• Do you need help identifying a 🌶?
    Is your plant suffering from an unknown issue? 🤧
    Then ask in Identification and Diagnosis.

first aact brew, how did i do

I did my first aact brew today. any ideas or suggestions?

did it inside in the bath tube to keep the temps stable around 68-75.

I used bat 2 TBS guano, 2 TBS unsulfured molasses, 1 TBS mycos blast by xtreme gardening. I didnt add any grass clippings. water was rain water in a bucket.

002.JPG


007.JPG

010.JPG

016.JPG

023.JPG
 
How long did you areate? Usually 24-48 hrs is sufficient IF you have good airflow.

I know people use small aquarium pumps but they really aren't adequate. you should have heaps of frothy foam overflowing the edges
...that's when you know its top notch (not that you can't use that that you have).

Airflow is the key. I bought a designated airpump just for act ...a high volume 45 cfm one and when put in a five gallon bucket the water is ROLLING. 24 hours later there's easily 6" of straight foam on the top.

More airflow is needed it seems from the pic. The ingredients look good. Also if you can start a worm bin a fresh handful of castings will really bump it up!

Here ...watch this video to the end when he turns on the pump. This is how you want your water to roll/bubble. Little airpumps really are inadequate ....

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=CC4OAJF8xTI&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DCC4OAJF8xTI
 
isnt the good bacteria in the mycos blast?

@Ozzzz just started brewing when i posted. less than 24 hours

@OZZZ

I want that pump, that thing is awesome compared to what im using. I cant find the name brand
 
In that case it may bubble...but definitely check that vid to see how much power is needed.

Yes you really should use compost or worm castings to get ACT going...but the truth is even with compost if your using a weak pump its still not going to turn out properly.

The myco product will have some beneficials and yes they should reproduce in an ACT ....IF you have adequate airflow. Without good airflow you can actually breed anerobic (bad) bacteria. Compost or worm Hastings really should be used...along with a much more powerful pump.

Here's the pump I have:

http://www.hydrofarm.com/product.php?itemid=7644

Its $50 but is awesome ...can brew 5 gallons at a time easily with turbulance to spare. :) I'm sure it would do 10. ;)
 
I take it this pump you use can also be used for growing in hydro buckets?

ah, here is a hose like he was using in the video

http://www.hydrofarm.com/product.php?itemid=8409
 
It could be...I just got it for ACT ...I love my dirt. :)

You don't need a hose like that its all about the pump. The pump I posted does use a 3/8 tubing connected to a valve but normal tubing from there works fine
 
I use twin dual outlet aquarium pumps from Walmart and run the two outlets on each pump into a single hose with air stones I bought from Drs. Foster & Smith. It works great.
 
@OZZZ I think im going to pick up that same pump unless anyone else has any better ideas. I want to get into some small scale hydro growing this summer anyways and can make some use of it. I want to setup a cloner bucket to close some pepper plants.

throw in some organic matter dude, then youll have something great :P

will do.
 
Its a nice pump. If you have the funds and your going to be doing larger then 5 gallon batches you may want to go the next step up from this one. This was the 45 cfm one, check hydrofarms site or do some googling to find a similar pump. Due to your thread here I figured Ild make up a batch last night and take a pic for ya. I started it at 2 am (couldnt sleep because I was thinking about how I was going to build a compost bin today <---- ridiculous I know) and this pic was taken now at 6 pm My time.... so 16 hours in.

Nice and frothy. I put one handfull of worm castings from my worm bin, a 1/4 cup of tomato tone (has beneficials similar to your dried product), liquid kelp, and 4 tablespoons of molasses.

Thats how you want it to look ;)

By tomorrow its possible the foam might spill over the side.

img4308d.jpg
 
Back
Top