Rumblefish
Member
That really hard to even think about at 6.30 am whilst eating my Wheatbix!
-
Happy Birthday ICMag! Been 20 years since Gypsy Nirvana created the forum! We are celebrating with a 4/20 Giveaway and by launching a new Patreon tier called "420club". You can read more here.
-
Important notice: ICMag's T.O.U. has been updated. Please review it here. For your convenience, it is also available in the main forum menu, under 'Quick Links"!
Organic Fanatics - Australia
- Thread starter SilverSurfer_OG
- Start date
That really hard to even think about at 6.30 am whilst eating my Wheatbix!
Hehe i wouldnt put ANY raw manure on my garden no matter if the arsehole in question shone with the radiance of one thousand suns!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compost
Humanure may be deemed safe for humans to use on crops if handled in accordance with local health regulations, and composted properly. This means that thermophilic decomposition of the humanure must heat it sufficiently to destroy harmful pathogens, or enough time must have elapsed since fresh material was added that biological activity has killed any pathogens. To be safe for crops, a curing stage is often needed to allow a second mesophilic phase to reduce potential phytotoxins.
Humanure is different from night soil, which is raw human waste spread on crops. While aiding the return of nutrients in fecal matter to the soil, it can carry and spread a number of human pathogens. Humanure kills these pathogens both by the extreme heat of the composting and the extended amount of time (1 to 2 years) that it is allowed to decompose.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compost
Humanure may be deemed safe for humans to use on crops if handled in accordance with local health regulations, and composted properly. This means that thermophilic decomposition of the humanure must heat it sufficiently to destroy harmful pathogens, or enough time must have elapsed since fresh material was added that biological activity has killed any pathogens. To be safe for crops, a curing stage is often needed to allow a second mesophilic phase to reduce potential phytotoxins.
Humanure is different from night soil, which is raw human waste spread on crops. While aiding the return of nutrients in fecal matter to the soil, it can carry and spread a number of human pathogens. Humanure kills these pathogens both by the extreme heat of the composting and the extended amount of time (1 to 2 years) that it is allowed to decompose.
N
noyd666
now that's the shit lol.
Wow! i guess i'm gonna use lucerne hay too
i have plenty of itnever seen plants like these!!!!
Excuse me but are you talking about using human poo?! humans are nastyWe have that rich,black soil( here called "chernozem"-from "cherno"-black and "zemia"is earth or soil) but i dont think it has that color from...that
i have plenty of itnever seen plants like these!!!!Excuse me but are you talking about using human poo?! humans are nasty
We have that rich,black soil( here called "chernozem"-from "cherno"-black and "zemia"is earth or soil) but i dont think it has that color from...that
N
noyd666
Lucerne is good cover INA but any weed seeds will join in for your nutrients, gotta watch that sat fellow he knows his shit lol.
S
Sat X RB
the bottoms that supply my composting toilet are wrinkled and gnarledy with age! (sorry to all you Visually Oriented out there.)
first thing ... yes, I agree night soil is fresh stuff. I not talking about night soil ... I are talking about composted.
second thing ... no pathogenic effects from one's own poo so could use nightsoil if we wanted to ... but don't cos ...
S
Sat X RB
Wow! i guess i'm gonna use lucerne hay too
Excuse me but are you talking about using human poo?! humans are nasty
yes Ina, the talk is about human poo. and some of us seem to be struggling with feelings of disgust. however ...
the dark soils mentioned previously are the ones the Portuguese found when they invaded the ... Incas (?). 'terra preta'. see the link at the bottom of Silver's posts?
the soils were made rich with charcoal and ... what? where did they get their N from and their P and K? I 'll betcha ... from poo!
Fair play mate each to their own. Have a wee puff of this 
This winter i have been planting broad beans, kale, parsley and oats as a cover crop/green manure. Under $20 for a 20kg bag of whole feed oats. Picking the tops off the beans and cooking like spinach. Tastes awesome. They are protecting and improving the soil as N fixing legume. Also oats and peas work well over winter. Suppresses weeds also. The flowers are frost tender but the green growth is very hardy. Oats are very tough and will basically sprout and grow in mud if they have to. I also planted a crop of garlic. Any of these plants will provide food over winter even down here in frosty Tas.
Making biochar soon from forest litter/bush remmants/bark etc
Made 50liters or so in my firebox out of hardwood scraps and pine bark chips. This gets the urine treatment and then either in my compost heap or into potting mixes. Some will be soaked in fresh compost tea if going into pots.
This winter i have been planting broad beans, kale, parsley and oats as a cover crop/green manure. Under $20 for a 20kg bag of whole feed oats. Picking the tops off the beans and cooking like spinach. Tastes awesome. They are protecting and improving the soil as N fixing legume. Also oats and peas work well over winter. Suppresses weeds also. The flowers are frost tender but the green growth is very hardy. Oats are very tough and will basically sprout and grow in mud if they have to. I also planted a crop of garlic. Any of these plants will provide food over winter even down here in frosty Tas.
Making biochar soon from forest litter/bush remmants/bark etc
Made 50liters or so in my firebox out of hardwood scraps and pine bark chips. This gets the urine treatment and then either in my compost heap or into potting mixes. Some will be soaked in fresh compost tea if going into pots.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernozem
this is about 'chernozem". Yes,it looks like it is a different kind of soil than "terra preta" in South America but here you can find it everywhere.
http://www.bigpictureagriculture.com/2011/08/regional-focus-farm-conditions-in.html
this is about Bulgaria and Romania's soils(you dont have to read it all,just some guys dreaming about making $$ with our land as usual).
Sat x RB:i guess if you eat non toxic foods(it looks like this is your case)it can be used but here in the cities i just dont want to think what i eat(i'm trying to be careful but...)The disgusting thing is the conservants,GMO and stuff in our poo.Well it was strange idea for me,yesbut using in compost..why not,i guess you know better.
this is about 'chernozem". Yes,it looks like it is a different kind of soil than "terra preta" in South America but here you can find it everywhere.
http://www.bigpictureagriculture.com/2011/08/regional-focus-farm-conditions-in.html
this is about Bulgaria and Romania's soils(you dont have to read it all,just some guys dreaming about making $$ with our land as usual).
