Re: [compost_tea] Re: protozoans before and after brewing

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 23:50:59 -0500
Hi Javier -

You wrote:
'the protozoa I saw at mid brew were more the "vibrating"
kind, they go so fast vibrating that I can`t see more details of them. What kind of protos can this be (did I flunked the microscope class?)certainly smaller than ciliates and I would say they move much faster than the amoebae I have met. In the morning, I see less of this kind of protos, and more of the "slower" ones.

The machine I use is a BobO, so there is plenty of movement but not too much, but I do have to underline the fact that at night I take the extracting unit (compost pipe) out, and just let the aerator running."

When the protozoa you are looking at move really fast, those are most likely ciliates.  But pay close attention to the sideways movement exhibited, and to whether you can see long whip-like flagella, or if they have tiny hairs all over hte body. 

Anything with the whip-like, long strands are flagellates, while anything with hair all over the body is a ciliate.  The flagellates are aerobes, while the ciliates, if high in number, indicate reduced oxygen has occurred. 

I'd add another aerator wand to the Bob-O, since it sounds like you maybe are limited in oxygen during the night. 

Let me know what happens when you add the additional aeration wand. 
--
Elaine Ingham
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
SFI Corvallis, OR
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Received on Wed Dec 22 2004 - 06:26:01 EST

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