Compost-Guano Tea Tastes Yummie!

[OpTikFiber]

Heck yeah, I'm glad everyone is still working on this thread! Thanks Blaze and CT Guy especially! And I'm thankful there are some true organic guys still kicking around here ;-)

 

[slunk]

I recently finished my first organic grow using my own soil mix and nothing but aerated tap water and a homemade AACT every couple of weeks. The results were amazing! Plus, it was mindless the whole way through...not a single ph adjustment or nute schedule to follow, and no flushing! Simplicity.

 

[clandestino]

hi i am not familiar with RO water?... also what temperature should i keep the tea while brewing?

 

[CT Guy]

68-70F is ideal for microbial growth. Just run your brewer in the same room as your plants, as then you'll be selecting for active microbes that are most successful at that temp.

 

[Cort]

What are the general thoughts of Vermi T.

Local shop brews and sells for 13 bucks a bag. Bag says its good for 25 gals after dilution but only viable for 1 week at best.

 

[CT Guy]

What are the general thoughts of Vermi T.

Local shop brews and sells for 13 bucks a bag. Bag says its good for 25 gals after dilution but only viable for 1 week at best.

Personally, I say save your money. Those guys spend more money on marketing than anything. No aerobic microbial product can survive in the fridge or any other environment after it's been brewed. We've done testing and you have about 4 hours from the time you stop brewing to get it on your plant if you're not adding additional oxygen to the tea.

It makes sense really, I mean you've just created all these aerobic organisms that require a bunch of oxygen and are respirating at a very high level. It's unsustainable for very long in the tea and once you've taken away the oxygen source (air pump), these organisms will begin to die.

They're suggesting you can bag it up and throw it in a fridge? No way....show me some data to support that and I'll eat my words, but I'm fairly confident that you'll have massive microbial loss (assuming you had any good microbial activity in the first place).

 

[Seamaiden]

hi i am not familiar with RO water?... also what temperature should i keep the tea while brewing?

RO = reverse osmosis. DI = deionization.

 

[DANKSY]

Great thread guys! what nutrients do you use if teas arent a complete source of nutes? i have read not to put fert in with your tea, but, i also have a recipe from REV in skunk mag that sez to do so. if you amend your soil and your plants start to lack something later in bud, will adding organic ferts,(straight from the bottle) kill off your bennies? if so, can i bubble something out of the bottle?
i dont know if that makes any sense but i have been reading some contradicting readings and tryin to get a grip on it. thanks fro all this great info!

 

[CT Guy]

Great thread guys! what nutrients do you use if teas arent a complete source of nutes? i have read not to put fert in with your tea, but, i also have a recipe from REV in skunk mag that sez to do so. if you amend your soil and your plants start to lack something later in bud, will adding organic ferts,(straight from the bottle) kill off your bennies? if so, can i bubble something out of the bottle?
i dont know if that makes any sense but i have been reading some contradicting readings and tryin to get a grip on it. thanks fro all this great info!

Many people do apply nutrient teas, similar to what you get from bottled nutes. Most include seaweed, humates, or fish products. There's nothing wrong with applying organic nutrient teas, as these will feed the beneficial microbes in your soil.

When you apply aerated compost teas, you're adding biology. When you apply nutrient teas, you're feeding that biology. There's a balance there.

 

[mrbong73]

Hey farmers. I wanted to share my ACT recipe and see what you think.
I brew in a 5 gal bucket with a 50 lpm pump and a PVC diffuser.
Here's the recipe.
1.5 cups agrowinn ewc activated with powdered oatmeal.
1/4 cup Canadian spagnum peat moss
1 tsp mineral powder
1 tbs azomite
1 tsp soft rock phosphate
2 tbs alfalfa meal
2 tbs kelp meal
1/4 tsp bioag cyto plus humic acid
3 tbs fish hydolysate
1.5 tbs molasses

Brewed for 24 hrs at 68 degrees.
Hoping for fungal hyphae but don't have a scope to know for sure.
Cheers.

 

[Seamaiden]

Hey farmers. I wanted to share my ACT recipe and see what you think.
I brew in a 5 gal bucket with a 50 lpm pump and a PVC diffuser.
Here's the recipe.
1.5 cups agrowinn ewc activated with powdered oatmeal.
1/4 cup Canadian spagnum peat moss
1 tsp mineral powder
1 tbs azomite
1 tsp soft rock phosphate
2 tbs alfalfa meal
2 tbs kelp meal
1/4 tsp bioag cyto plus humic acid
3 tbs fish hydolysate
1.5 tbs molasses

Brewed for 24 hrs at 68 degrees.
Hoping for fungal hyphae but don't have a scope to know for sure.
Cheers.

I could be wrong, but I see no need for the mineral powder, azomite or soft rock phosphate because I don't believe they'll really break down into any usable form by being brewed in a tea. Also, why the peat? Not aware of any benefits to peat, but if there are (other than filtration of hard, alkaline water to reduce alkalinity and pH, but that probably should be done beforehand) then I'd love to learn.

What I bolded are what I would (and do!) use, except for the BioAg Cytoplus. Also, I use alfalfa sweepings I got from the local feed store for free instead of the meal.

 

[mrbong73]

I could be wrong, but I see no need for the mineral powder, azomite or soft rock phosphate because I don't believe they'll really break down into any usable form by being brewed in a tea. Also, why the peat? Not aware of any benefits to peat, but if there are (other than filtration of hard, alkaline water to reduce alkalinity and pH, but that probably should be done beforehand) then I'd love to learn.

