Skimmer waste as garden fertilizer?

[AquaticEngineer]

Does anyone here use their protein skimmer waste for fertilizer on plants or gardens?

 

If so, is there a noticable difference?

 

If not, any particular reason?

 

I've heard that the salt content of the waste water would be to high for most plants, and that you should water it down. Any ideas?

[JeffP]

add it to your compost pile, that should help diffuse the salt content and will spread it out more. Plus, that would help give things time to break down even further I'd imagine.

[AquaticEngineer]

I dont have a good spot yet for a compost pile, I just recently cleared room for the garden area. So as soon as I have a compost area thats for sure what I will do. Hopefully this weekend I'll have time.

 

Until then, do you think it would be to potent to spot feed directly at the base of plants in the garden?

[COReefer]

I'm not sure I would try this because every where I have dumped saltwater in my yard, the grass is dead.

[AquaticEngineer]

I was wondering this at first, but from what I've read skimmers dont remove that much salt in the skimmate. Otherwise our tank salinity would contually drop, which would be more of a nuisence than evaporation.

[impur]

I would test it on some weeds first.

[AquaticEngineer]

I would test it on some weeds first.

 

Good idea, I'll give it a shot. It'll be a mixed blessing if I get some gigantic weeds I guess(laugh)

[impur]

Yah for sure. Let us know how they do.

[Jay]

I'm not sure I would try this because every where I have dumped saltwater in my yard' date=' the grass is dead.[/quote']

 

Yep....killed a rhodadendren (spelling test?) and 2 bushes in my yard plus there is 2 big brown spots where I always drain the water.

 

Jay

[Barelycuda]

I dump over 100g a week into the grass and it looks fine. I also dump all of my skimmer waste (over 2g a week ) into the flower bed also without any problems.

 

Dave

[AquaticEngineer]

Yep....killed a rhodadendren (spelling test?) and 2 bushes in my yard plus there is 2 big brown spots where I always drain the water.

 

Jay

 

Oh yeah I know straight up salt water would kill em, but the skimmer sludge shouldn't have as much salt in it as compaired to a bucket from a water change.

 

I'll start dumping my skimmate on a random weed or plant in my yard and take some photos of the before and after for a couple weeks.

 

If I can find any more info on it online I'll post it as well.

[CA2OR]

I typically avoid putting any salt water anything in garden or lawn. Freshwater was different and very benefitial. All I see is brown when I discard anything saltwater related onto plants or grass.JME&O

[Jay]

Oh yea....Im talking about 50 gallons at a time sometimes. Makes the leaves turn brown on the plants right away.

 

Jay

[Barelycuda]

Wow I am not sure what is in your saltwater I have done (2) 50 gallon water changes in the last 5 days that has gotten dumped to the same spot in the back yard and it is green as ever.

 

Dave

[snowpunk]

this will throw a stick in your spokes. I was dumping my saltwater waste in one grassy area and it was killing the grass so I started dumping it in another grassy area 10 from it because I wanted a flower bed there anyway. Well when I pour it over that grass it only made it look healthier and greener. It does what I don't want it to do in both spots and there is virtually no difference... tell me how that works out???DOH!

[impur]

That is wierd. I empty it out onto my driveway in the summer. It kills all the weeds that try to grow in the grooves.