[compost_tea] Re: Vortex Brewing Question

From: Tim Wilson <thegoodjob_at_hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2011 21:16:00 -0000

Hey Evan;

I posted some photos so you may see the basic design and vortex and there i=
s a sketch (now) on my webpage.

The diffuser I refer to is a component of the airlift in case you are specu=
lating I mean a diffuser in a vessel (stagnant solutions). There are a numb=
er of studies illustrating increased DO2 using one.

Jumping ahead to your other posts, organic growing is also maleable. I myse=
lf am not so big on certified organics and kicked the certifiers off my lan=
d not so many years ago. I considered our farm to be more like nature farmi=
ng than organic. Even in container growing I kept our soil alive for years =
without changing it as it grew more and more alive. I'm kinda sold on One S=
traw Revolution farming which might have six legs rather than only four. I =
don't know how it equates to Bio-dynamics because I've not really studied i=
t a lot. I know I was practicing it before I every read anything about it s=
o I guess it comes from the Earth.

I agree that there is a big change coming to the world and economics. I use=
d to drive my father crazy as a child, saying that there is no need for cap=
atalism/money. This is one reason I developed my cheap ugly, functional, st=
uff for sale and show people as much as possible how to do their own thing.=
 I hate like hell to be a businessman and advertise and send out glossy tes=
timonial emails, so I don't. I just don't believe in the American dream (sp=
eaking of religions)

You'll be happy to know I threw out the fancy calcium injecting pills when =
I was diagnosed with osteoporosis and just take the cheap Walmart brand alo=
ng with fish oil which has turned the tide wonderfully.

Your brewer is very elegant.

Salutations,
Tim

--- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, "evanfolds" <evan_at_...> wrote:
>
> Sorry for blurring the lines. I didn't miss your point, I agree with you.=
 I'mm not totaqlly familiar with your design, but a vortex can be created i=
n many different ways. We build the Vortex Brewers with multiple uptubes si=
mply for the symmetry involved. In our view, form matters. Same as is does =
when you create a musical instrument, listen to the "ocean" in a conch shel=
l, or bury a cow horn when making BD500 or BD501.
>
> There is no doubt that diffusers encourage DO in stagnant solutions. But =
there are no air stones in a river?
>
> I've observed higher DO in vortexed water many times, including the abili=
ty of vortexed water to hold onto DO for longer. Does this "prove" anything=
? i suppose it is up tot he beholder. Here's a video we did a while back th=
at's a bit rough, but gets the point across. Notice the vortexed water hold=
s around 8ppm once its turned off. When the diffuser is removed from the st=
agnant bucket, it dives down well below 7ppm: http://www.youtube.com/watch?=
v=k-vx-ZxdYb0
>
> I'm in no posiiton to prove or determine what it is about water that allo=
ws it to act the way it acts. I'm also in no position to tell you how a chi=
cken lays an egg every day when it doesn't eat enough calcium to do so. But=
 I like eggs.
>
> Evan
> www.VortexBrewer.com/microbe
>
>
>
> --- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, "Tim Wilson" <thegoodjob_at_> wrote:
> >
> > I'm replying to my own post to keep the information under the correct h=
eading. I wish to point out that in Evan's post under wood chunks in compos=
t he addressed what I said concerning vortexes but seemed to have missed th=
e point I made stating that a vortex can be created in more simple fashion =
using only one riser and return pipe. The water is still allowed to take th=
e vortex path which it yearns to and this can be adjusted as to direction a=
nd intensity by simply twisting the elbows on the PVC pipe.
> >
> > There may be a possibility even probability that a vortex increases the=
 dissolved oxygen (DO2) in water negligibly, however in this situation, sci=
entifically, applying physics, the DO2 is increased via the use of air lift=
(s). Actually up to 10 times.
> >
> > Concerning the use of diffusers, it has been measured by some science g=
uys and by me that by using a diffuser at the base of the airlift riser pip=
e one can considerably multiply the DO2, over using no diffusers at all. I =
have posted a couple of papers outlining some studies on airlifts in the fi=
les section. One details some of the math employed, the other is not great =
but does mention the diffuser issue. They will probably both make your eyes=
 glaze over but this is part of what I went through determining my air lift=
 diffusion chamber.
> >
> > I have posted some photos of efforts of some of my students to build si=
mple, relatively inexpensive airlift [one is super super cheap $10] and vor=
tex brewers using only one airlift and riser/return pipe. As you can see th=
ere is an acceptable vortex created. They have reported outstanding results=
 to me with their gardens but I'm not one to count on testimonials. Who kno=
ws what they are comparing it to?
> >
> > Just so you know, with my advice, they have all switched the air input =
to the horizontal instead of under the riser pipe.
> >
> > One needs to fiddle [or do the math] to get the correct diameter pipe f=
or the pump. EG. I just ran some trials using 3/4 inch, 1 inch and 1.25 inc=
h pipe with the same pump. The 1 inch and 1.25 inch created an identical fl=
ow but the turbulence was greater with 1 inch and the flow was greatly redu=
ced with the 3/4 inch. Go figure.
> >
> > Salutations,
> > Tim
> > Get a duck
> >
> > --- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, "Tim Wilson" <thegoodjob_at_> wrote:
> > >
> > > You can generally follow the instructions to building a vortex brewer=
 but save yourself a lot of extra effort by using only one riser pipe. Not =
only is the vortex pholosophy subjectively questionable but you can obtain =
a pretty good vortex with one pipe anyway. Do some research a think about i=
t.
> > > http://www.microbeorganics.com/#So_You_Wanna_Build_A_Compost_Tea_Brew=
er
> > > BTW, sure you can dump the compost right into the water, so long as i=
t does not have big chunks.
> > >
> > > Salutations,
> > > Tim
> > >
> > >
> > > --- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, "somydi" <somydi_at_> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > I am new to brewing and in my research on making a 5 gallon tea bre=
wer, I am thinking of making a vortex type. The only information I am not s=
ure about is if I should contain the compost in a bag or let it cycle throu=
gh the brewer. If I let it cycle then I will need to think about pipe sizin=
g? Having read so much on the benefits of compost tea, I am looking forward=
 to making my own so any helpful ideas will be welcomed.
> > > > -John
> > > >
> > >
> >
>




Received on Mon Oct 10 2011 - 17:23:12 EDT

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