|
Some of these posts are very old and might contain outdated information. You may wish to search for newer posts instead.
|
ralphie
Stranger
Registered: 02/18/05
Posts: 128
Last seen: 18 years, 9 months
|
Diatomacesous Earth
#4027505 - 04/07/05 05:07 PM (18 years, 11 months ago) |
|
|
the very knowledgeable guy at the local nursery said this is the same thing as crushed oyster shells. the package says it is used to kill cockroaches, ants, fleas, silverfish, etc. the guy explained that this is because it looks like sharp bits of glass at the small scale level of these insects and cuts their bodies up and kills them in this way. anyways, he said its the same thing. is this true? the package ingredients says: silicon dioxide from diatomaceous earth. hmmm. he says it is a very good ph buffer in the medium time range (meaning not so fast acting as lime. so what you guys think of this?
-------------------- There must be some kinda way outta here said a joker to the thief.
|
NoodleSalad
umm...yeah
Registered: 10/25/04
Posts: 180
Last seen: 14 years, 11 months
|
Re: Diatomacesous Earth [Re: ralphie]
#4027523 - 04/07/05 05:12 PM (18 years, 11 months ago) |
|
|
When i asked a guy at a nursery if he had any calcium carbonate, he gave me a box of diatomaceous earth. I just assumed he was stupid and got some lime instead.
-------------------- life is one big question when your starin at the clock And the answers always waiting at the liqour store, 40 oz to Freedom, so I'll take that walk. And I know that ohhhh...I'm not comin back
|
Prisoner#1
Even Dumber ThanAdvertized!
Registered: 01/22/03
Posts: 193,665
Loc: Pvt. Pubfag NutSuck
|
Re: Diatomacesous Earth [Re: ralphie]
#4027684 - 04/07/05 05:49 PM (18 years, 11 months ago) |
|
|
it's not the same, it may also have a residual salt content that could be adverse request hydrated lime
|
Holydiver
Stranger
Registered: 03/19/01
Posts: 5,156
Loc: The midnight sea
|
Re: Diatomacesous Earth [Re: Prisoner#1]
#4027726 - 04/07/05 06:06 PM (18 years, 11 months ago) |
|
|
D. earth works in casings. It is an awesome soil conditioner. Try it next run, about one tablespoon to two quarts of casing mixture.
-------------------- To find a place to live between the negatives and positives.
|
RogerRabbit
Bans for Pleasure
Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 42,214
Loc: Seattle
Last seen: 1 year, 29 days
|
Re: Diatomacesous Earth [Re: Holydiver]
#4027814 - 04/07/05 06:33 PM (18 years, 11 months ago) |
|
|
I've been meaning to try DE in casings. I believe Agar has also experimented with it successfully. I would also like to see if a very light, dry layer on top of a casing would control fungus gnats. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
|
zorakensis
Mad ScientistMeets CrazyHippy
Registered: 02/26/05
Posts: 48
Loc: Gulf Coast
Last seen: 18 years, 10 months
|
Re: Diatomacesous Earth [Re: RogerRabbit]
#4027971 - 04/07/05 07:09 PM (18 years, 11 months ago) |
|
|
Diatomaceous Earth is basically made of the crushed bodies of Diatoms. These are single-celled algae that generally live free floating in the ocean. They form complex shells of SiO2 or CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) that are left behind when they die. Toothpaste is made out of this.
-------------------- Suspended in the darkness of The cool and still Boulder Creek Night I hear the song of the cricket And locusts and frogs And I wonder Is this the life of a Mushroom - Barbara E Hanson
|
Fer
Stranger
Registered: 02/25/05
Posts: 30
Loc: Brazil
Last seen: 18 years, 1 month
|
Re: Diatomacesous Earth [Re: ralphie]
#4027990 - 04/07/05 07:13 PM (18 years, 11 months ago) |
|
|
Diatomaceous earth is a mineral product mined from the fossilized silica(90%)shell remains of diatomite algee (from the class Bacillariaphyccae), not at all like oyster shells. You can get the the marine type (they should not be used for plant or fungi growing because of the salt, but is great for pest control, pool and other kinds of filters) and the fresh water kind (that are safe to use for plants and pests). QUOTE "it looks like sharp bits of glass at the small scale level of these insects and cuts their bodies up and kills them in this way". Actually the sharp bits of glass scrape and remove some of the outer body protection of the insects and they dehydrate and dye. It dose not replace the lime effectively because its pH is very close to 7.
|
Fer
Stranger
Registered: 02/25/05
Posts: 30
Loc: Brazil
Last seen: 18 years, 1 month
|
Re: Diatomacesous Earth [Re: Fer]
#4028009 - 04/07/05 07:16 PM (18 years, 11 months ago) |
|
|
It can also retain almost 1,5 times its weight in water (very hygroscopic)!
|
|
|
You cannot start new topics / You cannot reply to topics HTML is disabled / BBCode is enabled
Moderator: Shroomism, george castanza, RogerRabbit, veggie, mushboy, fahtster, LogicaL Chaos, 13shrooms, Stipe-n Cap, Pastywhyte, bodhisatta, Tormato, Land Trout, A.k.a 722 topic views. 24 members, 119 guests and 26 web crawlers are browsing this forum.
[ Show Images Only | Sort by Score | Print Topic ] |
|