Sat x RB:i guess if you eat non toxic foods(it looks like this is your case)it can be used but here in the cities i just dont want to think what i eat(i'm trying to be careful but...)The disgusting thing is the conservants,GMO and stuff in our poo.Well it was strange idea for me,yes
but using in compost..why not,i guess you know better.
Last edited:
S
Sat X RB
Silver, I pH tested the char I have and it is 8 and upwards ... so have put no dolomite in garden. have used blood and bone for the first time. plenty of Ca in that.
not sure I have enuf Mg in my ingredients tho' ... but I can always add MgSO4 later if I see the deficiency show up.
any experience with Searles 5 in 1? didn't buy it ... was a freebie. wot a rip off cos it was very wet. paying money for water ... duh.
Ina, my toilet is a composting toilet. it takes ten months MINIMUM for poo to turn into stuff that looks like sawdust. I would not use this compost but no other people share my toilet.
not sure I have enuf Mg in my ingredients tho' ... but I can always add MgSO4 later if I see the deficiency show up.
any experience with Searles 5 in 1? didn't buy it ... was a freebie. wot a rip off cos it was very wet. paying money for water ... duh.
Ina, my toilet is a composting toilet. it takes ten months MINIMUM for poo to turn into stuff that looks like sawdust. I would not use this compost but no other people share my toilet.
S
Sat X RB
here's my blackwater tea, Silver.
no smell, no flies ... quite old ... looks like a yeast culture growing on top.
no smell, no flies ... quite old ... looks like a yeast culture growing on top.
N
noyd666
looks good enough for home brew sat.:friends:blackwater tea?interesting. whats in it?sometimes i use O2 pump from aquarium when i make tea.Is it good or no mater if that culture grows on top?i mean my grandma has something that looks nice in barrels with rain water but i was wondering about that on top of it.
S
Sat X RB
seems to me the culture on top couldn't be harmful ... but I 'm wondering how Silver sees it? perhaps yeast is a sign of bad bacteria.
Really not sure but i would use with caution. Perhaps a small test plant first and see how it responds.
I have been making MicrobeMan's compost tea recipe in my airlift style 20litre brewer.
Why use compost tea?
The main reasons for using compost tea are;
1/ to provide a quick nutrient kick to the rhizosphere. This works mainly because as the flagellates (protozoa) consume the *bacteria/archaea they utilize only 10 to 40% of the energy intake for their sustenance and the remaining 60 to 90% is expelled as ionic form nutrient which is directly bio-available to the roots of the plants. This is known as ‘the microbial nutrient loop (cycle)’.
2/ to begin or continue an inoculation of the soil with a microbial population. Many of these microorganisms will go dormant until called upon later to fulfill their purpose but many of them will grow and flourish, finding their station in the hierarchical positioning of microbes in a living soil. Some, like the fungi will grow out through the soil binding aggregates together, assisting with air and moisture retention, providing pathways for bacteria/archaea, providing a food source for various microorganisms and degrading organic matter to a point where it is available for other organisms.
Within a very diverse ACT there will be free living nitrogen fixers, anti-pathogens and yes a few of the anaerobic and facultative anaerobes which serve their positive role in a living soil.
3/ to potentially provide the microorganisms which may assist in protecting plants from pathogens.
4/ because it allows the use of less [vermi]compost over a given area. There is nothing wrong with using only [vermi]compost instead of ACT if you have that much. ACT just allows you to use less [vermi]compost and it accelerates the microbial process.
*Note; I use the term bacteria/archaea because without complex testing it is not possible to visually tell the two apart. Recent research has revealed that archaea are commonly found in soil worldwide and have just as an important function in the microbial nutrient cycle as bacteria.
Recipes;
Through a plethora of trial and error brewing with a dissolved oxygen meter at hand we determined that a pretty reliable volume of [vermi]compost to use is 2.38% by volume of water used up to around a 250 gallon brewer.
So if you have 5 gallons you multiply that by 2.38% to get the amount of [vermi]compost to use. Then you can go to; http://www.onlineconversion.com/volume.htm and convert it into any unit of measure which is convenient. In my opinion measuring [vermi]compost by weight is inaccurate because of varying moisture content.
Anyway to proceed we have;
5 x 2.38% = 0.119 of a gallon = 0.476 of a quart = 0.450 of a liter
= 450.5 milliliters [450 rounded] = 1.904 cups [2 cups rounded] - Your choice
Likewise with the use of black strap molasses, a percentage of 0.50% is a good median amount to use.
These two ingredients, perhaps surprisingly, comprise the total of inputs in most of our brews these days. This simple recipe, if using an efficient ACT maker and good quality [vermi]compost results in a microbial population made up of the important three groups. This is the only recipe used to date, in all the videos on my Youtube channel ‘Microbe Organics’
To get these three groups the ACT maker should be run for 36 to 42 hours. The ideal temperature range is 65 to 72 Fahrenheit (18 to 22 Celsius), however a little cooler or warmer is okay. I’ve had pretty equivalent results with ambient temperatures around 100 F (38 C) and as cool as 50 F (10 C).
To spill a small secret, I’ve been pre-feeding or pre-activating [vermi]compost which is not so fresh by mixing in a small amount of wheat bran (livestock store or bulk foods department grocery store) and moistening with very diluted black strap molasses, loosely covered with cloth or paper towel 24 hours ahead of brew. (approximate ratios, wheat bran 1:30 [vermi]compost & BSM 1:300 water).
This has, so far resulted in (most of the time) attaining the desired microbial population at 24 hours brew time rather than the usual 36 to 42 hours.
Now for some of my other recipes;
A recipe for a balanced nutrient cycling ACT which many growers claim to have great success with is;
[vermi]compost – 2.38%
unsulphured pure black strap molasses - 0.50% [but you can use a maximum 0.75%]
fish hydrolysate (high quality) - 0.063% ( I use the certified organic Charlie Carp - SS_OG)
Do not use chemically deodorized liquid fish!
kelp meal - 0.25% max. [Less is more!]
NOTE: This is a maximum amount of kelp and you can experiment using less. This is using regular grade kelp meal for livestock. If you have soluble kelp, I recommend using smaller amounts. As noted earlier kelp meal can initially delay bacterial multiplication and fungal growth in ACT.
soft rock phosphate granules/powder - 0.063% Consider this optional. In the past 2 years I’ve become more aware of the possibility of polonium 210 and lead content in soft rock phosphate which is radioactive. This varies depending on how it was mined and where. If you wish to use this in ACT check all available data. Look for heavy metal testing
We grind up the granules into a powder with a coffee grinder
The brew time should average around 36 hours and no longer than 48 hours. If you have a microscope then stop when the microbes desired are observed. Otherwise smell for the foodstocks being used up, possible rank odor (indicating anaerobes) and a positive earthy or mushroom-like aroma.
