Love it! That looks like my brewer. What kind of pump did you use the get 7.4 DO? And what is the minimum DO for a brewer?
10 min $10 DIY aerated compost tea ACT brewer
- Thread starter heady blunts
- Start date
StrapAssassin42
Member
Very cool video Microbeman....love the splitting flagelletes! Thanks for taking the time to share that with us.
S
schwagg
nice MM !!!
Thank you BF (& everyone) I used an Eco Commercial 1 outputting a measured 1.8 CFM. Generally one wishes to maintain the dissolved oxygen (DO2) at or above 6 PPM. Some people say that if it drops below 5.7 (or around there) that the brew is toast but we have recovered some (1200 gallon) brews where the DO2 dropped to around 2.5 to 3 PPM during a power outage. We have brought them right back up to 8+ PPM and used the tea with only positive results.
There is information on the Internet concerning what various aquatic life forms require certain DO2 levels to survive or flourish. In the case of what I attempt, I'm looking at supersaturation of
DO2.
That's why you are the man, thanks for the in depth answer. I think for my 15 gal brewer I got the eco commercial 5, so I think I should be safe(88watts).
razor ridge
Active member
So my wife brought me a microscope from her science class, but I couldn't see shit with it...how big of one do you need? The slides have a bowl like ares in the center of them..
You need a compound transmitted light microscope which magnifies up to at least 200X. The most practical magnifications for observing soil microorganisms are 200X & 400X. The microscope should have an iris in the condenser which can be closed and opened to provide a contrast across the organisms, so they show up better.
Better yet if there is also an iris in the light lens, which can be matched with the back focal plane of the objective (while adjusting the height of the condenser)
More expensive microscopes use phase contrast condensers and objectives, wherein there are rings in the condenser which match a ring in the back focal plane of the objectives. This provides a constant contrast.
Lighting, quality of lenses and technique are more important than magnification. It takes some research and practice. Perhaps this may help(?) http://microbeorganics.com/microscopeadvisory.pdf although admittedly I should update the document.
I heard you don't have the 300$ scopes anymore?
That's right. Too much hassle for the small demand.
trichogg
Member
Nice planning @ Heady,
That split system is Gonna turn that cab into a Super Forest O' Buddz bro... Im gonna grab a Kronik Cake and watch tha Show..
Everytime I see These Ol Skool storage areas in houses... The 1st thing that pops up is a 400watter in this 2' space... Amazing creation..
Cruise by and check me out somtime.
Keep Ya Handz In Tha Greenz..
Trich..
That split system is Gonna turn that cab into a Super Forest O' Buddz bro... Im gonna grab a Kronik Cake and watch tha Show..
Everytime I see These Ol Skool storage areas in houses... The 1st thing that pops up is a 400watter in this 2' space... Amazing creation..
Cruise by and check me out somtime.
Keep Ya Handz In Tha Greenz..
Trich..
Is there such a thing as too much pump? I ask because the price differences between the EcoPlus 1, 3, and 5 are $20, and while I only need to brew 2-gallon batches max indoors I might like to use the same pump to brew much larger batches outdoors.
Also it is necessary to use a splitter (manifold) or can you just run one 0.75" tube from the pump straight to the bottom of the airlift?
Pine
Also it is necessary to use a splitter (manifold) or can you just run one 0.75" tube from the pump straight to the bottom of the airlift?
Pine
no need to use a split line.
generally with the pump bigger is better. the issue becomes keeping the water in the bucket.
I wonder if you could plug it into a light dimmer and turndown the power when necessary?
another consideration is noise level. those ecos ROAR. not awesome indoors for 24 hours.
generally with the pump bigger is better. the issue becomes keeping the water in the bucket.
I wonder if you could plug it into a light dimmer and turndown the power when necessary?
another consideration is noise level. those ecos ROAR. not awesome indoors for 24 hours.
When is this an issue? If I decide to use an EcoPlus 3 to brew 3-gallons in a 20quart trash pail am I going to be asking for trouble? I'm thinking about the trash pails because they allow for a lot more dept for 3 gallons versus other type containers.
I'm guessing that this would work - and I have one I'm not using.
I hadn't thought about the noise. For anyone, are their big differences in db levels between the 1, 3, and 5.
Thanks.
