Fish Amino Acid (FAA) - Japan - ARI
by the Asian Rural Institute
page developed by Yu Araya, ARI Volunteer
submitted July 2021
Making Fish Amino Acid (FAA)
to promote the growth of plant's leaves and stems
https://gyazo.com/bc97e5d657d47050d52475ef4693ac81
Let’s produce our own nitrogen fertilizer using fish waste and sugar!
1. What is FAA?
Amino acids consist of nitrogen (N), which is known as one of the five main elements of fertilizers. Fish Amino Acid (FAA) is the amino acid extracted from fermented fish. It is an effective nitrogen fertilizer for crops and microorganisms. Other resources like pig placenta or snails can be used instead of fish.
2. How to make FAA
Materials
A container - plastic bucket, clay pot, or glass jar
Fish - the whole fish or fish waste (non-edible parts)
Sugar - brown sugar, the amount should be half the weight of the fish
Procedure
Put the fish in the container.
https://gyazo.com/07d5a976e6401c0ac5ad731b59635517
Add sugar.
https://gyazo.com/d287578085d94fd15c7ae9143b2af6b5
Mix the ingredients well!
https://gyazo.com/a82ebfad199960af0aacc8057b418525
Cover the container with paper or thin cloth then keep it in a dark cool place.
https://gyazo.com/29835511b44c3ba9d1905af491537015
This photo shows a container with a sealed lid. In this case the container should be opened from time to time to let air in.
Slowly the fish will liquify and ferment. The length of time depends on the temperature, but roughly liquification takes 2-3 days and fermentation takes 7-10 days.
When the liquid looks thick and black, it is ready to use! It can be removed and diluted according to the instructions below.
Important Tips
We recommend using brown sugar, but you can also use other kinds of sugar. You can read the ‘Is it okay to use other types of sugar instead of crude sugar?’ section on this page. Leaving ⅓ space at the top and not sealing the container is ideal during the fermenting period. Air circulation will occur so that fish will ferment easily. If you are using a lid that seals, as pictured above, you can open it sometimes to let the fresh air in.
If you see fat floating on top of the solution, put some IMO 3. The IMOs will dissolve all the fat.
It is better to use it within 1~2 years of preparing, but it can be preserved in an airtight container for about 10 years.
If it smells bad while preserving, adding extra sugar will retain the condition.
Some leftover parts will remain at the bottom of the container. These can be used as compost.
3. How to use FAA
Applying to plants
Dilution ratio 1:250 - One pet bottle cap contains about 4ml, so you can prepare a 1:250 ratio by adding a cap of FAA to a 1 liter bottle of water.
The nitrogen in FAA boosts the growth of stems and leaves. At ARI we usually apply it to vegetable seedlings. You should avoid using it on fruit and root vegetables in their reproduction stage because it causes leaves to grow instead of fruit. On the other hand, it can be used anytime on leafy vegetables.
Applying to the soil
Since the concentration of nitrogen in FAA is not so high, it is not very effective to apply FAA liquid as a fertilizer to the soil. At ARI we usually make a type of "strong" Bokashi in which we add FAA, rice bran, bone powder and oil cake. We spread this in the soil as a basic fertilizer before sowing or when growing plants are suffering a serious lack of nitrogen. https://gyazo.com/9e9b4fe87bf20f596233d4d20dc87ee8
As a fermentation aid for IMOs or compost
FAA promotes microorganism activity, by supplying nitrogen and decreasing the C/N ratio. After diluting with water 1:1000 ratio, you can spray on:
- Compost piles
- IMO piles
- Directly on the soil
- Fermented floors in pigpens
References
Arnat Tancho, 2013, Textbook in natural farming: principles, concepts & appropriate techniques in tropics, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani
----