tutorial Beginner's guide to AACT/Compost Tea

[Pepper-Guru]

Hi Guys,
 
In the process of setting my my AACT system for the upcoming spring in September.  Have a couple of questions I'm hoping a more experienced grower / AACT maker can answer (only my second season and first starting from seed).  
 
Question No.1 - I've purchased this 9500cc (450L/hr) air pump. Llink: http://thereefshop.com.au/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=126 - is it powerful enough for a bucket brew if I use two air stones?
 
Question No.2 - I was planning on doing a few practice brews over the winter and tipping them over the newly built and filled raised beds.  Is this a good idea given that its 2-2.5 months from my likely plant out time?
 
My brew mix was going to comprise:
 
Home-made Worm Castings
Home-made compost
Handful of bagged compost
Molasses
Some semi-composted / semi-fresh lawn clippings
A dash of Seasol (seaweed concentrate) link: http://www.seasol.com.au/images/pdfs/msds/msds-seasol-seaweed-conc-jul12.pdf
 
Question No. 3 - Am i missing anything important?
 
Thanks in advance - Rainy.

1. Should be plenty good enough for normal sized brews. 
 
2. It won't hurt! 
 
3. Recipe looks good! 
 
Have fun!

 

[John1234]

any point of doing this with no worm castings? 
 
I was going to try grass clippings, fish emulsion and compost. I have steer manure but I assume that is a no-no for this. 

 
Of course there is Vermicompost tea and compost tea vary slightly in the end but both result in a microbe rich broth. Manure is gold as long as it has been composted well or run through a worm bin.

 

[ColdSmoke]

 
Of course there is Vermicompost tea and compost tea vary slightly in the end but both result in a microbe rich broth. Manure is gold as long as it has been composted well or run through a worm bin.

I went with bagged compost, grass clippings, semi-composted leaves, fish emulsion, mycorrhizae inoculant, some semi-composted material from my worm factory, a dash of bio weed and honey.

 

[John1234]

 

[ColdSmoke]

Too much?

 

[filmost]

I read somewhere that the addition of mycorrhizae is useless in an AACT, and the argument for not adding it makes a lot of sense. Mycorrhizae are fungi and exist symbiotically with roots in the soil. They will not multiply in water and may not survive the brewing process, therefore making it a waste to add them to your brew. For purposes of teas, it appears best to add the mycorrhizae at the end right when you are about to use it. Although the best use would be to add to transplant holes as intended.
 
Other than that, and the use of honey (antibacterial), I think your recipe is solid. Although a bit complicated for my tastes ;-D

 

[Proud Marine Dad]

I went with bagged compost, grass clippings, semi-composted leaves, fish emulsion, mycorrhizae inoculant, some semi-composted material from my worm factory, a dash of bio weed and honey.

That's fine as a fertilizer tea but that's not AACT as far as I am concerned.

 

[ColdSmoke]

I read somewhere that the addition of mycorrhizae is useless in an AACT, and the argument for not adding it makes a lot of sense. Mycorrhizae are fungi and exist symbiotically with roots in the soil. They will not multiply in water and may not survive the brewing process, therefore making it a waste to add them to your brew. For purposes of teas, it appears best to add the mycorrhizae at the end right when you are about to use it. Although the best use would be to add to transplant holes as intended.
 
Other than that, and the use of honey (antibacterial), I think your recipe is solid. Although a bit complicated for my tastes ;-D

 
I was just grabbing crap out of the yard, lol. The mycorrizae was just a teaspoon I had left over and said screw it and threw it in. 
 
So the honey will make it not work? I am getting a nice foamy head already.

That's fine as a fertilizer tea but that's not AACT as far as I am concerned.

 
because no castings?

 

[filmost]

If you at getting some action then it's probably fine, but honey is considered antibacterial so perhaps the brew is not as potent as it can be. In any case it appears to work so keep doing what you are doing ;-)

Here in Japan I use pure cane sugar or Okinawan black sugar when I can get it for a good price.

 

[Proud Marine Dad]

Because no castings?

No, because AACT is compost and a carbohydrate source only. All the other things people add makes it a fertilizer tea not AACT. Nothing wrong with adding other things if you want but they are better added after brewing so as not to upset the microherd.

 

[John1234]

 
I was just grabbing crap out of the yard, lol. The mycorrizae was just a teaspoon I had left over and said screw it and threw it in. 
 
So the honey will make it not work? I am getting a nice foamy head already.

 
because no castings?

 
Self induced paranoia, trust me, I was going down the wrong road
 
Filmost summed up what I was going to say before the paranoia took hold. A foamy head is only an indication of the saponin level (or possible venerial disease. YES! slipped that in there), not the result of microbes multiplying/digesting. There should be a growth in the microbe population of your brew, but it's unpredictable, especially with a kelp supplement. Kelp meal atleast, can delay initial growth and feed anaerobes if I recall correctly, and it is hard to judge a proper dose.
 
