Compost tea bottom settling

afman916 · Feb 8, 2017

Just got my first batch of compost tea brewing about a half hour ago - used MicrobeOrganics recipe of EWC and molasses. Planning on running for about 36 hours.

My question though - is there a certain amount of settling inherent to a DIY airlift brewer? I've got a 5 gallon bucket, 1 1/4" PVC, Eco 1 pump, and 5/8" ID tubing. I've checked the bucket a few times since I've started brewing and it seems some of the EWC (maybe half cup or so out of the two cups I put in) has settled on either side of the PVC base.

Is a certain level of settling normal? I'm worried about dead spots and anaerobic activity, and just overall worried my setup is performing suboptimally.

GnarlsBarkley · Feb 8, 2017

I could be wrong but I've always thought some settling is beneficial as it allows different beneficial microbes that thrive in soil instead of water multiply. I believe as long as you're aerating your bucket well enough it should be fine.

Microbeman · Feb 8, 2017

afman916 said:
Just got my first batch of compost tea brewing about a half hour ago - used MicrobeOrganics recipe of EWC and molasses. Planning on running for about 36 hours.

My question though - is there a certain amount of settling inherent to a DIY airlift brewer? I've got a 5 gallon bucket, 1 1/4" PVC, Eco 1 pump, and 5/8" ID tubing. I've checked the bucket a few times since I've started brewing and it seems some of the EWC (maybe half cup or so out of the two cups I put in) has settled on either side of the PVC base.

Is a certain level of settling normal? I'm worried about dead spots and anaerobic activity, and just overall worried my setup is performing suboptimally.

That's not a big deal. I typically give it a little stir every once in a while and just prior to using. This is the benefit to using a cone bottom airlift as there is no place for it to settle.

At least it does not settle as much as a straight bubbler type.

EDIT: The lighter the material, the less settling occurs.

raphenilweed · Feb 8, 2017

if you are putting the earth worm castings in the water directly you will get settling and a lower quality tea. You should be putting the EWC in a 400 micron tea bag. With just molasses and ewc your tea is going to be ok and you will be getting a lot of die off if you go a full 36 hours.

GnarlsBarkley · Feb 8, 2017

What's the difference from the soil in the middle of the tea bag all clumped up in a ball or free flowing and settling in the bucket?

With my tea buckets I have air bubbles coming up from the bottom so it keeps the soil aerated. the water moving and homogeneously mixed with all my ingredients. I suppose it could depend on the design.

The only benefit I see of a tea bag with my setup is if you're spraying to use as a filter to help keep your spray bottle clean.

afman916 · Feb 9, 2017

Thanks guys!

MicrobeMan, thanks for chiming in, was hoping you might find this thread and offer your advice.

I'm basically following the directions from your site - am I correct in aiming for a brew time of 36-42 hours in a basement that's, oh let's say 65-70 degrees ambient?

Microbeman · Feb 9, 2017

Yup 36 hours is good unless there is a really strong molasses odor still. Then go a little longer.

afman916 · Feb 9, 2017

10-4, appreciate the swift reply. Pumped to get the soil charged up with this first batch (using it to prime my CC soil I mixed up this past weekend)!

Microbeman · Feb 9, 2017

GnarlsBarkley said:
What's the difference from the soil in the middle of the tea bag all clumped up in a ball or free flowing and settling in the bucket?

With my tea buckets I have air bubbles coming up from the bottom so it keeps the soil aerated. the water moving and homogeneously mixed with all my ingredients. I suppose it could depend on the design.

The only benefit I see of a tea bag with my setup is if you're spraying to use as a filter to help keep your spray bottle clean.

Better without a bag. You should use air input into a bag if used or else super aeration that makes that bag dance.

GnarlsBarkley · Feb 9, 2017

As I figured

Might as well get some input while I'm here though. I run 72hrs for my 5gal tea.

I use 3 tbsp of humic acid, 1/4c azomite, 1/4c molasses, 1/4c high P seabird guano and 4c of EWC.

I usually add about 2-3 tbsp of molasses on day 2 just to give some extra food to the "colony" and when I feed my girls with it, it usually does still have a strong molasses smell but I figure the plants like molasses anyway

Mix everyday, bubblers and heated to 78F

Is there anything you would tweak?

Microbeman · Feb 9, 2017

GnarlsBarkley said:
As I figured

Might as well get some input while I'm here though. I run 72hrs for my 5gal tea.

I use 3 tbsp of humic acid, 1/4c azomite, 1/4c molasses, 1/4c high P seabird guano and 4c of EWC.

