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Natural Living Soil and No-Till thread for Beginners

Got a couple questions...

Anyone using the EcoPlus Commercial 1 Air pump, does it get hot to the touch? Is there anything you can do about it?

When making a tea, whether it AACT or just a Nutrient Tea (Neem/Kelp) does anyone ever add Pro-Tekt/AgSil 16H, before or after?

Basically when is the right and wrong times to use Pro-tekt, Aloe, and others... or is it all safe at any time?

Hopefully Tea Brewing section is next!

I've got an Eco 1 pump that I use for alfalfa/kelp tea in a 5-gallon bucket. It definitely gets warm, but I wouldn't say "hot". It will warm up the water a little, too. You can still pick it up bare handed. Regardless, don't cover it with anything (especially anything flammable) because it needs to dissipate heat.

For brewing AACT, I use my home made airlift/vortex style brewer with and Eco 5 air pump.
 
O

organic_fanatic

Lately I have been running an ROLS style garden with blumats. I have been using a 5 gallon bucket fed with RO hanging from the ceiling for my res.

My question is should I be using tap water? My plants look great but after reading around I am under the impression that RO is not used in this style of growing.

Von, what type of water are you using with your Blumats?
 
C

CT Guy

Got a couple questions...

Anyone using the EcoPlus Commercial 1 Air pump, does it get hot to the touch? Is there anything you can do about it?

When making a tea, whether it AACT or just a Nutrient Tea (Neem/Kelp) does anyone ever add Pro-Tekt/AgSil 16H, before or after?

Basically when is the right and wrong times to use Pro-tekt, Aloe, and others... or is it all safe at any time?

Hopefully Tea Brewing section is next!

I don't believe the EcoPlus pump gets especially hot when running.

As for the silica, I use it at 1 tsp/gal (ProTekt or Silica Blast) when watering, especially in the summer for heat stress. I would not add it to your ACT.
 
C

Carbon.Chains

Hey organic_fanatic,

That depends on the quality of your tap water: if it's treated with chlorine/chloramine you should try to remove these first (just put some molasses or any organic matter, even an old shoe apparently, in them for a while). Also if your water is very hard it may be a problem; I'd suggest mixing it 1:1 with RO if that s the case.
The best would be to use rainwater, assuming you live in an area that's not too polluted.
 

soursmoker

East Coast, All Day!
Veteran
Thanks guys I am hearing mixed reviews about whether the pump runs hot or not... it is pretty damn warm I have to say... not the back part but the middle part is the warmest... it is not covered up at all... just some padding underneath of it to keep it from vibrating too much and causing more noise...

CT Guy, thanks for the info on the Pro-Tekt, what about Aloe?
 

xmobotx

ecks moe baw teeks
ICMag Donor
Veteran
there actually are some ROLS guys who do use RO water

my eco-plus does run a little warm ~makes sense the housing is a heat-sink

in general you dont want to add stuff to compost tea {keep it simple} you could probably add to an alfalfa tea or stuff like that though
 

silver hawaiian

Active member
Veteran
there actually are some ROLS guys who do use RO water

my eco-plus does run a little warm ~makes sense the housing is a heat-sink

in general you dont want to add stuff to compost tea {keep it simple} you could probably add to an alfalfa tea or stuff like that though

What do y'all think about adding guanos in your teas?

I seem to remember having read some posts where folks were vehemently against it, though I don't recall any of the "why."

I generally top dress with Indonesian poo every couple weeks during flower, but I've also tinkered with it in the tea too. Never had any ill-effects, but maybe I'm not lookin' close enough..?

:thank you:
 

xmobotx

ecks moe baw teeks
ICMag Donor
Veteran
i think that as far as an amendment & how it works; a guano tea would be a good way to amend a recycled mix {or feed if you're applying that paradigm} But; i m among the people who choose to avoid guanos due to sourcing issues

idk; we all get things shipped and use those kinds of resources so; i m not so fanatical about it ~just saying {it's usually what people argue but there's political issues tied in to bat guano}

local sources are going to be more sustainable & something like an alfalfa plant or any of a number of other dynamic accumulators have what's needed ~frequently w/o going further than a few miles

i guess that banter hollows out a little coming from people who use neem seed meal from india

but, yeah i like plant based amendments & any manures i typically use today come from within a mile or so
 
V

vonforne

Lately I have been running an ROLS style garden with blumats. I have been using a 5 gallon bucket fed with RO hanging from the ceiling for my res.

My question is should I be using tap water? My plants look great but after reading around I am under the impression that RO is not used in this style of growing.

Von, what type of water are you using with your Blumats?

ATM, I am using rain water that I have stored in the basement in 45 gallon trash cans and one 20 gallon trash can. I have no problems except the mosquitos in there......lol after that I am running RO water. It will last me for another month or so. I am praying for rain daily to keep the stock high.

You would not have any problems out of the RO water.

V
 
V

vonforne

Got a couple questions...

Anyone using the EcoPlus Commercial 1 Air pump, does it get hot to the touch? Is there anything you can do about it?

When making a tea, whether it AACT or just a Nutrient Tea (Neem/Kelp) does anyone ever add Pro-Tekt/AgSil 16H, before or after?

Basically when is the right and wrong times to use Pro-tekt, Aloe, and others... or is it all safe at any time?

Hopefully Tea Brewing section is next
!

That is exactly what is coming next......building the brewer step by step.
 
