Soil Food Web Compost Extraction Video

[leadsled]

Found this video and wanted to share it.

[YOUTUBE]DfFJgyL0HQQ[/YOUTUBE]

Shows more details about the equipment, etc. As well as good info on the website gardenrhythms dot com.

All new to me, please share your thoughts.

 

[motherlode]

Im about 10 minutes in so far so good - interesting stuff

at least this cat knows that there are microbes from the animal kingdom in the soil

 

[Seamaiden]

Mins 11-13 (give or take), he's talking about different types of pumps and about why he's using a diaphragm pump instead of a centrifugal pump, and he has left out what is, to me, one very important reason for using this type of pump--it won't kill the microbes he's extracting from his compost. Again, me with my fish-eyes; centrifugal pumps are bad news for people trying to breed certain spp of marine fishes because they require a larval stage during which they are, for all intents and purposes, microbes, and centrifugal pumps will kill them. Same with the microbes you're trying to feed corals, clams and other filter-feeders.

Whoops! He talks about this at 14:29. Many fish needs are a bit chunkier than 400microns.

VERY good video, but the link doesn't take me to that guy, takes me to someone selling Christmas candles and anniversary gifts. Is that him? Cooking recipes?

 

[leadsled]

garden ing rhythms dot com

Sorry forgot the ing in the domain name.

 

[Seamaiden]

Thanks, I kept getting closer and closer to the monitor thinking, "Damn, these are new glasses!"

 

[CT Guy]

Info. is pretty good, but his microscope photos were highly misleading and wrong. They are at different magnifications and can't be compared the way he did. A couple of major issues with extraction vs ACT.

1. Not many active organisms.
2. Uses a lot more compost than ACT.
3. Not good for foliar applications due to lack of active organisms.

 

[CT Guy]

Also Fish Bone is a good fungal food as well as bacteria.
If you want to increase nematodes, oat flour or baby oatmeal in your compost works well.
Maxicrop is not the best seaweed product. You want cold water processed ascophyllum nodosum.

Overall though he gives a good presentation and information. Personally though, I still prefer ACT.

 

[leadsled]

Info. is pretty good, but his microscope photos were highly misleading and wrong. They are at different magnifications and can't be compared the way he did. A couple of major issues with extraction vs ACT.

1. Not many active organisms.
2. Uses a lot more compost than ACT.
3. Not good for foliar applications due to lack of active organisms.

Thanks for sharing. That is why I posted it here and was hoping for some feedback.

I was asking the author about that. (I am beginner, I know small amount from "teaming with microbes") The author did respond (not in the video) he uses both aact and extractions.

The author then mentioned he uses aact as foliar, in addition to watering, the compost extractions are also injected into the ground using this tool.

Also Fish Bone is a good fungal food as well as bacteria.
If you want to increase nematodes, oat flour or baby oatmeal in your compost works well.
Maxicrop is not the best seaweed product. You want cold water processed ascophyllum nodosum.

Overall though he gives a good presentation and information. Personally though, I still prefer ACT.

Thanks for sharing. Or aact, I have been using kelp meal powder. (pretty sure it is down to earth brand or enp,inc a.k.a. age old)

Are those not the same quality in comparison to your product?

As far a bottled products, I have used grow more seaweed or nitrozyme. (both state they are cold water processed)

your product does appear to be the most cost effective. Looking at that when I run out.

What is your opinion of using ascophyllum nodosum at the end of flower to boost yields?

10 week strain, using ascophyllum nodosum start of week 9, before the water/flush before harvest.

Know anything about using other types of algaes/seaweeds as plant sterol/hormone?
i.e.: laminaria japonica, ahnfeltia plicata, medicago sativa (few examples)

Or triacontanol (alfalfa, beeswax).

