Advice on my Tea

[SecretGardener]

I made my first AACT today but I think I screwed up with the ingredients. None of them are actually 'compost' although the bone meal does contain humic acid, mycorrhizae and beneficial bacteria.

Brewer
I am using a 5 gallon bucket but only half filled - 2.5 gallons. The reason it is only filled half way is because I have doubts in my air pump. I have a 2 port 80 gallon rated aquarium pump from a pet store ($19.99) in which I connected to two air stone 'blocks. I can tell you for sure they do not cover the entire bucket because air bubbles only come out of the top 2" diameters of the stone and its a very concentrated stream, they don't diffuse much. Should I get the air bubble disc's instead?

Ingredients
1 TBS of happy frog steamed bone meal with mycorrhizae/bene's/humic acid
1 TBS of blood meal
1 TBS of kelp meal
1 TBS of liquid karma
2 TBS of molasses. I think the 2 TBS of molasses is to much because I've read to only use 1 tsp

I have read the Tea article and the organics for beginners thread and I am familiar with the recipes listed there. In this case I was just screwing around and now I am curious if this would work or if I should just chuck it? The mix is starting to foam and it smells sweet and earthy so I don't think it's going anaerobic...

 

[schwagg]

if your making compost tea, where's the compost? or vermicompost?

 

[Zendo]

Nothing in there will hurt anything in a veg/flower plant..

The molasses is usually added to promote bacterial growth in concert with the earth worm castings, but depending on the brand has some cal/mag and the brand I use is also 1-0-5..but I use 1tbs per 5 gallons about once every week or so..

I would add some EWC as my first ingredient, and then go from there.

HTH

 

[NUG-JUG]

. I can tell you for sure they do not cover the entire bucket because air bubbles only come out of the top 2" diameters of the stone and its a very concentrated stream, they don't diffuse much. Should I get the air bubble disc's instead?

You're only making 2.5 gallons. I think Microbeman would agree that with that amount of tea all that's need is stirring\agitation every hour or so for 8-12 hours. This will probably aerate it better than any dinky aquarium pump. Plus it's a PIA to get Bio-Film off of air-stones(it's like plaque).

Also add EWC or good compost like Zendo suggested. 1 tsp. of molasses for 2.5 gal. is fine. You're making a ghetto AACT this way, whereas before with just the air bubbles it was ACT.

peace, NJ

edit: oh ya don't toss the tea it's probably good!

 

[guest2012y]

Probably the most important thing is the microbial source...EWC or compost...the rest is just food for them,but if they aren't there to eat it why make a tea? Just looking out for ya bro.

 

[SecretGardener]

You're making a ghetto AACT this way, whereas before with just the air bubbles it was ACT.

So currently I am only making ACT, it's aerated but the bubbles arent really doing enough to make the entire mix active right? I am not sure what sort of diffuser to use outside of a home made PVC one that Microbeman uses. I will eventually have to build one, but in the realm of airstones is there a better one to use then what I am using? Are air discs better? I could buy one from http://www.simplici-tea.com/ and normally I wouldn't buy what I can make but I'd be supporting people who have helped me on this site so many times

Probably the most important thing is the microbial source...EWC or compost...the rest is just food for them,but if they aren't there to eat it why make a tea? Just looking out for ya bro.

The bonemeal I am using in the tea has microbes in it. Would this supply the tea with the microbes?

Also as soon as I get home from work today I'm going to add some EWC to my compost sock and see what happens. I am not too worried if the tea is good or bad at this point because I am in testing phase, seeing what to do what not to do. I am starting up my grow for real in the fall so I want to have it all dialed in and ready to GROW

Thanks all for answering my questions and helping out! I promise to show ya'll some results in a grow journal this comming fall!

 

[guest2012y]

That's it....just a couple tablespoons of EWC.
Why not just make 5 gallons....not enough herbs to dose?

 

[SecretGardener]

That's it....just a couple tablespoons of EWC.
Why not just make 5 gallons....not enough herbs to dose?

That and the fact that I was worried the air pump was not strong enough to keep the oxygen levels up so I just cut the amount in half.

