Re: [compost_tea] Re: Re: RE: Aerators

From: Robert Norsen <bnbrew_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 10 Apr 2004 19:02:56 -0700 (PDT)

Discussion below, Kirk. I'll put Bob in bold

Kirk Leonard <kirk_at_oregonatural.com> wrote:
Kevin & Bob -- Yes, those numbers are not wimpy - from Kevin's posts:

> Tea
> 65AB 11,008TB 19.7AF 102TF 3.5HD 17F 14A 1C 0N

> AH
> AB191 TB421 AF34.4 TF1228 HD2.5

But they also are puzzling. Relatively huge TB in tea but AB reduced
dramatically, similar AF drop, but TF down 10X. To make these comparisons,
which I think are important, I think compost test needs to be more proximate
to tea - same batches would be best. I think we're looking at different
composts, especially if you did oat flour activation. I'd like to hear
Doc's reading of these numbers, as I think we may be looking at an apple and Can you explain your apple orange idea?
orange comparison situation here. Ciliates and nematodes also must be in
compost to be in tea since they don't reproduce there, so that's not a tea
problem, generally. Comparable numbers for compost would have made this a
really interesting report. We can lower the bacteria in any of several ways. But the fungi seems to be entiely dependent on the copost and the extraction efficiency. I think our extractor is very efficient. We use about half the compost suggested for other brewers to get equal or better numbers.

> Date: Fri, 9 Apr 2004 09:19:37 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Robert Norsen <bnbrew_at_yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: Re: RE: Aerators

> Kirk, when we introduced a dye to trace the water movement created by the
single aerator we found circulation included the entire tank at a good rate.
Spreading the air as in a multiple nozzle reduced the circulation. Like a
narrow stream runs faster than a wide stream of the same flow Your
observation is correct about the activity in the extractor vs the activity
in the container. About 100 to one stronger in the extractor. That's why
the extractor. To scrub the microbes from the compost.
But once out of the compost we don't want to keep beating on them. Just
want to gently give them O2 and let them eat, make love, whatever. But
Kirk, thanks for your observation and comment. Bob <

Bob: Couple questions: What was container shape? Flat or cone bottom? pulls water from across the bottom and delivers it to the Cone bottom is my last choice of tank shape. Air Released tight to the bottom and tight to one side of a round flat bottom container the rising current top. Best to keep the current strong in that organized way.
imagine a cone could better distribute air from a single endcap nozzle in
its bottom, but that it wouldn't do as well in a flat bottom container.

How did you introduce the dye? I've used kelp introduced at water top to do. Liquid or kelp flour forms a good dye. Release it in a concentrated point at the bottom of the tank. Movement can be followed for about a full revolution of the system. By timing the revolution and other obsevation one can get a proximation of the flow.

In the 500 g tanks the measured flow rate can be made two ways. The rate of surface flow. time to carry afloating object past two points. Secoond method, time for the floating object to complete a measured rotation distance.

 
similar observations in the past and noticed it takes only a few seconds to
disperse. Working with a flat bottom container, best I could assess was how
it did on the bottom, which was fine because that was what I wanted to know,
but I saw no way to assess overall circulation. (short of using a
transparent container - anybody got a beaker that big?:)

Have to say "Spreading the air as in a multiple nozzle reduced the
circulation" does not make intuitive sense. Did the multiple nozzles have same air supply? Yes, but the water motion is not induced as well when the energy is dispersed. Like the kinetic energy in a rubber balloon full of compressed air. Equal pressure on all sides the balloon is static. Release the air on one side the balloon moves quickly. Would you say a little more about that? In our 500 g tank we release the air in an organized way to induce the entire tank of water to rotate. Rotates about 30 rpm. At the permeter of the tank the water is moving about 7 knots. The centifugal force and the speed combine to keep the bottom washed of all but the small rocks that accumulate in the silt collector. these principles appear to work equally well in smaller tanks but are harder to measure. Bob
-- Kirk






Yahoo! Groups SponsorADVERTISEMENT


---------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links

   To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/compost_tea/
  
   To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
compost_tea-unsubscribe_at_yahoogroups.com
  
   Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.






Received on Sun Apr 11 2004 - 23:15:09 EDT

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Tue Feb 07 2012 - 14:15:11 EST