I usually add about 2-3 tbsp of molasses on day 2 just to give some extra food to the "colony" and when I feed my girls with it, it usually does still have a strong molasses smell but I figure the plants like molasses anyway

Mix everyday, bubblers and heated to 78F

Is there anything you would tweak?

IME - humic acids are suppressive to microbial development in liquid.
> so I'd save that and the quano to apply to your soil
No need to run longer than 36 hours (48 max)
Adding more molasses later just depletes O2
No need to heat that much.

I posted some links in a recent thread about aerating.
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=7780755#post7780755

GnarlsBarkley · Feb 9, 2017

48 hours max? Is there a correlation between bubbles that accumulate at the top and microbe count?

I've always had the most foam and best aroma at 72 hours. I've noticed any longer though and the foam level goes down and the scent is weaker.

Is it bad to heat that much? My little heater is preset at 78 and I keep my buckets outside in the cold.

EDIT: Found an answer on http://microbeorganics.com/

7/ You can tell that your ACT is finished or ready to use when it forms a head of foam.

More bunk! But this does have a bit of foundational truth. Foam can be formed by proteins in the water created by microbial activity, however this is not a reliable indicator. Foam can also be created by saponins (aloe vera, alfalfa, yucca) or just by adding molasses or by worms which might have made it in there. I have examined very foamy ACT microscopically which was practically devoid of microbes and ACT with no foam at all which has been swarming with microbial activity.

The best bet to tell when ACT is finished is to use it between 24 and 40 hours, smell it to make sure it has not gone anaerobic (you’ll know) and that most of the foods you added have been consumed. It should smell earthy or somewhat like mushrooms.

I just started a new batch today so I'll try using it sooner from now on and see if I see a difference

Microbeman · Feb 9, 2017

It likely won't hurt heating to 78

growingcrazy · Feb 9, 2017

GnarlsBarkley said:
48 hours max? Is there a correlation between bubbles that accumulate at the top and microbe count?

I've always had the most foam and best aroma at 72 hours. I've noticed any longer though and the foam level goes down and the scent is weaker.

Is it bad to heat that much? My little heater is preset at 78 and I keep my buckets outside in the cold.

EDIT: Found an answer on http://microbeorganics.com/

I just started a new batch today so I'll try using it sooner from now on and see if I see a difference

Good thing you found microbeorganics! Ill let you MM...

Keep your tea as simple as possible. Follow the recipes that are available from your link and you will be just fine.

Less really is more with AACT. All that is happening is the extraction and multiplication of microbes derived from your compost source. Nothing fancy but enough air and a small amount of food.

Foam is some what of a nuisance when it comes to tea brewing. One can't say that a tea is better because it foams or does not. Saponin's present in one of your ingredients creates the surface tension to allow bubbles, no more... I prefer to just see small swirls of froth in my vortex style brewer. Think more marbling of meat style instead of latte froth..

Peace
GC

TerraPretaGrown · Feb 9, 2017

All great information here.

The temp is important, the right kinds of food stuffs your using to brew with so your tea can colonize the microbes, in addition to a large volume of air pumped in, to achieve above 6 ppm of dissolved oxygen, any lower and you risk the tea goin bad, and with a larger volume of air it will aid in stirring the tea.

Ph-patrol · Feb 9, 2017

Shoot I only aerate tea for 28 HRs.

MedResearcher · Feb 9, 2017

So many ways to do compost tea. It can be as simple or as complex as you like.

As long as your not making rotten tea its going to benefit the soil more than not using it.

We use a nice cone bottom brewer, Microbemans design. Works great, typically keep it simple ingredients. EWC, Compost, Molasses, sometimes a little kelp meal or alfalfa meal, and sometimes after the brew we add some humic/fulvic acid.

Have a friend who brews in trash cans with open end air lines weighed down. He adds like 10+ things and brews this thick black sludge. It actually works well also, more of a nutrient tea. Has tons of settling in the cans.

Personally I am overworked so we do simple brews, and work on delivery and clean up streamlining rather than trying to make a secret recipe. Most of the extra stuff we just top dress with anyways, then the compost tea lands on it, and speeds up the decomposition into the soil.

Was actually just recently amazed again at the benefits of tea. Had some indoor plants in 3 gallon smart pots. They were needing water every day. After applying tea, they are now using considerably less water. Was a pretty huge difference.

Microbeman's advice is always great and prompt imo. Both him and his website have been very generous, many thanks again MM.

Mr^^

Microbeman · Feb 10, 2017

Med; You might try using the humic acids separately on the soil rather than adding to CT.
By adding at the end you are suddenly altering the dissolved O2. If you have a scope, experiment to see the effect.

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Compost tea bottom settling

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