 

[NUG-JUG]

So currently I am only making ACT, it's aerated but the bubbles arent really doing enough to make the entire mix active right? I am not sure what sort of diffuser to use outside of a home made PVC one that Microbeman uses.

ACT is fine you don't need to agitate it. Although it's better if you do. I vote for making a slurry with your EWC until you build a really effective tea maker. The K.I.S. 5 gallon brewer is excellent, but you can make one almost as good yourself. PVC whateveragon and a strong air pump.




The bonemeal I am using in the tea has microbes in it. Would this supply the tea with the microbes?

Not nearly what good compost has in it. Your multiplying the bacteria, so starting with a lot already in your inputs will make it better.

Also as soon as I get home from work today I'm going to add some EWC to my compost sock and see what happens. I am not too worried if the tea is good or bad at this point because I am in testing phase, seeing what to do what not to do. I am starting up my grow for real in the fall so I want to have it all dialed in and ready to GROW

You can spray\water the tea on the soil you mix then let it sit for a couple months, which will make your plants real happy.

Thanks all for answering my questions and helping out! I promise to show ya'll some results in a grow journal this comming fall!

ya man compost teas are the bees knees

 

[Cool Moe]

hey a gallon of tea goes a long way in a sprayer. maybe for now until you get a better pump/diffuser just brew 1 to 1.5 gallons with your current pump. this is my first year brewing compost tea and I foliar spray all my vegetable garden, shrubs, etc once or twice a week. they are all healthier than i've ever seen. for a 4 gallon brew i use 1 cup ewc, 1 cup cotton burr compost, 2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses, 2 teaspoons kelp meal.

 

[xmobotx]

experiment around w/ what you are doing

the fact that it's foaming means it's working and the addition of a little EWC and/or compost would make it work even better (a good compost teas w/ good conditions can challenge the top of the bucket like how you are doing it - maybe even overflow the foam

the second "A" btw is "activated"

ACT=aerated compost tea

AACT=activated aerated compost tea

activated/innoculated same/same the EWC or compost provides the living creatures to the mix

I do a similar setup w/ a bucket and aquarium pump:
typically i use both EWC and compost then a little molasses
a little fish emulsion seems to kinda wake it up too

 

[schwagg]

to say the least... i curled the hell outta just adding a blop of emulsion. i think it's much stronger once brewed in a tea.

 

[SecretGardener]

ya man compost teas are the bees knees

I stopped brewing the tea and I used it on my tomato plants. Haven't seen any positive, negative effects yet. I also used some of the tea as a foliar spray on my pepper plants, again no effects but it has only been a day since applied.

I wanted to brew a proper tea so I bought a better air pump (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...f4d89e7&itemid=260475420731&ff4=263602_263622). I am using it in conjunction with my original setup. My brewer is now actively bubbling. I included some pictures. I went ahead and mixed up a new brew with the following ingredients.

4 gallons non-chlorinated water
3 Tbs EWC
3 Tbs Kelp Meal
4 Tbs Unsulphered Blackstrap Molasses (with ca/mg)
4 Tbs Liquid Karma

I turned on the brewer 6/16 10pm EST. Put the Kelp Meal in one leg of a pantyhose and EWC in the other and hung them both right over the most bubbly part of the mix. Twenty-four hours later (last night 10pm EST) everything seemed to be going good, smelled fine, some foaming etc...This morning when I woke up I thought my dog farted or crapped somewhere in the house so I walked around and didn't see anything. The smell was very faint so I figured whatever. It was when I walked into the bathroom when I got a whiff of the smell again, faint though. My heart sunk and I was scared to put my nose into the bucket. But, to my surprise it didn't smell bad at all. There was MAYBE the slightest hint of a bad smell but not at all what I expected. Is this normal, am I anaerobic? How do I know? I guess I'll know when I get home after work, if it smells worse ...

Either way, I am getting rid of the air stones and making a PVC whateveragon after work today lol. Hoping this will solve all my problems!

Sorry for so many questions I am stuck at work bored and over thinking stuff lol

Oh

 

[SecretGardener]

Anaerobes;
Many people are overly anxious about having any anaerobic microbes in their CT. If you have a tremendous number of ciliates in your CT, or if it stinks to high heavens, there is a likelihood that your CT has gone anaerobic and you should toss it. However, I would not worry about seeing a healthy number of ciliates (if you have a microscope), especially if there are also high numbers of flagellates and/or amoebae. Additionally anaerobic (facultative and obligate) bacteria and archaea occur naturally in the soil and other environments and their existence is part of the balance of nature so don’t worry if you have a few in your consortia.