Fungal Brew;
If you want a brew which is more fungal increase the amount of fish hydrolysate to around 0.19% and you may wish to decrease the amount of molasses used so there is not a foodstock overload. Include a pinch of alfalfa meal, not using more than 0.25%. It is important to not overload a brew with foodstocks, otherwise you can easily compromise the dissolved oxygen capacity of the unit. Most importantly discontinue brewing around 18 to 20 hours. Of course if you have a microscope you can judge that for yourself.
Also, if you do not have fungi in your [vermi]compost, you won’t have it magically appear in your ACT.
A Few Extras;
I sometimes include a pinch or handful [depending on brewer size] of sphagnum peatmoss in a brew. Depending on where the peatmoss was harvested, it will contribute a set of microbes somewhat similar to that derived from the ‘Alaska’ humus or humisoil products on the market. It is a least a better bang for your buck and at best a trifle better quality-wise.
I’ve had inconsistent success battling powdery mildew by including soft rock phosphate and pyrophyllite clay powder, both at 0.063% in a 24 hour brew with horse manure fed vermicompost, BSM and fish hydrolysate. I have observed a very tiny peanut shaped bacteria/archaea in vast numbers with this recipe. In the ACT they are very active and appear to feed on yeast. This has led me to hypothesize that they ‘might’ be devouring powdery mildew but at this point that is pure conjecture.
Replacement for Molasses:
I’m continually getting this question. What can I use as a replacement for molasses?
Many people assume that molasses is just sugar and propose using various forms of sugar in its stead. This may actually work to some extent, however black strap molasses is a complex carbohydrate bearing lots of minerals and nutrients plus it is a powerful antioxidant. [some nutrient companies will happily sell you a bottle of carbo this or carbo that when it is actually just molasses, in some cases watered down]
I’m not saying there are not other foodstocks which can be used to feed bacteria/archaea and fungi. Heck, you can grow out some bacteria with potato water or rice water.
What I am saying is that black strap molasses works for the simple process of multiplying bacteria/archaea & fungi so why fret about using something else? If you are somewhere that you cannot get any, then by all means try something different or if you have a scope, go ahead and experiment.
I guess if I was stuck without molasses, I’d try wheat bran.
Mesh Bag or Free Suspension:
This is another decision when making ACT or designing an ACT maker. Do I throw the [vermi]compost into the water and let it float around or do I put it in a mesh extractor bag of some kind?
There are pros for both. Generally one gets a higher density of microorganisms if you just dump all your ingredients into the aerated, agitated water. I have observed over and over microscopically that this is the case. If you are using this method with an ACT design which circulates the water through a pipe like an airlift be aware that big chunks will plug up the pipe. Use fine [vermi]compost for this.
ACT made this way is most appropriate for applying to your soil but what if one wishes to spray it onto leaves? Perhaps you are trying to combat powdery mildew. Perhaps you want to run your ACT through an irrigation system.
This is when you are perhaps going to consider using a mesh bag. I researched many different mesh openings and materials before concluding that a 400 micron monofilament nylon mesh is the best for an extractor bag. This is also the size recommended by SFI. This is what we provide with our 50 gallon airlift brewer (as an optional configuration).
If you cannot find the perfect 400 micron mesh bag, don’t sweat it. Just get a paint strainer from the hardware store and tie it off with the ingredients and airline in it. Please do not use nylon socks/stockings. These usually have too small a mesh size to extract fungal hyphae (unless they are recycled from your 400 pound grandmother). Many people argue for using these by saying ‘hey man how big do ya think bacteria are?’ My reply to that is ‘hey man, bacteria is only one component of ACT’ What about the protozoa besides the fungi already mentioned?
If one does use a mesh extractor it is essential to either use a smaller (e.g. 5 gal) ACT maker which has enough agitation to make that bag dance or to use an air (diffuser) input into the bag.
If you have a cone bottom airlift bioreactor and you wish to use a mesh extractor, I recommend using a separate air pump to supply the bag.
I prefer to use a diffuser in the bag but many just use an open airline. I’m a believer in using what you have (except for chemicals). If you use a mesh bag you do not need to worry about a few large chunks. Many people make good quality ACT this way.
Filtering;
There is another option. Say you have an airlift vortex ACT bioreactor but to run it with a mesh bag would be kinda silly. You want to run it through a sprayer or irrigation set up. If your unit has a drain valve/spout, then just put a pail under it with a piece of mesh tied across the top. For this we use nylon window screen (800 to 1000 microns mesh size). Because some residue will block the passage we do not want to use 400 microns for this. Open the valve and as organic matter builds up on the screen scoop it off into another bucket. This prevents a build up which will block microbes but also allows you to save the ones that do get blocked, along with the organic matter for topdressing your soil or throwing into the compost pile. You can obviously see why a filter internal to a pipe or hose just won’t work.
Okay, I know that sounds like work. There is another way…the way we do it. Just empty out your ACT maker into the pail, use a mesh bag (800 to 1000 microns) with a sump pump dropped into it, hook the sump pump to a hose. There is your sprayer or waterer or irrigation hookup. When we don’t care about getting residue on leaf surfaces, like our corn or the lawn, we use a trash sump pump with no bag and a thumb over the end of the hose.
Frequency of Use;
You can use ACT as much as you wish. We often used it almost every watering. Just don’t waterlog your soil.
A friend of mine who used actual living microbial soil (ALMS) as opposed to truly living soil (TLO)…hehe, um used ACT for 7 years to beat back an erwinia infection caused by using chemicals in his one acre garden. The infection was gone in the first year but he liked the increased quality so much that he built a 5000 gallon ACT maker (venturi) and used it through his irrigation system. In the 8th and 9th years he only used it once as the microbial population was so well established and his soil had matured to the point where it was no longer necessary
Dilution;
This is another question I get all the time. How much should I dilute my ACT?
