The correct way to make an actively aerated compost tea AACT

Great info guys. This is why I started this thread.

Stow, I just been document happy lately, I want to find a good combo w the nutes im using and aacts change day by day for me. I just used up a aact yesterday that was risong 75ppm a day without me adding in anything. The ph can be way off if you add molasses, that can drop ph realy quick.i just dont want to fuck my plants up again after my coco issue, I cant wait to have a program to be dialed in where I dont need to worry about things but im still tweaking so I take notes of what I did then results. Its starting to work too because my carmelos are super nute finicky and lately they been pretty happy, ill get some more pics of them later. Good thread red.

I think ppm can be very valuable.
My ppm was around 160 before making tea and was 650 after, I have data.

If it varies radically next time, then I know something is up.


Before I measured ppm I made a batch and totally forgot the molasses (D'OH). It would have been interesting to know the difference.

I got a check book calendar and have been keeping notes. I think I'll buy a sweet lab coat too. Lab coats make every look smarter.




maybe a nice microscope too.

Hell yeah trousers , nice lil pic.i may keep that costume in mind for my ol lady lol

Do those costumes come in XL?

I'm thinking of a separate MM, nute, and sst vs Rez tea comparison soon with clones. I really think loading the soil with your little armies first, then feeding them makes sense. A multipurpose tea will only slow down your goal to multiply microbes I've learned. Also, how often are AACTs needed with new or established soil?

So I've been coming across a ton of tea recipes that are "all in one" with great results. I'm really not trying to just bump or help...but also learn. So if you brew a straight AACT and drench it through heavily amended top dressing, how is that different than adding it into a brew? What if your brewing VC is already heavily amended? Stupid question maybe, but interested in opinions or facts/links.

Trousers said:

I think ppm can be very valuable.
My ppm was around 160 before making tea and was 650 after, I have data.

If it varies radically next time, then I know something is up.


Before I measured ppm I made a batch and totally forgot the molasses (D'OH). It would have been interesting to know the difference.

I got a check book calendar and have been keeping notes. I think I'll buy a sweet lab coat too. Lab coats make every look smarter.

maybe a nice microscope too.

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The ppm reading you are getting is from the dissolved solids in your water, and whatever is in your compost. I would guess that vermicompost (or less refined compost) would register as a higher ppm than ewc's ...... which wouldn't be indicative of a problem, it would just mean that the microbes haven't fully consumed whatever organic material is in your compost. Again, it doesn't hurt to measure this I just wouldn't put much stock in the numbers. The "nutrients" that are typically measured with a ppm wand in this case are stored within the microbes and wouldn't be expressed as ppm's by such a device.

I would definitely encourage researching for yourself with all this stuff. It's been my own MO & there have been times I've thought about following pH and EC as well as the microscope thing. But, to some degree, I've settled for standing on the shoulders of giants. If you made observations which really conflicted with MM's view, it would be interesting to see that quantified. I don't envision that happening based on my not-so-quantified observations. Which also serve to demonstrate {@ least to me} that they dont need to be quantified {for what I've seen so far}

I think the general idea w/ the living soil method much of us embrace {ROLS if that familiarizes it or LOS for some} is that we don;t need to complicate things. As good a result as ANY program can be had merely by trusting the basics of standard botany ~w/o relying on research tools to pull off what is essentially the routine growing of a fairly hardy weed. It's not that tinkering and measuring stuff might not be some one's preferable approach as much as you just don't actually "need" to quantify some of that stuff

I like to tinker around as well ~nothing saying I might not try my hand @ a hydro grow someday?

lol AirLift BioReactor. This Dude Is Dee Shiznittt!

Just Did My Measurements for a 1 gallon test grow! =)

GandalfdaGreen said:

Where you are is cool for early veg. I would aim to double or triple the ppms based upon the stage the plants are in. I run it staged based.

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I think you are refining stuff to a really fine art form brother. MAX respect.

I see some advisories about the amount of fish hydrolysate used in teas. Any thoughts on this compost http://www.olyfish.com/ ?

i bought a couple bags of that and i like it

Hey 2nd week using this simple MM act. Usually i use it once a week, my only small problem is i use more vermi casting then usual as well as more molasses thrn usual. Geuss i just got to up my worm farm and buy a huge (goddam)bottle of mollasses.
but overall im very impressed with the simplicity of it and how it goes well with my watering schedule.

Right lol I just used about 8 damn cups of ewc. Fak me lol I need my own farm. But look into botanicaires molasses, $15 gal or if you buy more its cheaper. Im going to buy a 5 fal bucket, thatll last about 2 months lol

How can I edit my thread?

I think the moderators need to give you access.

May11th said:

Right lol I just used about 8 damn cups of ewc. Fak me lol I need my own farm. But look into botanicaires molasses, $15 gal or if you buy more its cheaper. Im going to buy a 5 fal bucket, thatll last about 2 months lol

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botanicare molasses has less nutes than grocery store bought, It goes bad pretty fast. I bought a 1 gallon 3 times. I threw away half of it twice. i just buy the brer rabbit black strapped molasses from walmart now. $2.50 for a 12 oz bottle. It's thicker and more concentrated so I only use 3 tbsp per 5 gal of water.

I just use it for thr carbohydrates not the nutes , but useful info, I use that gal up within 1 months time and havent had it spoil yet. Maybe yours sat out too long even before you bought it? Ive ran 15 gals and havent had a issue? Thats something I havent read about but hell now I need to look into walmart.

I'm now cutting out the kelp and fish hydrolysate. Those can both be used as feed teas. Like me Mad m8 said earlier, all you need is the compost and BSM. I'll use my "minion" teas for cooking, transplanting, and early flower only. The simpler and cheaper the better. Of course if you have a good third generation mix going, with living mulch, then you won't even need a minion tea. Don't need loud pumps everywhere and running up the power bill. You guys can get unsulfured molasses for 7$ a gallon at most feed stores btw.