Myth-Busters Challenge - Biota Max vs. MycoGrow - Confirmed!

[Stepheninky]

Originally Posted by kevinrs

from the site on the label for metals info, they have listed all the info on the label:
http://oda.state.or.us/dbs/heavy_met...roduct_id=6487

the product site is
http://www.aurorainnovations.org/oregonism_xl.html

Directions
Add entire package to 1 gallon of water
Use 1/4 cup of solution per 1 gallon container

For Transplanting
Sprinkle 1 Tbs. Directly onto roots

From the ingredients listed I would say its more closely similar to Bioata Max but there is some differences as well so its really hard to compare them that way. Just try it and see how you like it. If you can do a comparison grow then go for it.

[les matzek]

ray,
maybe you should try the gard'n gro water filter i have
used one for the past 3 years the plants seem to love
it, it connects to hose bibbs.

they (the filter can be replaced) last for 20,000 gallons
and they take out 85 % of clhorine, they cost $ 49.95
plus $ 5.98 shipping, they can be ordered at 866-438-3458.

les

[rnewste]

les,

I read their literature and like the "redox" copper and zinc filter approach.

As most Municipal Water systems today no longer use Chlorine, but have switched to a more long lasting Chloramine treatment, I wonder if this filter is likewise effective. There is no mention in their literature about removal of Chloramine.

I do like the replaceable filter cartridge approach, as after the initial purchase, re-use is only $10.00 per cartridge (2 for $17.00 on Amazon).

http://www.amazon.com/Rainshowr-Gard...9696204&sr=8-1

Do you have any information on the Chloramine issue?

See this Tomatoville Thread:

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...light=chlorine

Raybo

[les matzek]

ray,

i know the gard'n gro does not take out the chloramine but neither
does the watts unit the reason i posted was that the gard'n gro
has hose fittings both in and out, i just thought it would be easyer
to use it without having to get extra fittings to use it.

les

[rnewste]

les,

According to the Watts folks, it does remove Chloramine. In the thread I referenced above, here is a reply from the Company spokesperson in Feb 2009, when I emailed them the question:

Got an email reply from the Watts Company today re: the capabilities of the one I purchased (in the initial post). Here's what they say:

""That filter is meant to filter chlorine. It will filter out chloramine, but it may not last long. Depending on how much water passes through the filter, it may only last up to a year instead of the "up to 5 years". The filter is a GAC ( granular activated carbon ) filter.

Thanks, Stan""

So, I am encouraged....

Ray

Well, I think in that case since the Gard'n gro specifically does not address the Chloramine issue, that I'll stick with the Watts product. Les, thanks for alerting us to this alternate product, however.

Raybo

[chalstonsc]

Raybo,
Thanks for explaining you were not filtering previously and reminding me you have and need to use municipal water, as do I...

But now I wondering if your own masterful trials have answered the question about whether the chloramine kills the beneficials. Your side by side with the Biotamax on the snow peas sure seemed to indicate the Biotamax worked.....also, you've previously said you've gotten better results with the Mycogrow and Actinovate, enough so that you've used them repetitively.

So, it would seem to me you've already proven that beneficials survive chloramine and work well??

The only question remaining perhaps is whether the chloramine does detract from the effect of the beneficials, until the chloramine is deactivated? And maybe the way to overcome the amount the chloramine detracts is to simply add more beneficials than recommended?

Tom

[Dewayne mater]

I've taken the plunge. This morning I planted out and in 1/2 the tainers I used Ami's dip method with a combination of Mycogrow, Biomax and actinovate and in the other 1/2 used a combination of Mcyogrow, Roots Organics Oregonismsxl and Actinovate. This is a very small sample size, but I will follow it to see if any obvious differences appear. One already did. In the "brew" that included the Roots Organics, when I put that in the bucket of water it started to bubble as if it was teeming with life. (and hopefully not at all like it was having a negative reaction to the other beneficials)

Dewayne Mater

[rnewste]

Originally Posted by chalstonsc

So, it would seem to me you've already proven that beneficials survive chloramine and work well??

The only question remaining perhaps is whether the chloramine does detract from the effect of the beneficials, until the chloramine is deactivated? And maybe the way to overcome the amount the chloramine detracts is to simply add more beneficials than recommended?

Tom

Tom,

That is the REAL question! Sure, the Biota Max and MycoGrow did indeed survive using ordinary tap water containing Chloramines, but the fundamental questions is: Would the Snow Peas treated with the two myco products have done even better if I had used water NOT containing Chloramine.

I think an interesting "Myth-Busters Challenge" would be to water one 'Tainer with (unfiltered) municipal tap water; and an identical 'Tainer with the same tomato plant variety and fertilizer, watered through the Watts filter. As I've already got all of the 'Tainers set up this Season watered with filtered water, I won't be conducting this specific "A/B" comparison - - but maybe next year.....

Raybo

[chalstonsc]

Raybo,

And that's the "challenge" I'll be waiting to see (and I may not be alone)...sure it's too late to unhook one of those tainers of yours and run an unfiltered water source to it so we won't have to wait until next year?...

Tom

[jpop]

There is a product called AmQuell that can be added to water that will remove chloramines and not harm plants or fish. See description.

http://www.novalek.com/kordon/amquel/index.htm

The other option is a granular activated carbon filter provided sufficient contact time.

