Thank you for the detailed analysis!

Every image was with 400x but my camera sees only a small portion of the field so it zooms a little bit. And this was the first day I touched a microscope so I should get better in the future.

ps.: In the FAQ of the shop where I bought my microscope one of the questions is: "What type of microscope should I buy for my 6-12 year old child?" And the answer is stereo. I am over 12 so I have bought a biological one.

Reply to #9477
Could you please suggest replacements for them?

molasses - basically available, but only at one place, so not easily for everyone

Replacement:
Any simple sugar solution; juice from fruits, or sap from trees, like maple syrup

fish hydrolysate - not available

Replacement:
Go fishing. Remove fish fillets. Blend up all parts of the remaining fish into a very smooth puree. This is fish hydrolysate. Important to keep fish oils in the material. DO NOT HEAT, do not allow to get hot, do not allow oils to separate from the protein. Can be dried, or can be preserved by adding acid such as vinegar to lower pH to 3.5 or lower. Neutralized before use by adding water.

kelp meal - not available
Replacement:
Dry seaweed (must wash out salt before use!!!!!), freshwater pond, or lake weeds. Grind.

humic acid - not available in the pure form, only in "mixed" products

Replacement:
Make good aerobic compost. Make sure good rich dark brown color develops (fungi critical to make this)

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70% cocoa dark brown color is what you want. Place good compost in a sieve or colander. If grainy material, like sand, silt or clays are in the compost (should not be there, but....), use tightly woven fabric to prevent these particulates from getting through into the liquid. Now, gently pour water over the compost in the sieve or colander. Let the water PASSIVELY move through the compost and drain out the bottom of the compost, into a collection jar. The soluble humic acid in the compost, if present, will make the collected water have a dark brown, 70% cocoa color. That is home made, and much better than leonardite-extracted humic acid. Much less expensive too.

different brans and meals - basically available

I'm not sure what "simple sugars" are or how to prepare "fruit pulp" for ACT brewing.

Juice from fruit. Simple sugars are any sweet liquid..... honey for example. Syrup. Tree sap.

Blended fish is a replacement for fish hydrolysate? Blended up fish is fish hydrolysate.

And yes, some microscope lectures would be great!!

Invite me over! Or maybe David,or Clayton, or ....... when could a class be put together? whoever comes to teach, we need travel expenses, room, board while we are there, and payment for teaching..... can someone there put together a class?

Dr. Elaine Ingham beküldte:
That's the book, right? (I couldn't find books on Nature's Solution site)
rodaleinstitute.org/shop/qualitative-ass...oorganisms-handbook/

Reply to #9292
What factors are increasing volatilization losses in general when we work with compost, manure, mulch?

Which is the best way to store cow manure (until building a compost pile) without volatilization losses or anaerob decomposition?

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Anaerobic conditions are what cause volatilization of major nutrients from compost, manure, mulch, ponds,lakes,swamps,etc. Waterlogging causes anaerobic conditions, because oxygen does not move through water well at all. Compaction causes anaeorbic conditions, because if the material has no air passageways or hallways to allow air, o rwater, to move thorugh it, even a little microbial growth will result in low oxygen. High amounts of easy-to-use foods will result in use of oxygen so quickly by microorganisms that the material will become anaerobic quickly, even through it may seem that oxygen should be fine. Anything that restricts air movement will result in low oxygen --- for example, a matted bunch of wet leaves, a dense pile of green grass clippings, a layer of mud.

The simplest way to prevent loss of any organic matter, or to prevent it from becoming anaerobic is to dry it down. To preserve hay, we dry it and put it in bales. But do not let it get wet, or ....... kaboom! What causes spontaneous combustion? Alcohol production, which can only occur in anaerobic conditions, with rapid enough microbial growth to produce high enough temperatures to cause the alcohol to burst into flame.

Yes, that's it!

Dr. Elaine Ingham beküldte:
I would love it! I'll contact you for the details!