What up GC I am going to the hydro store today I wanna make a aerated tea and I already got the pump and stone and all but there is just so many recipes out there and I really don't wanna spend and arm and leg like sum people are doing cuz I am not growing that huge just 4 plant 3 ft tall with a 250 watt. worm castings will be on the list but what else?
I would use fish hydrolysate (which usually contains kelp) over kelp meal, personally. And molasses/EWC. That's all you need. Make sure you get the best EWC you can find. Got any nurseries around you? That would be my first choice for EWC. Especially if they make their own. Best bagged? There are so many out there, many of which are "regional". Look or ask for what they're been fed. The greater the diversity of worm food, the better the EWC. For example, where I live there's one guy that raises worms and makes EWC. But all he feeds his worms is coffee grounds and shredded recycled wood. Not my first choice, you know?
what about this fish hydrolysate brand http://www.earthfort.com/products/supplies1/fish-hydrolysate.html
It will work, but this product is better... http://www.neptunesharvest.com/fs-136.html I would assume you're going to build a 5 gal' brewer? What kind of air pump are you getting? Those little aquarium jobbers don't move enough air to create sufficient levels of dissolved oxygen in the tea to support thriving microbial life.
well I really don't need a crazy amount at most I do 4 plants so maybe a 2 gal bucket would work? or even better a 1 gal? as for pump I do have a dual hose aquarium pump laying around form a old DWC but have funds to get what I need if that is not sufficient for a 2gal or 1gal. also I found the Neptunes Harvest Fertilizer in an 18oz bottle for $7.84 (I don't think I need a Quart) http://www.supplementwarehouse.com/viewitem.asp?idproduct=243426&pxc=4&sh=0&gclid=CK-HpJ_W77wCFQJrfgodNiQAFw
The pump you have will work with a 1 gal' bucket. Watch our for foam over spill when you brew your first batch. Make sure to put something underneath your brew bucket to catch foam overflow. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Usually the more "stuff" you add to a brew, the more it will foam.
I use ACT's when I moisten a newly mixed batch of soil for cycling, usually when I transplant into the last sized pot, and when I make compost piles. That's it. I don't believe in overusing teas, especially with well developed reused soils. Plants produce root exudates that attract/proliferate the types of microbes the plant wants to cycle the nutrients that it needs, at any point in its life cycle. I believe over application of ACT's tends to throw off this natural balance. I use them as a tool to kick start things, then I leave it to nature to finish things off. How much air does the pump that you have move? You'll want an optimum .08 CFM per gallon of brewing tea. Maybe you could go with a 2 gal' bucket? That would be better for 4 plants. You want to dilute ACT as little as possible, IMO.
One thing I can't ever find outside of the hydro stores; tall propagation domes. I can get the little jiffy trays anywhere, but for taking cuttings they tend to be too short. The shops around here charge too much for even the basics like carbon filters and fans, so I buy online. I would only buy their castings as a last resort. It took me a while to find 'em, but with a little searching I found a superior product to Wiggle Worm for a big savings. With more reasonable pricing being offered up on amendments on the internet, the hydro store is looking obsolete--i'm sure someone will have tall trays for sale in a couple more weeks.
idk how much cfm for it but here is the pump I have http://www.growwurks.com/ecoplus-air-pump-eco-air-2-one-outlet-6-watts.aspx I can do 2 gal bucket for the grow I am on now I am already into flowering 40 days would the plants benefit from this tea just wondering.
Aaaah, so you have been doing some research! Yeah, your pump will run a 2 gal' brewer. It's always sweet when you can save some $$$. As FunTime' already mentioned, and as I have alluded to as well, probably not going to "help" at this point. Are you growing in living soil, and do your plants look like they "need" something?