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

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  • From: "Scott Alexander" <daylily AT bigpond.com>
  • To: <compostteas AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Compostteas] Dissolved Oxygen Problem
  • Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 17:54:43 +1000

Since I bought a D O meter, I'm having real problems!
The last brew was a disaster - too much food, too much compost, and not
enough dissolved Oxygen in the tank. But I've been thinking and wondering
all week , why did the D O drop so quickly? Maybe there's something "wrong"
with one of the nutrients?

Yesterday I oxygenated 450 litres of water for 4 hours @ 20 Celsius and
reached a D O of 8.5
I added 1 litre of organic molasses and 1 litre of humic acid
Two hours later the D O was 7.6
I added 2 litres of a product from Nutri-tech Solutions called Seachange -
30% kelp, 60% fish and 10% fulvic acid.
Two hours later the D O was 7.5
This morning, 13 hours later, the temp was 21C and the D O was minus 2.5
!!!!!
This afternoon, 9 hours later the D O is minus 2 to minus 2.3
AND I STILL HAVEN'T PUT IN THE COMPOST!
What is happening in that tank???
For the D O to drop 9 points during the 13 hours, wouldn't there have to be
some microbe activity going on in the tank?
I have been using the same Humic acid and Seachange for months and have had
two very good brews (according to SFI). The organic molasses has been used
once before. It tastes OK but if any fermentation takes place, does that
mean there are some organisms in it that would multiply up in the tank in
all that dissolved oxygen?
I don't know if there were some anaerobic organisms hiding out in the pump
and equipment, but if there were, wouldn't the D O of 8.5 not be suitable
for them?

Now let me tell you about the Seachange which I have used since March. When
the 200 litre drum arrived in January, I took the advice of someone who had
put Biodynamic Preps in his. He told me how it had changed the consistency
and improved the smell of Seachange. I added the BD Preps 502 to 507 by
placing the tiny amounts in balls of compost (about the size of a golf
ball). Every two to three days I gave it a couple of stirs and after two
months it turned out smelling so nice I reckoned a few drops in a glass of
water would probably be good for you :-))

Anyone got any ideas?

Scott Alexander
MALENY
QUEENSLAND
AUSTRALIA









  • [Compostteas] Dissolved Oxygen Problem, Scott Alexander, 07/18/2002

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