Skim mate in the compost?

[RobynR]

It's getting close to gardening season and I am wondering if skim mate would be okay to dump in the compost? Does anyone else do this? It seems kind of wasteful to be dumping all those nutrients down the drain. In past gardens I collected garbage cans full of seaweed that washed up on the beach and loaded it onto my garden beds and compost; I have also used fish fertilizers on my gardens, all with excellent results. Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks! Robyn

[subman]

what a great idea! Tagging along.

[justinl]

hey, that's a really good idea. For small scale stuff like potted plants, you would definitely need to water it down due to salt though. probably has some pretty high nitrogen content in there too.

[Lance]

Originally Posted by justinl

hey, that's a really good idea. For small scale stuff like potted plants, you would definitely need to water it down due to salt though. probably has some pretty high nitrogen content in there too.

I agree; I think you could definitely burn a plant if not careful, but diluted I can't see why skimmate wouldn't be a great fertilizer.

[fkshiu]

I used to use tank water that I had rinsed my filter pads in to water the house plants when I did FW planted tanks. I don't see this as being any different so long as the salt water is diluted enough as others have said.

[hillbillyreefer]

I've been dumping in the wifes flower beds since I got my first skimmer with no problems. I haven't tried it in the compost, in my piles you wouldn't notice it, They are around 100 tonnes each.

[spreerider]

Most fertilizer is salt based so i dont see why it wouldent work, you would just have to water it down or dump it in your compost and let the rain and stuff water it down.