GROW CONTEST WINNER: Chief Bigsmoke's Perpetual Groove and Nerdatorium
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chief bigsmoke
Active member
I'm afraid that I don't know much about plasma lighting... what advantages do they hold over LED?
stir the pot all you want Bcmaster... I love me some stew
Edit: whoa... they are $1500... I'll wait for a couple years for the price to come down... I almost pooped a little when I saw the price. I could get a 1200w led for that price...
stir the pot all you want Bcmaster... I love me some stew
Edit: whoa... they are $1500... I'll wait for a couple years for the price to come down... I almost pooped a little when I saw the price. I could get a 1200w led for that price...
chief bigsmoke
Active member
ata boy..
chief bigsmoke
Active member
I just heard Silver Hawaiian is crazy about Crab Shell Meal.... lets hear more about it SH! ...
chief bigsmoke
Crab, Lobster & Shrimp shells are made from Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) just like Calcite lime (aka Agricutural lime) and Limestone, Oyster shell powder so you can use Crab meal as a 'liming agent' - fair enough.
But these 3 specific shell materials contain a polymer, ( N-acetylglucosamine - a form of glucose) called Chitin. It was Dr. Albert Hoffman who discovered the structure of Chitin in 1930 - the LSD Albert Hoffman. This was a remarkable discovery given the time frame.
When microbes begins to deconstruct this compound an enzyme is created called Chitinase and it's this enzyme which can render insect eggs DOA by preventing the shell from hardening.
Chitosan is a product that you may be familiar with - that's a commercial product that uses Chitin for it's production.
HTH
CC
Crab, Lobster & Shrimp shells are made from Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) just like Calcite lime (aka Agricutural lime) and Limestone, Oyster shell powder so you can use Crab meal as a 'liming agent' - fair enough.
But these 3 specific shell materials contain a polymer, ( N-acetylglucosamine - a form of glucose) called Chitin. It was Dr. Albert Hoffman who discovered the structure of Chitin in 1930 - the LSD Albert Hoffman. This was a remarkable discovery given the time frame.
When microbes begins to deconstruct this compound an enzyme is created called Chitinase and it's this enzyme which can render insect eggs DOA by preventing the shell from hardening.
Chitosan is a product that you may be familiar with - that's a commercial product that uses Chitin for it's production.
HTH
CC
chief bigsmoke
Active member
oh yeah Cootz saves the day as usual. Do you use these shells Cootz? I use trace amounts of eggs shells
How does crab shell meal compare to eggs shells. . mm mm calcium carbonate... and thanks for the info on chitin. I never knew of chitanase. I just thought the sharp texture of the shells was damaging enough to the soft young bodies of pests.. now its a double whammy...
How does crab shell meal compare to eggs shells. . mm mm calcium carbonate... and thanks for the info on chitin. I never knew of chitanase. I just thought the sharp texture of the shells was damaging enough to the soft young bodies of pests.. now its a double whammy...
Calcium Carbonate is Calcium Carbonate. Carbonates are NOT water soluble - the first thing you learn in a chemistry class is the Law of Solubility which is pretty important to digest, right? LOL
I am lucky because over on the Oregon Coast they harvest shrimp and Dungeness crabs and a small company started offering a 'Crustacean Meal' which is pretty nice - diversity. Crab meal is always available but I like supporting the good folks over at the ocean's edge.
If I had lobster shell available I would add that to the locally produced Crustacean meal - not for any specific reason other than 'bragging rights' - or something equally inane and meaningless.
Kinda like mixing karanja and neem meals - no real benefit but it gives me an edge on my organic brethren - catch it where you can I suppose.
CC
I am lucky because over on the Oregon Coast they harvest shrimp and Dungeness crabs and a small company started offering a 'Crustacean Meal' which is pretty nice - diversity. Crab meal is always available but I like supporting the good folks over at the ocean's edge.
If I had lobster shell available I would add that to the locally produced Crustacean meal - not for any specific reason other than 'bragging rights' - or something equally inane and meaningless.
Kinda like mixing karanja and neem meals - no real benefit but it gives me an edge on my organic brethren - catch it where you can I suppose.
