[larcat]

Hi.

I've access to a high quality soil test kit, so I used it on crushed up Fluval Stratum yesterday.

Here are the results:

Nitrogen: 30-45 lb/acre. Low-Medium in the soil world.

Phosphorus: 50-70 lb/acre. Low-Medium in the soil world.

Potassium: 80-120 lb/acre. Low in the soil world.

If anyone has anything else they want tested, I could do it for them. I'll be doing vermicompost next, since I have that underneath my Fluval Stratum.

Discuss!

 

[jmowbray]

I would like my garden soil tested since the part I mulched did worse then the solid clay. Growing season is almost done and my tomatoes are only 12inches tall. :'(

 

[larcat]

I would like my garden soil tested since the part I mulched did worse then the solid clay. Growing season is almost done and my tomatoes are only 12inches tall. :'(

Do you trellis them? Do you prune the elbows?

 

[Jeffww]

Can you do a comparison with ADA AS using the same kit?

 

[larcat]

Sure, just need a handful of AS to test. Not sold locally here, and I have no use for it since all my tanks are planted.

If you want to send me like half an ounce or so, I would be happy to test it.

Can you do a comparison with ADA AS using the same kit?

 

[jmowbray]

Do you trellis them? Do you prune the elbows?

Yes and No. Everything was fine until mulched last year with leaves and green grass. But it's not just the veggies the entire garden in bad. Flowers go from 24inchs tall (clay) to 4-5inches. The only speices untouched in bulb flowers. I didn't use any poisonious tree leaves so I'm not sure.

 

[ddavila06]

so the resultes just mean that the stratum is average as far as nutrients go?...how about iron content?? thanks for doing this.

 

[larcat]

I think I know what the problem is. I'll check with my fiancee later, since she is the expert. Trying to grow stuff in plant material that is composting is going to be horrible for plant growth. You need everything to already be composted. When you do a compost bin, the rotting stuff is "hot", literally from bacteria action, and can't be grown in. The stuff at the bottom of the bin is compost, looks like dirt and is good to go. Stick a thermometer into your "mulch" and see what the temperature is... Dig around a little. Does it smell bad?


*** EDIT Checked with her. Other possibilities -- If they were walnut leaves, there is a chemical in walnut leaves that inhibits plant growth. If your lawn was treated with something you could have an issue there with the grass clippings. Otherwise, she agrees that it is because the clippings etc weren't composted yet. Grass especially, if not fully composted, will create pockets of anerobic activity if not fully composted. Also, if the leaves weren't dried you need to add more brown material to compost to get raw carbon into a compost mix. Green provides the nitrogen in compost. You can trust the above, this is what she does for a living Hope it helps!

Yes and No. Everything was fine until mulched last year with leaves and green grass. But it's not just the veggies the entire garden in bad. Flowers go from 24inchs tall (clay) to 4-5inches. The only speices untouched in bulb flowers. I didn't use any poisonious tree leaves so I'm not sure.

 

[larcat]

No idea on iron, not in the kit I used.

Yes, average as far as nutrients go. That said, it is pelletized which is useful for a whole parcel of reasons.

I'm running vermicompost, which is like rocket fuel for plants, underneath the stratum, and so far it is working out great in both low light and high light conditions...

so the resultes just mean that the stratum is average as far as nutrients go?...how about iron content?? thanks for doing this.

 

[Hoppy]

Is it possible to correlate those pounds per acre numbers to something understandable for aquariums. Acres are an area measurement, but our substrates are measured in volume, not area. What is the soil depth associated with pounds per acre numbers? With that one could convert pounds per acre to mg per liter, for example.

 

[larcat]

That is what I am hoping: That someone with a good scientific background can maybe do something with these. At worst, if I can get some AS I can run that, and I'll run some regular potting soil, top soil and my vermicompost so we can at least compare that way.

Is it possible to correlate those pounds per acre numbers to something understandable for aquariums. Acres are an area measurement, but our substrates are measured in volume, not area. What is the soil depth associated with pounds per acre numbers? With that one could convert pounds per acre to mg per liter, for example.

 

[Chlorophile]

At the very least having a comparison between a few different soils will help, even if we cant convert these to mg/l

 

[larcat]

At the very least having a comparison between a few different soils will help, even if we cant convert these to mg/l

This!

 

[Jeffww]

I can't provide you with used AS but I can probably get you some new AS but I think that would be a very slighted test since AS is infused with ammonia which quickly goes away after awhile.

 

[sampster5000]

If you can tell me how deep the soil is I can figure out the mg/liter.

 

[larcat]

Next time I am up where the test kits are I'll look in more depth. I wasn't thinking about raw number crunching today when I was testing, but more about comparative testing between soil samples.

From what I remember of the literature that came with the kits, it is somewhat in exact because you are testing a small chunk of something not entirely uniform. I'll give more info next time I am up there (probably next weekend.)

If you can tell me how deep the soil is I can figure out the mg/liter.

 

[larcat]

New would be much better than used. Really only need about half an ounce to do all the tests and have a little back up. Literally one handful.

I can't provide you with used AS but I can probably get you some new AS but I think that would be a very slighted test since AS is infused with ammonia which quickly goes away after awhile.

 

[Hoppy]

Are you sure those numbers aren't pounds per acre foot? If so, the conversion factor is 1 ppm. = 2.72 pounds per acre-foot.

 

[jhunt]

Are you sure those numbers aren't pounds per acre foot? If so, the conversion factor is 1 ppm. = 2.72 pounds per acre-foot.

A chain by a furlong. 66 x 660 feet. God I hate standard measure, so arbitrary. Hurray for metric!

 

[larcat]

Could be. I'm not a soil scientist nor a horticulturalist. I'll ask the person who is next time I am up there.

Are you sure those numbers aren't pounds per acre foot? If so, the conversion factor is 1 ppm. = 2.72 pounds per acre-foot.