Gardening With Microbes

[Dignan]

CT-

I have read that OM converts chloramine to chlorine, which is then easily off-gassed.

In googling that info a couple days ago for someone, I found a lot of info about chloramine actually being formed when chlorine comes into contact with OM.

What's the straight dope on this nifty little chemical reaction?

 

[mad librettist]

Plain old oxidation dig.

 

[Dignan]

OK, but which direction does it work? Does adding OM to chloramine turn it into chlorine? Or does adding OM to chlorine turn it into chloramine?

Me so confused! Me no pay attention in chemistry class!

 

[mad librettist]

hmmm good question.

my reasoning is simpler: chlorine/chloramine works by oxidizing organic compounds. Since chlorine must be increased if pathogens are increased, I can assume that once it reacts with OM, it is neutralized, probably because it has bound itself to the carbon (just a guess, since all organic compounds have carbon in common). This would be regardless of chlorine/amine state, since chloramine is also limited in power and essentially does the same thing.

I am just guessing that once you use something up it doesn't work anymore.

 

[dr.penthotal]

Interesting post, good info.
Go organic... and beyond

 

[CT Guy]

CT Guy- The site is great I especially like the section on "Why Organic?" I agree that the fertilizer section in stores always smells foul..

How much EWC is sufficient to de-chlorinate 5 gallons of water? Obviously I'm bubbling the water too. Also interested in what ML is asking about neutralizing it via a pump sprayer. I use a Gilmour 3 gallon and it emits a fine mist.

Nug Jug,

If you're bubbling the water, no sense in wasting or using EWC for chlorine (not chloramine). Just bubble it for an hour or let it sit out for 24 hours and you're more than good to go. Save the EWC for your plants!

As for your sprayer, I've gotten good feedback on Hudson, and I've tested Echo and Solo sprayers. You may need to switch out the nozzle tips though. You want a larger droplet size then a fine mist or all that will survive will be the bacteria (which can still provide benefit if it's the only way you can apply it).

 

[CT Guy]

The chemist at Vita D Chlor (they make a commercial ascorbic acid product), told me that for small amounts of water you could use a 500 mg tablet of Vitamin C to remove the chlorine in up to 15 gallons of water. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to test it since we don't have chloramine in WA State, but I assume he would be telling me something that they've tested or know to be true.

I know that in San Fran we have customers who have tested teas and use Amquel to remove their chloramine prior to brewing.

 

[Dignan]

After adding the Vit C, what are you left with in terms of what plants need/can tolerate?

I mean, adding C to water you're going to drink is one thing, but I'm wondering if adding C to water you're applying to soil is different in any way. Do you know?

 

[C21H30O2]

ive used asorbic acid to clean my water before but honestly I believe I have been getting better results using r/o.

 

[NUG-JUG]

Nug Jug,

If you're bubbling the water, no sense in wasting or using EWC for chlorine (not chloramine). Just bubble it for an hour or let it sit out for 24 hours and you're more than good to go. Save the EWC for your plants!

As for your sprayer, I've gotten good feedback on Hudson, and I've tested Echo and Solo sprayers. You may need to switch out the nozzle tips though. You want a larger droplet size then a fine mist or all that will survive will be the bacteria (which can still provide benefit if it's the only way you can apply it).

Good to know my sprayer is only a fine mist when I tighten the end a lot..I'll back it off a little. Do I have to add some kind of OM to get rid of chloramines? It's 4ppm here.

 

[Cannalicious]

Hi, just butting in with my .

I agree with the consensus that your theme is awesome, colors, font, size all good except for the Soil Microbes page that has been discussed.

I have a few suggestions.

Your article page: I wanted to read all the articles all at once. I found it cumbersome to open the link, read the article and then have to go back to the article page to get to the next one. One way around this would be to have collapsable links like the ones on this cricket's "most popular questions" http://www.mycricket.com/support

or... put all the articles on one page so if the reader just wanted to keep scrolling down, he could get it all. Just keep the top links to the articles to bookmarks on the page. Add the little "back to top" link at the end of each article. Something like this page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hy_f_4?ie=UTF8&nodeId=901888#gift


Microscope Page: This page is too busy and to hard to read as it is. Hard to read because there are no changes in the size of the headers as you read down. (Without saying these are the parts of a scope, you start listing them, and then without transition go straight to "makes." I kept getting loss and had to reread too much too often to "refind" what I wanted to read again. That page could get really cleaned up quickly with a table of contents.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microscopes)

Contact: I think this is my major complaint. I think it should be a link to another page. I kept clicking on it and got a pop-up that directly opens an email box, but my email is not set up or configured that way. So I need something I can see to physically type into my gmail browser. I think it would be nice to have a name to associate as well instead of just "info" telling readers who you guys are. I want to have a personal relationship with businesses I plan on supporting long term.


I like it. Good Job.

How much molasses do you need to dechlorinate 5 gallons of water? I'm a little muddy on that.

Cherio -

- L

 

[Spl1fftast1ck]

I like it, Bookmarked, Looking forward to seeing more. Thank you.

 

[GeorgeSmiley]

Love the site, very pleasing to the eyes and mind

Solo sprayers are great, I picked up a pair of new solo backpack sprayers for half price last year. Really great if you're spraying neighbors yard/garden as well as my own etc... end of last year, even though I clean it well, the sprayer smeels like ass.


