Post your DIY Aerated Compost Tea Brewer (proprietary brewers will be tolerated)

[OrganicBuds]

DId you finish yours Granger? Here is a picture of my brewer.
Up to 55gal.

15 gal vortex brewer

5gal vortex brewer

 

[SunGrown]

i built one almost identical to that 5 gallon OrganicBuds.

cool design, mine works fine, I might post a pic of it later. Main diff I see is that I run 1/4 inch airlines from the top of the pvc down to the bottom of the pvc

 

[Granger2]

Organic Buds,
Yes, finishing it was a 5 min task. Works great. -granger

 

[Weird]

I took out the charcoal from an old fresh water filter and used it like so

aquarium filters are designed to establish a standing colony of bacteria, this one uses what is known as a bio wheel

i also used an air stone and the insert in the middle held the biological material (mostly ewc, guanos) I also added molasses and EJ

one the filter was established it shaved time off of brewing ( i assume the established bacteria stabilize ph faster) about 20%

downside is i had to always have a tea brewing and I didn't always need one

 

[wayoveryonder]

Awesome aerator!!! Big bubbles are better!!!!! Seriously, they move the water and knock the compost in the bag around, removing the bacteria, fungus, and nematodes from the substrate and into the tea. (Ya, I am in the business) I make and sell the Big Bubble Bubbler, same shape/design, just a little less parts. Check it out at: www.composttealab.com

 

[Nifty_PoT]

Just made this little(basic) brewer a month or so ago , loving it

 

[SunGrown]

Nifty pot, love the simplicity, it's awesome! The 60$ pump was probably almost the entire price, good job!

 

[xmobotx]

i finally went ahead & bought an eco-plus comm1 to set up a more vigorous tea brewer

pretty happy w/ the results ~the airlift still kinda chugs a little {rather than just a straight "flow"} but it has much more vigor than the aquarium pump rig
<aquarium pump rig

i took the plunge and made a youtube channel so i could show the brewer gurgling & give a general representation of it's sound{s}/flow{s}

video linky

 

[Weird Jimmy]

this is my newest brewer

 

[Microbeman]

i finally went ahead & bought an eco-plus comm1 to set up a more vigorous tea brewer
[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=11079&pictureid=1112040&thumb=1]View Image[/url]
pretty happy w/ the results ~the airlift still kinda chugs a little {rather than just a straight "flow"} but it has much more vigor than the aquarium pump rig
[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=11079&pictureid=826646&thumb=1]View Image[/url] <aquarium pump rig

i took the plunge and made a youtube channel so i could show the brewer gurgling & give a general representation of it's sound{s}/flow{s}

video linky

Chugging is normal.

 

[xmobotx]

yeah: i like the sound of it ~sort of a "babbling brook" effect

would be cool to isolate the pump so you dont hear it and have the babble for relaxing or; to go along w/ sitting around a campfire

 

[OrganicBuds]

Awesome aerator!!! Big bubbles are better!!!!! Seriously, they move the water and knock the compost in the bag around, removing the bacteria, fungus, and nematodes from the substrate and into the tea. (Ya, I am in the business) I make and sell the Big Bubble Bubbler, same shape/design, just a little less parts. Check it out at: www.composttealab.com

This does not sound right.......Smaller bubbles = more surface area = high DO rates.

Ditch the bags that hold the compost, and use an airlift. Really? Your in the business? I think I will stick to Microbeman's advice and designs.

 

[Team Microbe]

this is my newest brewer

View Image

Jim, where did you find this container? EPIC brewer. If you could explain how it works exactly I'd appreciate it... I'm looking to build a brewer and this one caught my eye.

 

[waktoo]

Jim, where did you find this container? EPIC brewer. If you could explain how it works exactly I'd appreciate it... I'm looking to build a brewer and this one caught my eye.

I got my 15 gal' inductor tank from these guys...
http://www.plastic-mart.com/product/5813/15-gallon-cone-inductor-tank-fully-draining-infd15-19

Shipping is going to hurt, but that's the nature of the beast when you cant source bulky items locally. Here's what I built when it arrived at the casa...



