Fish Amino Acid
Characteristics of Fish Amino Acid
Fish amino acid (FAA) is a liquid made from fish waste. FAA is of great value to plants and microorganisms in their growth because it contains and abundance of nutrients and various amino acids. Any fish can be used including blue back fishes.
The blue back fish is a common name for blue colored fishes for example: Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel, Horse Mackerel, Saury, Garfish, Herring, Yellowtail, Sardine, Salmon, Tuna, Anchovy, etc. Blue Back fishes have good proteins, amino acids, and fatty acids that are recognized as healthy food. Both BHA and EPA function to lower cholesterol levels and prevent adult diseases such as arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure. They contain nutrients that help to improve brain function and prevent Alzheimer’s in the elderly by preventing the aging and death of brain cells. They also contain various and abundant vitamins. The health benefits that these fish have for humans are evident in plants as well.
How to make FAA
Tools and materials:
Container (clay or glass jar, HDPE or PE plastic)
Mosquito net
String or rubber band
Fish waste
IMO#4,
OHN (optional)
Process:
Optimum temperature ranges for making FAA are 23-25 degrees Celsius
Find a cool shaded place without direct sunlight and that will have little fluctuation in temperature.
Pile up the fish waste and brown sugar in alternating layers until the container is ⅔ full. Cover the top with a layer of sugar and IMO#4. It is recommended to use IMO#4 mixed in with the sugar in every layer to help to break down the fish oil and meat. It is helpful to add a little OHN to the mixture to aid in decomposition.
Cover the Jar with a mosquito net and secure with a rubber band.
Within 3-4 days the fish starts to become liquidized through the osmotic pressure generated by the sugar and the fermentation process will have begun.
It takes a long time for the fish waste to fully liquidize (up to 6 months), however the liquid is effective and can be used after the first month.
Mature FAA (6 months) has a smell. Extract the FAA and only use the liquid.
Note: It can be helpful to use an old cooler with a spigot at the bottom for letting out excess water. Line the bottom with stones about 10 cm deep this will allow the liquid to filter through without the solids. It can then be easily retrieved from the spigot.
Another option for making FAA is to simply use a stabilized undiluted Lactobacillus Serum. Instead of layering sugar and fish, simply fill the container with fish guts and pour in enough serum so that the guts float. The rest of the process is the same. 🙂 (This is the way I do it and I find it to be much simpler)
How to use FAA
FAA is used after being diluted with water. The basic dilution ratio is 1/1000.
FAA is rich in nitrogen. It is a good fertilizer for applying both to soil and foliage because it enhances the growth of crops during their vegetative period when combined with other natural farming inputs.
When making IMO or compost apply FAA after diluting it with water to give a boost to the active microorganisms.
For leafy vegetables it it possible to use FAA continuously to increase yield and improve taste and fragrance.
It is not recommended to use FAA during the period of reproductive growth as it may cause overgrowth.
Some kinds of FAA have distinct odors. The fish oil produced during fermentation may be used as an insect repellent. ( Army worm moths become helpless at even the slightest brush with fish oil)
Mackerel FAA is very effective in getting rid of mites and greenhouse whitefly. Dilute FAA with water and spray on both sides of the leaf.
Put bones left over from making FAA in brown rice vinegar at a volume ratio of 1/10. The bones will decompose and make an excellent water soluble calcium phosphate.
This information has been paraphrased from the booklet “Cho’s Natural Farming: Recipes and Instructions for Use”. A copy can be downloaded from Drake’s natural farming website which is an excellent source of information. Also for some top notch instructional videos you can also visit Chris Trump’s youtube channel.
Hello,
I enjoyed reading this article. Are you suggesting that FAA and Fish Hydrolysate are the same or have the same properties?
Still trying to wrap my head around the ratio of dilution – 1 : 1000. Will any harm be done if the dilution is less concentrated?
Is FAA considered a fertilizer orp probiotic?
Best regards
FAA and fish hydrolysate are very similar, the difference being the variety of microbes that are used to break down the fish and the resulting spectrum of nutrients. Hydrolysate and emulsions do not have the same properties and are produced differently. Emulsion is generally a by-product of processed fish products (dog food, animal feed, etc) and is produced using heat and water to cause a separation of fats, it does not have the same spectrum of nutrients because the source material is poor and it lacks bio-availability because the nutrients have not been converted by microbes into a form that plants can use. The main difference between hydrolysate and FAA is that the former is produced using only bacteria (lacto-bacilli) that cause fermentation while the latter incorporates fungi as well which produces a broader spectrum of available nutrients as well as providing an fungal inoculate for improving the quality of the soil. As for the concentration, there is rarely harm done by reducing it although you may not get the desired effects but it can be increased without worrying about nutrient burn. Lastly FAA is both a fertilizer and a probiotic as well as a food source for healthy microbes in the soil. The idea behind using these types of products is to regenerate the micro-organisms in the soil to the point that they can provide the nutrients that plants need from the soil itself without the need for added fertilizer. No one puts nutrients on healthy forests yet they produce foliage at full capacity and that is because the soil food web is intact and functioning. The idea is to use regenerative techniques and crop diversity to recreate the same situation in our gardens and fields.
If you have any ideas abouse using this items use as a livestock feed additives ?
I don’t have any experience with that. Please let me know what you find.
Can FAA be made without putting IMO4 in it.
Yes I have seen it made with bokashi and a lacto bacillus solution.
I have some FAA proceesing since Jan2020. I see some molds? Floating on the solution. Is it still safe to use?
Yes just be sure to aerate it well before use.
Do molds occur while fermenting FAA? Or there’s something wrong with the mixture.
Yes oftentimes molds will grow on the surface you can just scrape them off.