What I bolded are what I would (and do!) use, except for the BioAg Cytoplus. Also, I use alfalfa sweepings I got from the local feed store for free instead of the meal.

Good morning,
It is my understanding that adding mineral sources can promote fungal hyphae as well as give the fungal hypae something to attach to and hold on to during the turbulant process of brewing and applying the tea.

Here is a good website on aerated compost tea put together by Tim Wilson.
http://www.microbeorganics.com/

Regarding peat moss
Quotes from Tim Wilson:
"In the video clips we can see that both substances are emergent with a goodly amount of microbial life, as is to be expected with Sphagnum peat moss in my experience. There are people, purported to be experts in horticulture who report Sphagnum peat moss to be void of microbes. I believe the Dirt Doctor used the phrase ‘dead as cutters nuts’ whatever that means. I believe the evidence I have produced here speaks for itself and I believe growers could consider Canadian Sphagnum peat moss (Premier brand anyway) as a less expensive alternative to boost microbial life in certain circumstances, such as aerated Compost Tea. I have confirmation from an expert that the plant matter I have identified in Alaska Magic is in fact Sphagnum peat moss. My observations indicate that this is a what Alaska Magic primarily consists of."

"*Canadian sphagnum peat moss Premier Brand – throw in a handful or two to promote flagellates and amoebae and/or fungal hyphae. Batches are inconsistent, so unless you have a microscope you won’t be sure which set of microbes it will promote but I have never seen anything bad."

The humic acid is used primarily to promote fungal hypae as well as deliver micro nutrients.

Cheers

 

[Seamaiden]

Thanks! Just learned something new and a new way to use soft rock phosphate. :)

 

[CT Guy]

Peat does work for microbial activity, provided you have a good source. I'd get the minerals in the soil mix, rather than add them as a tea.

Are you trying to make a 'nutrient' tea or an 'aerated compost tea'? I think this is something that people get confused on. One has a goal of added nutrients, the other of added biology.

Lastly, I think the claims of humic acid as a good fungal food are highly overstated. Done some testing in conjunction with Tim and neither of us got good fungal growth from the humic acid (I tried a couple of the top US brands). I think it has other benefits though.....

 

[CT Guy]

I'd keep the EWC, fish hydrolysate, molasses, alfalfa, and maybe the kelp in my recipe and ditch the other stuff. Make sure to follow Tim's rates or stay below them in your recipe.

 

[mrbong73]

Peat does work for microbial activity, provided you have a good source. I'd get the minerals in the soil mix, rather than add them as a tea.

Are you trying to make a 'nutrient' tea or an 'aerated compost tea'? I think this is something that people get confused on. One has a goal of added nutrients, the other of added biology.

Lastly, I think the claims of humic acid as a good fungal food are highly overstated. Done some testing in conjunction with Tim and neither of us got good fungal growth from the humic acid (I tried a couple of the top US brands). I think it has other benefits though.....

This recipe is for making an aerated compost tea. I agree that people confuse the two.
So you don't agree with the statement regarding the minerals adding support for the fungal hypae? I guess there's different theories floating around.
Good to know about the humic acids in your testing. I will try just adding that as a separate watering for those other benefits.
Thanks for your input.

 

[mrbong73]

I'd keep the EWC, fish hydrolysate, molasses, alfalfa, and maybe the kelp in my recipe and ditch the other stuff. Make sure to follow Tim's rates or stay below them in your recipe.

Yeah I guess the less is more stance is a good one to take. I'm pretty sure I am at or below Tim's rates for material and foodstocks.
At 50 lpm in 4 gallons I should be able to maintain good DO rates also. (I hope)

 

[mrbong73]

Lastly, I think the claims of humic acid as a good fungal food are highly overstated. Done some testing in conjunction with Tim and neither of us got good fungal growth from the humic acid (I tried a couple of the top US brands). I think it has other benefits though.....

Just curious if you were planning on updating your website to reflect your findings.

"Humic acids are primarily found in manure, peat, lignite coal, and leonardite. Leonardite is a highly oxidized form of organic matter and the source for our humic acids. Humic acids work great as a food substrate and food for beneficial microorganisms in your compost tea. Humic acids have been shown to increase seed germination rates and percentages, assist in breaking up compacted soils and clay, assist in transferring micro-nutrients from the soil to the plant, and enhance water retention. If you are having disease problems or wish to increase the fungal component in your tea, we highly recommend adding humic acids. Only 1 Tablespoon of SP-85 or SP-90 is sufficient in our 5 gallon brewer. Please call for amounts in our larger brewers. Humic acids can also be applied in a separate application as a soil amendment."

 

[CT Guy]

Touche....that obviously needs fixing....I'd drop the rate down to 1/2 T. too if you do decide to add it to the tea. :)

 

[CT Guy]

Yeah I guess the less is more stance is a good one to take. I'm pretty sure I am at or below Tim's rates for material and foodstocks.
At 50 lpm in 4 gallons I should be able to maintain good DO rates also. (I hope)

I use a 51 l/min pump for a 5 gallon brewer. Just make sure it's getting good dispersion throughout the bucket. Oh, and that the compost is not just sitting in a clump or falling to the bottom of the container. If it's in a mesh bag, you may need to run a diffuser directly into the bag.