[compost_tea] Toxins in Soaker Hoses?

From: Scott Alexander <daylily_at_bigpond.com>
Date: Sun, 16 May 2004 12:39:25 +1000
Elaine asked  "Have we ever resolved the question of soaker hose releasing
toxic chemcials and harming the organisms in tea, and possibly even your
plants?   Did that get checked out by anyone?

If the USA soaker hose is the same as the ones available in Australia (ie
made from tyres I think and is meant to be placed under the soil surface so
that plants' roots can access the water) then I have been using soaker hoses
to aerate my tea for about 8 months. As far as I can tell I don't think
there are any toxins in the material because my CT seems to be "behaving"
the same as when I used other aerators eg  D O starts at 7.5 to 8, drops to
3.5 to 5.0, and then climbs back up to 6.5 to 7.

IMHO If there were toxins in the soaker hose material the microbes would be
harmed and there wouldn't be any activity to cause those D O fluctuations.

One of the problems of using the hose I buy here is that it become brittle
and breaks. Maybe the soaking in the cleaning solution of hydrogen peroxide
and bleach, or the microbes in the tea "eating" it are responsible for this?

Scott Alexander
Maleny
Queensland





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Received on Sun May 16 2004 - 00:35:03 EDT

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