Anyways good work
Smiley

 

[Microbeman]

Microscope Page: This page is too busy and to hard to read as it is. Hard to read because there are no changes in the size of the headers as you read down. (Without saying these are the parts of a scope, you start listing them, and then without transition go straight to "makes." I kept getting loss and had to reread too much too often to "refind" what I wanted to read again. That page could get really cleaned up quickly with a table of contents

He has no control over the microscope info as it is an article written by me. It is intended to progress giving the novice an overview of microscope function ending with a little about makes. It is written as an article and not as a website page.

Regarding chlorine: If you are using the aeration or sitting 24 hours method to dissipate chlorine and you do not have test strips, use your nose to detect for chlorine. Once we set up our 50 gallon brewer on display with just plain water at a fair where the water was heavily chlorinated. We ran the brewer cranking 11 PPM dissolved oxygen for 6 hours before we dumped it and went home. When we dumped it we clearly smelled chlorine. I have it from a reliable chemist/biologist that a tablespoon of black strap molasses will neutralize chlorine in 5 gallons. Organic matter neutralizes chlorine and does not convert it to chloramines.

 

[NUG-JUG]

Regarding chlorine: If you are using the aeration or sitting 24 hours method to dissipate chlorine and you do not have test strips, use your nose to detect for chlorine. Once we set up our 50 gallon brewer on display with just plain water at a fair where the water was heavily chlorinated. We ran the brewer cranking 11 PPM dissolved oxygen for 6 hours before we dumped it and went home. When we dumped it we clearly smelled chlorine. I have it from a reliable chemist/biologist that a tablespoon of black strap molasses will neutralize chlorine in 5 gallons. Organic matter neutralizes chlorine and does not convert it to chloramines.

My nose works well since it's all I've got at the moment. Stirring the water and taking a few good wiffs will give you some idea. I'll just add some OM to my water when I bubble it. Preferably not molasses or EWC since they are pricey..

 

[GeorgeSmiley]

The chemist at Vita D Chlor (they make a commercial ascorbic acid product), told me that for small amounts of water you could use a 500 mg tablet of Vitamin C to remove the chlorine in up to 15 gallons of water. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to test it since we don't have chloramine in WA State, but I assume he would be telling me something that they've tested or know to be true.

I know that in San Fran we have customers who have tested teas and use Amquel to remove their chloramine prior to brewing.

You can come on down a little south of you and I'll sell you some chloromine water I got a couple gallons of the stuff.......

Smiley

 

[Dignan]

Organic matter neutralizes chlorine and does not convert it to chloramines.

Thanks. I was getting that info from municipal water company websites.

 

[CT Guy]

Hi, just butting in with my .

I agree with the consensus that your theme is awesome, colors, font, size all good except for the Soil Microbes page that has been discussed.

I have a few suggestions.

Your article page: I wanted to read all the articles all at once. I found it cumbersome to open the link, read the article and then have to go back to the article page to get to the next one. One way around this would be to have collapsable links like the ones on this cricket's "most popular questions" http://www.mycricket.com/support

or... put all the articles on one page so if the reader just wanted to keep scrolling down, he could get it all. Just keep the top links to the articles to bookmarks on the page. Add the little "back to top" link at the end of each article. Something like this page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hy_f_4?ie=UTF8&nodeId=901888#gift

Contact: I think this is my major complaint. I think it should be a link to another page. I kept clicking on it and got a pop-up that directly opens an email box, but my email is not set up or configured that way. So I need something I can see to physically type into my gmail browser. I think it would be nice to have a name to associate as well instead of just "info" telling readers who you guys are. I want to have a personal relationship with businesses I plan on supporting long term.


I like it. Good Job.

How much molasses do you need to dechlorinate 5 gallons of water? I'm a little muddy on that.

Cherio -

- L

I think it was MM who had posted the molasses info. He already answered that one. I too had heard somewhere about chloramine converting to chlorine when contacting organic matter.

Good suggestions on the website, though the articles thing may be beyond my technical ability. I can definitely fix the contact info though, I think I was just being lazy when I designed it!

Thanks everyone!

 

[Microbeman]

I have read that OM converts chloramine to chlorine, which is then easily off-gassed.

Organic matter neutralizes chlorine and does not convert it to chloramines

.

OOOPS! Looks like I got this backwards and can't say for sure if OM converts chloramines to chlorine, although it kinda makes sense. Just goes to show ya that.....

 

[Clackamas Coot]

As for your sprayer, I've gotten good feedback on Hudson

CT Guy

I bought a Hudson 1-Gallon Stainless Steel Bugwiser Sprayer Model No. 67215 last year in January. The entire arm extending from the rubber hose (easily replaced by products at HomeDepot, Loews, et al) is solid brass.

The tip is also solid brass and easily removed for cleaning as is the brass arm.

They're only $44.00 and no shipping charges apply if you buy from Walmart and their 'drop ship' program.

I had an issue with the pump because of misuse on my part. I called the parts department at Hudson on a Monday and it was in my hands on Thursday morning - no charge.

If someone ordered one and didn't find it suitable then they can get a full refund at any Walmart store. No packing and shipping charges/trouble.

HTH

CC