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Ok.. It has become clear that YOU all need some instruction in how this stuff works..
It appears that this 'blog' has been described as a 'Car Crash of Insanity and Madness'
Sounds a pretty damn fine description actually ... BUT the 'Sponsors' ain't happy cos it seems some of you are jumping in mid way and it isn't making any sense... Well Hell you want to try it from this side of the keyboard...
So can we please just... start at the beginning....
For it is where this voyeuristic trip into the slow seeping madness and insanity begins...
http://somethingstrangeisgoingon.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/ave-caesar-morituri-te-salutant.html

Thank you and enjoy.....

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

And

Veritas vos liberabit.

Only a quick one from last night which will be repeated to make sure, HAD to sleep before sending

Day 5:-

Air Dried Water Droplet Test

Take some soil from different profiles - Top 60mm, Mid 60mm and Lower 60mm of a Hole Cut Core.
Air dry them FULLY
Water Droplet added to see what levels of water interaction occur

Contender No. 1... Ready.. You will go on my first Whistle..

Lower and Mid Zones took water almost instantly, the Top Zone was slow at between 1.5 to 2 minutes.

Contender No. 2....Ready...

The quickest take up of the 4

Lower and Mid Zones took water again almost instantly, the Top Zone was between 25 to 35 secs

Contender No. 3.. Ready

Lower and Mid Zones took water again almost instantly, certainly under 5 secs the Top Zone was howevere well over 2 minutes

Contender No. 4... Ready.... Pheep

Lower Zone just loves water, Mid Zone is very slow to take water in at around 30 s

The Top!.. I got bored after 2 minutes.

This will be repeated, it is only day 5 so will give it couple of days to dry on, slightly smaller samples taken and put side by side with each Zone, slightly more controlled than variable depth soils and rough timing.

First time I have had Mid Zones consistently pulling water in BUT that is the whole point of this, up to now I have been looking at specific problem Greens not finding out what is the 'norm' and try to get some sense into this 'Its Hydrophobic, its fine' Industry attitude.

Regardless of whether it is showing distinct signs, creating obvious problems or not the levels of soil coatings in the upper regions are so strong and the hydrophobic nature so severe this surely can not be good for the soil profile. By the nature of what it is doing or more importantly not wanting to do with water it will lead to increased nutrient run off, destructuring in wet periods like we have just seen this year to maximum effect as the particles in the soaked profile will be trying to push away from the water surrounding it, leading to softer surface, your all blaming the thatch, well I am seeing that any % of thatch the effect can be the same.

We will see on the rematch......

Only other thing today was to have a good look at the biological tests.... interesting..

Well I think we can see a difference in activity there,... Dark isn't good btw, not bad either for this test but not good until taken in context of the other 2, these are at Day 3 of this run so any activity tells us it is very active and in high numbers.

One of the other tests was kicking off for signs of Anaerobic Bacteria at busy levels too. 

Now it must also be remembered that a soil MUST have good levels of active biology for it to 'work', it is when these become unbalanced even with specific types having too much of an advantage that the problems begin I think.

Is one of the problems in understanding what is going on the Testing Protocols? No one seems to be differentiating between the distinct biological zones, the Redox lines or the lower profiles. 

QUICK CRYSTAL BALL MOMENT: It may be that points at which Biology can go off on one, creating issues within the soil are not at a visible physical change in the soil, it may be that this 'point' may not be obvious to the eye or any lab bound tests YET it is clearly definable with the right look. Expect a new gadget for your so called 'Experts' to be running around with soon.

Sleep tight every one..... sleep tight

Vincit qui se vincit.

So.. busy day, eventful evening, came home to drains and manhole above Main Sewer in back garden spewing some liquid and .... not so liquid ... things about .. Nice... Amazingly for once there I was in a puddle and I could not see any unusual soil/water interaction signs although I started having strong hydrophobic urges as there was no way I was looking forward to lifting that cover I can tell you.....
Anyway, gloves equipped and hose at full bore ready to blindly plunge I lifted the cover just as there was this  gurgling, massive surge and the water just dropped 4 ft and down out of the pit so must have been an air lock maybe? Hell I ain't researching that one some other bugger can get excited about that shit......

Also, much like the manhole cover, I had one of the older test tubes pop its cap today on the travel home, was a sugar stimulated tube and absolutely stunk, the same 'lactic' type smell from my Kitchen Banned Core...

Poa is some serious grass you know, it has put up with being drowned all Winter here but it keeps battling BUT it is not surprising you get some organic matter to deal with on em

But to the main point of us being here today, we need to check how our little friends are and to see if they are ready to come out to play yet..

Hhmmmm, well nothing too exciting as such but it is only 48 hrs after a 24 hr extract BUT something is happening..

