Post your AACT(Active Aerated Compost Tea) recipes

I am hoping that this thread can be organized. Post your AACT's and discuss.

Please no nutrient teas. I am subscribed to the stickies but I'm hoping this thread can be helpful and more specefic to inoculting the soil with all the beneficial life that keeps our soil healthy and thus contributes to the health of our plants.

Please only post if your recepies have been tried and true.

And I also ask that everyone be respectful of each other.

I also welcome talk about Compost, Mulch, Mycorrhizae. Anything that relates to the soil food web.

thanks farm dawg

Edited by Farm Dawg, 07 December 2011 - 07:42 PM.

Here is a basic compost tea 4-5 gallon recipe for everyday use for most any plants at most any time.

One cup of compost, be it thermo compost or vermi compost. And a tbs of unsulfured molasses per gallon. Bubble this with an adequate air pump for 24-30 hours. As basic as it seems this is my go to tea, in the veggie garden, on my lawn and shubs, inside house plants, and medical plants, they all love it. Be aware this type of tea can be diluted without any loss of function. I commonly dilute it 3/1 with water.

Then you can step up your game from here. Adding kelp meal or alfalfa meal in small amounts......MIW

Now when it comes to AACT's the idea is to have a balanced tea across the micro-herd, correct?

I know that there are a number of microbes that we want in our soils. I know that the bubbles tease out the bacteria. In addition to bacteria and fungi I know that we want Protozoa and Nematodes as well. Are these life forms available in the brewed tea?

Please no manure teas on this thread.

My latest brew and the one I use the most consist of, 2-2.5 gallons H2O in a 3 gallon container,1/2 cup EWC, and one tablespoon of each of the following ingredients Alfalfa meal, Kelp meal, unsulpherd Black Strap Molasses, Fish Emulsion and Aloe Vera.
I bubble/brew and stir it often, until I can't smell the fish or molasses at all, usually around 24hrs as early as 18-20.
I strain some to use in a spray at Full Strength on the vegging mmj plants. The rest I split between all the plants flower and veg and apply to the soil, around 2 cups each.
The day after the shine and luster of the plants almost make them look fake.

BeZ...V

My latest brew and the one I use the most consist of, 2-2.5 gallons H2O in a 3 gallon container,1/2 cup EWC, and one tablespoon of each of the following ingredients Alfalfa meal, Kelp meal, unsulpherd Black Strap Molasses, Fish Emulsion and Aloe Vera.
I bubble/brew and stir it often, until I can't smell the fish or molasses at all, usually around 24hrs as early as 18-20.
I strain some to use in a spray at Full Strength on the vegging mmj plants. The rest I split between all the plants flower and veg and apply to the soil, around 2 cups each.
The day after the shine and luster of the plants almost make them look fake.

BeZ...V

Sounds like a good recipe overall. I know some are gonna have issues with the use of fish emulsion.

Most of the organic growers I know of using AACT's use fish hydrosylate, or fish enzyme instead of fish emulsion.

I'm not clear on the reason why. But I'm sure someone will come along and clear this up.

bez V I think the luster you describe would be the aloe, based on pictures i've seen around the section, what temperatures do you keep to have it ready in 1 day or less? and what air pump? why so little alfalfa or kelp?

Farm, the reason I'm using the emulsion is because I haven't sourced the hydrolysate yet. But I plan on getting it soon, I found the Coast of Main compost 2hrs away and they carry fish hydrolysate as well, I just gotta get there.

BeZ...V

Farm, the reason I'm using the emulsion is because I haven't sourced the hydrolysate yet. But I plan on getting it soon, I found the Coast of Main compost 2hrs away and they carry fish hydrolysate as well, I just gotta get there.

BeZ...V

I emailed neptunes harvest and they sent me a free sample of their hydrosylate

I don't blame you. I would more than likely do the same thing. I'm new to all this, although I have been studying my ass off. Thanks to Teeming with Microbes and some of the stickeys I'm starting to get a solid base foundation. I'm hoping this thread will also be helpful.

I'm planning on using Neptunes Harvest myself.

bez V I think the luster you describe would be the aloe, based on pictures i've seen around the section, what temperatures do you keep to have it ready in 1 day or less? and what air pump? why so little alfalfa or kelp?

