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Pocatello ([email protected])

I was just listening to the radio. An ad came on for kelp, targeting farmers... the claim they made is that their kelp product actually breaks down salt... breaks down sodium-chloride into sodium and chloride, and the same happens with phosphate salts. This is the first I've heard of such a thing. I'm skeptical.

If it's true, I'm going to start using kelp. My salts are naturally high.

4/9/2009 3:38:40 PM

Interesting.

They claim their kelp breaks down sodium chloride down into metallic sodium, one of the more reactive elements, and chlorine, a poisonous gas. I can just imagine the excitement of irrigating the first time after applying their product!!!

The sodium chloride breaks down into its constituent elements, the sodium then reacts with the water to form sodium hydroxide, evolving hydrogen in the process. The resultant heat from the reaction ignites the hydrogen explosively, forming water with free oxygen from the air, which then rains down in tiny droplets, creating a de-facto scrubber for the recently liberated chlorine gas, forming hydrochloric acid. The hydrochloric acid penetrates the soil, and reacts with the sodium hydroxide formed by the earlier reaction of metallic sodium and water, forming......water and sodium chloride.

I'll have to check the stoichiometry, but I think I may have just stumbled upon a perpetual motion machine. ;)

4/9/2009 4:07:01 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

lol, I'm going to need to keep listening for them to run the commercial again... and pay attention this time.

4/9/2009 5:41:41 PM

SF Bay Area, California

Water also breaks down sodium cloride salt into a positively charged sodium cation and a clorine anion which disassociate in the water in solution.

The best solution to a high salt soil problem then is to flood the area with plenty of clean water and ensure it drains away from the patch carrying the salts with it.

Then put the kelp on to feed the plants....

4/9/2009 8:06:15 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Nilbert, I be hopin that the kelp I got from Txx (dont want to name names, ya know) don't be doin all that stuff here!?!? Way too much work for a lil kelp!!! Peace,Wayne

4/9/2009 8:23:46 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

Now that I think about it, I think the angle they were taking was to somehow make the plants more salt tolerant, or somehow the biological activity promoted by the kelp makes the nutrients more available.. Also, consider that this is for big agricultural purposes (not necessarily crazy giant pumpkin growers). But they did say that the kelp makes phosphates more accessible to the plant.

Interesting that it would be feasible for big ag to use kelp. Someone must be harvesting a lot of it.

4/9/2009 11:06:30 PM

I couldn't help myself. I got to thinking of a sign at a local gas station proclaiming, "Brand X gasoline - now with more nitrogen!"

Making the plants more tolerant or other nutrients more available sounds plausible. I think kelp is good stuff, but I can't imagine spreading tons of it over acreage, sounds spendy!

4/10/2009 12:12:48 PM

Eastern Washington State

My BS meter is ticking loudly.

Definition of a salt is basically a substance already composed of ions which dissociate. Most sodium salts are extremely soluble in water. Do you need to water it in well? If sou it sounds like stone soup. If it somehow sequesters some of the ions by ion exchange or chelation to keep them away from the plants then at the very least one would have to 1. Use a lot, 2. reapply as it breaks down. What a money maker!

4/10/2009 5:02:19 PM

Eastern Washington State

Hell how much sodium would one be adding along with kelp anyway? It does come from the sea lol!

4/10/2009 5:04:28 PM

Mulino, Oregon

Crap, I knew I should have paid more attention in chemistry class. But then again, why would I want to put all that into my head? It's bad enough it's full of pumpkin crosses back to the turn of the century! lol

I agree with the water, it's much cheaper and actually works!

4/10/2009 10:47:41 PM

Alaska

Hey what about ACT? That's another magic bullet snake oil solution to everything. IMHO, lol.

4/13/2009 3:52:20 AM