My molasses tea is slightly fizzy, and it smells at times like an early beer (like you can still smell the malted barley, like wort almost). I have been giving it to my trees, also, I mix mine in a dark-colored bin, but it's on the back deck, shaded from most of the direct sunlight but not all, but also not heating up. I would think that chlorinated water would do a right bang up job of killing the Mycorrhizae, dechlorinate or let it sit out (sitting out will not work if your municipal water supply is sanitized using chloramine, that's a bond of chlorine and ammonia and that bond must be broken chemically, sodium thiosulfate is the stuff you want for that, it's cheap).

Hope I didn't cut in where I shouldn't.

SPT smells like an almost anaerobic aquarium at times, too, I smell major aquarium smells. Therefore, I like it. If it smelled like a protein skimmer, I'd be in freakin' heaven.

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Thanks! I usually let my water (from the hose) sit overnight in my water res (a 32-gal trash can) to dechlorinate. Is most municipal "hose" water chlorinated too much to support the fungi, or does it need to be dechlorinated? I know its not GOOD for the lil guys, but will it kill them ALL off?

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Don't move to California. The pot sucks here.

Outdoor harvest '08

You can only experiment to determine for yourself. Remember, the issue isn't so much with plain chlorine, it's with the fact that most municipalities, especially if they're pulling (above) ground water, rather than from a well source, are going to now be mandated to use chloramine, a much more stable compound that does not "decay" anywhere nearly as easily as chlorine. I'm doing some new "research" into this, and it may be a good topic of discussion for organic growers, as chloramine seems to be a very interesting compound, especially from an aquatic perspective.

You should know that your trashcan, while chemically inert (if U.S. plastic, NOT Chinese plastic or metal) otherwise and GREAT for doing things like mixing up saltwater, does not offer a very good surface area-to-volume ratio (low surface area to total volume), as such, that prevents chlorine from outgassing effectively. To that end I suggest some means by which to aerate the water, which equals water movement. Aquarium air pumps are a cheap means by which to do this, remember, surface turbulence also equals best CO2/O2 exchange, which equals best outgassing for chlorine IF that's all your local water is treated with. I tend to doubt it, though. I say treat it like it's chloramine.

Now, here I am doing a little research, and from what I'm finding there is a very good chance your water supply is being disinfected with chloramine, not simple chlorine. Sodium thiosulfate, in this case, is your friend. It can be purchased in ridiculous bulk for ridiculously cheap prices from TheChemistryStore.com (search Google, best price sodium thiosulfate, et voila). Last time I checked you could get a FIVE POUND bucket for $10. Do you have any idea how much dechlorinator a 5lb. bucket of sodium thiosulfate makes up, even at an unheard of 5% solution???? God, I fucking love that stuff. Google it, it's got many, many uses, and it's blue. Not blue like methylene blue, which is REALLY blue, but blue enough as it is.

Linky linky!
The Skeptical Aquarist on Chlorine and Chloramines--READ ME

Man, all the weird things I learned during my fish & exotics years...

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Direct sunlight for a couple of days will kill most of your micro-beasties. Chlorine will kill them in under an hour. Being in the shade will help allot, as far as, limiting the UV light hitting your mix. A reflective (light colored) cover would help even more.
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I would not use water directly from the hose - it will have chlorine in it for sure.
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I read Seamaidens post about the new chlorine replacement - sounds like a new problem for those on city water systems - who grow. But she offers a solution to correct it. I'm lucky enought to have an old, hand dug well in my back yard - so chlorine is not a problem.
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Good signs of life are a nice earthy smell, some bubbling, & the color should get progressively lighter. A little scum on top is not a bad thing. Lots of scum, means there is not enought oxygen in your mix water. Stir it, pour it from bucket to bucket, add a little more (unchlorinated water) or bubble it with a cheap aquarium air pump & air stone.
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Every time I stir mine it fizzes.

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I have a sump pump in my (US plastic) trash can that I use to agitate the water, mix in my liquid ferts, and fill my watering jug. It might have a little better effect on the dechlorination process? This chloramine stuff is depressing. How do I find out what's in my water?

I aerate the 5gal of microbeastie culture with a gallon jug. It's fizzy, and it foams when I mix it. How many days do I let it do it's thing before I feed it to the ladies?

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Don't move to California. The pot sucks here.

Outdoor harvest '08

Call your local water municipality, they have to maintain very rigid records.

Don't let it depress you, if you read my links, you'll see that it's actually better from a health standpoint. Just get yourself some dechlorinator and you'll be golden.

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Ive been adding a drop per gallon of this stuff! but i dont know if its good for my plants my girlfriend uses it on her fish!



IT states in the little black print:

neutralizes chlorine,chloramine, and heavy metals harmful to fish
Enhances natural, protective slime coating fish.


Im sure the stuff sensi talked about is way cheeper than this stuff i just had it around the house.

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Everything I post on this forum is fictitious. This site is for entertainment purposes only.

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Looks like Seamaiden covered the first one. So, on to the next one :
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I go mostly by smell. It should take two or three days to be completely ready. If you mix it up a couple of times a day or bubble it.
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It should have a nice, earthy smell - almost sweet, with overtones of rum.
It will also be a little lighter in color. If it smells dank or like a basement, pour in some fresh (unchlorinated) water and agaite (oxygenate) it some more, until the unpleasant smell fades away.
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Then give your girls - one quart per gallon of soil (if they are planted in a container) or one gallon per (in ground) plant. You can do this weekly.
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hmmm would they have it in the fish section of walmart then? or would they have it at the hydro shop? i'm not big on ordering things online

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Don't move to California. The pot sucks here.

Outdoor harvest '08