What does your tea smell like?

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supasticky

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So I'm new to the tea brewing game and was wondering what teas generally smell like, because mine smells like straight sea water. It's hella nasty. I can see why, the Humega smells like rotten eggs and the Orgaincare Pure smells like fish food. Is it normal for the tea to stink this bad? What does everyone else's tea smell like?

-Supa
 
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shavits

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Ive been told it shouldnt smell bad but when I add fish fertilzer and some other stinky shit its hard for my tea to not smell kinda rotten! All I know is that my tea works very good so I know its been brewed right!
 
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supasticky

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It's foaming up hard and the pH keeps raising so I know the microbes are lovin it, I just hope it'll work out for the plants.

fuckin lost lol

-Supa
 
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supasticky

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Looks like they like it so far. I watered them about 3 hrs ago and the seedlings are still perked. We'll see in the morning.

-Supa
 
justiceman

justiceman

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Indeed. I have used Humega and it does smell like rottent eggs. I believe it smells like that because it has sulfur in it(great product) but I haven't particularly used fish ferts quite yet although I know they smell a lot. A general guide line is the brew shouldn't smell bad, but it definitely depends on the starting ingredients.

I would say it's more like the brew shouldn't smell too different from the original ingredients. For instance a basic compost tea might consist of Earth Worm Castings, Humus, and molasses(obviously other ingredients can be added but that's not my point). The EWC, Humus, and molasses mixed up in aerating water should smell fresh and earthy right when you mix them in. 24 hours later the tea should smell just as earthy and fresh. If it smells putrid, rancid, nasty, etc It is probably full of anaerobic bacteria/fungi because the dissolved oxygen content of the water wasn't high enough to support aerobic life.

Since you added Humega, and Fish ferts judging by smell is pretty much out. The fact that your PH is rising is a good sign though because anaerobic bacteria/fungi like acidic environments, so a PH that is rising is usually a sign of an increase in aerobic bacteria. If you worried about the tea going bad, then you might want to add an extra pump and air stone for good measure.
 
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supasticky

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Indeed. I have used Humega and it does smell like rottent eggs. I believe it smells like that because it has sulfur in it(great product) but I haven't particularly used fish ferts quite yet although I know they smell a lot. A general guide line is the brew shouldn't smell bad, but it definitely depends on the starting ingredients.

I would say it's more like the brew shouldn't smell too different from the original ingredients. For instance a basic compost tea might consist of Earth Worm Castings, Humus, and molasses(obviously other ingredients can be added but that's not my point). The EWC, Humus, and molasses mixed up in aerating water should smell fresh and earthy right when you mix them in. 24 hours later the tea should smell just as earthy and fresh. If it smells putrid, rancid, nasty, etc It is probably full of anaerobic bacteria/fungi because the dissolved oxygen content of the water wasn't high enough to support aerobic life.

Since you added Humega, and Fish ferts judging by smell is pretty much out. The fact that your PH is rising is a good sign though because anaerobic bacteria/fungi like acidic environments, so a PH that is rising is usually a sign of an increase in aerobic bacteria. If you worried about the tea going bad, then you might want to add an extra pump and air stone for good measure.

I also added SeaPlex so I'm pretty sure the smell of sea water wasn't a bad thing lol I'll probably be adding that other little pump I have I just don't have the tube for it. Thanks for the help!

-Supa
 
Blaze

Blaze

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Tea should smell relatively pleasant - mine always smells sort of sweet and earthy, and I do use both fish ferts and seaweed as well as a humic acid product. If your tea stinks, and I mean really stinks, like a dead animal, or uncomposted manure, or like ammonium, it has gone anaerobic and should not be used.
 
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supasticky

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Did another tea and didn't use Pure granular fish shit and it didn't smell like sea water, very earthy...I did use EWC though..

-Supa
 
Mud Man

Mud Man

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Molasses :) smells great :)..... My non molasses tea smells of that smell
"when you crack open a fresh bag of good organic mud" smell
 
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supasticky

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Molasses :) smells great :)..... My non molasses tea smells of that smell
"when you crack open a fresh bag of good organic mud" smell

Yah I've been meaning to go get a bottle of black strap molasses. I love that earthy smell you get from the EWC. Organic mud? I would think mud would be hard for roots to get through?

-Supa
 
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TheKoreanKid

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Ok so my tea smells pretty bad haha but I was under the impression thats the bacteria and fungi at work.
4 tbs of molasses
2 tbs liquid kelp
2 tbs bat guano
3 cups worm castings
I have had it in a 5gal jug for a few days with a bubbler putting air through it.
Turns out I was making this tea wayyyyy too early for my plants, so I thought the longer it steeps then the better. Guess I should dump my batch and mix some 24 hours before its time to start feeding my plants?
 

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