Now this is a difficult question to answer. I believe that SFI has stated that 20 gallons can be diluted to do one acre. In my opinion, this is stretching it but is within the realm of possibilities.
When diluting ACT it is not the same as diluting fish hydrolysate or molasses or (saints forbid) a liquid fertilizer. The water is not ‘weakening’ a solution so much as acting as a carrier for the microbes which you have multiplied. Logically though, if you do not have a ‘tea’ very dense with microorganisms, adding it to water will make it even less dense. So your 5 gallon ACT diluted down enough to cover the quarter acre is still going to get the microbes out there but in much lower numbers.
When we use ACT on our farm our usual practice is to apply it non-diluted, followed by irrigation water if necessary. When we were on the larger farm, we used a 1200 gallon multi-airlift brewer and pumped it straight into the irrigation system, then followed by water. We found that this was enough to do our greenhouse (20 x 64) and a quarter (approx. 750 sq. ft) of our outside beds. A total of just over 2,000 sq. ft. One acre is over 40,000 square feet.
For curiosity (on our little farm where we are now) we diluted 12 gallons of ‘tea’ into 40 gallons of water prior to use, this past season. I looked at it under the microscope before and after and although the microbes survived, they were indeed much more widely dispersed.
I guess the moral of the story is that you can dilute your ACT if you so wish but I think it is better applied non-diluted, followed by water ‘only if necessary’.
Adding Ingredients to a Finished Brew;
As I’ve mentioned we used to make 1200 gallon batches of ACT which we applied on our farm garden beds through an irrigation system. We used the same tank if we wanted to apply some other diluted soil amendment or fertilizer, like fish hydrolysate, molasses (occasionally) or humic acid.
I had read that many growers and landscapers were adding some of these amendments into their ACT just before applying and I believe this process was endorsed by SFI. Anyway we decided to try saving some time and money and dumped 5 gallons of fish hydrolysate into a 1200 gallon batch to pump out. I had, as usual examined the finished brew microscopically and out of curiosity took another sample after mixing in the fish hydrolysate. To my astonishment and dismay I had wiped out or put to sleep almost half of the microorganisms. This was the last time we did this.
We always apply amendments separately from ACT and this is what I recommend unless using the most minuscule amounts. I surmise that adding anything to a finished brew can have similar negative results. The amount of FH we used was 0.4%. If you have a microscope, go ahead and experiment.
Review of Some Common Myths;[/ [In no particular order]
1/ Small bubbles destroy fungal hyphae or other microbes.
This is utter nonsense. The bubbles/air would need to be super compressed to harm any microorganisms.
2/ Molasses should not be used or only feeds bacteria.
Black strap molasses (BSM) is a complex sugar/carbohydrate and feeds bacteria/archaea and fungi equally well.
3/ Fungal hyphae is difficult to grow in ACT.
If you have fungi in your [vermi]compost and have a decent brewer design and use 0.50% BSM it will grow out in the first 15 to 20 hours along with bacteria.
4/ You can have too much air/agitation in a compost tea maker.
This would only be true to the extreme...if your water was jumping out everywhere. If a salesperson is telling you microbes need gentle bubbling, they do not know what they are talking about.
5/ One can make good ACT with an aquarium pump in 5 gallons of water.
We did almost a year straight of research (at a cost of thousands of dollars) building almost every conceivable compost tea brewer design and size, ranging from 1 to 1200 gallons. These included every type itemized on my webpage in the design section and more. We measured the dissolved oxygen (DO2) religiously at all hours of day and night, eliminating configurations which failed to maintain the DO2 at or above 6 PPM. This is close to the minimum level required to support aerobic organisms.
The outcome of this research was, the estimation, that the minimum flow required from an air pump to make compost tea while maintaining the DO2 at 6 PPM, is 0.05 CFM per gallon while the optimum flow is 0.08 CFM per gallon or greater. (the only exception was when utilizing airlifts)
This means that most aquarium pumps will not work with a 5 gallon ACT maker, no matter what a couple of guys from Texas say. Two gallons, perhaps.
6/ Nematodes are a common microbe in ACT.
I’ve received many emails from folks distraught over the fact that they found no nematodes in their ACT or that they had very few. This is normal. Unless you happen to have a species of nematode which is an aquatic dweller, (rare in compost wouldn’t you think) you are very unlikely to have many surviving in ACT over 4 or 5 hours old. Why? Because they drown. A few will survive, which accounts for some making it to the end. Even companies which sell nematodes instruct customers to not leave them in the distribution water more than two hours.
I’m pretty sure that this myth originated with SFI but even they (Dr. Ingham) have now changed their tune and say ACT is not a good environment for nematodes.
7/ You can tell that your ACT is finished or ready to use when it forms a head of foam.
More bunk! But this does have a bit of foundational truth. Foam can be formed by proteins in the water created by microbial activity, however this is not a reliable indicator. Foam can also be created by saponins (aloe vera, alfalfa, yucca) or just by adding molasses or by worms which might have made it in there. I have examined very foamy ACT microscopically which was practically devoid of microbes and ACT with no foam at all which has been swarming with microbial activity.
The best bet to tell when ACT is finished is to use it between 24 and 40 hours, smell it to make sure it has not gone anaerobic (you’ll know) and that most of the foods you added have been consumed. It should smell earthy or somewhat like mushrooms.
I’m not sure how this myth got started but it sure took off.
[Also published at Microbe Organics] (very similar version on another forum)
I have been making MicrobeMan's compost tea recipe in my airlift style 20litre brewer.
Why use compost tea?
The main reasons for using compost tea are;
1/ to provide a quick nutrient kick to the rhizosphere. This works mainly because as the flagellates (protozoa) consume the *bacteria/archaea they utilize only 10 to 40% of the energy intake for their sustenance and the remaining 60 to 90% is expelled as ionic form nutrient which is directly bio-available to the roots of the plants. This is known as ‘the microbial nutrient loop (cycle)’.
2/ to begin or continue an inoculation of the soil with a microbial population. Many of these microorganisms will go dormant until called upon later to fulfill their purpose but many of them will grow and flourish, finding their station in the hierarchical positioning of microbes in a living soil. Some, like the fungi will grow out through the soil binding aggregates together, assisting with air and moisture retention, providing pathways for bacteria/archaea, providing a food source for various microorganisms and degrading organic matter to a point where it is available for other organisms.
