tutorial Beginner's guide to AACT/Compost Tea

Back to the subject at hand, the reason I push a living soil is because that is the goal of putting AACT on plants.
You are introducing bacteria into the soil to get a soil food web going which benefits the plant by making nutrients more accessible by the strands of fungal hyphae that help the plant take in nutrients.
In return the plant gives the organisms exudates which is food for them. It's an amazing symbiotic relationship.
If you haven't read "Teaming with Microbes" and "Teaming with Nutrients" I highly recommend both if you are interested in the science of growing.
I also have a library of other files on other subjects that I am trying to read as there is much to learn and so little time it seems.
 
I am currently reading Teaming with Microbes.  The science that happens in a five gallon bucked in my basement that I use for ACCT tea and the five gallon buckets that I grow my peppers in amazes me. 
 
Even with a living soil web don't you need to add compost to replace the nutrients/bacteria trading and feedings opportunities that you are taking out of the soil with traditional gardening- removing dead leaves, removing fruit, etc.? 
 
Or are the bacteria able to provide such an abundance of nutrients that additional compost is not needed? 
 
Would you still even compost or does a completely balance soil web eliminate the need of additional sources nutrients/bacterial opportunities?
 
I currently apply AACT to my garden and I have amazing results from it. 
 
Solinari619 said:
I am currently reading Teaming with Microbes.  The science that happens in a five gallon bucked in my basement that I use for ACCT tea and the five gallon buckets that I grow my peppers in amazes me. 
 
Even with a living soil web don't you need to add compost to replace the nutrients/bacteria trading and feedings opportunities that you are taking out of the soil with traditional gardening- removing dead leaves, removing fruit, etc.? 
 
Or are the bacteria able to provide such an abundance of nutrients that additional compost is not needed? 
 
Would you still even compost or does a completely balance soil web eliminate the need of additional sources nutrients/bacterial opportunities?
 
I currently apply AACT to my garden and I have amazing results from it. 
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I think the theory is that with a healthy microbial ecosystem (a normobiosis, if you like) then the nutrients available to the plant would be maximal whether these levels would be optimal (i.e. no need to add more) would depend on abiotic factors (light, temps, root space etc) and how much nutrients were present in the soil to begin with. I know some people on here believe if you get the soil right at the start then additional feeding is unnecessary.
 
Solinari619 said:
I am currently reading Teaming with Microbes.  The science that happens in a five gallon bucked in my basement that I use for ACCT tea and the five gallon buckets that I grow my peppers in amazes me. 
 
Even with a living soil web don't you need to add compost to replace the nutrients/bacteria trading and feedings opportunities that you are taking out of the soil with traditional gardening- removing dead leaves, removing fruit, etc.? 
 
Or are the bacteria able to provide such an abundance of nutrients that additional compost is not needed? 
 
Would you still even compost or does a completely balance soil web eliminate the need of additional sources nutrients/bacterial opportunities?
 
I currently apply AACT to my garden and I have amazing results from it. 
Click to expand...
Top dressing your containers with worm castings or good compost is always a good thing. If you have room in the container then by all means add some of these. All the best organic growers I know top dress with these or chopped up Comfrey as a green manure or all three! Also, if you growing in containers always dechlorinate your water or you can kill off some of the microherd ;)
 
I like what my friend Jerry said on another forum and although I used to think making AACT was a great addition to how I was growing I agree with him in this regard.
Someone asked if after mixing their high quality organic soil whether they should wet that soil with a compost tea to which he answered:
 
"I've no doubt that using an ACT doesn't hurt but after using well made ACT's from a high end brewer myself for a long time I simply don't see an awful lot in the way of benefits. It is much, much more important to simply make sure that you use high quality compost and vermicompost in your soil mix.

MUCH more important - as in no contest."
 
Proud Marine Dad said:
I like what my friend Jerry said on another forum and although I used to think making AACT was a great addition to how I was growing I agree with him in this regard.
Someone asked if after mixing their high quality organic soil whether they should wet that soil with a compost tea to which he answered:
 
"I've no doubt that using an ACT doesn't hurt but after using well made ACT's from a high end brewer myself for a long time I simply don't see an awful lot in the way of benefits. It is much, much more important to simply make sure that you use high quality compost and vermicompost in your soil mix.

MUCH more important - as in no contest."
Click to expand...
No doubt the soil is the most important aspect in a healthy eco system in certain climates and especially container conditions.. building up the microbes faster by brewing AACT and adding them to the soil (especially in short growing seasons) will give the plants a huge advantage.

Another thing that the AACT can bring to the party when applied to foliage that the soil only can't is boosting the natural biofilm on the leaves leaving them less susceptible to bugs/disease/ and adverse climate conditions which in my case with the plants under cover 24hrs a day is hugely important.

