EWC tea going acidic

[Ziggaro]

Using RO water 1 tsp/gallon molasses and about 1/2 cup of EWC. 12 hours into aerating it has dropped from 7 to 6, and a day later stabilizes at ph 5.
I threw out the tea even though it smelled fine and mixed another batch with more molasses thinking maybe I wasn't giving the bacteria enough food.. same result.
When I add a little fish and seaweed mix to this the pH starts lower but ends up at 7.
I thought EWC would be pretty neutral I don't understand why it's getting acidic. Is this normal or what is going on ?

 

[MtnLivin]

My teas always come out on the acidic side...

 

[OrganicOzarks]

When growing with organics you don't worry about PH.

 

[Ziggaro]

Well I'm not worried about the pH of the solution the plants get so much, but I am concerned I am not producing enough bacteria in my tea. Don't they prefer more neutral or basic conditions?
I'm a little confused about what's going on in my tea, especially considering the fish and seaweed (a good fungal food, supposedly) added to it results in a pH of 7+. I thought fungi preferred acidic conditions!

 

[OrganicOzarks]

The only way to brew good tea is to buy a scope, or purchase a brewer that was designed to spit out a good brew every time. Other than that it is a crap shoot.

 

[SpicySativa]

First, I'd recommend NOT using RO water for brewing. Remember that science experiment about osmotic pressure? Put a drop of RO onto a slide with bacteria and you can literally watch them inflate like water baloons and pop.

Bacteria tend to raise ph while fungi tend to lower it. I find it hard to believe you were growing fungi since you only used molasses (food for bacteria), so something else might be going on. I'd try again with dechlorinated tap water.

 

[Gunnlæif]

your making this more painful than it is...ph up with protekt to anywhere between 6.4 and 6.7 and let it rock!

 

[MrSterling]

This is organics he's talking about. We don't worry about pH. Using pH up and whatever protekt is is overly complicating things. OP wasn't worrying about the pH, he's worrying the pH signifies that his tea is not developing enough bacterial life.

 

[Granger2]

Yes, RO I believe is the problem. Also, how much air are you bubbling thru? You need a LOT. Often, people use inadequate air pumps and stones. I'm using a 4 outlet variable speed pump at full blast, each with a 2" cylindrical stone in a 5 gal. bucket.

A scope would be nice, but without spending the money, I let my eyes, nose, pH, and plant response tell me if it's good tea. Another indicator is that my stones get a lot of bio film, AKA slime, on them. Good luck. -granger

 

[OrganicOzarks]

Yes, RO I believe is the problem. Also, how much air are you bubbling thru? You need a LOT. Often, people use inadequate air pumps and stones. I'm using a 4 outlet variable speed pump at full blast, each with a 2" cylindrical stone in a 5 gal. bucket.

A scope would be nice, but without spending the money, I let my eyes, nose, pH, and plant response tell me if it's good tea. Another indicator is that my stones get a lot of bio film, AKA slime, on them. Good luck. -granger

None of that means shit.

 

[PermaBuzz]

OP wasn't worrying about the pH, he's worrying the pH signifies that his tea is not developing enough bacterial life.

Your teas should have a higher finish ph. Too much molasses can cause the ph to stay low. Also, too low of a brewing temp can stifle bacterial growth. Try raising the temp of the brewing tea to like 80-82 degrees with an aquarium heater.

 

[OrganicOzarks]

Your teas should have a higher finish ph. Too much molasses can cause the ph to stay low. Also, too low of a brewing temp can stifle bacterial growth. Try raising the temp of the brewing tea to like 80-82 degrees with an aquarium heater.

You can brew a "good" tea in much lower temps. I have done it in the high 50's. You will need to extend your brew time, and possibly add more food than normal.

 

[Granger2]

Organic Ozarks,
Really? Including plant response? The VAST majority of people that brew ACT on planet Earth do not own a scope or a $500 brewer. None of us are getting results since we do it without these expensive items?

I rely on experts who have that kind of equipment to give me info and guidelines, and to dispel myths. CT Guy and MicrobeMan have helped a lot of people increase their brewing skills. But my plants have the final say in the matter. They've been giving 2 thumbs up. -granger

 

[OrganicOzarks]

Organic Ozarks,
Really? Including plant response? The VAST majority of people that brew ACT on planet Earth do not own a scope or a $500 brewer. None of us are getting results since we do it without these expensive items?

I rely on experts who have that kind of equipment to give me info and guidelines, and to dispel myths. CT Guy and MicrobeMan have helped a lot of people increase their brewing skills. But my plants have the final say in the matter. They've been giving 2 thumbs up. -granger

The truth is you can not know if a tea is "good" by the criteria that you listed. You can say that the tea is not "bad", but that does not make it good. I looked at over 250 brews through the scope last year, and the one thing I took from it is everything you are sharing is not true.

You will absolutely never know if your tea is "good" if you do not use a scope, or use a brewer designed by someone who has used a scope.

