cannot get fish emulsion to work in aact

[j to the c]

I have been making compost teas for a couple years now for my organic room. I have tried adding fish emulsion to the tea and it always produces a slime on the air stone and I lose all the foam. I have tried Alaska, Maxicrop, and GO liquid squid. I can add about 1/2tsp. to 3gal of tea but any stronger and it goes bad. I would like to get at least 2tsp per gallon for veg. I have tried literally everything, brewing in higher temps, lower temps. Adding at the beginning of the brew, 24hrs. Left. Adding more air, less air. Compost vs. castings. and every combination of those for 2 years. Can you guys help me figure this out?

 

[vostok]

Oily Fish and the oils break down ....? just a thought, perhaps change your fish?

 

[j to the c]

Fish emulsion?, I have tried 3 brands both new and months old, none have gone bad either.

 

[j to the c]

I did some reading and I found that I should add it at the end right before I feed it to the plants. I wanted the beasties to gobble it all up but I guess the herd in the soil will get to do it instead

 

[charface]

For what it's worth.
I dont put anything but worm castings
kelp, molasses and sometimes great white in my tea.

Guanos and gross shit I top dress with.

Fish fert I mix with water and water in.
Not a hard fast rule or anything
I just dont like gross or smelly shit
in my room brewing.

 

[chairroller]

I have been making compost teas for a couple years now for my organic room. I have tried adding fish emulsion to the tea and it always produces a slime on the air stone and I lose all the foam. I have tried Alaska, Maxicrop, and GO liquid squid. I can add about 1/2tsp. to 3gal of tea but any stronger and it goes bad. I would like to get at least 2tsp per gallon for veg. I have tried literally everything, brewing in higher temps, lower temps. Adding at the beginning of the brew, 24hrs. Left. Adding more air, less air. Compost vs. castings. and every combination of those for 2 years. Can you guys help me figure this out?

Could you tell me please what this whole process helps for ? What does it give to the plant .??

 

[j to the c]

The compost tea is a way to deliver nutrition and huge populations of fungi and bacteria to the root zone. I use The Rev's recipes for veg and bloom. I think they ate fantastic. I love the fish ferts knowing that they do so much for my plants. 1tip I can give, I take the dry ferts I'm going to use. Fox-farm, 5-5-5, kelp, N-guano, Soft rock phosphate, and put them in a coffee grinder first and pulverize until it's a dust, I find that I cam get more into the solution that way.

 

[j to the c]

When I brew everything but the fish, it doesn't smell gross, it smells like compost with a hint of N guano, except when I add fish, then at the end of brewing I get a nasty pussy smell and my stones are covered in slime and the sludge reeks

 

[charface]

When I brew everything but the fish, it doesn't smell gross, it smells like compost with a hint of N guano, except when I add fish, then at the end of brewing I get a nasty pussy smell and my stones are covered in slime and the sludge reeks

Pussy smell?
Ok ill try it your way.

 

[j to the c]

Haha, once you smell it, you crave it. Lol, just kidding

 

[j to the c]

Alright, I made 2gal of flowering tea. I added 2tsp Maxicrop fish to the tea before I diluted it with 1gal of r/o water and fed it to the plants, we will see what happens next

 

[j to the c]

This tea consisted of 1tbsp kelp meal, 1tbsp Organicare Pure Grow, 1tsp N guano, 1tsp soft rock phosphate, 20drops GO camg, 1tsp seaweed, 1/4tsp. Silica, 1/4c. Fox farm big bloom, and 1cup compost

 

[j to the c]

So, I made 2gL of tea, brewed 48 hrs. The first 24 had 1tbsp kelp, 1 tbsp Organicare Pure Grow, 1tsp N guano, 20drops GO camg, and 1/4tsp silicon 1tbsp molasses. Per gallon. Then add after 24hrs. 1/4c. Big bloom from fox farm, and 1/2cup soil and 1/2c. EWC, I will also add on occasion, Bonticare hydroguard, hygrozyme, and fungi mix. I have brewed Heisenberg tea for dwc, with great results, just haven't kept up with it on maitence, will do the first 1c per gallon, but I will do that every res change, about every 10 days. But the hydroguard and the hygrozyme work good nuff for dwc

 

[charface]

Not sure if it matters but I think some fish products are cooked or steralized in someway so they dont rot.
Its not clear in my mind right now.
How would you know if it is working unless you were using a scope on the tea.
Even then I think the critters look similar so its still not cut and dried for a home brewer without a huge education.
It happens to me lol

 

[j to the c]

I do know that the fish needs to be kept below 4ph to keep it stable on the shelves. There are 'cold processed' fish, as well as seaweed and kelp. I have tried the cold processed with the same results. I'm stumped on this one, but I added it right before I fed them, haven't seen them since I watered them but I think it worked.

 

[j to the c]

Plants look great, when I need phish, I will add it at the end of the brew, just before I water

 

[Dr. Who]

Hmmm,,,,,I use a Vortex tea brewer and I'm brewing for the Bio's.....If you add kelp to your Bio tea your reducing the total active bio strands by like 30% at the end. I have done it with guano's Bat & Bird, but find it best to use a supersoil type soil and top dress. How long do you attempt to keep this tea '"concentrate"? After 36 to 48 hrs the tea is "dead" if kept at room temps.....You can store it in the fridge for like a couple more days. But under the microscope I still see a reduction in active bio's!!!

Any kind of liquids added to the actual brewing of the tea, other then your molasses will reduce active bio concentrations! If you still want to try adding feeds to your teas. Add them at the point of use to the tea in the proper concentrations for the amount of tea applied!

I don't see molasses in your base mix. With out that your NOT getting the active bio's that you maybe shooting for in an AACT!!! They need it to feed and reproduce!

Basic AACT
5 gallons water
1/3 C Earthworm castings
1/3 C Alfalfa meal
1/3 C molasses

Buy your molasses from the bakery section of the product list from your local food service supply company. It's unsulfered and HIGHER in carbs then off the shelf molasses and feeds your bio "kiddies" better!!!! CHEAPER too!!!!

 

[j to the c]

Thanks for the reply, first I use my tea immediately after brewing. For the most part my recipes are from The Rev, just modified slightly. I also don't use "feed" water. They either get RO, or a few diluted 50/50. I build the spikes and they are awesome, I have been lacking a few of the key ingredients and went without for 2 grows and the difference is night and day, at least for me. I haven't really used high P guano in teas, I use it in spikes and an occasional top dressing in a couple spots.

 

[j to the c]

I also always used molases at 1-1.5tsp/gal. Until I read that bacteria prefer it to other carb choices like kelp and ff all purpose. So, my last tea I didnt add any and it turned out great. Now, I made a fungi compost for a few days and making a tea with that. Just doing some experiments and trying to get to the next level.