CC
chief bigsmoke
Active member
I like your style... I find myself with the same philosophy. "why?..why not" oh and I regret never taking chemistry in high school or post grad. I find myself playing catch up with everyone elses general knowledge. but heck.. I once wanted to be a rich business man, so I took mostly business courses.. until I found myself in the real world after my first round of uni. In a world of manipulation and corruption. a world I quickly sprinted away from and started a new way of life here in the mountains. I'de rather work with plant than people. You can give a person everything they need and they will complain.. and if you give a plant everything it needs it thrives... and that fulfills my life in a way money never could...
thanks for being a friend cootz your a constant source of "reliable" information. you should come up north for a skiing/boarding vacation someday. you always have a place up here to crash.
thanks for being a friend cootz your a constant source of "reliable" information. you should come up north for a skiing/boarding vacation someday. you always have a place up here to crash.
CC, I second every sentiment chief just relayed.
I just added crab shell meal to my mix - we'll see how it does in terms of added performance.
Here's some info from the manufacturer:
Neptune's Harvest Organic Crab Shell is an excellent dry organic source of NPK, Calcium (23%) and Magnesium (1.33%). It will also help with nematode and fungus problems. Here's why: Crab Shell is high in Chitin (Kite-en), which promotes the growth of Chitin eating bacteria in the soil. The exoskeletons of fungus and nematode eggs are high in chitin. Crab Shell when added to the soil helps to create a hostile environment for the fungus and nematodes by feeding the biological life that eats chitin and chitin based organisms. Crab Shell should be applied in the same way we recommend our Kelp Meal to be applied.
And from another source about crab shell meal:
A good fertilizer and substitute for bone meal, due to its high concentration of calcium. Crab shell is also high in chitin, which promotes the growth of chitin eating bacteria. The exoskeletons of fungus and nematodes eggs, as well as the jaw structures of some garden pests like the Japanese beetle grub are high in chitin. Crab shell, when added to the soil, helps create a hostile environment for the fungus and nematodes by feeding the biological life that eats the chitin based organisms. It is not classified as a fungicide or a nematocide.
I've been noticing winged critters since mid-run last grow, and I decided that even if it's "just" a nuisance, I really ought to do what I can to eliminate those f*ckers.
Also, I've been growing mainly Diesel-influenced genes lately, and they seem to be hungry little hippos for the cal/mag. I reckon' the crab shell meal ought to satisfy some of that cal craving..
Again, my knowledge about the crab shell benefits is limited to what I've read - no firsthand knowledge just chet.
But I'd be tickled if our esteemed guru CC could perhaps elaborate s'more..?
Also, sorry to go in multiple directions for various lengths, but CC - am I reading correctly that you've found neem seed meal to be of no real value when added to your mix?
(I'm with you - if for no other reason, I suppose the crab shell meal intrigues me because it feels like a fairly "exotic" addition)
I just added crab shell meal to my mix - we'll see how it does in terms of added performance.
Here's some info from the manufacturer:
Neptune's Harvest Organic Crab Shell is an excellent dry organic source of NPK, Calcium (23%) and Magnesium (1.33%). It will also help with nematode and fungus problems. Here's why: Crab Shell is high in Chitin (Kite-en), which promotes the growth of Chitin eating bacteria in the soil. The exoskeletons of fungus and nematode eggs are high in chitin. Crab Shell when added to the soil helps to create a hostile environment for the fungus and nematodes by feeding the biological life that eats chitin and chitin based organisms. Crab Shell should be applied in the same way we recommend our Kelp Meal to be applied.
And from another source about crab shell meal:
A good fertilizer and substitute for bone meal, due to its high concentration of calcium. Crab shell is also high in chitin, which promotes the growth of chitin eating bacteria. The exoskeletons of fungus and nematodes eggs, as well as the jaw structures of some garden pests like the Japanese beetle grub are high in chitin. Crab shell, when added to the soil, helps create a hostile environment for the fungus and nematodes by feeding the biological life that eats the chitin based organisms. It is not classified as a fungicide or a nematocide.
I've been noticing winged critters since mid-run last grow, and I decided that even if it's "just" a nuisance, I really ought to do what I can to eliminate those f*ckers.
