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Re: [compost_tea] Re: quantities ?



"....amount of compost per volume of water is non-linear.  The more water, the less compost is needed........."
 
I do not really understand why the amounts of compost added to the brewer should reduce as CT volume increases. I understood that we are extracting fungi etc from the compost and the total fungal biomass relates to the amount extracted from the compost (as well as what grows). Thus less compost, less fungi extracted?? Also if we reduce the amount of compost (per gallon CT)used in the brew won't this result in lower amounts of nutrients extracted since there is less compost?   I would have thought that these nutrients are the important ones as they should be the most complex and diverse in nature and thus will support a diverse range of fungi etc. 
I also do not understand why there is a need to emphasize  alternative food sources for the tea when all these complex/diverse food sources are in the compost ( good quality stuff that is) already . To my way of thinking shouldn't we just make sure we extract these food sources from the compost?
If we are relying on a relatively small number of food sources (say 5 or 10) then won't this result in a relatively less diverse range of fungi bacteria etc in the CT? If we are growing 1000s of different species of fungi in CT I would have thought we would require 100s or 1000s of different nutrients in the CT? This surely can only be done by extracting most of the nutrients from the compost/s?
It occurs to me that Compost Tea is called that because the principle ingredient is COMPOST not molasses, Humic acid kelp etc.
Anyway thanks again for your contributions Elaine, it definitely does help!!!
Regards Mike Harvey. 
   
 
The amount of compost per volume of water is non-linear.  The more water, the less compost is needed.

So, there's a bacterial tea machine maker that has told people that their 100 gal machine needs 100 lbs of compost.   Phew!  They must be selling compost!  There should be no reason, at all, that much compost is required.

The relationship between amount of compost and volume of water does have alot to do with the machine design.  A really poorly designed machine is going to take a great deal more compost than a well-designed machine.  Which maybe says something about the machine in the above example - it is a really poor design. 

So, weight of compost per volume of water in decent COMPOST tea machines -

About a pound of compost for 5 gal of water, 7 lbs for 25 gal, 10 lbs for 50 gal, 12 lbs for 100 gal, 15 - 20 lbs for 500 gal

Now, the amount of molasses, kelp etc needs to relate to the needs of your plants.

Kelp is put in to provide surface area for the fungi, AND for nutrients for the plant.  So, what amount of nutrient does the plant need?  Amount added to the tea ought to be relative to that need.  Fungi just need a small amount of surface area - an ounce in 5 gal, for example.  So, the nutrient needs of the plant should be assessed to figure out the kelp amount.

Molasses amount relates more to the machine - how good is the machine at keeping things aerated?  In the Growing Solutions machine, for example, NO MOLASSES at all should be used.  Or it grows E. coli.  Well, maybe it grows E. coli with the addition of just about anything. 

But most tea machine makers have done TESTING to determine what recipe results in good tea.  If they have the numbers, then they have the recipe worked out.  Ask your machine maker for the recipe.  Or do a little testing yourself. 

Make a tea - goes smelly?  Too much food for the organisms.  Tea seems good?  Put it in a sealed plastic container 1/2 full for 24 hours in a warm place.  Smell ok?  then send a sample in to see if you have the bacteria and fungi,  maybe protozoa. 

Then you know your recipe is right.  Or you get to try some more....

Hope this helps -

Elaine
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
www.soilfoodweb.com


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