Colour changes this early are a sign of lots of activity which can be a really really good thing........ but unfortunately for #UKsFinest black is not really the colour this should be going so soon....

Right that lot will have to wait til tomorrow now.. I have run out of time.... Thanks Southern Water tsk.. 

Think will look at EC, (be interesting with couple of Links there), a specific reagent chemical test and ph, others will need to wait until the main samples are all dried.

AND we should start to see some real changes in the biological tests...

So in a knackered mode its laters........

De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum.

So... ran out of time last night to finish the Test Tube run so finished that off tonight... a quick reminder of proceedings so far:

3 of the 4 samples were prepared and placed into Test Tubes, 9 from each, 3 each from the Top, Mid and Base of a Hole Cutter Core. These are just being compared to see how they react to being in water (one of each) and being 'seeded' with a couple of 'stimulants' to see what it does (other two).

I have 2 favourite stimulants as such, mainly because they were sort of easy for my to source, good ol plain sugar, you know you just can't beat some high energy sugar rush stimulation to see what happens, you know, sort of like all those other high levels of similar energy sources you are all banging on.... and the other..... hhmmm.. the secret mix, the Concoction of Calamity, the Devils Potion of stimulation.. the... Ok you get it .. we shall just call it for now Agent Z.

So that's them all pipette filled and then stimulants added..

They will be agitated couple of times for a couple of days, ensure that there is a thorough soaking and breakdown of the soils

Question... one of these has up to now created an aerobic reaction in all the tests, the other anearobic.. can you guess which will do which?...

And what would you imagine that the reaction of each would be? What will the anearobic do and what opposite will the aerobic?  Does you want to guess or are you educated enough to know?

AND for a special bonus point.. what have all the pure distilled water done til now?

So that's it for now... til next time

Aut vincere aut mori.

Evening..
Who's bloody idea was this.. Do you know how long it takes to scrub test tubes and then nuke them so they are clean..... I need an assistant already!

Okay... to start today's proceedings proper a lil confirm on sward make up of the 4 samples as it is very relevant AND someone asked
#StreetFighter was a normal Poa mixed sward
#UKsFinest... Its only goddam Pure Poa you know
#LeanMeanSandedMachine was from a patch of pure Fescue but amongst work in progress to Rescue out Fog et al.
#BrewBruiser is confirmed as a Fescue Bent sward.

So
Gladiators READY....... Contenders READY....... On my first whistle..

So here they all are ish 20 odd hour after a 5 to 1 Distilled Water to Soil Soak... Can you guess which is which, one has an unfair advantage which I will explain another day..

So lets get up close and personal with our contenders shall we....

Okay Contender No. 1 Whats your name and where do you come from.....

Hi .. I am just the best, better than all the rest...

Excellent thank you for that... Contender No. 2 .. whats your name and where are you from please.. come on now don't be shy..

'I Like Tea'

Contender No 3,  whats your name and where do You come from...

Steady now no you have to wait until you can punch him... hang on..

Okay moving on VERY swiftly Contender No. 4, now we have all seen you fight before at a pretty high level, how do you think this is going to go....

SERIOUS MOMENT ALERT: Crap pictures I know but it struck as very interesting the difference in organic/sand  etc and especially the Links how much shell was present, now that would be chucked straight out in a test run, can't be doing with all that dangerous toxic Calcium you know....!!??!! Cloudy one has issues ok don't hold it against them, and, be reminded, that it is not just silt and fines that can cloud!  

So there they are in all their soaking glory all it needs now is some tests why don't you

...And here they are, all snug in their nice shiny lil coats look at them.. all prepackaged and proper like.. hell anyone could start to think this was ACTUALLY going to find something!
So they are all done, sat there ready to do their thing and I have to put them to bed for a bit so.....

All snug and cosy like, see you on Tuesday.

I also have added some soil to test tubes, I have only done the 2 Links and pure poa in these as , a: I know what the other one will do and b: more importantly I ran out of bloomin test tubes ok.. I am on a budget here and I am saving the other ones as I want to look at what is in them still.. tsk

Have done these as 3 sets of 3 for each, 2 top, 3 mid and 3 base. These will have distilled water added, one each to be just that, one to have a lil sugar rush added, the other to have some stimulation from Chemical Zee to see if anything is sat there snoozing away waiting for the pieces to be in place....
Also did some more Soil Soaks

These will let me do EH and practice the chemical reagent tests as I have a new VODOO meter to play with. These will be redone after the Air Dried Soil is ready as I want to check see if there is any sodicity as well as monitor dried soil interaction with water.

So.. in summary... I have been bloomin busy OK

 AND I haven't actually finished yet as the test tubes need filling..

So that's today, more preparation.... Its worse than painting this lark you know!