Thanks,
Lead

 

[Buddy Flowers]

Lead- thanks for posting this

 

[CT Guy]

I would incorporate kelp meal into my soil mix (1 c/cubic foot) and also use a foliar throughout the life of the plant. (1x week at a light, light dose, say 1/4 tsp./gal of water). It's especially beneficial when rooting cuttings or germinating seeds. In fact, I would drop the cloning products (they contain a chemical that I can't remember the initials of right now, but if not allowed on fruits and vegetables). Originally, this main ingredient was used only in the orchid industry, and while it does work very well and is in small concentrations, I personally choose to avoid it, especially as an organic grower. The only rooting product I know that doesn't have it is Olivia's, and I haven't tested it. I'd recommend a mild solution of seaweed extract and willow water, as both naturally contain the hormones and enzymes you want during rooting.

Hope that helps!

Oh, and don't get me wrong, the video for the most part was very accurate. You just don't see small time applications of compost extract usually because it's just as easy to make the tea. The only people I know doing compost extract are large commercial companies, because time is money and they can't afford to wait 24 hours for a brewing cycle on the ACT.

I mean you could do both compost extract and ACT, but personally I'd just stick with the ACT....

 

[leadsled]

Lead- thanks for posting this

Your Welcome. Glad your back on the farm!

I would incorporate kelp meal into my soil mix (1 c/cubic foot) and also use a foliar throughout the life of the plant. (1x week at a light, light dose, say 1/4 tsp./gal of water). It's especially beneficial when rooting cuttings or germinating seeds. In fact, I would drop the cloning products (they contain a chemical that I can't remember the initials of right now, but if not allowed on fruits and vegetables). Originally, this main ingredient was used only in the orchid industry, and while it does work very well and is in small concentrations, I personally choose to avoid it, especially as an organic grower. The only rooting product I know that doesn't have it is Olivia's, and I haven't tested it. I'd recommend a mild solution of seaweed extract and willow water, as both naturally contain the hormones and enzymes you want during rooting.

Hope that helps!

Oh, and don't get me wrong, the video for the most part was very accurate. You just don't see small time applications of compost extract usually because it's just as easy to make the tea. The only people I know doing compost extract are large commercial companies, because time is money and they can't afford to wait 24 hours for a brewing cycle on the ACT.

I mean you could do both compost extract and ACT, but personally I'd just stick with the ACT....

Thanks for sharing. That appears to be a response to my third question.


-Lead

 

[500lbs Guerilla]

Awesome video.

I wonder if the hose water he's using is either dechlorinated or if the chlorine isn't really affecting his microbial levels?

I've heard the idea is that the soil born fungi that you are trying to inoculate into your soil DOESN'T like to be in the water to long. It needs the soil to survive, therefore you should NOT aerate for 18+ hours. In fact, you should use this asap after extracting.

This makes me wonder just how balanced or fungal dominant an AACT can be and if this extraction method might be superior for a balanced or fungal dominant compost "tea"..... Has anybody ever looked at their aerated compost teas under a microscope in comparison to a compost extraction?

 

[Seamaiden]

Guerilla, I bet it's the second option (that chlorinated water isn't affecting his microorganisms quite as badly as everyone assumes). IIRC he put the water into the bucket directly from the hose.

Does the tea have to be fungi dominant?

 

[CalcioErba2004]

Thanks for sharing! :)

 

[leadsled]

Awesome video.

I wonder if the hose water he's using is either dechlorinated or if the chlorine isn't really affecting his microbial levels?

I've heard the idea is that the soil born fungi that you are trying to inoculate into your soil DOESN'T like to be in the water to long. It needs the soil to survive, therefore you should NOT aerate for 18+ hours. In fact, you should use this asap after extracting.

This makes me wonder just how balanced or fungal dominant an AACT can be and if this extraction method might be superior for a balanced or fungal dominant compost "tea"..... Has anybody ever looked at their aerated compost teas under a microscope in comparison to a compost extraction?

Great points and reinforces some of the stuff I was told. Some topics are above my level of knowledge so I do not always know the proper question to ask.

The guy stated he uses de-clorinated water and uses a microscope.
I also saw the hose.

