]

Just say no to cal mag. Use a 1/4 cup per gal. Of kelp for a ACT.

How come no one ever has worms in there super soil?

 

[GrowMonkey420]

Thanks for the info. Has anyone ever heard /tired Boogie Brew?

 

[Microbeman]

nice tank. interesting information, If I need to specifically brew fungal teas I can go with airstones and simply nix the filter?

I don't need most effective, I need gets the job done.

Yup, that's why I have info about using what one has.

 

[Weird]

Just say no to cal mag. Use a 1/4 cup per gal. Of kelp for a ACT.

How come no one ever has worms in there super soil?

 

[Microbeman]

Wiz; It is often difficult to diagnose a problem just with photos. The symptoms showing could be a particular nutrient overload or a fungal pathogen. I got a similar symptom from using a mix infected with rust (Pucciniales).

http://www.invasive.org/browse/tax.cfm?order=774

Just looking at it from a gardener's perspective I doubt you have the proverbial cal:mag upset considering the EWC and oyster flour used.

I agree that applying only water is a good idea. If it is a fungal infection, you can just ride it out at this point.

You could always treat just one plant as others suggest to observe any change.