Also, I've been growing mainly Diesel-influenced genes lately, and they seem to be hungry little hippos for the cal/mag. I reckon' the crab shell meal ought to satisfy some of that cal craving..
Again, my knowledge about the crab shell benefits is limited to what I've read - no firsthand knowledge just chet.
But I'd be tickled if our esteemed guru CC could perhaps elaborate s'more..?
Also, sorry to go in multiple directions for various lengths, but CC - am I reading correctly that you've found neem seed meal to be of no real value when added to your mix?
(I'm with you - if for no other reason, I suppose the crab shell meal intrigues me because it feels like a fairly "exotic" addition)
Silver Hawaiian
Here's my soil mix in it's entirety:
1x each of organic Sphagnum Peat Moss, my worm castings and some mix of aeration amendment. I'm not married to any aeration deal specifically - whatever is handy: rice hulls, Pumice or lava rock.
To each 1 c.f. of mixed soil I add the following:
4 cups of Canadian Glacial rock dust and will be adding Basalt rock dust in the next round. A product being mined over in Eastern Oregon. Very, very nice product.
1/2 cup each of kelp, neem (or karanja or a mix of the two) and crab meal. That's it.
I feed with Aloe vera, Comfrey, Stinging Nettle and Horsetail fern extracts.
The worm bins get appropriate amounts of the same soil amendments - rock dusts, kelp, neem and crab meal, rice hulls. This precludes the need to 'cook' the soil, i.e. the microbes in the worm bin deconstruct these materials making their ions available to the roots when they become part of the soil mix.
Some Fulvic and Humic acids from BioAg and I'm pretty much done.
I've been completely free of Powdery Mildew for over 3 years and with the Mint teas I'm now running completely free of Spider Mites, Gnats, etc.
"Duck Soup" - LOL
CC
Here's my soil mix in it's entirety:
1x each of organic Sphagnum Peat Moss, my worm castings and some mix of aeration amendment. I'm not married to any aeration deal specifically - whatever is handy: rice hulls, Pumice or lava rock.
To each 1 c.f. of mixed soil I add the following:
4 cups of Canadian Glacial rock dust and will be adding Basalt rock dust in the next round. A product being mined over in Eastern Oregon. Very, very nice product.
1/2 cup each of kelp, neem (or karanja or a mix of the two) and crab meal. That's it.
I feed with Aloe vera, Comfrey, Stinging Nettle and Horsetail fern extracts.
The worm bins get appropriate amounts of the same soil amendments - rock dusts, kelp, neem and crab meal, rice hulls. This precludes the need to 'cook' the soil, i.e. the microbes in the worm bin deconstruct these materials making their ions available to the roots when they become part of the soil mix.
Some Fulvic and Humic acids from BioAg and I'm pretty much done.
I've been completely free of Powdery Mildew for over 3 years and with the Mint teas I'm now running completely free of Spider Mites, Gnats, etc.
"Duck Soup" - LOL
CC
Cut the mint leaves and gather a cup or so of smashed, sliced, diced, whatever. Add enough water in a food processor to make a puree.
Add this puree to 1 gallon of clean water and soak it for no more than 2 days. Strain and drain and add 1 cup of this tea to 1 gallon of water with 1 tsp. of Dyna-Gro Pro-TeKt and 4 tablespoons of Aloe vera (1/4 cup, i.e. 2 ounces).
Spray the plants immediately before 'lights out' - the Secondary Metabolites (compounds, volatile oils - whatever term you choose) are simply Hydrocarbon chains, i.e. Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen just like THC and light will degrade these compounds so applying at night will keep them intact to give you the biopesticide and biofungicide compounds you're wanting.
These compounds include Linalool, Camphor, Pinene, Citronel, Limeone, Boreal, etc. - terpenes, terpenoids, alkaloids, etc.
The mint family is huge with Cilantro, Rosemary, Thyme, Lavender being the stronger of this family. These are found in commercial organic products used in commercial greenhouse operations.
Products that include these at really stupid prices at Hydro Heaven include SNS 217 (snerk), MightyWash, Ladybug something or other, etc.
