CACTUSFLOWER
Member
Do any of you boil any ingredients before making the tea, maybe to release some of the molecules to make them more available
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Heavens no.
CACTUSFLOWER
Member
I mean boil some kelp and comfrey, let cool and then start making the tea
Well, if you are talking kelp and comfrey, this is for a botanical type tea rather than compost tea. I would guess that dependent on the planned use that a hot water extract may be a good method.
I make a knotweed extract for fungal pathogens using 50 degree C water.
I make a knotweed extract for fungal pathogens using 50 degree C water.
CACTUSFLOWER
Member
I've poured boiling water on vegan fertilizer, (alfalfa,kelp, cottonseed), molasses then let it cool added the compost, aloe Vera, and a little Great White innoculant, and aerated 24 hr. seemed to work well, thank you Microbeman and others for the great info
stickyuser
Member
Fantastic article, gonna have a few reads through this tread!
I've been researching knotweed since it is highly invasive in my area. Have read that some fungicides are being developed from it, do you have any more info DIY usage?
C
ct guy2
There's a great thread over on the logical site on this subject but I can't link to it based on the TOU as I understand it.
Former Guest
Active member
well they missed a link and that's how I happened across it. good info, less soap box,
So, I have a question on air stones. Do you really need muratic acid to clean them or is bleach good enough? can they really be cleaned thoroughly? I am having issues brewing funky smelling teas. I follow the directions to add the stuff like fish hydrolysate, kelp, EWC, molasses and by 12 to 16 hours I have stinky gross tea. someone who's helping me thinks I should go get my water tested since it's well water but I think it's using the airstones that has been causing all of this. a grey/brown slime literally breeds around it, clinging to it. I've tried replacing them and it comes back after a few uses. does anyone have any cleaning advice for me? thanks!
So, I have a question on air stones. Do you really need muratic acid to clean them or is bleach good enough? can they really be cleaned thoroughly? I am having issues brewing funky smelling teas. I follow the directions to add the stuff like fish hydrolysate, kelp, EWC, molasses and by 12 to 16 hours I have stinky gross tea. someone who's helping me thinks I should go get my water tested since it's well water but I think it's using the airstones that has been causing all of this. a grey/brown slime literally breeds around it, clinging to it. I've tried replacing them and it comes back after a few uses. does anyone have any cleaning advice for me? thanks!
I'm pretty lax, and just rinse in the sink after each tea, a bit of H202 in the rez afterwards. It bubbles off within a day or two and stays film free afterwards. I've heard good things about Physan20.
I'll poke my nose in a bit further. Drop the kelp and hydrolysate, and KISS with just EWC/compost and BSM for a brew or two, observe, then add back other ingredients. I've had better qualitative results from cutting the BSM in half when using airstones, more of an earthy smell and less sweet. A tip from TLG.
I'll poke my nose in a bit further. Drop the kelp and hydrolysate, and KISS with just EWC/compost and BSM for a brew or two, observe, then add back other ingredients. I've had better qualitative results from cutting the BSM in half when using airstones, more of an earthy smell and less sweet. A tip from TLG.
Former Guest
Active member
thank you Mikell. your advice is much appreciated. I honestly didn't bother looking at physan20 because it sounded kinda scary from the name alone. my straight EWC teas with BSM don't get smelly but it's when I add the other stuff. plus, a little more reading brought me to some other ideas on what it could be. I really didn't think that a square container would be that big of deal if I was using a 60w commercial air pump for a very small brew. the bubbles and agitation looked great but around the sides in the corners is where the dead space was. my air stone is a 8 inch disk style and I think that inside where I can't scrub is dirty too even though I've tried soaking it in different stuff and running it through a dishwasher. I would make a whateveragon but I'd have to buy some drill bits and the pvc and right now, I just wanted to use stuff I have lying around. I really didn't think it could be our water source but there's been a lot of new housing being built in an area that has caused a lot of water from a swampy area being channeled towards our home and my old house I lived in was next to a quarry that when built had ruined the water supply forcing the landlord to install a water softening unit. I don't really understand how that part all works and was just curious.
CACTUSFLOWER
Member
have any of you used a turkey injector to get the tea to the roots?
analogcricket
Member
How far into flower can you inoculate your teas with great white?
Physan20 is fairly safe (hazardous to fish, toxic in concentration), but I wouldn't use it as a soil drench or spray myself, probably just to disinfect surfaces and sanitize cuttings. I mention it because it doesn't have the drawbacks of bleach or peroxides and is more effective, but should be rinsed off.
It could be water quality or some anaerobic organism, I don't know much about wells, but it's not as likely as kelp meal slowing things down for the first 24.
I use a square container as well, a 3-4 gallon bucket recylced from a restaurant. Haven't had a funky brew yet, but it's certainly not ideal. What's a more elaborate definition of funky?
Former Guest
Active member
Smells like root rot. Not earthy or sweet. Sometimes there's even funky growth that covers the stone.
Like when you buy a veggie start at the nursery and it's been waterlogged and smells bad and rotten.
Like when you buy a veggie start at the nursery and it's been waterlogged and smells bad and rotten.
I get the growth on the stone after about 40 hours, but never thought much of it.
Root rot eh, I'll pull that nose back out again..
Makes you think anaerobic, but you've got more than enough air (the airstone should provide enough O for well over 10 gallons) though running a few lines to the corners would clear up any dead spots.
MM or some such highly experienced one should be able to provide better advice
Root rot eh, I'll pull that nose back out again..
Makes you think anaerobic, but you've got more than enough air (the airstone should provide enough O for well over 10 gallons) though running a few lines to the corners would clear up any dead spots.
MM or some such highly experienced one should be able to provide better advice
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Former Guest
Active member
kelp meal was the culprit possibly. did the same thing but left it out and it's the first tea that has brewed for 48 hours and not stunk. I did use a different air stone but this air stone has given me problems before so I ruled that out. I did use a round bucket instead of a square type but I've used all different types of containers cause they get stinky and I don't want to use them again. the motion from the air stone made it not only have a rolling bubble that went up 4-5 inches but also caused the water to rock back and forth like a washing machine agitating. thank you Mikell.
Former Guest
Active member
i gave them tea after a day of brewing and let it go to see how much longer it would go. the next day i went back in there around the same time of day and it still smelled good. i was surprised as i thought it would be funky smelling. i took the remaining tea and dumped it on the hot compost pile. no harm, no foul, and now i can brew teas!
