Dulce bellum inexpertis.

Wow... is that the time? Doesn't time fly when you're up to your pits in distilled water.. and here we are...

Lots of exciting things done, soil was poked, prodded, shaken, twisted with a bit of lime, you name it, last night 

First p was to see if I can see who is in there.. A microscope cover slip is placed in slit in a cork, allowed to float for a couple of days then.. looked at, may stain as well, will see what is there.

Main things last night was to look at what is different about each sample and each 'zone' and to 'add' this to the big picture.

So each Contender had a little warm up bout, interesting, was sort of what I expected. 

Obviously what you can see is a nice visualisation of how much of something there is with a simple reagant test and darker means there is more. The ACME BLOGOMETER then tells me how many ppms.

Again like all my 'tests' there is lots of variation possible from what is actually there BUT be doing every test in the same way, same protocols I can compare like for like which is all I really want to do...... to see the differences and to compare this with other fcators..

One of the most important comparisons I wanted to do was the #HydrophobiaDeathMatch

Ok just take all 4, at each 'zone' and compare with timer running, same rotation, about 5 sec delay between each. Just some Air Dried Soil, drop of water, same protocol, a rough indication.

So here are the 4 'Base Zones', average of 4 drops each, time for water to be taken in to the soil

Results were:

#BrewBruiser - 0 secs

#LeanMeanSandedMachine - 0 secs

#StreetFighter - 0 secs

#UKsFinest - 3-5 secs

So clearly, NO hydrophobia there although the last one was showing some slight repellency

These are then 'repotted' with the moist droplet areas removed ready for the next 'Battle'

And the 4 'Mid Zones' results were:

#BrewBruiser - 0 secs

#LeanMeanSandedMachine - 0 secs

#StreetFighter - 3-5 secs

#UKsFinest - 20-30 secs

So clearly, NO hydrophobia there for the first 2, slight sign of repellency in #StreetFighter BUT  #UKsFinest now starting to falter showing some very clear water repellency, and this is at the 60-120mm zone of the profile!

Now the 4 'Top Zones' go 'Head to Head', in the place where everyone knows there are issues...

Results were:

#BrewBruiser - 60-90 secs

#LeanMeanSandedMachine - 25-30 secs

#StreetFighter - 120-150 secs

#UKsFinest - 120- Zzzzzz secs

So clearly, LOTS of hydrophobia there now, even with the 2 Links, although the last one was showing repellency signs to the Evaporation Moves Water Quicker level

These were taken at around 2.5 minutes

#StreetFighter showing some

#LeanMeanSandedMachine had virtually none

If you look closely you can still see #UKsFinest droplet there... in fact I might go and check see if it is still there now...

#BrewBruiser was surprisingly repellent being up there with others.

So I though it would be interesting to see how all 4 'Top Zones' fair in a ....... 

(Cue Will.I.Am type Voice Over)

5 Drop Droplet Deathmatch....

 self explanatory actually..

Droplets still well formed on 3...

Still going some of them.....

God this one is boring, like watching paint dry....

And finally... I give them a prod to see if they are coated or soaked in and we have a .... A Winner.. by a mile..

So coming in LAST with a poor show of endurance we have.....

#LeanMeanSandedMachine with a poor 60 secs

Next we have a slightly stronger contender but still a poor show with

#BrewBruiser - 400 secs

Aaaannnndddd in Second Place we have a valiant effort by 

#StreetFighter - 520 secs

And yet again... the CLEAR Winner on the Hydrophobicity Deathmatch is 

#UKsFinest and a whopping 600 Zzzzzz secs

Hang on... what is that?...... its a quick Judges Recount...

Ok.. yes its the opposite way round... No winners with Droplets here apart from Surfactant Sales.....

So on to the next round.............. Turbidity Tumble

Again a simple test for a simple man to do...

Take some Air Dried Soil...

Add it to a Pot

Add 5x volume in Distilled Water, slowly to not disturb the sample (as above)

The turn the pot to see how the soil and water integrate

Well that wasn't a good start was it, looks like 1 contender is refusing to compete, a couple having some issues.

Ok so I gave it a little more gentle 'tipping' to ensure thorough integration BUT equally to all.

Similar on the Mid Zone

And again with the Base Zones.

Now.. I have a real problem with this test... you are supposed to grade the visibility of the solution or something placed in the solution to 'grade' suspension.. ie IF loads stay suspended then consider doing some Sodicity tests ( Sodicity will create something called Slaking in soils with Clays which is where this ALL started... I was looking for Clay 'Clogging' of the Base Zone in a Push Up Green)

Now the 'Problem' is.. the soil is so goddam hydrophobic you can't tell if it will cloud or not...

(it won't through Slaking in the upper zones btw cos there ain't no Clay!)

So here they are this morning around 12 hrs later....

and after a little... wake up

In fact lets watch the worst one......

So this is where this madness started actually.. looking at soil that should interact with water, dried or not, that is basically SO coated with something it is like watching plastic roll about.. Soil & Water are not playing nicely and I want to know why... It IS affecting the movement of water through soils, it has to by the nature of how the dynamics of capillary action and hydraulics work.. It may be 'simple' to just ignore and treat with a surfactant BUT you are bypassing the problem, you are NOT dealing with the underlying coatings..

We need some ACME Triple Strength Waxy Exudate Remover... thats what we need......... OR IS IT?...
What if this was like most other things you all deal with.. what if this was an effect of something else.. a symptom... not a cause but something being created and exasperated by something else hiding away in the soil?....    HHhhmmmmm time to ponder some more..

Ok.. done pondering... this is where I am at....

OK Next quick check on the ol Test Tubes

Some had been a little busy last few days, one run of 'stimulated' have been popping their lids, the other 2 have been vacuuming in as lil critters do their stuff

Even the distilled water ones have had  air used up in them...

 AND.. FINALLY.. to the Biologicals.. lets see what is happening there....

Hhhmmm one clear, 2 started, one VERY busy

This one is sitting quiet, they have kicked before so is there some Seasonal inference here?

Last ones are ALL busy and one in particular has 'Kicked In' which was a surprise BUT that is the point, to know or see not assume..

So.. that's it for another session, will add a little laters..

So...

Before I go a quick word from our Sponsors

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