Do not ferment. Do not add boiling water. Do not add anything - you're simply wanting to pull these Secondary Metabolites from the plant material and apply them to another plant. Because of their molecular formula and structure they cannot accumulate. They cannot affect the flavor of your buds. They kill insects as growth inhibitors, anti-feedents, etc.
Cheap enough......
CC
Add this puree to 1 gallon of clean water and soak it for no more than 2 days. Strain and drain and add 1 cup of this tea to 1 gallon of water with 1 tsp. of Dyna-Gro Pro-TeKt and 4 tablespoons of Aloe vera (1/4 cup, i.e. 2 ounces).
Spray the plants immediately before 'lights out' - the Secondary Metabolites (compounds, volatile oils - whatever term you choose) are simply Hydrocarbon chains, i.e. Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen just like THC and light will degrade these compounds so applying at night will keep them intact to give you the biopesticide and biofungicide compounds you're wanting.
These compounds include Linalool, Camphor, Pinene, Citronel, Limeone, Boreal, etc. - terpenes, terpenoids, alkaloids, etc.
The mint family is huge with Cilantro, Rosemary, Thyme, Lavender being the stronger of this family. These are found in commercial organic products used in commercial greenhouse operations.
Products that include these at really stupid prices at Hydro Heaven include SNS 217 (snerk), MightyWash, Ladybug something or other, etc.
Do not ferment. Do not add boiling water. Do not add anything - you're simply wanting to pull these Secondary Metabolites from the plant material and apply them to another plant. Because of their molecular formula and structure they cannot accumulate. They cannot affect the flavor of your buds. They kill insects as growth inhibitors, anti-feedents, etc.
Cheap enough......
CC
chief bigsmoke
Active member
oh snap.. I live by a basalt mine... win
and I need grow some lavender
and I need grow some lavender
but CC - am I reading correctly that you've found neem seed meal to be of no real value when added to your mix?
Silver
I missed that part of your post and I apologize.
Exactly the opposite! There are about 5 'things' that I consider mission critical and neem (or karanja) meals would be in that list - right behind kelp meal.
There is far, far more going on with these meals and oil than pesticide and insecticide. I could and will make the argument that even if these compounds (Secondary Metabolites) did not exist in these materials, you would STILL want to use them in your raised beds and container potting soils. SAR (Systemic Acquired Resistance) is just one reason - SAR is a plant's immune system that fights off pathogenic molds, damage from herbivore insects, etc.
Same with Aloe vera - it's about Saponins and not because this compound makes things foamy. Saponins are an area that you would find fascinating: use SCIRUS.com as your search engine to avoid forums, blogs and advertising drivel. Big time saver. JSTOR is another good research venue and also Steve Solomon's Soil & Health Library (GOLD!)
HTH
CC
Silver
I missed that part of your post and I apologize.
Exactly the opposite! There are about 5 'things' that I consider mission critical and neem (or karanja) meals would be in that list - right behind kelp meal.
There is far, far more going on with these meals and oil than pesticide and insecticide. I could and will make the argument that even if these compounds (Secondary Metabolites) did not exist in these materials, you would STILL want to use them in your raised beds and container potting soils. SAR (Systemic Acquired Resistance) is just one reason - SAR is a plant's immune system that fights off pathogenic molds, damage from herbivore insects, etc.
Same with Aloe vera - it's about Saponins and not because this compound makes things foamy. Saponins are an area that you would find fascinating: use SCIRUS.com as your search engine to avoid forums, blogs and advertising drivel. Big time saver. JSTOR is another good research venue and also Steve Solomon's Soil & Health Library (GOLD!)
HTH
CC
Over on the Living Soil thread I posted a link and some information about Basalt from this part of the world specifically that you might find helpful.
No spamming or anything like that
CC
chief bigsmoke
Active member
Cootz do you grow all your own herbal amendments or do you collect them...? I need to start planning for the winter months...
an no worries cootz you as well as ANYONE ELSE that reads this, here have free reign on flooding any type of info into this thread... The Nerdatorium is more of a collective than a single persons rant at the world
an no worries cootz you as well as ANYONE ELSE that reads this, here have free reign on flooding any type of info into this thread... The Nerdatorium is more of a collective than a single persons rant at the world
chief bigsmoke
Active member
Neem meal has a balanced NPK ratio as well
