Here you go, OO. I just took this one moments ago, just for you. I'm not afraid to show what I do. That's why I'm here--to learn and to share.
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DuckDuckGoose
Member
John Deere,
is that char soaking in something or is it just wet from hosing it off to stop it from burning?
if it is soaking in a solution of something...what is the solution?
thanks,
DDG
is that char soaking in something or is it just wet from hosing it off to stop it from burning?
if it is soaking in a solution of something...what is the solution?
thanks,
DDG
Soaking. I started off with hydrolyzed fish then decided to add some variety so I tossed in some ewc and a bit of buffaloam. Did some more reading around and added a bit of kelp, alfalfa and neem meals.
I'm kind of stuck on how long to soak it, though. I found one paper that said 72 hrs gave best results, others go a couple weeks, some add molasses and bubble like an ACT. Not sure what's best or if it really matters all that much.
I'm kind of stuck on how long to soak it, though. I found one paper that said 72 hrs gave best results, others go a couple weeks, some add molasses and bubble like an ACT. Not sure what's best or if it really matters all that much.
I tried posting this earlier today but got disconnected when uploading. Dontcha just hate it when that happens??
Be aware that if you make char without a pyrolizing furnace that you generate more smoke/pollution.
According to these guys
http://www.biochar-international.org/Newenglandbiochar (New England Biochar) charred rice hulls are of very little value due to carbon density but many have a differing opinion. We modelled our furnace
after their's in this video except our's is 4 times larger. I am dissapointed with the amount of smoke we generate and am seeking to build a more efficient model. Adam retort?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXMUmby8PpU
Be aware that if you make char without a pyrolizing furnace that you generate more smoke/pollution.
According to these guys
http://www.biochar-international.org/Newenglandbiochar (New England Biochar) charred rice hulls are of very little value due to carbon density but many have a differing opinion. We modelled our furnace
after their's in this video except our's is 4 times larger. I am dissapointed with the amount of smoke we generate and am seeking to build a more efficient model. Adam retort?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXMUmby8PpU
how are yous guys breaking it up?
i used a sshovel to chop the hell outta it in the barrel and screened it to get about 20 gal of fines.
the vid MM posted reccomends innoculaing prior to addition. i had spread half before seeing that...
always next year.
i used a sshovel to chop the hell outta it in the barrel and screened it to get about 20 gal of fines.
the vid MM posted reccomends innoculaing prior to addition. i had spread half before seeing that...
always next year.
DuckDuckGoose
Member
ok, so i'm doing sorta the same then. i was planning on leaving mine for about 2 weeks.
i plan on adding some EM solution and brew a tea and do a final soak in that. probably overkill...i know nothing.
There isn't much 'there' 'there' that's for sure. Pretty much like thick(er) paper.
CC
O
OrganicOzarks
Self sustaining Biochar Kiln.
http://greenyourhead.typepad.com/files/backyard_biochar_kiln_instructions.pdf
Pretty simple bad ass design.
http://greenyourhead.typepad.com/files/backyard_biochar_kiln_instructions.pdf
Pretty simple bad ass design.
DuckDuckGoose
Member
MM,
so the rice hulls are probably better off as aeration. good to know before i roasted them. thanks.
what kind of wood do you use? i watched that video and it looked like there was scrap lumber in that barrel. my commercial charcoal is oak and hickory wood, but i was gonna use maple and apple tree branches because they are right outside of my house. does wood type really matter?
also what was your soaking/inoculation procedure? do you use any EM with the PNSB's or do you brew a tea? do you make a nutrient solution for a pre-soak?
DDG
If you've got much char to bust up borrow or rent a cement mixer.toss in a half dozen or so fist size rounded rocks with your char & in 10 or 15 min. it's done.But beware,it's dirty!Everything downwind will be blackened.When I did mine the dust covered my pile of 5yr. old horse shit.Such a pity.
Somewhere in my research I've seen it recommended to break wet char to prevent all the dust.
Probably a good idea generally but in this case I wanted to get it broken,screened & bagged for later use while I had a good weather day.Since then I soaked it in a strong AACT and included it in the nucleus of my ROLS mix which is now cooking in my grow room.Should end up about 5-10% char.
I do not see the design described very well but if you are spending that sort of money, I suggest using firebrick. Those blocks will be dust in no time.
We use wood shavings...probably not as good as broken up charred wood but does not break the back. We just fill a second barrel with the charred shavings which has the same holes in the bottom, set it on top of some compost or soil and dump twelve gallons of ACT in there. It slowly perks through the shavings and innoculates the compost or soil at the same time.
We do not do a long soak but I'm not saying that is bad.
O
OrganicOzarks
A sample of 10 kilos of Carbonized Rice Hulls just showed up on my door step. Gotta say that for the price of a pallet there is no way I would waste my time making this. It is just to cheap. It does have a better consistency than I thought it would. The guy I spoke with said it was pure ash. It is a lot of ash, but it does have some texture still in it. I am going to mix it in my newest batch of soil, and see what happens. I will use it in place of half of my rice hulls.
Glad you're happy with your purchase since too many times that doesn't happen - unfortunately.
O
OrganicOzarks
C
CulturedHeathen
Just started a tote-full of mesquite charcoal dust with 10g ACT. I will be mixing up my soil for next round in a few weeks, and will be adding this at roughly 20%.
Mixed my soaked char into my soil mix today. It looked so nice and black compared to the soil. I decided I could add more so I've got the burning firing right now.
Just remember their will be some component of ash left in your char, even after washing/soaking etc.
Hardwood especially whilst making the best and longest lasting char WILL raise your ph.
Biochar can serve as a liming agent resulting in increased pH and nutrient availability for a number of different soil types (Glaser et al. 2002; Lehmann and Rondon 2006). The carbonate concentration of biochar facilitates liming in soils and can raise soil pH of neutral
or acidic soil (Van Zweiten et al. 2007). Mbagwu and Piccolo (1997) report increases in pH of various soils and textures by up to 1.2 pH units from pH 5.4 to 6.6. Tryon (1948) report a greater increase in pH in sandy and loamy soils than in clayey soils. The pH of various soils increase after applications of hardwood charcoals (pH 6.15) than of conifer charcoals (pH 5.15) likely due to their different ash contents of 6.38% and 1.48%, respectively (Glaser 2002).
Something to keep in mind...
Hardwood especially whilst making the best and longest lasting char WILL raise your ph.
Biochar can serve as a liming agent resulting in increased pH and nutrient availability for a number of different soil types (Glaser et al. 2002; Lehmann and Rondon 2006). The carbonate concentration of biochar facilitates liming in soils and can raise soil pH of neutral
or acidic soil (Van Zweiten et al. 2007). Mbagwu and Piccolo (1997) report increases in pH of various soils and textures by up to 1.2 pH units from pH 5.4 to 6.6. Tryon (1948) report a greater increase in pH in sandy and loamy soils than in clayey soils. The pH of various soils increase after applications of hardwood charcoals (pH 6.15) than of conifer charcoals (pH 5.15) likely due to their different ash contents of 6.38% and 1.48%, respectively (Glaser 2002).
Something to keep in mind...