Within a very diverse ACT there will be free living nitrogen fixers, anti-pathogens and yes a few of the anaerobic and facultative anaerobes which serve their positive role in a living soil.
3/ to potentially provide the microorganisms which may assist in protecting plants from pathogens.
4/ because it allows the use of less [vermi]compost over a given area. There is nothing wrong with using only [vermi]compost instead of ACT if you have that much. ACT just allows you to use less [vermi]compost and it accelerates the microbial process.
*Note; I use the term bacteria/archaea because without complex testing it is not possible to visually tell the two apart. Recent research has revealed that archaea are commonly found in soil worldwide and have just as an important function in the microbial nutrient cycle as bacteria.
Recipes;
Through a plethora of trial and error brewing with a dissolved oxygen meter at hand we determined that a pretty reliable volume of [vermi]compost to use is 2.38% by volume of water used up to around a 250 gallon brewer.
So if you have 5 gallons you multiply that by 2.38% to get the amount of [vermi]compost to use. Then you can go to; http://www.onlineconversion.com/volume.htm and convert it into any unit of measure which is convenient. In my opinion measuring [vermi]compost by weight is inaccurate because of varying moisture content.
Anyway to proceed we have;
5 x 2.38% = 0.119 of a gallon = 0.476 of a quart = 0.450 of a liter
= 450.5 milliliters [450 rounded] = 1.904 cups [2 cups rounded] - Your choice
Likewise with the use of black strap molasses, a percentage of 0.50% is a good median amount to use.
These two ingredients, perhaps surprisingly, comprise the total of inputs in most of our brews these days. This simple recipe, if using an efficient ACT maker and good quality [vermi]compost results in a microbial population made up of the important three groups. This is the only recipe used to date, in all the videos on my Youtube channel ‘Microbe Organics’
To get these three groups the ACT maker should be run for 36 to 42 hours. The ideal temperature range is 65 to 72 Fahrenheit (18 to 22 Celsius), however a little cooler or warmer is okay. I’ve had pretty equivalent results with ambient temperatures around 100 F (38 C) and as cool as 50 F (10 C).
To spill a small secret, I’ve been pre-feeding or pre-activating [vermi]compost which is not so fresh by mixing in a small amount of wheat bran (livestock store or bulk foods department grocery store) and moistening with very diluted black strap molasses, loosely covered with cloth or paper towel 24 hours ahead of brew. (approximate ratios, wheat bran 1:30 [vermi]compost & BSM 1:300 water).
This has, so far resulted in (most of the time) attaining the desired microbial population at 24 hours brew time rather than the usual 36 to 42 hours.
Now for some of my other recipes;
A recipe for a balanced nutrient cycling ACT which many growers claim to have great success with is;
[vermi]compost – 2.38%
unsulphured pure black strap molasses - 0.50% [but you can use a maximum 0.75%]
fish hydrolysate (high quality) - 0.063% ( I use the certified organic Charlie Carp - SS_OG)
Do not use chemically deodorized liquid fish!
kelp meal - 0.25% max. [Less is more!]
NOTE: This is a maximum amount of kelp and you can experiment using less. This is using regular grade kelp meal for livestock. If you have soluble kelp, I recommend using smaller amounts. As noted earlier kelp meal can initially delay bacterial multiplication and fungal growth in ACT.
soft rock phosphate granules/powder - 0.063% Consider this optional. In the past 2 years I’ve become more aware of the possibility of polonium 210 and lead content in soft rock phosphate which is radioactive. This varies depending on how it was mined and where. If you wish to use this in ACT check all available data. Look for heavy metal testing
We grind up the granules into a powder with a coffee grinder
The brew time should average around 36 hours and no longer than 48 hours. If you have a microscope then stop when the microbes desired are observed. Otherwise smell for the foodstocks being used up, possible rank odor (indicating anaerobes) and a positive earthy or mushroom-like aroma.
Fungal Brew;
If you want a brew which is more fungal increase the amount of fish hydrolysate to around 0.19% and you may wish to decrease the amount of molasses used so there is not a foodstock overload. Include a pinch of alfalfa meal, not using more than 0.25%. It is important to not overload a brew with foodstocks, otherwise you can easily compromise the dissolved oxygen capacity of the unit. Most importantly discontinue brewing around 18 to 20 hours. Of course if you have a microscope you can judge that for yourself.
Also, if you do not have fungi in your [vermi]compost, you won’t have it magically appear in your ACT.
A Few Extras;
I sometimes include a pinch or handful [depending on brewer size] of sphagnum peatmoss in a brew. Depending on where the peatmoss was harvested, it will contribute a set of microbes somewhat similar to that derived from the ‘Alaska’ humus or humisoil products on the market. It is a least a better bang for your buck and at best a trifle better quality-wise.
I’ve had inconsistent success battling powdery mildew by including soft rock phosphate and pyrophyllite clay powder, both at 0.063% in a 24 hour brew with horse manure fed vermicompost, BSM and fish hydrolysate. I have observed a very tiny peanut shaped bacteria/archaea in vast numbers with this recipe. In the ACT they are very active and appear to feed on yeast. This has led me to hypothesize that they ‘might’ be devouring powdery mildew but at this point that is pure conjecture.
Replacement for Molasses:
I’m continually getting this question. What can I use as a replacement for molasses?
Many people assume that molasses is just sugar and propose using various forms of sugar in its stead. This may actually work to some extent, however black strap molasses is a complex carbohydrate bearing lots of minerals and nutrients plus it is a powerful antioxidant. [some nutrient companies will happily sell you a bottle of carbo this or carbo that when it is actually just molasses, in some cases watered down]
I’m not saying there are not other foodstocks which can be used to feed bacteria/archaea and fungi. Heck, you can grow out some bacteria with potato water or rice water.
What I am saying is that black strap molasses works for the simple process of multiplying bacteria/archaea & fungi so why fret about using something else? If you are somewhere that you cannot get any, then by all means try something different or if you have a scope, go ahead and experiment.
I guess if I was stuck without molasses, I’d try wheat bran.
Mesh Bag or Free Suspension:
This is another decision when making ACT or designing an ACT maker. Do I throw the [vermi]compost into the water and let it float around or do I put it in a mesh extractor bag of some kind?