I have read and re-read Teaming with microbes and to me its clear AACT is simply a booster to the whole soil food web .. but in some circumstances a hugely important one
 
Proud Marine Dad said:
Top dressing your containers with worm castings or good compost is always a good thing. If you have room in the container then by all means add some of these. All the best organic growers I know top dress with these or chopped up Comfrey as a green manure or all three! Also, if you growing in containers always dechlorinate your water or you can kill off some of the microherd ;)
Click to expand...
Right now I just let the water dechlorinate by putting it in a bucket.  What about an inline water filter like http://www.boogiebrew.net/water-filter/ .  I am a new grower and I often realize that I need to water my plans because the bucket seems very light or sometimes the leaves start to lightly wilt.  So being able to water right now I think might help.  But I also heard that it might be overkill and a waste of money.  Heard the last from my wife a few times lol. 
 
I started growing these plants before I discovered this forum and AACT and the use of compost in making soil before you put the plants in.  Its too late for this year but next year I really want to work on the soil before I put the plants in. 
 
How do people with far "lesser" produce massive harvest ?
Just almost "strange" then one thinks and TA-Daah . . . . .
 
Truth prevails no ?
 
Solinari619 said:
Right now I just let the water dechlorinate by putting it in a bucket.  What about an inline water filter like http://www.boogiebrew.net/water-filter/ .  I am a new grower and I often realize that I need to water my plans because the bucket seems very light or sometimes the leaves start to lightly wilt.  So being able to water right now I think might help.  But I also heard that it might be overkill and a waste of money.  Heard the last from my wife a few times lol. 
 
I started growing these plants before I discovered this forum and AACT and the use of compost in making soil before you put the plants in.  Its too late for this year but next year I really want to work on the soil before I put the plants in. 
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You can just leave it and let the chlorine evaporate or you can get a good airstone in the bottom and aerate it for an hour or so.
Trippa said:
No doubt the soil is the most important aspect in a healthy eco system in certain climates and especially container conditions.. building up the microbes faster by brewing AACT and adding them to the soil (especially in short growing seasons) will give the plants a huge advantage.
Click to expand...
That is debatable possibly. Some think that introducing a larger micro-herd into the already growing one could possibly affect the soil food web and possibly weaken it. Who knows as science is still working on these answers. The biofilm I am not sure has been proven yet either although it is possible.
 
I think there are a few variables at work. In my zone, plants grow great until the hot summer months. And then, vast numbers of beneficial bugs drop off, growth slows, and things (in containers) seem to reach their biggest potential to go to shit. I am still using AACT, as I always have. And while it works wonders in the other months, it's not helping me now.

I have a whitefly infestation of epic proportions, and I'm losing the battle. In the cooler months, it seems my AACT makes the leaves unpalatable. Right now, they just laught at it.

I use my AACT in combination with monthly top dressings of worm castings.
 
I would cover the soil with plastic, and use dawn dish soap through a pump sprayer. It degrades quickly but still kills all the waxy and powdery nasties. Hit it 3 times and wait a day between applications.
 
I had beneficials back within a few days! Spiders are unaffected, and so are lots of hard shelled predators. So far its has been the best thing I have used agents Aphids and white flys, including AACT.
 
I use the ratio  of 1 Tbps of dawn: to 1 Gallon of water.
Remember this stuff is designed to be drained down the sink in to city sewer systems and or living septic systems. Its not nearly as harsh as many other alternatives.
 
Just in case anyone is looking to stock up on some guano, this site here is having a sale http://tools.woot.com/plus/hydrofarm-accessories-1.
 
 
Also while I'm on this thread I have some questions: What size pump would you recommend for a setup similar to the 5 gallon bucket setup pictured in the original post?  Second, what exactly is an air stone and do I need one, or can I rig something myself to replace it? I'm interested in brewing my own compost tea but of course I have to build a setup first.
 
sreinhard88 said:
Just in case anyone is looking to stock up on some guano, this site here is having a sale http://tools.woot.com/plus/hydrofarm-accessories-1.
 
 
Also while I'm on this thread I have some questions: What size pump would you recommend for a setup similar to the 5 gallon bucket setup pictured in the original post?  Second, what exactly is an air stone and do I need one, or can I rig something myself to replace it? I'm interested in brewing my own compost tea but of course I have to build a setup first.
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There's a debate about the pump size. I use a Top FIn Air-3000 rated for 40 gallon aquairums and works just fine http://www.ecrater.com/p/17419579/top-fin-air-3000-aquarium-fish
 
Yes, you do need an air stone or something of the sort. There are some folks around here who have made home made contraptions, but I just go with the air stones since they cost under $2.
 
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