What are you using for compost and what additioves in your recipe?
Perhaps you are making dark colored water and not ACT?

I use stored bought mushroom composts and some very sweet dark liquid
called molasses, mix with aged water, and pump air for two days before
using it. I got the formula from a Dr.something web site that were
repeatedly mentioned in many other web sites for DIY compost-tea.

I don't know what "ACT" you are really referring to.

Frankly, I have a feeling that whatever benefit that the compost tea
can give me doesn't justify the amount of work (and electricity and
noise) that I put in making it. I have a feeling that I am better off
top dressing my plants and lawn with composts (if I can find a vendor
that can sell compost in bulk for top-dressing my lawn). The reason is
that I can see the benefit of using compost with my own eyes; but I
cannot see any benefit of using compost tea.

In one corner of my vegetable garden, I have dumped a large quantity
of finished compost in last fall. Now, the vegetable in that corner
grow taller, bearing larger fruits than the rest of the vegetable
garden even though that corner of the vegetable garden receive the
least sun exposure. On the other hand, I cannot see any difference
from area in my lawn where I have poured compost tea for one month as
comparing to an adjacent area that only receives plain water.

I am not saying that compost tea has no benefit (afterall I only have
applied it for one month). I am saying that whatever benefit is very
small as comparing to the effort that I have put into preparing the
compost tea. I really should have been spending the little time that I
have left during a day to take care of my flowers, removing weeds, and
to enjoy watching my garden.

I am not against other people from making compost tea as long as they
"feel" good in doing this. I just don't have the time in doing this
especially when I cannot visually see any difference after using it.

Jay Chan