Leachate, not tea. And if anaerobic, could be a problem for your plants.

Leachate? Why is anaerobic harmful? How would it become anaerobic?

If it's stinky, it's likely anaerobic.

Chemicals available in anerobic materials are toxic to plants.

I'd like some other opinions, please. Is water that has been filtered thru a composter potentially toxic to plants or does it contain microbial qualities that are positive?

The reason I didn't reply before is that I don't like metoo replies. I suspect others had the same reaction. You got the correct answer the first time. It might not have been the answer you wanted, but that doesn't make it wrong.

I might quibble a bit with the explanation of why compost or leachate is bad if it went anaerobic, but it's a small quibble. My understanding is that it's harmful microbes in anaerrobic stuff that cause the problem, rather than harmful chemicals.

I try my darndest not to produce any leachate in my tumblers.

I don't allow my compost to be used until after the heat cycle and an extended cure period ergo I wouldn't trust any leachate to be safe. It might very well be beneficial, but I'd pass on it myself.

Having said all that, I have no knowledge or evidence to support it, just the way I do it.

Lloyd

Bpgreen said:

"You got the correct answer the first time.

My friend is correct; you did get the correct answer the first time. However, another of the reasons one doesnÂt want to use leachate is due to the fact that during the beginning of the composting process many toxic chemicals are generated. Only after an extended period of time (depending on what is being composted, size of materials, etc.) do the beneficial microbes digest these toxins. Having too much liquid in a compost pile/tumbler is avoided for this reason (among others).

Speed of decomposition, lessening of harmful toxins, and odor control all play a part in the reasons why suggestions are given to avoid too much moisture. And too, having a optimal C:N ratio (or close to it) and large enough of an organic pile can play their part as well. If one feels these are not good enough reasons to avoid using leachate on plants, one can still use the liquid on their plants. However, IMO waiting until the compost is at least "finished" has/will given the best and safest results when using/making compost tea (not leachate)Â

Blutranes

I guess I was mistaken in my understanding that the leachate contains harmful microbes, but actually does contain harmful chemicals.

If I'm reading what Blutranes wrote correctly, this happens regardless of whether the compost went anaerobic or not.

I've always thought it was more of a microbial thing than a chemical thing, but it makes sense that both are factors.

The water has a slight anerobic smell

You probably have to think about EM Â a microbial inoculant. Then you have to think about special compost bin for it.
The charm of EM is that it has purple bacteria which digests toxins produced in compost by such microorganisms like yeasts. The leachate from EM compost has sour smell and may be used for next batch of compost instead of EM itself.

I'm new to the world of composting so bare with me. First. What is leachate? I never heard that word before. Second. To be sure I'm stating my original question accurately, The material in my composter is almost always at the right moisture level. When it appears too moist I give the tumbler a few rotations and then open the lid slightly to add airflow. I also add browns if necessary. My question related to those times, after a rain, some of the water passes through the tumbler and is collected in a pan below to protect the concrete surface below. It isn't necessarily water that has been sitting in decomposing compost material. It is brownish in color with a very mild odor. My question is does this water, that I collect anyway, have any positive value? If not, I'll get rid of it. Maybe your collective answer remains the same, I just want to be sure I stated my problem so I can become smarter.

What is leachate? That's the stuff you're describing. The water that drips out of the composter when it gets too much water, whether it got too much water because you added it or the water came from rain.

Compost tea is something else. To create compost tea, you take some finished compost, add water and aerate it. Here is a link to a home made tea brewer.