It is just the plain truth.

Most of the tea's that are being brewed will have some bacteria with little to no protozoa. Hard to cycle nutrients when part of the equation is missing.

People can say all they want that it smells "good", looks "good", etc... That is like renting a high end prostitute and saying she "looks" clean, and then going bare back.

Once you remove emotions from the decision making process you will land on level ground.

These anecdotal stipulations on what constitutes a good compost tea brew is doing nothing to help people out.

If people really want to use the knowledge of the wiser ones then buy one of microbemans brewers, and quit spreading hear-say.

 

[SeaMaiden]

First, I'd recommend NOT using RO water for brewing. Remember that science experiment about osmotic pressure? Put a drop of RO onto a slide with bacteria and you can literally watch them inflate like water baloons and pop.

Bacteria tend to raise ph while fungi tend to lower it. I find it hard to believe you were growing fungi since you only used molasses (food for bacteria), so something else might be going on. I'd try again with dechlorinated tap water.

I agree, although, if the OP's tap water is truly atrocious, then I would suggest mixing it with the RO water.

OO, in this case couldn't the issue also be that the water itself is just too clean? I've never done the experiment SS is suggesting, but I do have a scope, an RO/DI unit and can put it to the test. I've popped a few mollies myself, so I understand graphically what osmotic pressure can do even to vertebrate life.*




* I used to raise black mollies with my seahorses, because wild mollies are brackish water fish, and can live in fresh, brackish and pure salt water. Keep one male and a few females in a small tank with your seahorses, and the babies make fantastic seahorse food. But, do not! I repeat, do not try to acclimate the mollies to one water or another too quickly, or they'll pop. Literally. Osmotic pressure, in action.

 

[OrganicOzarks]

I agree, although, if the OP's tap water is truly atrocious, then I would suggest mixing it with the RO water.

OO, in this case couldn't the issue also be that the water itself is just too clean? I've never done the experiment SS is suggesting, but I do have a scope, an RO/DI unit and can put it to the test. I've popped a few mollies myself, so I understand graphically what osmotic pressure can do even to vertebrate life.*




* I used to raise black mollies with my seahorses, because wild mollies are brackish water fish, and can live in fresh, brackish and pure salt water. Keep one male and a few females in a small tank with your seahorses, and the babies make fantastic seahorse food. But, do not! I repeat, do not try to acclimate the mollies to one water or another too quickly, or they'll pop. Literally. Osmotic pressure, in action.

I would say that using reverse water is definitely not a good idea. I think the "to clean" label would be a very good description.

RO water is like the PH pen, they are used in hydro, and not organic soil growing. I had someone suggest to me years ago to use RO water. I tried it because of the make up of my well water, and also my lack of knowledge of how to properly grow organically. This person worked for a National Company so I thought what they said would be based in science. Let's just say I did not use RO water for very long.

The number 1 thing that I have seen with making tea's is the lack of protozoa, and the lack of diverse dense bacteria. It is much harder than people think to get a "good" tea. You can brew a tea that will not harm your plants. You can even brew a tea that will bring a little bit to the micro heard, but to brew a "good" tea is very difficult to do. Even with a scope.

I will add that KISS has a 5 gallon brewer for $150 which is not a bad deal at all. They have been tested as well. By the time someone throws together a brewer, or 2 they could have bought a pre-designed brewer that they know will work.

To get a "good" brew is a delicate balance.

I would say it is about as easy to find your lady's G-spot as it is to make your own brewer that will get you a "good" brew.

When you are growing one of the most expensive plants on the planet is it worth being cheap?

 

[Ziggaro]

No offense OO but you sound like an advertisement too, sometimes.
RO water is fine for organics. I'd love to see something substantiated that RO is bad for organics.
My water is pH 9 and .7 EC city water full of calcium carbonate. I don't even boil tap water for spaghetti because of the insane amount of kettle rust.

 

[OrganicOzarks]

No offense OO but you sound like an advertisement too, sometimes.
RO water is fine for organics. I'd love to see something substantiated that RO is bad for organics.
My water is pH 9 and .7 EC city water full of calcium carbonate. I don't even boil tap water for spaghetti because of the insane amount of kettle rust.

To each their own.

 

[Ziggaro]

Everybody's ready to get in here to drop their he said she said stoner science or try to sell a product but nobody actually knows what's going on. What a surprise..

 

[OrganicOzarks]

Everybody's ready to get in here to drop their he said she said stoner science or try to sell a product but nobody actually knows what's going on. What a surprise..

You don't have scope, but you are scolding others.

That is funny shit.

Stoner science at it's best right?

I would say that seamaiden has more actual scientific knowledge in her left nipple than you have in your entire body.

No one is selling shit here. The irony is that I have not plugged my own Company, or any of the products that I manufacture. If I were selling something wouldn't I try to get you to buy one of my brewers?

You should figure out who everyone is, and what they are about before you make such a dumb ass comment.

Keep using RO water in your organic program.