Fish Food Fertilizer

[Green Elk]

I keep an aquarium for feeding my weed. I like watching the fish but their primary function is to feed my weed. I feed my fish what I think my plants need and they seem to be quite healthy as well. I figure my fish are sort of like how miners back in the old days would keep canaries to warn them of bad air. If the canaries stopped singing, it's time to get some fresh air. The fish are my canaries. If they look unhealthy, then the water is unhealthy for my plants. I keep it very clean and I dont use stuff like water conditioners or any kind of additives that may effect my soil.

So enough background. I buy a brand named Omega One. Here's what the product info has to say;

Harvested fresh kelp, ground to a very fine slurry and then the secondary ingredients are added.

OmegaSea, makers of Omega One fish foods, harvest fresh kelp, grind it to a very fine slurry and then add an incredibly nutritious mix of fresh seafoods, including whole salmon, whole herring, halibut, black cod, and krill. Made specifically for algae grazers. Unbeatable nutrition for herbivores and omnivores.

Omega One Super Veggie Kelp Pellets

Ingredients: Whole Kelp, Spirulina, Whole Salmon, Black Cod, Whole Herring, Seafood Mix(Including Krill, Shrimp and Octopus). Wheat Flour, Wheat Gluten, Lecithin, Astaxanthin, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (Vitamin C), Natural and Artificial Colors, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Vitamin A Acetate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin D3, Ethoxyquin, Natural Mixed Tocopherals and Rosemary Extract.

Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein (min) 33.0%, Crude Fat (min) 10.0%, Crude Fiber (max) 2.0%, Moisture (max) 8.5%, Ash (max) 10.0%, Phosphorus (min) 0.5%, Omega 3 (min) 1.0%, Omega 6 (min) 0.5%.

Omega One Super Veggie Kelp Flakes

Ingredients: Whole Kelp, Spirulina, Whole Salmon, Black Cod, Whole Herring, Seafood mix, Wheat Flour, Wheat Gluten, Lecithin, Astraxanthin, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (Vitamin C) Natural and Artificial Colors, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Ethoxyquin (A Preservative), Natural mixed Tocopherols and Rosemary Extract (A Preservative).

Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein (min) 33.0%, Crude Fat (min) 10.0%, Crude Fiber (max) 2.0%, Moisture (max) 8.5%, Ash (max) 10.0%, Phosphorus (min) 0.5%, Omega 3 (min) 2.0%, Omega 6 (min) 1.0%.

Made in the USA.

So, what do yall think. Pretty good stuff or am I missing something? I get my water directly out of the tank so it's 82 degF. It's got fish pee and poo and lots of particles of this fish food that they miss. I water with this generously and then let my soil dry out for about a week and then I flush with clear water and let it dry out for a week and then repeat.

Feedback appreciated.

 

[Green Elk]

One other thing I wanted to point out is that this stuff boasts that is has Omega 6 and 3. That's what Cannabis is suppose to have too. So feed it what it wants? Is this sound thinking?

 

[MileHighGuy]

How is it working?

This sounds great!

I know nothing about fish but assumed that most fish foods weren't any good.... I bet your plants love this water.

How could it possibly be worse than hose water left out to sit for a day?

I have a special form of Omega vitamins capsules that is derived from algae... I wonder if that is the source of the omega's here? Interesting stuff.

 

[BurnOne]

Green Elk-
It's a great way to supplement your plants. Lots of good stuff in fish poo.
Keep us posted.
Burn1

 

[MileHighGuy]

Some ingredients to question:

Choline chloride is an organic compound and a quaternary ammonium salt. It has a choline cation with chloride anion. Alternative names are hepacholine, biocolina and lipotril.

Natural and Artificial Colors

Ethoxyquin is a quinoline-based antioxidant used as a food preservative (E324) and a pesticide (under commercial names such as "Stop-Scald"). It is commonly used as a preservative in pet foods to prevent the rancidification of fats. Ethoxyquin is also commonly used in spices to prevent color loss due to oxidation of the natural carotenoid pigments.[2]
There has been some speculation that ethoxyquin in pet foods might be responsible for multiple health problems. To date, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only found a verifiable connection between ethoxyquin and buildup of protoporphyrin IX in the liver, as well as elevations in liver-related enzymes in some animals, but there are no known health consequences from these effects.[3] In 1997, the Center for Veterinary Medicine has asked pet food manufacturers to voluntarily limit ethoxyquin levels to 75 ppm until further evidence is reported.[3] However, most pet foods that contain ethoxyquin have never exceeded this amount.[3]
Ethoxyquin has been shown to be slightly toxic to fish.[4]

 

[BurnOne]

Some ingredients to question:

Not a problem. Pesticides are everywhere. Chemicals too. So is radioactive material from above ground nuclear tests.
OMRI Certification allows trace amounts of these materials. No way to get them all out.
The benefit given from the fish water will outweigh the trace amounts of crud in the fish food.
Burn1

 

[Green Elk]

I consider myself an Organic Grower so the questions being raised if the fish food is or not organic is important to me. If anyone knows of a better fish food, I would like to hear it. I must admit that I don't think ingredients mentioned are a big deal either but I wanted to see what yall think. My plants love the water as long as I don't use it all the time as the only water I use. I will get brown leaf tips if I don't flush regularly.

