420SA Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I've been doing some reading up on the benefits of adding crab meal to your living soil. It contains an ingredient called Chitin which the shells are made up of and microorganisms apparently love it! Unfortunately it seems this product is pretty much native to the states however it seems pretty easy to make if one can just get access to crab shells and/or lobster shells. I'm not really partial to going around to the local seafood restaurants and asking for scraps but I do stay near to the beach so I'm thinking of going on a scavenging mission one afternoon in search of as many crab shells i can find. If I'm not mistaken crab meal is just ground up crab shells right, which makes it relatively simple to make. Has anyone else considered crab meal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al - Hassan Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 You need to bake the crustacean meal in high temps otherwise unavailable. Chitin is found in insects also and induces the plant to make chitinase which is an enzyme that breaks down chitin, insect shells. Chitin is also found in insects frass/pooh and is better available. Also been on the crab meal hunt but yea it's tough. Crustacean meal has also good amount of nutrients. Imo the nutrients could be found elsewhere and the chitin used from frass. Phone InJ and ask what they do with their crustacean waste. Restaurants don't separate their waste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
420SA Posted August 24, 2015 Author Share Posted August 24, 2015 You need to bake the crustacean meal in high temps otherwise unavailable. Chitin is found in insects also and induces the plant to make chitinase which is an enzyme that breaks down chitin, insect shells. Chitin is also found in insects frass/pooh and is better available. Also been on the crab meal hunt but yea it's tough. Crustacean meal has also good amount of nutrients. Imo the nutrients could be found elsewhere and the chitin used from frass. Phone InJ and ask what they do with their crustacean waste. Restaurants don't separate their waste. Thanks for the info Al-Hassan! I am aware that chitin is found in insects as well. I remember the term from Biology in school. I think millipede shells especially. What is this insect frass you mention and how does one get it? I might give I&J a call and see what they say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al - Hassan Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Frass is not available commercially yet in SA Otherwise you can make it by breeding insects and collecting their waste/frass/castings common insects used are cockroaches or meal worms or black soldier fly larva Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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