Tea Recipe

[Capulator]

I made some tea last night.

6 gallons of RO
add earth juice high brix @ 20ml / gal
adjust pH from 6.3 to 7.0 with silica.
add 5 tablespoons each root and foliar packs.
add stocking with 2 handfuls each (a cup or two) of alfalfa and EWC
bubble

12 hours later I have lots of foam.

 

[Capulator]

 

[cannarado]

I ran a tea w/ 1 tblsp liquid kelp, 1 tblsp molasses, 1 tsp foliar pack, 1 tsp root pack

Let brew for around 18-24 hours w/ minimal foam

Added stocking of 1 cup alfalfa +1 cup of EWC(i like to add this later in the brew process)

Foamed up very quickly after that

 

[cctt]

Regarding the amount of molasses to use - I imagine that so long as O2 is kept available, the amount of sugars will determine the size of the bacterial population and (given other variables held constant - like temperature) how long it takes to get there before food is consumed and the colony crashes. I think what we're trying to do here is catch the upswing and apply before the crash. It would be great to have some data showing this progression at various sugar concentrations to determine the best brew time for a given amount of molasses. Maybe measuring brix of the tea as it brews could give this feedback? Also, if the tea is applied when sugars are nearly consumed, might it make sense to add a bit more molasses at the end of the brew process to assure they can keep going for a while in the grow medium?

 

[El Cerebro]

alfalfa +1 cup of EWC(i like to add this later in the brew process)

Why its that?

How would you guys characterize the odor change as tea matures? I once neglected an already-been-brewed stocking-full in the bucket, super-moldy funk after just a couple days unrefrigerated (bucket was nice too).

 

[cannarado]

^^ I dont know why i do it. I think i read somewhere that it is good to get the molasses and bennies working for a bit and then feed them again with the alfalfa/EWC.....ill tell ya what it seems to work pretty good.

 

[click80]

I hate to do this to Cap, but I have found that I can get the same results with much less of an application rate than even Cap would probably believe. I don't know if it is because I am using the Bountea Alaskan Humisoil or the fact that I switched from straight Roots Organic to my own little mix. I mix Roots O, Happy Frog, and Happy Frog Soil Conditioner at a 4-1-1 (approx) ratio. Every pot i also add a handful of Alaskan Humisoil and a good dose of the nute pack to when potting up.

I am really loving this soil switch. Much more of a fun learning curve than hydro was for sure. I also have found Caps Nute pack to be far better than any other Myc's I have used. I see hypha all through my soil. I am also finding that my yields are going to be approximately the same as in Hydro, I find that strange.

 

[click80]

^^ I dont know why i do it. I think i read somewhere that it is good to get the molasses and bennies working for a bit and then feed them again with the alfalfa/EWC.....ill tell ya what it seems to work pretty good.

I get better teas (imo) also by periodically adding EWC and molasses in during the brew. I also do my Alfalfa tea separately and add in at watering time to fresh teas.

 

[Capulator]

I hate to do this to Cap, but I have found that I can get the same results with much less of an application rate than even Cap would probably believe. I don't know if it is because I am using the Bountea Alaskan Humisoil or the fact that I switched from straight Roots Organic to my own little mix. I mix Roots O, Happy Frog, and Happy Frog Soil Conditioner at a 4-1-1 (approx) ratio. Every pot i also add a handful of Alaskan Humisoil and a good dose of the nute pack to when potting up.

I am really loving this soil switch. Much more of a fun learning curve than hydro was for sure. I also have found Caps Nute pack to be far better than any other Myc's I have used. I see hypha all through my soil. I am also finding that my yields are going to be approximately the same as in Hydro, I find that strange.

5 billion spores per gram.!

of each species!!

 

[nickcapuano]

I made some tea last night.

6 gallons of RO
add earth juice high brix @ 20ml / gal
adjust pH from 6.3 to 7.0 with silica.
add 5 tablespoons each root and foliar packs.
add stocking with 2 handfuls each (a cup or two) of alfalfa and EWC
bubble

12 hours later I have lots of foam.

Cap,
Are you bubbling with air stones? if so, do you wash and re-use them or use new each time? is there ever any slime on the air stone after brewing tea?

i am wondering if washing and re-using my air stones is a problem? last batch i had one air stone with some slime on it which was re-used and a new air stone had nothing on it after 24hrs.