 

[lost in a sea]

some of the old threads on og had some amazing setups involving aquaria,, the water will be great for your plants and i wouldn't worry about those ingredients personally if i were you..

 

[vonforne]

Aquaponics

 

[Green Elk]

As a Organic Grower in Eugene, Oregon I serve a very particular group of patients with my medicine. They are very health conscious and tend not use something in question. So whether these few ingredients are bad or not is probably meaningless. I need to find something like this without those few questionable ingredients. I'd rather be anal attentive about my growing methods than not. My patient demand it and I want them to feel secure in that I'm always looking out for them.

 

[Green Elk]

I did a little more research and found a certified organic fish food called Premium Fish Food. You have to buy 10 pounds at a time and it winds up costing $45. That sounds more than a few years supply for my little tank of Tiger Barbs so I'm thinking of just feeding them dried earth worms from my compost mixed with some dried kelp. They also like most dried fruits but I don't know what that would do for the soil or the plants when I use the water. I should just stop looking at easy, out of the bottle solutions and look to Mother Nature instead. duh

 

[EclipseFour20]

IMHO, $4.50/pound for "organic ferts" is kinda pricey...and the million dollar question is: How long will it take for the fish fertility to become "plant available". If the nutrient you are adding takes months/weeks to breakdown before it is "plant available", then for a short-lived crop--perhaps an alternative nutrient might be more appropriate.

Example: Comparing Fish Meal and Kelp Meal--

At 28 days--62% of Fish Meal's PAN (plant available nitrogen) is available, whereas -6% of Kelp Meal is available (that is a negative 6%...meaning dried kelp consumed more nitrogen than it produced during this 28 day period)....good reason to use "liquid kelp/seaweed" which consumes zero nitrogen.

At the same 28 day period, Fish Meal 65% decomposed (50% at 7 days), whereas Kelp Meal is 14% decomposed (8% at 7 days)...liquid kelp decomposed 38% (21% at 7 days). Not all forms of the same nutrient are equal.

The questions are: How long will it take for the "organic fish food" to decompose and become plant available...and if one incorporates "organic fish food" in their soil, are you still 100% Certified Organic/OMRI?

I use "Raw Milk" as a soil conditioner and OMRI gurus have explained to me, Raw Milk is not approved for organic growing; even though the milk is labeled as "organic". Something about suitable alternatives....bullshit I say!

"Food for thought"...(a little play on words), but I like your out of box thinking!

Cheers!

 

[Green Elk]

I don't know how much of this is actually going into the soil directly. I don't see it in the water when I dip into the tank so it has either been dissolved or eaten and passed through the fish. To look directly at the contents of the fish food might not be an accurate way of telling what actually goes into the soil. Some of it is in there but I don't think much. Most fish emulsions and water is what the plants get.

 

[EclipseFour20]

Yeah, "plant availability" of the desired nutrients is one way to compare two products/options.

But using alternatives (like raw milk or "fish food") brings on a weird complexity...as for years (more than I want to count) I was 100% organic and even delved into Biodynamics with all the moon/star/planetary positioning game and homemade potions/teas. Then, if one reads the holy scripture of OMRI/"Certified Organics" many sensible alternatives are verbotten.

The EPA classifies soil contaminated/treated with "raw milk" as a hazmat condition requiring the diary have soil treated and tested, complete with about 1/2 inch of paperwork and possibility of a fine.

I say this...only because of your post--

As a Organic Grower in Eugene, Oregon I serve a very particular group of patients with my medicine. They are very health conscious and tend not use something in question. So whether these few ingredients are bad or not is probably meaningless. I need to find something like this without those few questionable ingredients. I'd rather be anal attentive about my growing methods than not. My patient demand it and I want them to feel secure in that I'm always looking out for them.

I explain to the collective that acquires my flowers that I am not 100% organic and then identify each item I use that is not on the approved list. One person cringed when I listed the pesticides, but once they were educated on half-life data (and LD90...90% of the active ingredient residue) and realized half life of a few days is responsible--all was well.

I rather be honest--since there is no reason to deceive.

Cheers!

 

[Green Elk]

"I rather be honest--since there is no reason to deceive."

Words to live by!

 

[OrganicBuds]

Check out PureProteinDry, I love this product.

 

[SpawnOfTom]

I wonder what the difference between PPD and the HFPC spray dried fish from PV. The PV stuff is a little lighter in color but if you check out the manufactures website it sounds the same. Spray dried cold enzyme digested.

 

[indianajones]

My friend has a fish tank and I have taken to getting couple quarts of water from the tank any time I am making a compost tea, the plants really love it.
Plants love fish poo, and your idea of looking to nature is pretty sound. Look into duckweed for the fish, you can produce it yourself pretty easily.
As for fruit, I have composted bananas and banana peels into my soil with no ill effects, so I would say banana is a safe bet for the fish.