Messed up on compost tea

[Prich21908]

I made some compost tea with a submersible pump not realizing how bad it can be poisoned my plants I had 7 matures plants, 1 died 3-4 severely damaged along with 20 or so 2-3 foot tall clones that are damaged I flushed everything but idk what else to do pics to come

 

[Prich21908]

These are the little girls

 

[Prich21908]

This was before , poor girls

 

[orggrwr]

Man, that sucks! How did the submersible pump poison them? Leaking oil into the tea? Just curious.

 

[Prich21908]

Turned the tea alcoholic, I never used tea I thought the bad smell was normal it’s my fault for being an idiot so much time and effort this was my best plant before and after

 

[Zzzax]

Well first off even the best of us run into lessons learned.
I have a plant here that is recovering from a lack of regular watering. This one is a new cross and this "One Plant" seems to have a shallow root growth style. I have 15 Gallon pots so I take care not to flood the bottom half. This plant needed more frequent watering but not a lot at a time. So it looks like a near death experience but there is new growth so I see my failure here.

Look for new growth and see what you have. If not in flower and new growth they might recover.

If not let me make you feel better and share what I did to myself last year. I left the Co2 burner on, on a freaky hot day, and the plants experienced root death. It sucks but it happens.

Now if you like, I would see what your teas was made of.
There could be two things with yours there. The first it too much water and a sudden pH shift. Second a pH shift that locked out nutrients.

I am interested because I just happen to be making Tea tonight.

So what did you make your Tea with?

If you want me to share I will.

 

[mancorn]

Definitely looks like the one plant got FU by anaerobic tea. But your before pics look like there’s some problems. Did all those white marks, yellowing, burned edges/tips just show up after the tea?

 

[Prich21908]

The anaerobic tea definitely did a number also been fighting spider mites which is most of the yellow and pokadot stuff my tea recipe was bat and sea bird guano worm castings alfalfa meal and molasses but after I switch to the air pump it’s so much different crazy I should have known the anaerobic tea smelt crazt but I just didn’t even know but now I do

 

[Zzzax]

My Philosophy:

A proper Tea is a tonic not a fertilization brew.
In my view, we are stimulating the microbial life and they in turn have a symbiotic relationship with out plants roots.

Okay safe and sane start to a basic Tea: I use Down To Earth amendments. This is their 4-4-4 Vegetable mix
Now we want our Aerobic bacteria to dominate and that is why we use an air pump and air stone(s).
What we need in our brew is some carbon. My source for not only carbon but the living microorganism is my soiled Guinea Pig pine shavings based bedding. (Hey they have a job in this house-Poop-Pee) So some carbon. It could be any clean carbon such as pine shavings or clean dry vegetation. So a little carbonous material ( our C ) and then some nitrogenous material ( our N )

So live microorganisms even if it is some lovely yard muck--Just be sure it's as healthy of a handful of soil you can get. Don't want toxins. Look for leafmold and the soil should have everything.
So, in goes the food Carbon and nitrogen. My take on alfalfa is is okay as a top dressing in small quantities and not good for Teas. Bat Guano, it is a resource we can avoid. It's almost chemical and people have died from inhaling bat guano in their grows.
So if you have that 4-4-4, some carbon, clean soil for microorganisms and some nitrogenous materials such as I use the Guinea Pig urine soaked pine shavings with nice poop-cakes, fish emulsion and Foldgers Classic Roast coffee ( fresh grounds not used grounds ) To this a little of this and a little of that which I have here. I do so like Kelp meal.

Here is ChatGPT this morning and I do say it's not bad at answering Cannabis questions:

Balanced Veggie & Cannabis Tea – With 4-4-4 Organic Fertilizer​

Ingredients (per 5 gallons of dechlorinated water):​

• 2 cups worm castings (base microbe inoculant)
• 2 tbsp 4-4-4 organic fertilizer (Down to Earth, Dr. Earth, etc.)
• 1 tbsp alfalfa meal (growth hormone & mild N boost)
• 1 tbsp kelp meal (micronutrients, hormones, stress tolerance)
• 1 tbsp unsulfured blackstrap molasses (carb source for microbes)

Brewing Instructions:​

1. Place dry materials into a mesh bag or cheesecloth pouch to avoid clogging your pump or sprayers.
2. Add everything into 5 gallons of dechlorinated water.
3. Aerate continuously with an air pump and air stone(s) for 24 hours at room temperature (65–75°F).
4. Stir occasionally if possible.
5. Strain if applying as a foliar spray. No need to strain for root drench.
6. Use within 6 hours of turning off the pump for max microbial life.

---

Why This Works:​

• The 4-4-4 fertilizer brings in a balanced meal for microbes and plants alike—N for leaf health, P for root and flower support, K for resilience.
• The castings and alfalfa provide beneficial bacteria and natural plant hormones.
• Molasses energizes the whole brew, especially bacteria.
• Kelp meal = stress resistance, nutrient absorption, and a trace mineral buffet.

---

When to Use:​

• Veg stage: every 10–14 days as a root drench.
• Early flower: this tea is still helpful, but taper down N-heavy inputs and transition to a bloom tea later.
• Spider mites? Foliar spray this tea lightly once filtered—but only during lights off or early morning, and only if the tea smells sweet/earthy.

So: it's more about feeding the living soil then fertilizing. Also note the use of Tablespoon measures. I am so very bad at heaping handfuls but I now try to follow ChatGPT in ratios better.
Here is a nice webpage demonstrating the stuff in a bag suspended.

So, I started some Tea. I top dressed with 4-4-4 and kelp meal to give the microbes on the surface something to consume and in two days I will be watering the surface more then drenching the pots.

Wikipedia: Soil Food Web

We are simply managing a micro environment when we grow indoors in Organic Soil. If we feed all life then, in my opinion, we will grow the healthiest, tastiest and the best.

I will watch thread but you can DM-PM me if I fail to get back.