I might be ok, was reading this on MicrobeOrganics.com while looking for instructions on how to build a PVC whateveragon

 

[Zendo]

SG- Not sure what you are trying to accomplish with your teas, but for me, it seems like you have too little EWC, and too much molasses.

When I used 1TBS of molasses per gallon as you are, I had bacterial blooms/nitrogen toxicity in plants.. I dialed it back to 1TBS per 5 gallons and problem went away..

Now I use 1-2tsp per 5 gallons, and that is every other week or so.

When brewing 4 or 5 gallons, I use a cup (usually heaping) of EWC.

I just kind of copy bits and pieces from the people who've been doing this for a long time, and tweak little areas as I see fit.

Ct guy, soil food web, CC, and others on here are all good leads to follow. If you don't have a scope, may as well follow those that do with tested results..

HTH

 

[SecretGardener]

SG- Not sure what you are trying to accomplish with your teas, but for me, it seems like you have too little EWC, and too much molasses.

When I used 1TBS of molasses per gallon as you are, I had bacterial blooms/nitrogen toxicity in plants.. I dialed it back to 1TBS per 5 gallons and problem went away..

Now I use 1-2tsp per 5 gallons, and that is every other week or so.

When brewing 4 or 5 gallons, I use a cup (usually heaping) of EWC.

I just kind of copy bits and pieces from the people who've been doing this for a long time, and tweak little areas as I see fit.

Ct guy, soil food web, CC, and others on here are all good leads to follow. If you don't have a scope, may as well follow those that do with tested results..

HTH

Well I didnt want to waste that much EWC as this is just testing to make a better brewer. I think the only thing I am missing is a better diffuser, which I am gathering info on right now to go buy parts during lunch

 

[NUG-JUG]

I might be ok, was reading this on MicrobeOrganics.com while looking for instructions on how to build a PVC whateveragon

Yea anaerobes will always be present, but the bubbling allows aerobes to multiply much faster. I left a bit of tea just sitting stagnant, and it smelled like a dead thing on the beach the next day...made cleaning it gross business...clean your brewer after every tea to avoid this.

The air pump you bought should work fine for 4 gallons of tea. Stirring occasionally doesn't hurt either. Also I like to brew my teas with no stocking just throw it all in. I strain it into a pump sprayer to foliar feed.

 

[SecretGardener]

Also I like to brew my teas with no stocking just throw it all in. I strain it into a pump sprayer to foliar feed.

Yeah I think I will do this when I get my PVC diffuser going, was worried about clogging the air stones.

 

[Zendo]

SG- For my 5 gallon brewer, I use 2 $20 airpumps that I got at a local store similar to walmart..

They have 2 ports on each, and I have all 4 going into the 5 gallons with regular airstones. After each brew, I hose off airstones and brush
of with regular dish scrubber.

Nothing fancy, no whateveragon, or $100 aquarium pumps..

Not sure how my teas compare to others, but, I can tell you that I use that anywhere from 18-36hrs with great success over a span of several grows. If /when they break, I may upgrade...may not..but my indoor and outdoor gardens are thriving from the current system.

Remember to KIS.

 

[SecretGardener]

SG- For my 5 gallon brewer, I use 2 $20 airpumps that I got at a local store similar to walmart..

They have 2 ports on each, and I have all 4 going into the 5 gallons with regular airstones. After each brew, I hose off airstones and brush
of with regular dish scrubber.

Nothing fancy, no whateveragon, or $100 aquarium pumps..

Not sure how my teas compare to others, but, I can tell you that I use that anywhere from 18-36hrs with great success over a span of several grows. If /when they break, I may upgrade...may not..but my indoor and outdoor gardens are thriving from the current system.

Remember to KIS.

Thank you sir. I think that there are so many different ways to do things but everyone swears if you don't do it their way it is not going to work! Not true, you just need to experiment using the information gathered here / online as a GENERAL guide.