Strong smell (ammonia) from super soil?

BudmanTX

BudmanTX

Well-Known Member
RonBurgundysMustache said:
My whole fucking house smells now hahaha. I stole my daughters kiddy pool...I'm doing the bigger half of the batch now and as soon as this is dry enough I'll return it to its home and bring in the other tote. Has this soil been degraded or ruined in any way? I've never had this happen before and am a bit worried. I'm assuming it can pick up where it left off as long as I bring it back to where it needs to be. Also, how dry should I let this get?
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haha, i've had that happen to me too, wife was pissed, i can still see her face now. Answer to your first question no it isn't ruined in anyway its still good. Drying is up to u, living in Maine is hard, but for me its the smell and how it feel in my hand.
 
Bugeye

Bugeye

Well-Known Member
RonBurgundysMustache said:
My whole fucking house smells now hahaha. I stole my daughters kiddy pool...I'm doing the bigger half of the batch now and as soon as this is dry enough I'll return it to its home and bring in the other tote. Has this soil been degraded or ruined in any way? I've never had this happen before and am a bit worried. I'm assuming it can pick up where it left off as long as I bring it back to where it needs to be. Also, how dry should I let this get?
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When the smell goes away it is probably dry enough. Move the pile around in your kiddie pool every now and then and it will speed things up. Just needs oxygen.
 
RonBurgundysMustache

RonBurgundysMustache

Member
BudmanTX said:
haha, i've had that happen to me too, wife was pissed, i can still see her face now. Answer to your first question no it isn't ruined in anyway its still good. Drying is up to u, living in Maine is hard, but for me its the smell and how it feel in my hand.
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Sounds good! Yeahhhhhh, wife just returned from night shift (nurse not a stripper) to a beautifully lingering ammonia shit stink that she now has to smell through her sleep haha. I owe her needless to say. I'll wait until it is a bit more moist than a fresh bag of soil. See, I've done super soil numerous times but I used maybe a gallon tops in all of it and I spaced out this time around and used a whole 2.5 gal jug without thinking. Love and learn!!
 
RonBurgundysMustache

RonBurgundysMustache

Member
Bugeye said:
I can lose that smell in less than a day by spreading it out on a tarp in the sun. Not sure how long it will take indoors!
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Wondering if a space heater in the same room will dry it faster cutting back on the stink time...I'll give that a go. And Crack a window a tad so there's some air exchange.
 
RonBurgundysMustache

RonBurgundysMustache

Member
BudmanTX said:
please god,don't do that, if you wanna spray take a spray bottle fill it with purified water to control moisture of the soil
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Bugeye said:
Don't spray bleach!
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Hahaha nah nah I meant like febreeze or something in the air outside of the room the soil is in. I'm not spraying anything on that soil. It is in my grow room (plants are in tent) with window open partially and the space heater facing toward the soil at a safe range. Candle is lit inside the room. Seems to have aired out a tad.
 
SouthCross

SouthCross

Well-Known Member
Might I suggest giving this trash can a vent? Drill a couple 1/2" holes in the lid.

I store mine in a crate from Lowe's. By the lid handles, there are decent size holes where the handle pegs are. Letting air in plus a bonus of fungus knats.

I'm in the position of making sure it doesn't dry up. It'll be 108f in two months.
 
RonBurgundysMustache

RonBurgundysMustache

Member
SouthCross said:
Might I suggest giving this trash can a vent? Drill a couple 1/2" holes in the lid.

I store mine in a crate from Lowe's. By the lid handles, there are decent size holes where the handle pegs are. Letting air in plus a bonus of fungus knats.

I'm in the position of making sure it doesn't dry up. It'll be 108f in two months.
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Got to love some gnats! Should I be letting air in? I was told to keep air off of it and keep lids tight. If there is supposed to be vents, I could certainly drill holes then tape up some 200 micron screen to ensure no bugs get in. I'm betting on gnats finding their way into the soil I just put into the pool as I just saw a couple in my lemon trees downstairs.
 
SouthCross

SouthCross

Well-Known Member
There's stuff that needs oxygen in the mix. Read up on compost tea. What microbes are the good type.


Fungus knats are a practical given. Expect them. BTI bacteria keeps their kids from eating. Known commonly as mosquito dunks or the kernels.
 
RonBurgundysMustache

RonBurgundysMustache

Member
SouthCross said:
There's stuff that needs oxygen in the mix. Read up on compost tea. What microbes are good type.
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So yes? I remember reading that some of it would need oxygen but I was told that even with the lids tight using totes and cans or anything of that sort still lets in enough air. I'm guessing drilling vents coupled with screens would be the way to go partly based on my issues.
 
SouthCross

SouthCross

Well-Known Member
You don't have to drill holes as long as you remember it has to be turned over. Like a compost pile. It has to be rotated to supply oxygen for the break down.

Do the kiddy pool thing. After that, cram your hand down it. Grab a bunch. Pull up. Do that a couple times a month. It doesn't take much.

The moisture level should be that of brand new pro-mix right out the bag. Kinda dry but not dry.
 
BudmanTX

BudmanTX

Well-Known Member
keeping up with the folding and mixing, might wanna consider have 2 totes of the same size, so you can mix. Since i don't really do big grows anymore, i always measure out what pot i'm gonna use, then put that soil in its seperate tote for use in the next grow, its smaller and your able to carry it to the need space as you need it.
 
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