Compost Teas: 24 hour, EM, IM, BD & fermented plant extracts

["Soil Foodweb, Inc." <info AT soilfoodweb.com>]

Subject: [Compostteas] chromatography

For use of chromatography in BD quality testing check out:
<http://www.resonant.com.au/chromatography>

The chroma tests in BD testing requires the use of silver nitrate to fix or 
develop the colors.  I don't think that is a reasonable thing for most 
grower's to
have to use.  The basic idea is good, having to use a nasty chemical to 
develop the chroma is not primo.  Could we avoid using silver nitrate in this 
method?

What Kirk suggested to me was putting a drop of the tea on a paper towel.  
Using Whatman filter paper #1 would be better, because the quality of the 
paper is more
uniform.  Let the drop spread out from the center of the filter disk.  The 
smaller molecules move more rapidly out from that center drop.  The pattern 
that
develops might be indicative of the tea quality.

We would have to do some testing to see if this would actually be indicative 
of good tea.  So, who wants to work on this with me?

Elaine Ingham
Soil Foodweb Inc.