[compost_tea] Re: Active Bacteria Biomass; Microbrewers

From: Kirk Leonard <kirk_at_oregonatural.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2003 14:59:44 -0700

Russell -- Thanks for the good data. I wonder if the live bacteria numbers
may simply be a function of the upper bounds of bacterial life? Jeff
pointed out a subtle and not widely appreciated phenomenon about soil
bacteria Saturday. They grow to steady, maximum numbers in any given gram of
soil across all plant and soil successions. Fungi increase in older
successions. Seems likely to be similar and appropriate in teas, somehow.

Your second sample may have molasses in the danger zone, per last Doc E
messages about that, but the B numbers still seem odd. Live compost or
compost tea has more live bacteria, usually.

I'd be happy to have those fungal numbers, though. What was the compost base
you used? Seems like there might have been two different ones, and some
vermicompost? How did the tea turn out? And for what? Good food or fruit,
I hope. Both samples seem to be good tea to me.

> Message: 12
> Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2003 09:57:44 -0000
> From: "russell_snodgrass" <jaxanrus_at_xtra.co.nz>
> Subject: Active Bacteria Biomass

> I have just started brewing my own AACT here in New Zealand, we had
> the last two brews tested at SFI(New Zealand), the total bacterial
> biomass came back very high, but the active bacteria biomass came
> back low, if anyone can help me better understand why the active is
> low while the total is high, it will be much appreciated!
> Here are the figures.

> Sample 1
> Bacteria
> Active-27.6
> Total-1041
> Fungi
> Active-5.05
> Total-19.83
> Diameter-2.5

> Food- 0.17% blackstrap mollases
> 300ml humic acid
> 1 pound of seaweed powder
> 24 hour brew cycle 1300 litre brew
> lowest temp 16.5 celcius

> Sample 2
> Bacteria
> Active-0.3
> Total-1009
> Fungi
> Active-2.38
> Total-8.13
> Diameter-3.3

> Food- 1.35% blackstrap mollases
> 750ml humic acid
> 5 pounds of seaweed powder
> 24 hour brew cycle 1300 litre brew
> lowest temp 18 celcius, out side temp 5 celcius
> Sample two would go into the minus on the oxygen meter within minutes
> of taking a sample out of the brewer, so there had to be a lot of
> activity happening i would of thought, (sample 1 took 20 minutes),
> both samples were tested 7 to 8 hours after the brewing had stopped.
> Are the bacteria going to sleep befor we test them?
> If there is a high total bacteria biomass were they all once active
> in the tea at some stage through the brew cycle?

> Thanks Russell

And on Eric's Microbrewer question:

> Message: 21
> Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2003 12:17:27 -0000
> From: "ericgoodenough" <sfo_at_gwi.net>
> Subject: Early Microbbrewers and apples

> Any early version Microbbrewer (1999-2000) users out there? I'm
> looking for discussion on improvements that might be made to increase
> aerobic organisms and decrease cleaning time.

> I'm organic orcharding with compost teas and would like to speak with
> anyone who has had experience with teas and apple diseases, primarily
> apple scab.

> Also, does anyone have a recommended psi (pounds per square inch)
> setting that will allow high survival of organisms through a mist
> blast (fan dispersed) sprayer?

Something really simple I learned about improving GSI and EPM brewers this
past weekend from Hendrikus Shraven: Replacing all those 90 degree pipe
bends with clear, flexible tubing makes both cleaning (long skinny brush)
and perception of cleaning needs much easier. Another improvement, which
both GSI and EPM have adopted is aeration in the basket. Hendrikus drops a
short horizontal air stone in the bottom of the basket. I personally think
pumping air and not using a
water pump is better. The new WormGold machine goes at that well... The
KIS machines are really good, too, as are Bob-o-lators. And Willamette
Organics may have better tea machines soon.:-)

What I got on CT spray PSI's this past weekend was that it doesn't really
matter what your spray psi is as long as you don't splat the spray on plant
or soil surfaces. I had the pleasure of learning about large scale spraying
with Giovanni Anichini, who uses prevailing winds to lay CT onto tall
plants, both on top and under leaves. He's an artist on this -- getting CT
underneath low-lying plants can be done by creating air currents with the
spray itself, if you have enough pressure. Neat. I think it may work up to
400psi. Main thing is not to blast it onto surfaces you want to inoculate,
hmm? Fan dispersed sounds good in any event, but I'm not sure what you mean
with "mist blast." Seems like an oxymoron to me.:-)

-- Kirk

Good to hear from Kirk W and I hope your new venture goes well. I'll be
Kirk L. NP. (No Problem). But Frank, what the heck is "HTH?"





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Received on Wed Jul 16 2003 - 02:09:27 EDT

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