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SecretGardener
Member
Actually, after reading MM's microscope section on his website and watching the video's, I now know what to look for... Although I really want to purchase one of MM's scopes because they produce some amazing images...right now my main objective (pun intended) is to be able to view the tea's to make sure I am getting an effective amount of microbial activity.
Thanks for your input CT Guy
It all depends if you just wish to see that there is something moving or see what that something is. Magnification is not the most important thing with microscopes, the amount of light allowed through and quality of optics is. Digital zoom is normally not great. Similar to digital zoom with a camera. If you are looking for just a cheap crappy scope, check the reources I've listed. http://www.sciplus.com http://www.surplusshed.com
http://www.amscope.com
http://www.amscope.com
C
CT Guy
Jay's answer was spot on. If you don't have a scope, figure on 24 to 36 hours to brew. If it's 65F or higher, go with 24 hours, colder than that, figure on 36. That's a rough guess, as every batch, brewer, and recipe will be slightly different.
SecretGardener
Member
Hey MM!
I really wish to be able to see what that something is, i.e. distinguish between bacteria, protozoa and fungal hyphae. I will check out the sources you've listed and try to find a good compromise for the money. Much appreciated.
Don't get the idea that I'm saying the scope you linked is no good. You can get it and try it out....who knows.. maybe it will be sufficient. I always encourage experimentation. In the photo it shows the stage on an angle. This may not be good for looking at drops of water.
I posted this over in the thread on spirulina algae, but I figured since this is the official tea article I should post it here as probably more important and interesting than the spirulina in it is the inclusion of what the product calls NSO's (Natural Soil Organisms) and many of them in fact.. It would be interesting to see how this can be used beneficially in the making of teas, I wonder if it would have any effect or even possibly profound effects on the soil? I want to know if the benefits of this mix is only good for people or if i should use it in my general garden tea brews..
anyways the product is a wholefood supplement for people, it's supposed to be all inclusive protein vitamins and minerals.. anyways the ingredients:
Vitamineral Green
(100% RAW and organic/wild superfoods):
Land Vegetables:
Whole Leaf Barley Grass, Whole Leaf Wheat Grass, Nettle Leaf, Shavegrass (Horsetail), Alfalfa Leaf Juice, Dandelion Leaf Juice, Kamut® Grass Juice, Barley Grass Juice, Oat Grass Juice, Burdock Root, Broccoli Juice, Kale Juice, Spinach Juice, Parsley Juice, Carob Pod, Ginger Root, Nopal Cactus, Amla Berry
Algaes:
Spirulina and Broken Cell Wall Chlorella
Wildcrafted Aquatic Vegetables:
Icelandic Kelp and Nova Scotia Dulse
Enzymes: (optimum absorption, cleansing +)
Amylase, Lipase, Protease, Cellulase, Bromelain, Papain
Comprehensive Probiotic Mixture - Beneficial Organisms. Includes Exclusive NSO™ :
(Natural Soil Organisms) and Implantable Species:
A. Agilis, L. Acidophilus, R. Arrhizus, DDS-1 Acidophilus, Bifidus, L. Bulgaricus, A. Brasilienese, B. Brenis, P. Chrysosporium, A. Citreus, L. Casei, P. Calcis, S. Cellulasae, P. Denitrificans, S. Faecium, S. Fradiae, P. Flourescens, A. Globiformis, S. Griseoflavus, P. Gelatic, B. Lipolyticum, A. Luteus, A. Lipoferum, A. Lwolfii, B. Laterosporous, P. Marinoglutinosa, , B. Macerans, P. Nigraclens, P. Putida, L. Plantarum, B. Pumilus, B. Polymyxa, B. Stationis, L. Salivarius, B. Subtilus, B. Succinogenes, A. Simplex, B. Subtilus, S. Thermopolis , A. Terreus, M. Verrucaria, T. Viride. , K. Zopfit.
anyways the product is a wholefood supplement for people, it's supposed to be all inclusive protein vitamins and minerals.. anyways the ingredients:
Vitamineral Green
(100% RAW and organic/wild superfoods):
Land Vegetables:
Whole Leaf Barley Grass, Whole Leaf Wheat Grass, Nettle Leaf, Shavegrass (Horsetail), Alfalfa Leaf Juice, Dandelion Leaf Juice, Kamut® Grass Juice, Barley Grass Juice, Oat Grass Juice, Burdock Root, Broccoli Juice, Kale Juice, Spinach Juice, Parsley Juice, Carob Pod, Ginger Root, Nopal Cactus, Amla Berry
Algaes:
Spirulina and Broken Cell Wall Chlorella
Wildcrafted Aquatic Vegetables:
Icelandic Kelp and Nova Scotia Dulse
Enzymes: (optimum absorption, cleansing +)
Amylase, Lipase, Protease, Cellulase, Bromelain, Papain
Comprehensive Probiotic Mixture - Beneficial Organisms. Includes Exclusive NSO™ :
(Natural Soil Organisms) and Implantable Species:
A. Agilis, L. Acidophilus, R. Arrhizus, DDS-1 Acidophilus, Bifidus, L. Bulgaricus, A. Brasilienese, B. Brenis, P. Chrysosporium, A. Citreus, L. Casei, P. Calcis, S. Cellulasae, P. Denitrificans, S. Faecium, S. Fradiae, P. Flourescens, A. Globiformis, S. Griseoflavus, P. Gelatic, B. Lipolyticum, A. Luteus, A. Lipoferum, A. Lwolfii, B. Laterosporous, P. Marinoglutinosa, , B. Macerans, P. Nigraclens, P. Putida, L. Plantarum, B. Pumilus, B. Polymyxa, B. Stationis, L. Salivarius, B. Subtilus, B. Succinogenes, A. Simplex, B. Subtilus, S. Thermopolis , A. Terreus, M. Verrucaria, T. Viride. , K. Zopfit.
cannagardens
Member
Thank you.
