Skimmate for Fertilizer?

mpty · 11/14/2008, 10:45 AM

after reading sk8r's totally informative post on algae/phosphates i was thinkin, can i use the junk that comes out of my skimmer and dump into my pretty flower pots? seems like its poison smelly to me but the way sk8r made it seem, its poison to our tanks but fertilizer for plants. that true?

xoxompty

sassafrass · 11/14/2008, 11:05 AM

Except for the salt which will kill your plants ,Yes

wshfulthkn · 11/14/2008, 11:11 AM

+1 on salting the earth

WrinkleFreeZone · 11/14/2008, 11:13 AM

I've never thought of skimmate in that way, but it is going to contain a bunch of organic debris. I'd imagine that this would serve as a good source for nutrients capable of growing house plants. One problem may be how wet you skim and how much salt ends up in with the debris. High concentrations of salt is not going to be great for some plants. You should probably research the ideal soil types before throwing it in with your prized Phalaenopsis.
-B

Whys · 11/14/2008, 11:14 AM

My wife had the same idea until I mentioned the salt. I like to toss used water anywhere outside where I don't want weeds or anything else to grow.

wshfulthkn · 11/14/2008, 11:17 AM

on second thought it may not be bad. You say that they are in pots. Salt blocks the uptake of nutirients by the roots, however, if you did a water flush with RO water once every two weeks then you may beable to negate the effects of the salt and end up with nice big plants.

Whys · 11/14/2008, 11:20 AM

Or... buy fertilizer.

Whys · 11/14/2008, 11:22 AM

Bonsai trees -- the actual coastal species -- are immensely resilient to salt.

MileHighFish · 11/14/2008, 11:23 AM

Maybe dilute it with fresh water? But I wouldnâ€™t want that stink on my houseplants

Whys · 11/14/2008, 11:26 AM

Might work great for earwig traps.

Rae C. · 11/14/2008, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wshfulthkn
on second thought it may not be bad. You say that they are in pots. Salt blocks the uptake of nutirients by the roots, however, if you did a water flush with RO water once every two weeks then you may beable to negate the effects of the salt and end up with nice big plants.

Interesting thought. My plants often have a crust of salt and minerals on the top of the soil, and most plant books recommend a thorough flushing to rid the soil of this build-up. If the skimmate is added to a lot of fresh water, diluting the salt, it would probably be okay. Especially with RO flushing weekly. Hmm, I have a few cuttings I might try this on.

MileHighFish · 11/14/2008, 12:28 PM

You would need to check the ph, most plants stop taking up nutrients after ph hits about 7.5, remembering back to my hydroponics days the plants grew best at 5.6 - 6.5.

thecoralreefer · 11/14/2008, 12:38 PM

By the time you reduce it down w/ water it has so little salt that it won't hurt. I put it on my Orchids all the time and they don't seem to mind !!!

mpty · 11/14/2008, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thecoralreefer
By the time you reduce it down w/ water it has so little salt that it won't hurt. I put it on my Orchids all the time and they don't seem to mind !!!

so rad! im dry skimmin so i'm guessing there ain't much salt...

MileHighFish · 11/14/2008, 06:45 PM

orchids are different then most house plants they are acidic and like a higher PH

11/14/2008, 10:45 AM	#1
mpty Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 154	Skimmate for Fertilizer? after reading sk8r's totally informative post on algae/phosphates i was thinkin, can i use the junk that comes out of my skimmer and dump into my pretty flower pots? seems like its poison smelly to me but the way sk8r made it seem, its poison to our tanks but fertilizer for plants. that true? xoxompty __________________ "Nuthin turns me on like a reefgeek boy rambling coral gear specks under an actinic blue light. Seriously. What else could a gal ask for?" Current Tank Info: Glass 65G, PC Lunar Aqualight, CL SuperSkimmer 65, Eheim Cannister, 80lbs live rock, 2" sand, 10G Fuge - 4" sand/mangrove/cheato, shrooms, duster, buttons, occelaris, japonicus tang, chromis, shrimp, bubble, open brain, leathers, frogspawn.