[rnewste]

kevin,

Thanks for the link. The ingredients then appear to be:

Pisolithus tinctorius - 80,000 propagules / gram
Scleroderma cepa - 12,500 propagules / gram
Scleroderma citrinum - 12,500 propagules / gram
Glomus intraradices - 8.6 propagules / gram
Glomus aggregatum - 11 propagules / gram
Glomus mosseae - 10 propagules / gram
Trichoderma harzianum - 66,625
Trichoderma konigii - 187,500
Bacillus subtilis - 275,000 cfu / gram
Bacillus licheniformis - 275,000 cfu / gram
Bacillus azotoformans - 275,000 cfu / gram
Bacillus megaterium - 275,000 cfu / gram
Bacillus coagulans - 275,000 cfu / gram
Bacillus pumilus - 275,000 cfu / gram
Bacillus thuringiensis - 275,000 cfu / gram
Bacillus stearothermiphilis - 275,000 cfu / gram
Paenibacillus polymyxa - 275,000 cfu / gram
Paenibacillus gordonae - 275,000 cfu / gram
Paenibacillus durum - 275,000 cfu / gram
Azotobacter polymyxa - 275,000 cfu / gram
Azotobacter chroococcum - 275,000 cfu / gram
Streptomyces griseus - 275,000 cfu / gram
Streptomyces lydicus - 275,000 cfu / gram
Pseudomonas aureofaciens - 275,000 cfu / gram
Pseudomonas florescence - 275,000 cfu / gram
Deinococcus erythromyxa - 275,000 cfu / gram

Seems to be more "comprehensive" than either Myco Grow or Biota Max. Someone smarter than I will have to weigh in to advise if these are applicable to tomato production.

Raybo

[kevinrs]

Originally Posted by amideutch

For my preplant dip solution I get a small bucket 1 1/2 to 2 gallon in size. Add I gallon of water and dissolve 1/4 tablet Biota Max in the water. Then add 2 teaspoons of Actinovate and 2 Teaspoons of Mycogrow soluable to the solution and mix well.
Now submerge the pot of the seedling just below the surface of the water to fill the pot with the solution, remove and allow the pot to drain back into the bucket. Then remove the seedling from the pot if plastic type was used or plant the pot w/seedling if Dot Pot Or Cow Pots were used.
Just be careful when dipping the pot in the solution as you want to retain as much aggregate in the pot as possible rather than have it float out of the pot and into the dip bucket.
During the dipping operation periodically agitate the water to keep the ingredients mixed in the solution. When your done apply the left over dip to the plants you have just planted. The above instructions are assuming you are using 4" pots or less in size. Ami

Maybe this should be reposted and stickied somewhere, took me quite a while to find the actual method everyone was referring to. The timing is what I've got to figure out now. I have seedlings that I started 3 weeks ago now, in a 72 cell flat, I'll be transplanting before planting out, not sure if I should apply a mix to the flats asap, or after potting up, or just before planting in the garden as this method refers to. I am seeing that you are using the actinovate at 4 times the specified concentration. The package says to use 1 teaspoon in 2 gallons.

[amideutch]

The microbials in both products are very similar. It's the other ingredients in "Oregonism XL" that are of interest.

Humic Acid 3%
Indole3 Butyric Acid
Naphthaleneacetic Acid
Phosphorous Acid (Used in EXEL LG)
Kelp 5% (Self explanatory)
Vitamin B1 (Self Explanatory)
Polyacrylamide
Yucca Extract - 25% (Self Explanatory)

Humic Acid:
Increase root vitality
Addition of organic matter to organically-deficient soil
Improved nutrient uptake
Increased chlorophyll synthesis
Better seed germination
Increased fertilizer retention
Stimulate beneficial microbial activity
Healthier plants and improved yields
Addition of organic matter to organically-deficient soil

Indole-3-butyric acid: Enhances the growth and development of food crops and ornamentals when applied to soil, cuttings, or leaves. Because it is similar in structure to naturally occurring substances and is used in tiny amounts, this plant growth regulator poses no known risks to humans or the environment.

Naphthaleneacetic acid:
NAA is a plant hormone in the auxin family and is an ingredient in many commercial plant rooting horticultural products; it is a rooting agent and used for the vegetative propagation of plants from stem and leaf cutting. It is also used for plant tissue culture.

Polyacrylamide:
One of the largest uses for polyacrylamide is to flocculate or coagulate solids in a liquid.

It looks like from the "Other Ingredients" that the pre-plant dip containg "Oregonism XL" will out perform the pre-plant dip containing "MycoGrow Soluable. We shall see. Ami

[creister]

I am planning to use the Biotamax, Mycogrow, and Actinovate dip when planting out. I was going to mix 2 tablespoons of soft rock phosphate (0-3-0) and some worm castings with the backfill of both inground and containers.

What about adding some molasses and fish/seaweed to the dip? Too much of a good thing?

[tgplp]

Ami recommended actinovate, biota max, and mycrogrow to keep away late blight. Last year I got blight in august, and, being in Seattle, I hadn't got many ripe tomatoes. So this year I'm being extra careful... Has anyone else noticed less disease when using these fertilizers? Thanks for everyone who posted here! Good info.

Taryn