Thank you.
Just wanted to give a BIG THANK YOU to all that have contributed to this and all the other tea threads on ICmag, they have been informative to say the least.
I brew in a 5gl bucket with 3 aquarium pumps rigged to a coil made out of 1/2" tubing. I also run a standard submersible pump with a filter to extract. I was wondering if I can create a waterfall effect with the pump to continuously run the water into a mesh bag and break the water surface getting more 0xygen into the mix or will the pumps propeller shred the little buggers. According to MM's research there was little negative effect by extracting with a sub pump, but what about continuous use throughout the 24hours of the brew.
Tea mix: 3/4 cup EC
3/4 cup Alaskan Humus
1tbs Soybean Meal
1tbs Alfalfa Meal
1tbs Hi-Brix from Earth Juice
1tsp Humic Acid
(usually it would be blackstrap instead of the EJ stuff, but I was gifted a gallon, I'll give it a try, so far so good)
My nute mix consists of Guanos for the different stages.
I was able to reduce the amounts of guanos I use because of AACT, saving money and have better harvests , never looking back, this is the way to grow.
Again Thank you and all input is very much appreciated
.
Thank you.
Just wanted to give a BIG THANK YOU to all that have contributed to this and all the other tea threads on ICmag, they have been informative to say the least.
I brew in a 5gl bucket with 3 aquarium pumps rigged to a coil made out of 1/2" tubing. I also run a standard submersible pump with a filter to extract. I was wondering if I can create a waterfall effect with the pump to continuously run the water into a mesh bag and break the water surface getting more 0xygen into the mix or will the pumps propeller shred the little buggers. According to MM's research there was little negative effect by extracting with a sub pump, but what about continuous use throughout the 24hours of the brew.
Tea mix: 3/4 cup EC
3/4 cup Alaskan Humus
1tbs Soybean Meal
1tbs Alfalfa Meal
1tbs Hi-Brix from Earth Juice
1tsp Humic Acid
(usually it would be blackstrap instead of the EJ stuff, but I was gifted a gallon, I'll give it a try, so far so good)
My nute mix consists of Guanos for the different stages.
I was able to reduce the amounts of guanos I use because of AACT, saving money and have better harvests , never looking back, this is the way to grow.
Again Thank you and all input is very much appreciated
.cannagardens
Member
Oh I also just got a crappy 400x microscope with slides, is this good enough to start with?
,
I did not say this. The tests I ran were pumping through once, not extracting.
C
CT Guy
Quite possibly. One of the biggest issues is sufficient lighting and then the quality of your objectives. If you already have the microscope though, you might as well use it. Check out MM's site, www.microbeorganics.com to get an idea of what you're looking for, or even better, order his DVD.
C
CT Guy
Just wanted to give a BIG THANK YOU to all that have contributed to this and all the other tea threads on ICmag, they have been informative to say the least.
I brew in a 5gl bucket with 3 aquarium pumps rigged to a coil made out of 1/2" tubing. I also run a standard submersible pump with a filter to extract. I was wondering if I can create a waterfall effect with the pump to continuously run the water into a mesh bag and break the water surface getting more 0xygen into the mix or will the pumps propeller shred the little buggers. According to MM's research there was little negative effect by extracting with a sub pump, but what about continuous use throughout the 24hours of the brew.
Tea mix: 3/4 cup EC
3/4 cup Alaskan Humus
1tbs Soybean Meal
1tbs Alfalfa Meal
1tbs Hi-Brix from Earth Juice
1tsp Humic Acid
(usually it would be blackstrap instead of the EJ stuff, but I was gifted a gallon, I'll give it a try, so far so good)
My nute mix consists of Guanos for the different stages.
I was able to reduce the amounts of guanos I use because of AACT, saving money and have better harvests , never looking back, this is the way to grow.
Again Thank you and all input is very much appreciated
Running through a sump pump once would be much different than brewing with it. My natural inclination would be to say "no" but I haven't personally tested it. With multiple passes, I'm guessing it would shred the fungal hyphae. I'm sure you could get a bacterial tea using this method though.
CT Guy and/or MM
The devices that you mount on top of your microscopes that you then connect to an HD screen - are those VGA connections or HDMI?
The reason that I'm asking is that I can get a VGA connector for my iPad but there is not an HDMI connector as of yet.
Thanks!
CC
The devices that you mount on top of your microscopes that you then connect to an HD screen - are those VGA connections or HDMI?
The reason that I'm asking is that I can get a VGA connector for my iPad but there is not an HDMI connector as of yet.
Thanks!
CC
I use a Sony HD video/digital camera combo interfacing with firewire. The cheap camera I sell interfaces with USB 2.0. I also have an HDMI out from computer to HD screen
cannagardens
Member
Sorry, didn't explain myself correctly, by extracting I actually meant getting it out of the bucket and onto the soil. Didn't meant to misquote you MM.
So far I've just been sticking to the 3 aquarium pumps.
I do however run the pump into the meshbag with soil for a few hours to convert the chloramines imto chlorine and thus gas it off.
I'm not 100% sure if this is the correct way to produce tepid water but I also haven't noticed anything detrimental.
cannagardens
Member
I'm just a poor unempolyed gardener, lately most of my stuff has been payment for helping out other poor farmers. As soon as my piggy is fat enough I'll send for the DVD. Without a scope and the ability to properly identify organisms it's mostly a guessing game, but the plants aren't complaining, they actually look happier than ever.
C
CT Guy
I use HDMI, but my very first one from SFI was VGA. The resolution was not that good, but I can probably track it down for you if you want to try it (I lent it to a local tea guy but I'm fairly positive he's not using it).
