Skimmate

JSB · Mar 6, 2015

I don't know why this has never occurred to me, but as I was cleaning my skimmer today, I had an epiphany. Or I had a stupid idea.

Since the skimmate is nutrient rich, why should I not use it to water house plants with? Anyone ever heard of this or tried this?

I know Tomoko will know.

aslmx · Mar 6, 2015

I think the smell would come into play

Fieryfrog · Mar 6, 2015

I toss mine out into my front garden.

gcrawford · Mar 6, 2015

Agree with the smell issue. Also salt content could harm the plants.

JSB · Mar 6, 2015

Ah! The salt. That is what I was missing. I knew it wasn't a good idea. But now I now how to weed my flower bed.

H@rry · Mar 6, 2015

I wonder about the salt. When I worked up north they would spread salt on the roads when it iced up. When the ice melted all the salt drained off to the shoulder of the road. In the spring the grass grew on the shoulder of the road just fine.

When I change the charcoal every month I dump the water in the cannister on the Monkey Grass. It grows fine too.

Give it a shot Scott. Let us know how it comes out.

JSB · Mar 6, 2015

Maybe I'll try it with a pothos. They are pretty hard to kill. The couple I have had have been here for years. Also, if I kill it, they are about a buck to replace.

Chameleon · Mar 16, 2015

I've dumped skimmate in my compost pile many times. I'm not sure if its a good idea though. I have also put spent carbon in there.

Dave3112 · Mar 25, 2015

Just dilute it and use as a fertilizer. Kinda like your very own organic miracle grow!

MrDJeep123 · Mar 25, 2015

I actually like this idea. We just tilled a large space for our garden past weekend. I'm going to start dumping the skimmate in there and see what happens. I highly doubt the salt content would be of an issue considering it's probably minute amounts. Ask Randy in the chemistry forums. *shrugs*

iReef86 · Mar 25, 2015

I use it to kill the weeds in my back brick patio.. Also my water change waste does the trick too... I bet salt and pH are the biggest contributors!

Also, my parents converted their pool to saltwater last year and burned up my dads magazine lawn... Had to create a pool deck drainage to route the splashed water.

NanaReefer · Mar 25, 2015

Definitely wouldn't use it for fertilizer. Salt acts as a Dehydrator. The water will evaporate, leaving behind the salt. Thus burning the plant life.

KSzegi · Mar 26, 2015

I use it to fertilize outdoor plants all the time. I dilute it first but works great.

Dave3112 · Mar 31, 2015

KSzegi said:
I use it to fertilize outdoor plants all the time. I dilute it first but works great.

I think this is the part that most people miss or just don't seem to comprehend. You have to dilute the skimmate (sp?) first. It's usually pretty concentrated and then there is the salt factor. But a little tap water and you have your own fertilizer...

ithk21620 · Apr 1, 2015

I don't use mine for fertilizer but I do keep the thick paste that builds up in a sealed glass jar for my dad and he uses it for bait on his traps during trapping season. Works good for attracting animals to the traps.

joshbbert · Apr 2, 2015

Salt build up can mean nutrient lock for most plants so I would imagine that could become an issue over time and also the pH could be a problem plants prefer it somewhere around 7 so I would dilute it first as well

xtlosx · Apr 2, 2015

I collect all of my skillet from winter (end up with 5G+), dilute it in the spring (now actually) and dump a gallon or so around each of our fruit trees (pear, peach, apple, cherry, and nectarine). There is a noticeable difference after doing this for now two years. The growth is just through the roof and other folks with trees in the area, comparable ones, aren't even close.

mrjlopez731 · Apr 2, 2015

From what I take out of this conversation is, it has its pro's & con's. As for me, I don't know if I want to try this on my Bonsai tree that I had for over 20 years now. I play it safe for now.

joshbbert · Apr 2, 2015

xtlosx said:
I collect all of my skillet from winter (end up with 5G+), dilute it in the spring (now actually) and dump a gallon or so around each of our fruit trees (pear, peach, apple, cherry, and nectarine). There is a noticeable difference after doing this for now two years. The growth is just through the roof and other folks with trees in the area, comparable ones, aren't even close.

That's so cool! Since those all seem to be fruit trees do you think its the phosphates?

Does anyone have any idea what kind of nutes skimmate might have in it specifically? All I know is it takes the nasties out