jason,
1/16 holes will cause your tea to boil great, however they are
probably to big to diffuse enough O2, especially when they need it most. I did
the same thing and i wasnt getting enough O2 into it. I sourced some 0.4mm drill
bits- equivalent to about a 1/50th (you need a few as they tend to
snap pretty well). Also attached some of that seepage hose that have even
smaller holes. Still boils great, but the bubbles are just that much smaller!
Even when you switch it off it bubble like a bottle of mineral water for
minutes!
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, April 20, 2003 9:44
PM
Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Alfalfa tea
and Kelp tea
I have just made my own brewer
- 500 gallons - round
tank with flat bottom. Approx 5' diameter. - 1/2 hp Gast air
pump - for aeration I ran a 1 1/2" sched 40 pipe into the tank, formed a
cross at the bottom, and drilled a series of 1/16th holes along one edge of
each leg of the cross. It boils magnificently!
I am waiting for a
heater element to arrive so have been experimenting.
First I tried
water for 24 hours to test the air blower and some small aquarium heaters that
I had been assured would heat the water. The aquarium heaters only got
the water temperature up 2 degrees C in 24 hours.
Then I tried 10lbs of
alfalfa pellets in 400 gallons of water. After 18 hours there was a 5
degree C rise in the water temperature (still with the aquarium heaters) and
4" foam. After 24 hours (midday) both air temp and water temp had
risen to 18 degrees C - I added 1/2 cup of mollasses. After 36 hours
(10pm) air temp had fallen to 11 degrees C but water temp was still at 18.
6" foam After 44 hours (6am) air temp down to 8 degrees C but water
still at 18! Now a pleasant healthy earthy smell around the
brewer.
The tank is under cover in my open tractor shed. It is
not insulated and is completely open at the top, so I must be losing heat, but
despite that it has kept up at 18 degrees C.
It seems to me there must
be some considerable bacterial action taking place even though I have no
compost or activators. So far only alfalfa pelets and mollasses.
Jason
Jeff Lowenfels wrote:
Jason,
I have made both alfalfa and Kelp teas....using
compost as well. I just add powdered kelp or alfalfa meal to my
teas. Both add nutrients to the tea, so you have to back off on other
nutrients so the tea won't go anaerobic.
Cheers,
Jeff
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