The unfiltered source water does have cloramines in it and that is a good question I need to ask.(is the outside hose water filtered or are cloramines left in??)

His statement was AACT is also not as stable due to temps.
The point he made was he could inject into the root zone and then combine that with AACT as a foliar and have more life than a aact tea alone.

I was told there will be more videos and articles to back it all up.

Will share more as I learn. I am a beginner trying to learn. So please keep that in mind. I try to ask alot of questions and try to double check the facts.
I posted this because I know others are way more knowledable on these topics.

Thanks for sharing everyone. Greatly appreciated.

 

[500lbs Guerilla]

Guerilla, I bet it's the second option (that chlorinated water isn't affecting his microorganisms quite as badly as everyone assumes). IIRC he put the water into the bucket directly from the hose.

Does the tea have to be fungi dominant?

From what I understand so far, and I've only just begun to research this stuff, is that bacteria and fungal dominant teas work rather differently. While vegetables prefer a bacterial dominant environment, fruiting trees prefer a fungal dominant one. This is because fungus is much more capable of breaking down organic matter and mobilizing nutrients, especially phosphorus, and bringing it to the rhizosphere. This is why fungal dominant teas are preferred in the flowering stage of cannabis, while bacterial dominant teas can work great during the vegetative stage. Or you can make a balanced tea and have both....I think.

 

[500lbs Guerilla]

I also just learned of a wild study from Australia's Urban Water Research Association. Apparently chloramine can be neutralized by adding humic acid to the water at a rate of about 1 teaspoon per 100 gallons! My compost guru confirmed this but said it was more like 1/8 teaspoon per gallon.

 

[CT Guy]

I also just learned of a wild study from Australia's Urban Water Research Association. Apparently chloramine can be neutralized by adding humic acid to the water at a rate of about 1 teaspoon per 100 gallons! My compost guru confirmed this but said it was more like 1/8 teaspoon per gallon.

I find this hard to accept considering there's so many different humic acid products on the market that use different extraction techniques. Some are 80% humic acid by content, some are only 10% or less!

Humic acid will complex chloramines, I agree, I just have yet to see any definitive research on rates.

No offense intended though...he may be right. I just don't see how he accounts for the differences in humic acid products.

 

[Seamaiden]

Is there any way *we* can read the paper? I've been very surprised by how so many compounds work, I'd like to see.

From what I understand so far, and I've only just begun to research this stuff, is that bacteria and fungal dominant teas work rather differently. While vegetables prefer a bacterial dominant environment, fruiting trees prefer a fungal dominant one. This is because fungus is much more capable of breaking down organic matter and mobilizing nutrients, especially phosphorus, and bringing it to the rhizosphere. This is why fungal dominant teas are preferred in the flowering stage of cannabis, while bacterial dominant teas can work great during the vegetative stage. Or you can make a balanced tea and have both....I think.

Same here, although going through the soil nitrogen cycle made me smack my forehead (fishperson, we're all about nitrification). I'm learning also about how dominant species help tell us what's going on with the soil itself, and am appreciating my extremely rocky clay a little more because I *think* I may be able to correct its fertility, just a little bit. I've seen a difference just using the leftover teas I've made in the past with myco-inoculants, especially the subsequent annelid activity (segmented worms--got red wigglers up the wazoo out here).

I should learn more about mushrooming/mycology, methinks. I finally have more time to spend on just such reading, but first, the soil.

 

[500lbs Guerilla]

I find this hard to accept considering there's so many different humic acid products on the market that use different extraction techniques. Some are 80% humic acid by content, some are only 10% or less!

Humic acid will complex chloramines, I agree, I just have yet to see any definitive research on rates.

No offense intended though...he may be right. I just don't see how he accounts for the differences in humic acid products.

I think I remember him mentioning that humic acid derived from leonardite wasn't very effective at removing chloramine. The stuff he said he was using was Down To Earth Humaplex. Looking it up, its 50% humic acid derived from 'cretaceous period fresh water humic substances'.