I wanted to include the following link... http://www.aquaticeco.com/

This company is an EXCELLENT source for all of those "hard to find" parts to make things fit together more easily. I wasted a lot of gas money running around town to DIY and plumbing supply stores trying to put this thing together.

FWIW, I had a welder buddy of mine help me put the stand together (steel). We did a barter deal for the labor. I wasn't about to pay the shipping on something like that. Saved myself over $100.

 

[Team Microbe]

I got my 15 gal' inductor tank from these guys...
http://www.plastic-mart.com/product/5813/15-gallon-cone-inductor-tank-fully-draining-infd15-19

Shipping is going to hurt, but that's the nature of the beast when you cant source bulky items locally. Here's what I built when it arrived at the casa...

[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=50160&pictureid=1172499&thumb=1]View Image[/URL] [URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=50160&pictureid=1172500&thumb=1]View Image[/URL] [URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=50160&pictureid=1172501&thumb=1]View Image[/URL]

I wanted to include the following link... http://www.aquaticeco.com/

This company is an EXCELLENT source for all of those "hard to find" parts to make things fit together more easily. I wasted a lot of gas money running around town to DIY and plumbing supply stores trying to put this thing together.

FWIW, I had a welder buddy of mine help me put the stand together (steel). We did a barter deal for the labor. I wasn't about to pay the shipping on something like that. Saved myself over $100.

Damn! That frame is beast. Really shows what you can do and how much you can save (I think vortex brewers go for something like $2k) when you put some effort into it. Respect on the build brotha.

I know this may sound silly, but I still can't comprehend how these things work!! I know it's by air flow, but I can't really figure it out still... All I know is that it blows 5 gal bucket brews outta the water. Lol

Btw, how powerful is your air pump for that 15 gal?

 

[Team Microbe]

I wanna add that the entire brewer is beast as well, I didn't mean to leave that part out. It's intimidating for me because I'm new to plumbing, but it kinda seems like leggo's for adults. I can just see myself searching for parts forever, we'll see how it goes though... wish me luck!

 

[waktoo]

I know this may sound silly, but I still can't comprehend how these things work!! I know it's by air flow, but I can't really figure it out still... All I know is that it blows 5 gal bucket brews outta the water. Lol

Btw, how powerful is your air pump for that 15 gal?

OK. A quick rundown from the top. This is an airlift vortex design, just to be clear...

The air pump forces air down into the system, where it meets the water coming from the bottom of the tank at the black "T" connector. Head pressure created by the weight of the water in the tank forces the air and the water together. Aerating the water reduces it's specific gravity. Combined with the head pressure created by the weight of the water in the tank, it allows for the return water to rise above the water level in the tank, creating return flow back into the tank.

Sticker on the pump says 111 L/m. That's 29.32 gal'/m.

 

[Team Microbe]

OK. A quick rundown from the top. This is an airlift vortex design, just to be clear...

The air pump forces air down into the system, where it meets the water coming from the bottom of the tank at the black "T" connector. Head pressure created by the weight of the water in the tank forces the air and the water together. Aerating the water reduces it's specific gravity. Combined with the head pressure created by the weight of the water in the tank, it allows for the return water to rise above the water level in the tank, creating return flow back into the tank.

Sticker on the pump says 111 L/m. That's 29.32 gal'/m.

ahhhhhh, gotcha. thanks for the help man, very informative.

Do you notice a difference using compost tea?

 

[waktoo]

ahhhhhh, gotcha. thanks for the help man, very informative.

Do you notice a difference using compost tea?

While I think that ACT is good to use on newly mixed soils, my reused soils are already strongly microbiologically active, so I don't really use tea on my indoor potted plants anymore for regular watering. Maybe once after transplant into their final pots during veg'.

I use it when I build compost piles to kick them into high gear, and sometimes to rejuvenate old soil that's been sitting around too long. And I'll use it after I've added amendments to recycled soil, or when I build new outdoor raised beds.

 

[Cougartex]

if all i have is http://www.emotorpro.com/daytoncapacitor-startgeneralpurposemotor-5k340.aspx with nothing else on it.... is there any way to turn it into an air or water pump? i am not handy in any sort of way so i need all the help i can get.