Pine
Use only one airline. If you wish to reduce the flow for smaller applications put a valve in the line/tubing.
http://www.simplici-tea.com/d_o_meter.htm
A medium priced one. For higher end, I'd look at a
HANNA HI 9147-04 Dissolved Oxygen Meter with Galvanic Probe
and up & up
thanks microbeman...i was also curious on your opinion of brewing temp. I've read that most of these beneficial bacteria and fungi thrive b/w 72F & 75F.
Most people in forums like this that brew don't take this into consideration but i've been using an aquarium heater since the winter; water temp are in the low 60s.
Do you think using a heater is really necessary?
Most people in forums like this that brew don't take this into consideration but i've been using an aquarium heater since the winter; water temp are in the low 60s.
Do you think using a heater is really necessary?
HighonPottery
Member
I was in need of a new brewing system to replace my past janky experiments at making a good tea. In the past I just used a 5-gal bucket with a cheap fish tank bubbler. The 3w bubbler was NOT sufficient for doing anything really - and definitely not sufficient 5yrs later with a worn out diaphragm inside. Last year I made a brewer out of a 35 gal trash can based on some plans I saw on the internet with the PVC assembly and "air ring" in the bottom - worked just OK, but still had dead spots and was a hassle since it was so big and bulky.
After finding this thread I was just going to make a simple 5-gal air-lift brewer with these sweet, extra tall 6-gal buckets I scored - then I got past the first few pages and discovered the funnel-bottom brewer design...makes so much more sense! WINNER!!!
So...I "borrowed" a 5-gal water bottle from work. Threw together some wood scraps I had laying around, went to Lowe's and bought about $10 worth of misc PVC fittings for scrap of 1" PVC I had laying around. I already had a good air pump from my attempted trash can brewer. 30-min later I had this:
This thing works TONS better than my previous attempts. I'm using a 20w/45L/min Commercial Air pump. I guess this is a good size, but it seems slightly overkill with only 4 gal of liquid(???) - I was thinking I might be able to split the air line with a regular air-lift brewer for plain water. I have also added a 45* elbow at the exit point as well as a "lid" to reduce splashing outside. I might have to make myself another one of these little brewers or source a 15gal tank to make one for my in-laws with their HUGE 1ac. veg garden
I will take a pic of my tea tonight after it's ran for 36hrs. at 24hrs it didn't look *quite* done, possibly because unheated garage temps are only around 60*F. regardless, i've never had a tea "foam" up on me and this brewer doe it! this batch was just 2 cups fresh worm castings + 1-2 glugs of molasses.
My garden will be very happy this year
After finding this thread I was just going to make a simple 5-gal air-lift brewer with these sweet, extra tall 6-gal buckets I scored - then I got past the first few pages and discovered the funnel-bottom brewer design...makes so much more sense! WINNER!!!
So...I "borrowed" a 5-gal water bottle from work. Threw together some wood scraps I had laying around, went to Lowe's and bought about $10 worth of misc PVC fittings for scrap of 1" PVC I had laying around. I already had a good air pump from my attempted trash can brewer. 30-min later I had this:
This thing works TONS better than my previous attempts. I'm using a 20w/45L/min Commercial Air pump. I guess this is a good size, but it seems slightly overkill with only 4 gal of liquid(???) - I was thinking I might be able to split the air line with a regular air-lift brewer for plain water. I have also added a 45* elbow at the exit point as well as a "lid" to reduce splashing outside. I might have to make myself another one of these little brewers or source a 15gal tank to make one for my in-laws with their HUGE 1ac. veg garden
I will take a pic of my tea tonight after it's ran for 36hrs. at 24hrs it didn't look *quite* done, possibly because unheated garage temps are only around 60*F. regardless, i've never had a tea "foam" up on me and this brewer doe it! this batch was just 2 cups fresh worm castings + 1-2 glugs of molasses.
My garden will be very happy this year
HighonPottery
Member
here's my 1st batch of tea from the new brewer:
Passion99
Active member
hey bullfrog
I decited to make my garden extra happy this year and i want to build vortex brewer, just like you made that one, just that mine will be lil smaller 10-20L(2.5-5gal) volume. and i dont want to spend lots of $$$ on pump, so i'm asking you or anyone else here what is the lowest power of pump to still get that vortex effect? i'm thinking to buy flow pump that have max. 750l/h, it have 4 pipe plugs, can pump water up to 1.5m and it say that is appropriate for up to 80l aquarium. do i buy this one? or it can have less power? beacuse this one is already quite expensive for my budget
