Re: [compost_tea] continuous extraction, CACT

From: Stephen Steyn <ssteyn_at_wcaccess.co.za>
Date: Mon, 7 Mar 2005 08:03:37 +0200

Thanks Robert Norsen;
Your protocol makes sense. I know a local "tea Expert" who believes that on=
e should only load compost at the start of the cycle and thereafter only th=
e kickers whenever the clean water is added after half the tea has been use=
d. He believes there will be enough biology and it will multiply sufficient=
ly. I have seen no test data to comment but would doubt that the higher ord=
er biota would replicate or reproduce sufficiently. Anyway we know that tra=
ce elements wont multiply and various protein, vitamins and all the other d=
esirables probably won't either. Your system appears closer to the standard=
 ACT procedure.
Thanks for your reply. Your response sheds more light.
Steve Steyn
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Robert Norsen
  To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
  Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 3:43 AM
  Subject: Re: [compost_tea] continuous extraction, CACT


  To Steve Steyn and anyone interested, The difference Steve, is that "sta=
ndard" TEA cycle starts slowly, reaches a highly active state, then slows =
down. So of 24 ours of brewering the brewer is efficient for maybe 6 hours.=
  Then the brewer shuts down for cleaning, re-loading with water, ( treatin=
g water in some cases), so another 3 hours or more of zero production, Out=
 of 27 hours you get 6 hours of efficient production. 22% efficiency. If =
you are doing your small garden three time a season that matters not at all=
. If you are dong ACT as an important part of agriculture, remediation of =
an area or as a business, it matters.

  About pivots. That is how pivot irrigated crops are treated with ACT, D=
iluted application? Indeed. Does it work? Ask Ray gore. He does thousand=
s of acres with great success this way. Does the ACT stay on the foliage? =
 Enough does. Much goes to the soil of course.
  Bacteria and fungi have a way of attaching to foliage even in the deluge =
of water that is being applied at the same time. More effective than if app=
lied to a dry plant.

  As for the cycle. Not at all the same as doing one brew after another w=
ithout cleaning the system. If your brewer operates in a way to build up a=
naerobic film or pockets the CACT cycle would be inadvisable in that brewer=
. If the brewer operates in a clean manner, no build up of film or pockets=
 of anaerobic then there is no limit to the duration of repeated brews. The=
 brewer needs to be self cleaning with high degree of circulation to all ar=
eas, High DO2 at all times. .

  How to know? Test. Testing proved the system we used was OK. Is more t=
esting adviseable? I know it is. Bob








Received on Tue Mar 08 2005 - 23:37:42 EST

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