Oh and I'm using George's Aloe Vera from Texas I think? It's preservative free. When I run out, I'll probably switch to the Trader Joe's stuff or make my own to save on $.

Amino Acid

Aloe Vera contains the following Amino Acids: Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Valine, And Tryptophan, Alanine, Arginine, Asparagine, Cysteine, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Histidine, Proline, Serine, Tyrosine, Glutamine, And Aspartic Acid.

Enzymes

Those include the following: Amylase, Bradykinase, Catalase, Cellulase, Lipase, Oxidase, Alkaline Phosphatase, Proteolytiase, Creatine Phosphokinase and Carboxypeptidase.

Micro & Micro Nutrients

These include Vitamins A, C, E and B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12 in addition to Choline, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Magnanese, Chromium, Selenium, Copper, Iorn, Potassium, Phosphorus and Sodium.

Lingnins & Polysaccharides

They include: Galactose, Xylose, Arabinose, Acetylated Mannose And Acemannan.

And of course there's the Salicylic acid compound and its associated benefits as far as root development. Adding 1/4 cup of Aloe Vera juice/extract/whatever term you want to use to 1 gallon of water and use that to wet your rooting medium - even Grodan Rockwool cubes - will give you root size and development that is nothing short of amazing. Or at least in my experience.

HTH

CC

[DARC MIND]

just grow the darn plant!!!,
stuff can grow anywere in small containers & thrives off neglect

[guest2012y]

I used a brand that had citric acid and potassium sorbate. I didn't read the label because It said "organic" and I got it at Whole Foods....just goes to show. I didn't have any side effects,only positive results. Now I make my own from aloe leaves you can buy at Mexican grocery stores.

[mad librettist]

FYI i did a side by side and protekt came out inferior to just about everything else as an emulsifier.

it works, but soap is better.

[guest2012y]

Originally Posted by mad librettist

FYI i did a side by side and protekt came out inferior to just about everything else as an emulsifier.

it works, but soap is better.

Couple drops of Dr. Bronner's works well.
I need that silicone in my region so I want it in there,but I've also have been using yucca along with it and it works out well.

[mad librettist]

Originally Posted by Capt.Cheeze1

Couple drops of Dr. Bronner's works well.
I need that silicone in my region so I want it in there,but I've also have been using yucca along with it and it works out well.

I've been adding protekt to my blumat rez. no I'll effects, but I can't say it helps.

I'm going to start sprouting and maybe growing some rice in the non canna portion of my grow.

The Pro-TeKt label indicating that somehow potassium silicate is a surfactant is pretty funny. It is a great emulsifier but where in the world did they come up with this statement?

If you want 'home-grown saponin' then plant quinoa. Birds avoid the seeds because they're covered with saponins which are very bitter. Simply wash the seeds off and keep the water which will contain very high levels of this compound.

Commercial quinoa that you might purchase at Whole Foods, etc. have been washed and that is usually indicated on the package label.

There are even botanists trying to hybridize this ancient plant to eliminate the saponin on the seeds as the process of removing this compound adds a pretty hefty cost for growers and packers.

CC

[guest2012y]

I use protekt as a surfactant in some things...works great.

Start using it in every watering and in a month or so try snapping off a leaf. They don't just snap right off anymore.

CC1

Okay - fair enough. Let me define what I am calling an effective surfactant: An agent that when added to water will cause foaming in an amount necessary to cause the carrying liquid to stick to the leaves and branches for a period necessary to allow the carrying agent to be absorbed by the leaves"

If one uses Yucca extract then the amount of 'foaming' will cause the water to foam up not unlike flocking a Christmas tree. The more that you shake the sprayer the more foaming action you can achieve. Aloe vera has lower saponins resulting in less foaming action. Alfalfa tea has even less and it produces very little foaming action in this application. The foaming aspect in brewing AACT is well known and has been discussed on several threads.

Just do NOT ever add Yucca extract or aloe vera to the Pro-TeKt & neem mix as it will turn into a gel that you cannot break apart. Add whatever organic surfactant you're using after you've completed the initial mixing.

It's a mess to deal with.

CC