There are pros for both. Generally one gets a higher density of microorganisms if you just dump all your ingredients into the aerated, agitated water. I have observed over and over microscopically that this is the case. If you are using this method with an ACT design which circulates the water through a pipe like an airlift be aware that big chunks will plug up the pipe. Use fine [vermi]compost for this.
ACT made this way is most appropriate for applying to your soil but what if one wishes to spray it onto leaves? Perhaps you are trying to combat powdery mildew. Perhaps you want to run your ACT through an irrigation system.
This is when you are perhaps going to consider using a mesh bag. I researched many different mesh openings and materials before concluding that a 400 micron monofilament nylon mesh is the best for an extractor bag. This is also the size recommended by SFI. This is what we provide with our 50 gallon airlift brewer (as an optional configuration).
If you cannot find the perfect 400 micron mesh bag, don’t sweat it. Just get a paint strainer from the hardware store and tie it off with the ingredients and airline in it. Please do not use nylon socks/stockings. These usually have too small a mesh size to extract fungal hyphae (unless they are recycled from your 400 pound grandmother). Many people argue for using these by saying ‘hey man how big do ya think bacteria are?’ My reply to that is ‘hey man, bacteria is only one component of ACT’ What about the protozoa besides the fungi already mentioned?
If one does use a mesh extractor it is essential to either use a smaller (e.g. 5 gal) ACT maker which has enough agitation to make that bag dance or to use an air (diffuser) input into the bag.
If you have a cone bottom airlift bioreactor and you wish to use a mesh extractor, I recommend using a separate air pump to supply the bag.
I prefer to use a diffuser in the bag but many just use an open airline. I’m a believer in using what you have (except for chemicals). If you use a mesh bag you do not need to worry about a few large chunks. Many people make good quality ACT this way.
Filtering;
There is another option. Say you have an airlift vortex ACT bioreactor but to run it with a mesh bag would be kinda silly. You want to run it through a sprayer or irrigation set up. If your unit has a drain valve/spout, then just put a pail under it with a piece of mesh tied across the top. For this we use nylon window screen (800 to 1000 microns mesh size). Because some residue will block the passage we do not want to use 400 microns for this. Open the valve and as organic matter builds up on the screen scoop it off into another bucket. This prevents a build up which will block microbes but also allows you to save the ones that do get blocked, along with the organic matter for topdressing your soil or throwing into the compost pile. You can obviously see why a filter internal to a pipe or hose just won’t work.
Okay, I know that sounds like work. There is another way…the way we do it. Just empty out your ACT maker into the pail, use a mesh bag (800 to 1000 microns) with a sump pump dropped into it, hook the sump pump to a hose. There is your sprayer or waterer or irrigation hookup. When we don’t care about getting residue on leaf surfaces, like our corn or the lawn, we use a trash sump pump with no bag and a thumb over the end of the hose.
Frequency of Use;
You can use ACT as much as you wish. We often used it almost every watering. Just don’t waterlog your soil.
A friend of mine who used actual living microbial soil (ALMS) as opposed to truly living soil (TLO)…hehe, um used ACT for 7 years to beat back an erwinia infection caused by using chemicals in his one acre garden. The infection was gone in the first year but he liked the increased quality so much that he built a 5000 gallon ACT maker (venturi) and used it through his irrigation system. In the 8th and 9th years he only used it once as the microbial population was so well established and his soil had matured to the point where it was no longer necessary
Dilution;
This is another question I get all the time. How much should I dilute my ACT?
Now this is a difficult question to answer. I believe that SFI has stated that 20 gallons can be diluted to do one acre. In my opinion, this is stretching it but is within the realm of possibilities.
When diluting ACT it is not the same as diluting fish hydrolysate or molasses or (saints forbid) a liquid fertilizer. The water is not ‘weakening’ a solution so much as acting as a carrier for the microbes which you have multiplied. Logically though, if you do not have a ‘tea’ very dense with microorganisms, adding it to water will make it even less dense. So your 5 gallon ACT diluted down enough to cover the quarter acre is still going to get the microbes out there but in much lower numbers.
When we use ACT on our farm our usual practice is to apply it non-diluted, followed by irrigation water if necessary. When we were on the larger farm, we used a 1200 gallon multi-airlift brewer and pumped it straight into the irrigation system, then followed by water. We found that this was enough to do our greenhouse (20 x 64) and a quarter (approx. 750 sq. ft) of our outside beds. A total of just over 2,000 sq. ft. One acre is over 40,000 square feet.
For curiosity (on our little farm where we are now) we diluted 12 gallons of ‘tea’ into 40 gallons of water prior to use, this past season. I looked at it under the microscope before and after and although the microbes survived, they were indeed much more widely dispersed.
I guess the moral of the story is that you can dilute your ACT if you so wish but I think it is better applied non-diluted, followed by water ‘only if necessary’.
Adding Ingredients to a Finished Brew;
As I’ve mentioned we used to make 1200 gallon batches of ACT which we applied on our farm garden beds through an irrigation system. We used the same tank if we wanted to apply some other diluted soil amendment or fertilizer, like fish hydrolysate, molasses (occasionally) or humic acid.
I had read that many growers and landscapers were adding some of these amendments into their ACT just before applying and I believe this process was endorsed by SFI. Anyway we decided to try saving some time and money and dumped 5 gallons of fish hydrolysate into a 1200 gallon batch to pump out. I had, as usual examined the finished brew microscopically and out of curiosity took another sample after mixing in the fish hydrolysate. To my astonishment and dismay I had wiped out or put to sleep almost half of the microorganisms. This was the last time we did this.
We always apply amendments separately from ACT and this is what I recommend unless using the most minuscule amounts. I surmise that adding anything to a finished brew can have similar negative results. The amount of FH we used was 0.4%. If you have a microscope, go ahead and experiment.
Review of Some Common Myths;[/ [In no particular order]
1/ Small bubbles destroy fungal hyphae or other microbes.
This is utter nonsense. The bubbles/air would need to be super compressed to harm any microorganisms.
2/ Molasses should not be used or only feeds bacteria.
Black strap molasses (BSM) is a complex sugar/carbohydrate and feeds bacteria/archaea and fungi equally well.
3/ Fungal hyphae is difficult to grow in ACT.
If you have fungi in your [vermi]compost and have a decent brewer design and use 0.50% BSM it will grow out in the first 15 to 20 hours along with bacteria.
4/ You can have too much air/agitation in a compost tea maker.