11/14/2008, 11:11 AM	#3
wshfulthkn Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Tempe, Arizona Posts: 120	+1 on salting the earth __________________ -- Brandon Current Tank Info: 29 Gallon

11/14/2008, 11:13 AM	#4
WrinkleFreeZone Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 168	I've never thought of skimmate in that way, but it is going to contain a bunch of organic debris. I'd imagine that this would serve as a good source for nutrients capable of growing house plants. One problem may be how wet you skim and how much salt ends up in with the debris. High concentrations of salt is not going to be great for some plants. You should probably research the ideal soil types before throwing it in with your prized Phalaenopsis. -B __________________ "Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, not those who know much, who so positively assert..." Charles Darwin Current Tank Info: 220 g display, 60 g planted display refugium, 50 more behind the scenes, and now a 60 gallon H. magnifica recovery tank

11/14/2008, 11:17 AM	#6
wshfulthkn Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Tempe, Arizona Posts: 120	on second thought it may not be bad. You say that they are in pots. Salt blocks the uptake of nutirients by the roots, however, if you did a water flush with RO water once every two weeks then you may beable to negate the effects of the salt and end up with nice big plants. __________________ -- Brandon Current Tank Info: 29 Gallon

11/14/2008, 11:23 AM	#9
MileHighFish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NM. Posts: 1,722	Maybe dilute it with fresh water? But I wouldnâ€™t want that stink on my houseplants __________________ See "Red House" for pics!! I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. Mitch Hedberg Current Tank Info: Reef tank, 100 gal Lee Mar polished.. 60 sump.. 800 watts mh 20k radium..Ran on "Taiwan HQI Ballast" 330 watt VHO.. 48 watt compacts (dawn/dusk).. sps/lps tank..

11/14/2008, 11:05 AM	#2
sassafrass Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: capitola ca Posts: 1,729	Except for the salt which will kill your plants ,Yes

11/14/2008, 11:14 AM	#5
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	My wife had the same idea until I mentioned the salt. I like to toss used water anywhere outside where I don't want weeds or anything else to grow.

11/14/2008, 11:20 AM	#7
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	Or... buy fertilizer.

11/14/2008, 11:22 AM	#8
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	Bonsai trees -- the actual coastal species -- are immensely resilient to salt.

11/14/2008, 11:26 AM	#10
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	Might work great for earwig traps.

11/14/2008, 12:28 PM	#12
MileHighFish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NM. Posts: 1,722	You would need to check the ph, most plants stop taking up nutrients after ph hits about 7.5, remembering back to my hydroponics days the plants grew best at 5.6 - 6.5. __________________ See "Red House" for pics!! I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. Mitch Hedberg Current Tank Info: Reef tank, 100 gal Lee Mar polished.. 60 sump.. 800 watts mh 20k radium..Ran on "Taiwan HQI Ballast" 330 watt VHO.. 48 watt compacts (dawn/dusk).. sps/lps tank..

11/14/2008, 12:38 PM	#13
thecoralreefer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: west palm beach.fl Posts: 440	By the time you reduce it down w/ water it has so little salt that it won't hurt. I put it on my Orchids all the time and they don't seem to mind !!! __________________ If it can be done I will try. If you say it can't I try harder. Current Tank Info: 29 bioreef

11/14/2008, 06:45 PM	#15
MileHighFish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NM. Posts: 1,722	orchids are different then most house plants they are acidic and like a higher PH __________________ See "Red House" for pics!! I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. Mitch Hedberg Current Tank Info: Reef tank, 100 gal Lee Mar polished.. 60 sump.. 800 watts mh 20k radium..Ran on "Taiwan HQI Ballast" 330 watt VHO.. 48 watt compacts (dawn/dusk).. sps/lps tank..