RE: [compost_tea] Re: Chlorine in Municipal Water

From: Bill Skerrett <bill_at_ictorganics.com>
Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2011 14:01:18 -0400

Hey Chuck

I am in ducking from the heat for a minute. Most municipal water sources us=
e chlorine or chloramines, chloramine is much more stable (bond between chl=
orine and ammonia) in the municipal system and cannot be gassed off and one=
 of the reasons why it is being used. Most systems try to deliver it at 4PP=
M, sometimes in the summer they will deliver at a higher rate as the microb=
es are more active

Both are powerful oxidizers and are used to kill off organic matter like ba=
cteria and such

As an oxidizer its job is too……….well oxidize thing=
s, if you add something (organic matter) to your water that the chlorine ca=
n oxidize it is soon consumed by doing its job, it is almost instantaneous.=
 If you add compost or dirt or an old shoe the chlorine will be consumed in=
 seconds, no need to bubble for a day just throw in some compost

They also have siphons for the hose bib, you can stick the hose into tea th=
at you have made and the tea will dissipate the chlorine in the line in no =
time, no need for expensive filters

 

William R (Bill) Skerrett

ICT Organics

W: 410-997-5450

C: 410-707-2794

 <mailto:bill_at_ictorganics.com> bill_at_ictorganics.com

 <http://www.ictorganics.com> www.ictorganics.com

www.EarthHarvestOrganics.com

 

 

From: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com [mailto:compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com] On B=
ehalf Of Chuck Lund
Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2011 4:15 AM
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Re: Chlorine in Municipal Water

 

  

>From my experience, chlorine works pretty much as advertised, it kills bact=
eria. I have seen this under the microscope so am both glad and surprised =
someone has seen conspicuously different results. Now I wonder why? And wil=
l look some more...

I have experimented with lots of filters trying to come up with a satisfact=
ory way to water the garden and have found the inexpensive charcoal filters=
 work nearly as well as the very expensive ceramic filters (neither takes o=
ut all of the chlorine - but most of it). The basic problem I found is the=
y are too slow for hand watering and don't last very long either, even with=
 repeated back washing/flushing. They need to be accurately tested after a =
few hundred gallons or so.

I tried using chlorine test strips and spa and pool chlorine test kits and =
found neither accurate enough to effectively test chlorinated municipal wat=
er. I now use a Hatch pocket colorimeter for chlorine.

I have also taken water samples from many kinds of sprinklers at various di=
stances and flow rates, and spray patterns. In my experience I found the s=
prinklers that seem to dissipate chlorine most effectively are the small sp=
rinkler heads you can find in hardware stores for use in installing your ow=
n in ground sprinkler systems. They have various spray pattern options and=
 put out a fairly fine spray. They have standard pipe threads so will fit =
many ready made sprinklers (or copper or galv fittings) I use quick discon=
nects (for changing spray patterns) and sprinklers from ground level to one=
 that is six feet tall. The tall one will effectively spray about a forty =
foot circle. The fine spray dissipates almost all of the chlorine, even on =
the lower ones used for spot watering. Evaporation could be a problem on t=
he taller ones...

I have tried filtering city water for use in making tea and found it unsati=
sfactory. I have also aerated the water and found it actually takes a few d=
ays to get rid of enough of the chlorine to make tea, rather than simply ru=
nning your brewer overnight. It is easier for me personally to harvest and=
 use rainwater.

I have run water through vortex tubes/nozzles used by Boeing in their paint=
 department but I can not tell for sure if the small amount of chlorine dis=
sipated is because of the vortex action or the simple aeration between the =
end of the nozzle and the bucket. I'll keep working on this one because I b=
elieve it has great potential.

I am also wondering if an aerating shower head could be an effective (getti=
ng rid of chlorine) hose end watering nozzle?

The shower heads with chlorine filters only get rid of about 80% of the chl=
orine - and that is when they are new.

I have not tried simple molasses but will for sure.

Thanks for the thread,
Chuck Lund

  

 



Received on Sun Jul 10 2011 - 14:23:48 EDT

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