This would only be true to the extreme...if your water was jumping out everywhere. If a salesperson is telling you microbes need gentle bubbling, they do not know what they are talking about.
5/ One can make good ACT with an aquarium pump in 5 gallons of water.
We did almost a year straight of research (at a cost of thousands of dollars) building almost every conceivable compost tea brewer design and size, ranging from 1 to 1200 gallons. These included every type itemized on my webpage in the design section and more. We measured the dissolved oxygen (DO2) religiously at all hours of day and night, eliminating configurations which failed to maintain the DO2 at or above 6 PPM. This is close to the minimum level required to support aerobic organisms.
The outcome of this research was, the estimation, that the minimum flow required from an air pump to make compost tea while maintaining the DO2 at 6 PPM, is 0.05 CFM per gallon while the optimum flow is 0.08 CFM per gallon or greater. (the only exception was when utilizing airlifts)
This means that most aquarium pumps will not work with a 5 gallon ACT maker, no matter what a couple of guys from Texas say. Two gallons, perhaps.
6/ Nematodes are a common microbe in ACT.
I’ve received many emails from folks distraught over the fact that they found no nematodes in their ACT or that they had very few. This is normal. Unless you happen to have a species of nematode which is an aquatic dweller, (rare in compost wouldn’t you think) you are very unlikely to have many surviving in ACT over 4 or 5 hours old. Why? Because they drown. A few will survive, which accounts for some making it to the end. Even companies which sell nematodes instruct customers to not leave them in the distribution water more than two hours.
I’m pretty sure that this myth originated with SFI but even they (Dr. Ingham) have now changed their tune and say ACT is not a good environment for nematodes.
7/ You can tell that your ACT is finished or ready to use when it forms a head of foam.
More bunk! But this does have a bit of foundational truth. Foam can be formed by proteins in the water created by microbial activity, however this is not a reliable indicator. Foam can also be created by saponins (aloe vera, alfalfa, yucca) or just by adding molasses or by worms which might have made it in there. I have examined very foamy ACT microscopically which was practically devoid of microbes and ACT with no foam at all which has been swarming with microbial activity.
The best bet to tell when ACT is finished is to use it between 24 and 40 hours, smell it to make sure it has not gone anaerobic (you’ll know) and that most of the foods you added have been consumed. It should smell earthy or somewhat like mushrooms.
I’m not sure how this myth got started but it sure took off.
[Also published at Microbe Organics] (very similar version on another forum)
Starting in spring im going to make the above AACT brew every 2 weeks and spray all over my garden. This way i can stimulate a very large area and make my 20litres or so go a very long way.
If you are using a quality compost and/or well aged manure your mg needs will be very well covered.
Remember with organics its all about microbes not NPK type thinking. For instance vermicompost is generally regarded as being very low in NPK but there nothing better to topdress with. The microbial actions and fungi work to make elements available for the plant.
EDIT: It should be paramount for every organic gardener to find or make the best quality humus. This is the key and let nature do the rest...
If you are using a quality compost and/or well aged manure your mg needs will be very well covered.
Remember with organics its all about microbes not NPK type thinking. For instance vermicompost is generally regarded as being very low in NPK but there nothing better to topdress with. The microbial actions and fungi work to make elements available for the plant.
EDIT: It should be paramount for every organic gardener to find or make the best quality humus. This is the key and let nature do the rest...
S
Sat X RB
"... NOT NPK type thinking".
OK. well, I 'm stumped then, Silver.
BUT this years garden has LOTS of aged manure ... and of course my turkey's nest is compost. I added blood and bone at the recommended rate and it will be hot ... yes? however there's lots of time for all to cool down and grow together before planting.
thanks for all the info. now to work on thinking differently. this is HARD!
cheers!
OK. well, I 'm stumped then, Silver.
BUT this years garden has LOTS of aged manure ... and of course my turkey's nest is compost. I added blood and bone at the recommended rate and it will be hot ... yes? however there's lots of time for all to cool down and grow together before planting.
thanks for all the info. now to work on thinking differently. this is HARD!
cheers!
Yes it is a totally different paradigm. One of working with nature and allowing the natural processes to fully come into play. AGain its all about feeding the soil not the plant.
Lots of well aged manure and stuff IS great and marihuana IS a hungry beast.
Well aged manure will/should be full of worms and be turning that into awesome castings. Which will show up on NPK style tests as very low in nutrients. BUT, the microbial actions will be breaking that down into food for the plants over a long period of time.
Also when a soil test is conducted its only measuring the soluble nutrients. It cannot measure the non-soluble (rock dust for example) nutrients without very finely crushing all soil constituents and more precise testing (not currently available commercially). To solve this problem our (imaginary) farmer looks at their soil test and says aha the test says im low in x, y and z.
NPK solution: Add the missing nutrients x, y and z with fast acting soluble nutrients or perhaps slow release granules. This does feed the plants what they need for a short period but the chemicals will also be killing off the fungi and microbes in the soil. This creates a vicious circle as the soil further depletes and the runoff ends up in the water table... combine that with constant tilling of soil and spraying with herbicide and pesticide and you have big problems in the medium/long term.
Organic solution: Add more microbial stimulants to unlock the non-soluble nutrients plus quality humus and natural products...
Clear as mud?
Edit: What im trying to say is good organic practice is holistic. As in lets look at the whole system and keep it super healthy BEFORE we have any problems or deficiencies.
Lots of well aged manure and stuff IS great and marihuana IS a hungry beast.
Well aged manure will/should be full of worms and be turning that into awesome castings. Which will show up on NPK style tests as very low in nutrients. BUT, the microbial actions will be breaking that down into food for the plants over a long period of time.
Also when a soil test is conducted its only measuring the soluble nutrients. It cannot measure the non-soluble (rock dust for example) nutrients without very finely crushing all soil constituents and more precise testing (not currently available commercially). To solve this problem our (imaginary) farmer looks at their soil test and says aha the test says im low in x, y and z.
NPK solution: Add the missing nutrients x, y and z with fast acting soluble nutrients or perhaps slow release granules. This does feed the plants what they need for a short period but the chemicals will also be killing off the fungi and microbes in the soil. This creates a vicious circle as the soil further depletes and the runoff ends up in the water table... combine that with constant tilling of soil and spraying with herbicide and pesticide and you have big problems in the medium/long term.
