Testing AACT for NPK? Crazy or not???

[skiingjeff]

Has anyone tested their AACT for NPK? We’ve been trying to test using the Rapitest kit.

We NEVER get any reading for N when we’re testing either our soil or the AACT. So we made a super nitro batch as follows: a 5 gallon bucket, put in a couple cups of worm castings, 5 TBSP or so of Bat Quano, 5 TBSP or so of Alaska Fish Fertilizer, and 5 or so TBSP of molasses. We have two air stones bubbling up the water and we got a nice froth going. We let it simmer for 36 hours before using/testing it. We get great readings for P and K but no N.

At this point we’re assuming the test capsules for N aren’t good since we’ve never gotten an N reading yet. Understanding that the best soil testing is to take it to our regional Ag place and get a “real” test we were hoping this kit would provide a ball park test.

Are we crazy to be testing the AACT?

[imafan26]

Unless you specifically ask for it, some labs will not report nitrogen since it is so volatile. The NPK of AACT probably isn't very high. The benefit of AACT and compost is in the organisms they support. The microbes consume most of the nitrogen in the compost and store it in their bodies and it is released when they die. The microbes, fungi all work together in the soil web to release nutrients stored in the decaying matter and making them slowly available. Most soil tests are measuring free ions.

Get the book Teeming with microbes. It is a great book for understanding how the soil ecosystem works.

https://teamingwithmicrobes.com/home/

https://urbanext.illinois.edu/soil/SoilB ... od_web.htm

[skiingjeff]

Thanks imafan, we're new to AACT and the research pointers are great! Thanks for the info