I don't have a microscope so I can't say its "done" I just read that if you can't smell the fish or sugars than the microbes have eaten it and multiplied. And the reason so little alfalfa and kelp is because its to my understanding that everything in the brew other than the actuall compost or ewc, is just a food source for the microbes and I'm just assuming that's all they need.
There's no real way of knowing the diversity of the AACT without a microscope.


BeZ...V

I'm planning on using Neptunes Harvest myself.

It' great stuff, they have a kelp meal as well as crab shells

I don't have a microscope so I can't say its "done" I just read that if you can't smell the fish or sugars than the microbes have eaten it and multiplied. And the reason so little alfalfa and kelp is because its to my understanding that everything in the brew other than the actuall compost or ewc, is just a food source for the microbes and I'm just assuming that's all they need.
There's no real way of knowing the diversity of the AACT without a microscope.

BeZ...V

I saw a Vid where the groundskeeper @ harvard univ. makes and uses his own tea and the students analyzed it and noticed that a 24 hour brew produces a bacterial rich tea whereas a 36-40 hr brew results in a fungi dominate mixture

I have also read something similar in a microbe organics article and have let one go 2 days. But once I let one go too long and it went bad, smelled like shit, so I just try an play it safe. I'm also thinking of the Neptunes harvest products.

I guess I should also add that the alfalfa and kelp I use is Dr. Earth brand and it contains Pro-Biotic benificial soil microbes.

BeZ...V

adding a cup of kelp or alfalfa will barely increase the 'nutrient' profile per 3-4 gallons... I wouldn't water if plants were in a nitrogen or potash 'lockout' but other wise i use the tea and 12'' bushes will need a top dress of 2tbsp blood meal or 1/2 tsp of soluble kelp to fix a N or K lag...

what i like to do with my dr earth alfalfa is mix it in the soil. that way the micorrhizae added to the ferts will have a chance to contact roots sooner. I have a separate alfalfa i use for the tea, it's also cheaper because the dr earth brand is a bit on the pricey side when it comes to the single emendment boxes... it's some hot stuff though so expect some nitrogen burn if you add enough to dirt and don't let it mix with compost for a few weeks (say 1 cup to 1 c.f. of your ready to go soil mix)

Edited by ForbinsAscent, 08 December 2011 - 12:16 AM.

Now when it comes to AACT's the idea is to have a balanced tea across the micro-herd, correct?

I know that there are a number of microbes that we want in our soils. I know that the bubbles tease out the bacteria. In addition to bacteria and fungi I know that we want Protozoa and Nematodes as well. Are these life forms available in the brewed tea?

Nematodes don't really like the liquid medium and don't reproduce in ACT. You will get bacteria/archea, fungal hyphae, flagellates, and ciliates.

Don't really worry about the bacteria, it's easy to get to multiply.

The reason fish hydrolysate is better (as explained to me yesterday by Tim Wilson of Microbe Organics) is that it's typically the whole fish and is processed using enzymes. He's tested the Organic Gem brand and it works quite well. Neptune's Harvest is another reputable brand as well. It also isn't as stinky. Fish Emulsion on the other hand is subjected to high temperatures in the processing, and I can vouch from using the microscope that it doesn't produce nearly the same fungal growth that you get from fish hydrolysate.

For brewing times, you'll typically see fungal hyphae start to grow around 18 hours when brewing near 70F. Anywhere between 24-36 hours can have good fungal growth, though you really need a microscope to find that "sweet spot." For the person without a microscope, I'd recommend keeping your brew between 24-36 hours. You could always alternate the brew times, as the longer brew time will most likely have less bacteria, but more flagellates and vice versa.

My 5 gallon recipe is:
1 heaping cup of KIS Fungal Compost
1/2 cup Microbe Catalyst
1 T. Organic Alfalfa Meal

Tim Wilson of Microbe Organics (Microbe Organics) recommends these ratios based on his testing:

2.38% by volume compost or vermicompost (EWC) per gallon = .38 cups or around half a cup max or about 2 cups in 5 gallons max.

0.5 to 0.75% molasses by volume per gallon = 1.28 to 1.92 tablespoons per gallon. 0.75% is the maximum I use. It is a good bacterial and fungal food.

0.063% fish hydrolysate by volume per gallon = 0.16 tablespoon = 0.479 teaspoons or half a teaspoon

0.25% (max) kelpmeal by volume per gallon = 0.64 tablespoon or half a tablespoon

Thanks a lot eco. It sounds like you are very knowledgeable and have a lot to contribute to the organic community. I look forward to seeing more posts from you.

Great post Eco!