Organic solution: Add more microbial stimulants to unlock the non-soluble nutrients plus quality humus and natural products...
Clear as mud?
Edit: What im trying to say is good organic practice is holistic. As in lets look at the whole system and keep it super healthy BEFORE we have any problems or deficiencies.
There is also the action of hormones on plants when we add kelp, lucerne, green coconut milk, aloe vera etc. These promote growth spurts and disease resistance, root density and other things.
Enzymes play a significant role in promoting soil health and unlocking various major nutrients. The barley sprout 'tea' i mentioned a page or so back has enzyme activity off the scale.
There is also the action of roots excuding acid and other amazing things we still dont really understand at all.
http://www.plantstress.com/articles/min_deficiency_i/root_exudates.pdf
Abstract
Plant developmental processes are controlled by internal signals that depend on the adequate supply of mineral
nutrients by soil to roots. Thus, the availability of nutrient elements can be a major constraint to plant growth
in many environments of the world, especially the tropics where soils are extremely low in nutrients. Plants take
up most mineral nutrients through the rhizosphere where micro-organisms interact with plant products in root
exudates. Plant root exudates consist of a complex mixture of organic acid anions, phytosiderophores, sugars,
vitamins, amino acids, purines, nucleosides, inorganic ions, enzymes and root border cells which have major direct or indirect effects on the acquisition of mineral
nutrients required for plant growth. Phenolics and aldonic acids exuded directly by roots of N fixing legumes
serve as major signals to Rhizobiaceae bacteria which form root nodules where N is reduced to ammonia. Some
of the same compounds affect development of mycorrhizal fungi that are crucial for phosphate uptake. Plants
growing in low-nutrient environments also employ root exudates in ways other than as symbiotic signals to soil
microbes involved in nutrient procurement. Extracellular enzymes release P from organic compounds, and several
types of molecules increase iron availability through chelation. Organic acids from root exudates can solubilize
unavailable soil Ca, Fe and Al phosphates. Plants growing on nitrate generally maintain electronic neutrality by
releasing an excess of anions, including hydroxyl ions. Legumes, which can grow well without nitrate through the
benefits of N reduction in the root nodules, must release a net excess of protons. These protons can markedly lower
rhizosphere pH and decrease the availability of some mineral nutrients as well as the effective functioning of some
soil bacteria, such as the rhizobial bacteria themselves. Thus, environments which are naturally very acidic can pose
a challenge to nutrient acquisition by plant roots, and threaten the survival of many beneficial microbes including
the roots themselves. A few plants such as Rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis L.) actively modify their rhizosphere
pH by extruding OH−and HCO3− to facilitate growth in low pH soils (pH 3 – 5). Our current understanding of how plants use root exudates to modify rhizosphere pH and the potential benefits associated with such processes are assessed in this review
Enzymes play a significant role in promoting soil health and unlocking various major nutrients. The barley sprout 'tea' i mentioned a page or so back has enzyme activity off the scale.
There is also the action of roots excuding acid and other amazing things we still dont really understand at all.
http://www.plantstress.com/articles/min_deficiency_i/root_exudates.pdf
Abstract
Plant developmental processes are controlled by internal signals that depend on the adequate supply of mineral
nutrients by soil to roots. Thus, the availability of nutrient elements can be a major constraint to plant growth
in many environments of the world, especially the tropics where soils are extremely low in nutrients. Plants take
up most mineral nutrients through the rhizosphere where micro-organisms interact with plant products in root
exudates. Plant root exudates consist of a complex mixture of organic acid anions, phytosiderophores, sugars,
vitamins, amino acids, purines, nucleosides, inorganic ions, enzymes and root border cells which have major direct or indirect effects on the acquisition of mineral
nutrients required for plant growth. Phenolics and aldonic acids exuded directly by roots of N fixing legumes
serve as major signals to Rhizobiaceae bacteria which form root nodules where N is reduced to ammonia. Some
of the same compounds affect development of mycorrhizal fungi that are crucial for phosphate uptake. Plants
growing in low-nutrient environments also employ root exudates in ways other than as symbiotic signals to soil
microbes involved in nutrient procurement. Extracellular enzymes release P from organic compounds, and several
types of molecules increase iron availability through chelation. Organic acids from root exudates can solubilize
unavailable soil Ca, Fe and Al phosphates. Plants growing on nitrate generally maintain electronic neutrality by
releasing an excess of anions, including hydroxyl ions. Legumes, which can grow well without nitrate through the
benefits of N reduction in the root nodules, must release a net excess of protons. These protons can markedly lower
rhizosphere pH and decrease the availability of some mineral nutrients as well as the effective functioning of some
soil bacteria, such as the rhizobial bacteria themselves. Thus, environments which are naturally very acidic can pose
a challenge to nutrient acquisition by plant roots, and threaten the survival of many beneficial microbes including
the roots themselves. A few plants such as Rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis L.) actively modify their rhizosphere
pH by extruding OH−and HCO3− to facilitate growth in low pH soils (pH 3 – 5). Our current understanding of how plants use root exudates to modify rhizosphere pH and the potential benefits associated with such processes are assessed in this review
S
Sat X RB
Well, yes ... I get feeding the soil not the plant ... and the Holistic part ... it's HOW to be Holistic that stumps me.
BUT! I had an intuition about my garden soil today ... a new thought ... about the function of mulch and mulch's interaction with the soil beneath ... and the importance of that interaction for bacterial life. I mean I have the idea that mulch does more than conserve water and slowly provide nutrients as it decomposes. but I can't explain what I mean except this way ... :
that when a layer of mulch is added to soil and the two begin to combine there is a Gestalt! I mean the effect is greater than the sum of its parts ...
could I be getting the hang of it? thanks for the good explanations, Silver!
dozy stoned ... nighty night ...
BUT! I had an intuition about my garden soil today ... a new thought ... about the function of mulch and mulch's interaction with the soil beneath ... and the importance of that interaction for bacterial life. I mean I have the idea that mulch does more than conserve water and slowly provide nutrients as it decomposes. but I can't explain what I mean except this way ... :
that when a layer of mulch is added to soil and the two begin to combine there is a Gestalt! I mean the effect is greater than the sum of its parts ...
could I be getting the hang of it? thanks for the good explanations, Silver!
dozy stoned ... nighty night ...