 

[OGONLY]

Cap,
Are you bubbling with air stones? if so, do you wash and re-use them or use new each time? is there ever any slime on the air stone after brewing tea?

i am wondering if washing and re-using my air stones is a problem? last batch i had one air stone with some slime on it which was re-used and a new air stone had nothing on it after 24hrs.

You are bound to have slime on your airstones after a 48 hour soak in your tea. I like to clean mine after each batch is done. I soak mine in H2O2 and then scrub with a dishwashing brush. I then rinse well and let dry. Like new after that. If you don't clean your stones after each batch your stones will become clogged and won't work for shit.

 

[Capulator]

Yeah my airstones get slimed every time. Thats biofilm. I just rinse mine off with tap water and then buy a new one when they get a little slow. Actually I have been thinking about calling alita and having them send me their micro pore tubing as a permanent solution. I just use a cheapy air stone bar from petco.

 

[cctt]

I've been just leaving the pump on to push air through until they're dry. I've had problems with airstones growing nasty shit in the past. I will occasionally boil them to sanitize.

 

[nickcapuano]

i thought it was OK to wash and re-use them. Just wanted to make sure. Thanks for the responses!!

 

[click80]

I've been just leaving the pump on to push air through until they're dry. I've had problems with airstones growing nasty shit in the past. I will occasionally boil them to sanitize.

I like the pushing air through method.

This is what I have found gives me the longest life on my air stones. I use the cylindrical type. After each tea I soak in H202 for 24 hrs, then mix up fresh H2o2 batch in a one gallon container and soak, push air through, soak, push air through....etc. I have been using this batch for....well since I started ordering from Cap, about 2-3 months I guess. I think the boiling is a good idea too. I think I might pasteurize mine next time I do spore bags ;o)

I have heard that their are glass (?) micropore stones that last forever. Lab supplies carry them I believe.

 

[cctt]

So I found out it is not a bad idea to start the tea at a neutral pH of 7.0. THis will help with foam.

My molasses is acidic. perhaps adding a little pH up to adjust back up to 7.0 before adding bennies will get the foam back. My last batch only foamed a little. Under the scop though, it still looked good.

I've just started using my meter while brewing and notice the bennies themselves seem to raise the pH. Filtered tap water is slightly alkaline, with 10 mL/gal molasses it's 6.4, and once root+foliar packs are added it raises to 7.0. My first experiment in correcting to 7.0 before inoculating resulted in a tea at 8.0. Whoops. I will start leaving the pH alone again. Still never seen any foam.

 

[Capulator]

I've just started using my meter while brewing and notice the bennies themselves seem to raise the pH. Filtered tap water is slightly alkaline, with 10 mL/gal molasses it's 6.4, and once root+foliar packs are added it raises to 7.0. My first experiment in correcting to 7.0 before inoculating resulted in a tea at 8.0. Whoops. I will start leaving the pH alone again. Still never seen any foam.

I am getting the foam when I add alfalfa in less than 24 hours. then the foam dies down somewhere around 30 hours, then it comes back again at around 42 hours.

 

[click80]

I started doing my Alfalfa Teas separate and adding into my compost tea at watering time. I am guessing that the foaming action of Alfalfa tea comes from the proteins and amino acids. I don't think that the foaming action of a tea containing Alfalfa is indicative of microbial activity alone. I am not saying it isn't but I find it more comforting when I get the foam from just Caps bennies and EWC and molasses (and a couple other food sources.

 

[click80]

I've just started using my meter while brewing and notice the bennies themselves seem to raise the pH. Filtered tap water is slightly alkaline, with 10 mL/gal molasses it's 6.4, and once root+foliar packs are added it raises to 7.0. My first experiment in correcting to 7.0 before inoculating resulted in a tea at 8.0. Whoops. I will start leaving the pH alone again. Still never seen any foam.

Yeah Caps bennies do fine alone as far as ph is concerned. In the soil also. I have not had to ph anything in months.

 

[CelticEBE]

What size pump is everyone using? My last two batches of tea I had zero foam.
I haven't added alfalfa yet...but will be on my next tea.