A better option instead of the RO would be a Small Boy (or Tall Boy) dechlorinating filter with the upgraded catalytic carbon element to remove chloramines. For about $100, you've got yourself an on-demand source of chlorine/chloramine free water while preserving the dissolved minerals in your tap water.
 
O

organic_fanatic

Thanks for the responses everyone. I think I'm just gonna stick with the RO for now. If it ain't broke don't fix it.....
 
O

organic_fanatic

Here go a few shots from my first ROLS style run, using the mix in the beginning of this thread, minus the fish meal. Thanks again to everybody who is spreading the knowledge on here.

 

rasputin

The Mad Monk
Veteran
What do y'all think about adding guanos in your teas?

I seem to remember having read some posts where folks were vehemently against it, though I don't recall any of the "why."

I generally top dress with Indonesian poo every couple weeks during flower, but I've also tinkered with it in the tea too. Never had any ill-effects, but maybe I'm not lookin' close enough..?

:thank you:

The short answer about guanos in tea is that it's generally not necessary and can sometimes be counterproductive.

It's easier and just as effective to add them to water and apply straight without messing up your compost tea, that's the important point.

I think you're better off sticking with top dressing.

organic fanatic - if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 

soursmoker

East Coast, All Day!
Veteran
A better option instead of the RO would be a Small Boy (or Tall Boy) dechlorinating filter with the upgraded catalytic carbon element to remove chloramines. For about $100, you've got yourself an on-demand source of chlorine/chloramine free water while preserving the dissolved minerals in your tap water.

I like the sound of this...
 
But yes, I agree.... If it ain't broke, don't fix it. A good organic soil with lots of compost and/or worm castings should have plenty of Ca and Mg without the extra little bit found in tap water.
 

silver hawaiian

Active member
Veteran
The short answer about guanos in tea is that it's generally not necessary and can sometimes be counterproductive.

It's easier and just as effective to add them to water and apply straight without messing up your compost tea, that's the important point.

I think you're better off sticking with top dressing.

organic fanatic - if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Ah ha! :thank you:

Good point. Top dressing it shall continue to be! ..and watering in - that's actually slightly more appealing, as I don't need to bend and squat and contort to get shovelfuls of guano into the containers..

About the potential for being counterproductive, what's that all aboot? Is there something about guano that'd render useless (dead?) the bacteria we're cookin' in the tea?

:thank you:
 

rasputin

The Mad Monk
Veteran
No, nothing about guano specifically. You would want to avoid large amounts of kelp or alfalfa in your ACT just the same. Too much material can choke out the microbes, basically. End up with a tea lacking diversity and quantity of microbes, the main reason for brewing them. ACT is for microbes to feed the soil, not the plant.

What you're left with is a nutrient solution. Which doesn't need 24/36 hrs of aeration. So your pump is free to run compost teas 24/7. Leave the heavy lifting either to your soil mix, nutrient solutions, or top dressings.
:tiphat:
 

DARC MIND

Member
Veteran
poop is also pretty anaerobic, aroma and intestinal journey is a bit different then the biological make up were aiming for in aerated compost tea.

really great for speeding up decomposition and spawning thoroughbred soil beneficials, creating compost
picture.php

generated from endless diverse amounts of biomass,
picture.php

rabbit to worm to microbial poop loop
picture.php

these guys can easily fully decompose rootballs with in a mounth.
making reusing humus rich living soil for next cycle,all not that hard,even with small containers.

active living soil simply needs organic matter & quality compost is king...get that down and growing is as easy as watering and top mulching...
real soil enthusiast spend most of ther time & energy building great compost or worm casting because when we grow,
all the essential amendments we added that make our soil organisms thrive(feeding the plant) have fuzed to both soil & & the "whole" plant, not just what we harvested...
this is the reason behind not throwing out the roots(rhizosphere) & no-till gardening;as thats were all the beneficials,time,energy & whats left of our nutrients are cycling...
we aim to recycle all that into greater greater soil,so the rhizosphere dominated soil need a rest period so the microheard can shift its energy to decomposing

recycling soil
by adding rock dust,casting,plant meals ect we help beef up & direct the herd to cycle essentials as active living soil, till we replant.
picture.php

soil structures gets better,then the denseness most are fimiliar with rootballs.

as they have now all broken down to veins of humus rich,often mycelium covered networking systems..
the soil becomes more soft,spongy in a not soggy way & more importantly alive..
picture.php

keep in mind that it helps having lots of soil curing & or activly growing around..
this keeps the girls dancing with out the wait of turning 70+%rootmass,back into 100% living soil
 

VerdantGreen

Genetics Facilitator
Boutique Breeder
Mentor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
i use guano (had an ethical source at one point and bought in bulk) i have only ever mixed it with my soil at the start and a little on the re-amend. that works well for me as part of a balanced mix. The N guanos can be hot and mineralise (release their nutrients) pretty fast - so you dont want to overdo it with them. i use other Nitrogen sources like neem meal for the longer term N amendments.
Some P guanos are not black, they are more fossilized like rock phosphate, and these work well but are better treated like rock dusts and just added once as they slow release and a liming agent.

VG

EDIT, im not trying to recommend guano to anyone, the general consensus is that it isnt the best amendment for ROLS, just saying that it works for me and if you already have some from previous grows it can be utilised sparingly in a ROLS soil.
 
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