New to Tea - few questions

[budrunners]

Looks good to me, very convenient to use.

 

[Old_Headbanger]

If you want to get rid of chloromine and do it organically, all you need to do is aerate the water as budrunners said and throw a handful of compost or EWC in there with it. Organic matter will make chloromine dissipate. Hopefully someone more knowledgable than I can give you the reason for it. I've just read it hear in the os forum is all.

Organics can be so simple, if you let it.

 

[Granger2]

http://www.goodguysgardening.com/small-boy-with-upgraded-kdf85-catalytic-carbon-filter.html

The Small Boy will remove chloramines when upgraded with the KDF85 filter. Widely available.

 

[ClackamasCootz]

If you want to get rid of chloromine and do it organically, all you need to do is aerate the water as budrunners said and throw a handful of compost or EWC in there with it. Organic matter will make chloromine dissipate. Hopefully someone more knowledgable than I can give you the reason for it. I've just read it hear in the os forum is all.

Organics can be so simple, if you let it.

It sure can be.....

 

[OrganicBuds]

It sure can be.....

I was under the impression that molasses will also break down cloromines. I always let my molasses run for several hours before adding the rest of my material.

 

[paolo.pancrazzi]

Ciao a tutti io sono paolo.
Volevo sapere da un esperto piu' di me,di quanti LUMEN + o - ha bisogno per crescere bene la nostra amata pianta?

 

[ClackamasCootz]

OrganicBuds

Molasses works equally well - organic matter converts Chloramine to Chlorine which is why it's used at water treatment plants once the water has been purified by Chlorine. As it moves from that facility to homes the contaminants in the pipes will cause this change, kill the bacteria (or at least some strains) thereby keeping it 'pure'

That is not an endorsement for using Chloramine but that's the reason it's added. Not all water districts add this material so checking the web site of the water company is always a good idea.

CC

 

[GreenGuySF]

So just to clarify on things - I will need to water/feed my plants with dechloraminated water from now on right? Not just when making tea, etc.

 

[420MAN78]

GreenGuy

That's right. I use two 5 gallon buckets to bubble my water and i add a handful of ewc every time i refill them.

 

[GreenGuySF]

Alright cool, thanks man.

I have a few more questions after thinking about this more. I use a drip system with DTW, and I have an inline mesh filter installed

Will this filter block the microlife? Is tea recommended for use within drip systems? Even the drip manifolds have small screens inside.

Also: since I'm in coco, is it true that the tea will not provide nutrients, so I should use the same regimen of chemical ferts as always right?
Is it safe to mix tea with a res with fertilizers in it or do the concentrated salts create a hostile environment for bacterias & should be applied separately?

Thanks!!!

 

[Stoner Bob]

the salts of many chemical ferts may be detrimental to the microbial life.


the microbes in compost tea help the plant take up the nutrients in the organic additives you amend the soil with.

 

[Stoner Bob]

but... you say your incoco, and this is the organic soil section, so I'm not sure what your best option is.

check this book out. I just started reading through it myself and it's helping me answer some questions.
http://lake.osu.edu/cuyahoga/topics...ahoga-composts/Compost Tea Brewing Manual.pdf

browsing through it for info on chemical ferts it says that:

by use of high levels of inorganic fertilizers (which are salts, all of them, killing organisms
through osmotic removal of water),

 

[GreenGuySF]

the salts of many chemical ferts may be detrimental to the microbial life.


the microbes in compost tea help the plant take up the nutrients in the organic additives you amend the soil with.

Thanks. That is what I thought.
So if I am in 100% coco without amendment, is there still point to using tea at all?
I think I read it is still beneficial, but with my current understanding how things work, I don't understand the reason why

 

[GreenGuySF]

browsing through it for info on chemical ferts it says that:

Yeah, I was reading up on that too, I guess what the question is what are high levels?
I am using 800ppm, so hopefully that is not too high?
In another section it says hydroponics should have 1gal/50 gal water
So that seems to imply benefit even if not in soil
So much to learn, so much to understand!!!
Thanks!!!

 

[Stoner Bob]

I'm not sure myself. But I wonder if a foliar spray will help with controlling insects that may invade your plants.

Maybe wait for someone who has experience with using compost tea in a hydroponic system to answer that.

 

[GreenGuySF]

Yea, maybe it better to post a new thread each for question that comes up, instead of trying to fit all inside here.
I am not really sure what proper etiquette is on the internet forums
Thanks!!!