Like PMD, I would suggest keeping it simple. It is easy to vary to compost component (such as the mix you used), less so the carbohydrate source. Any other additions are best applied on their own unless you know the effect they will have.
 
Castings and compost can both produce AACT, the former has more insecticidal properties, the latter diversity (assumption).
 
Okinawan black sugar? That sounded so bad ass I had to google it. Looks to be dried Japanese molasses?

 

[filmost]

Okinawan black sugar? That sounded so bad ass I had to google it. Looks to be dried Japanese molasses?

 
That was my assumption, at first, but it is different. Okinawan Kokuto as it is called is made by cooking down pure sugar cane juice and then allowing it to dry and crystallize, where as molasses is left over by product of granulated sugar production. Seems similar enough but Kokuto can be eaten as is not overly sweet. It has a very mild fragrance and taste and is exceptional used in dessert recipes. I like using it in pies, and also use it in no cook BBQ sauce.
 
If you can get your hands on it (and you should be able to), I would love to see someone make a hot sauce with it. Oh and it makes a fantastic syrup to have over ice cream (oh ma gerrrrdddd!)

 

[ColdSmoke]

No, because AACT is compost and a carbohydrate source only. All the other things people add makes it a fertilizer tea not AACT. Nothing wrong with adding other things if you want but they are better added after brewing so as not to upset the microherd.

 
 

 
Self induced paranoia, trust me, I was going down the wrong road
 
Filmost summed up what I was going to say before the paranoia took hold. A foamy head is only an indication of the saponin level (or possible venerial disease. YES! slipped that in there), not the result of microbes multiplying/digesting. There should be a growth in the microbe population of your brew, but it's unpredictable, especially with a kelp supplement. Kelp meal atleast, can delay initial growth and feed anaerobes if I recall correctly, and it is hard to judge a proper dose.
 
Like PMD, I would suggest keeping it simple. It is easy to vary to compost component (such as the mix you used), less so the carbohydrate source. Any other additions are best applied on their own unless you know the effect they will have.
 
Castings and compost can both produce AACT, the former has more insecticidal properties, the latter diversity (assumption).
 
Okinawan black sugar? That sounded so bad ass I had to google it. Looks to be dried Japanese molasses?

 
Example of simple recipe would be castings, compost and guano with molasses? 

 

[Cayennemist]

Hmmm... not directed at one person, but maybe we are getting a little "elitist" in here. I feel like a Mac fanboy flaunting a new shinny iPhone 5, and talking crap about Android.
 
 
"Ewww."
 

 

[John1234]

That's understandable, I've harped on it before but usually go on about the "are you organic enough?" attitude.
 
There is a point to this nitpicking though rather than just elitism for it's own sake. Too often compost tea is reduced to muddy puddle water made with everything and the kitchen sink, with little regard for how each extra ingredient interacts with the whole.
 
 

 
That was my assumption, at first, but it is different. Okinawan Kokuto as it is called is made by cooking down pure sugar cane juice and then allowing it to dry and crystallize, where as molasses is left over by product of granulated sugar production. Seems similar enough but Kokuto can be eaten as is not overly sweet. It has a very mild fragrance and taste and is exceptional used in dessert recipes. I like using it in pies, and also use it in no cook BBQ sauce.
 
If you can get your hands on it (and you should be able to), I would love to see someone make a hot sauce with it. Oh and it makes a fantastic syrup to have over ice cream (oh ma gerrrrdddd!)

 
Iiiiinteresting, I clearly got the wrong impression from skimming. I bet it would make a great ingredient in a rub, but definitely sounds like it would make wicked caramel sauce.
 

Example of simple recipe would be castings, compost and guano with molasses? 

 
That's got KISS written all over it

 

[filmost]

Iiiiinteresting, I clearly got the wrong impression from skimming. I bet it would make a great ingredient in a rub, but definitely sounds like it would make wicked caramel sauce.

 
Oh it makes a fantastic rub, I have used it with ribs. ;-D

 

[Proud Marine Dad]

 
 
 
Example of simple recipe would be castings, compost and guano with molasses? 

I use two cups of my homemade compost and 1/2-1 cup of EWC and two tablespoons of unsulfered molasses in a five gallon bucket.
I have never added anything to it other than what makes up real AACT.

 

[ColdSmoke]

Local hydroponics shop hooked me up with a cubic foot of ewc for $30 along with some samples of kelp and guano. I have now have everything I need to make "real" aact as if I care...

 

[filmost]

Technically as long as it has compost in it and is actively aerated, then it is AACT, heh

 

[ColdSmoke]

Technically as long as it has compost in it and is actively aerated, then it is AACT, heh

 
amen to that. I know folks (who's livelihood are on the line, ie store owners) who consider "true" aact to be EWC, guano and kelp with molasses as the food. I guess it depends on who you learned from and your preference.