Well slides would make it a lot easier to scan around (should arrive in a couple days) but light is not really a problem. I put a daylight CFL right by the mirror that reflects it up to the eyepiece and can see fine detail at 600x...plenty bright IMO. Sure I would love a lighted microscope, and I considered just pointing a small LED directly at the viewing window, but the CFL right near the mirror has been plenty. These are basically the same style microscopes I used to use in high school biology class. Not the greatest but its a huge improvement from just smelling the tea and guessing when its ready!
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ICMag with help from Landrace Warden and The Vault is running a NEW contest in November! You can check it here. Prizes are seeds & forum premium access. Come join in!
10 min $10 DIY aerated compost tea ACT brewer
- Thread starter heady blunts
- Start date
http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/t1627.html
http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/t1630.html
http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/t1635.html
http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/t1633.html
http://www.digiblue.com/qx5-computer-microscope-v2-refurbished
http://www.microbeorganics.com/#Microscopes_for_sale (when telling a ciliate from a flagellate may be important)
BTW if you are over 40, eye floaties are often mistaken for hyphae ;>
http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/t1630.html
http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/t1635.html
http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/t1633.html
http://www.digiblue.com/qx5-computer-microscope-v2-refurbished
http://www.microbeorganics.com/#Microscopes_for_sale (when telling a ciliate from a flagellate may be important)
BTW if you are over 40, eye floaties are often mistaken for hyphae ;>
Thanks for those links MM that looks like a great place to score a cheap scope. Finally got some slides and I am lovin it, so much easier to look around!
Started up another brew yesterday:
16 gal rainwater - vortexed for a couple hrs to elevate the DO before adding in
~1 cup molasses (dry)
~3 cups FRESH (verge of finished) vermicompost
~1/4 cup Alpaca manure compost
~1/4 cup fungified wood chips and alfalfa pellets
~1/4 cup soil from the garden and Ganja soil bins
No kelp this round, no mineral additions.
After 6 hrs I spotted a Nematode swimming in my first FOV, but not a lot else moving, a few motile bacteria size specks.
After 15 hrs some more little moving specks in there, and spotted a nice patch of fungal hyphae, still no protazoans yet.
Anyone know a good place to pick up Fish hydroslyate in CO? Don't see it at the grow shops, or HD. Gonna check out a nearby nursery this week.
btw Tim I'm in my twenties and last time I checked I still had 20/20...
Started up another brew yesterday:
16 gal rainwater - vortexed for a couple hrs to elevate the DO before adding in
~1 cup molasses (dry)
~3 cups FRESH (verge of finished) vermicompost
~1/4 cup Alpaca manure compost
~1/4 cup fungified wood chips and alfalfa pellets
~1/4 cup soil from the garden and Ganja soil bins
No kelp this round, no mineral additions.
After 6 hrs I spotted a Nematode swimming in my first FOV, but not a lot else moving, a few motile bacteria size specks.
After 15 hrs some more little moving specks in there, and spotted a nice patch of fungal hyphae, still no protazoans yet.
Anyone know a good place to pick up Fish hydroslyate in CO? Don't see it at the grow shops, or HD. Gonna check out a nearby nursery this week.
btw Tim I'm in my twenties and last time I checked I still had 20/20...
J
jerry111165
Doesnt that seem like an awful lot of molasses?
jerry.
jerry.
Pointswest
Member
"Anyone know a good place to pick up Fish hydroslyate in CO? Don't see it at the grow shops, or HD. Gonna check out a nearby nursery this week".[/quote]
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Organic-Fer...ertilizer_Soil_Amendments&hash=item27bf2a2f13
PW
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Organic-Fer...ertilizer_Soil_Amendments&hash=item27bf2a2f13
PW
Thanks for the link PW, but I think that's a bit much for my needs right now. Plus I seem to be getting great results without it so...
Jerry that's calculated from MM's formula and has been working great. Here's the recipe I've been going with the last few brews and seeing great results in 24-36 hrs.
~1 cup dry molasses
~3 cups FRESH vermicompost
~1/4 cup "finished" soil from the mixing bin.
~1/4 cup wood chip mulch/ garden soil with fungi visible
~1/4 cup old fuzzy alfalfa pellets
~2Tbsp Rockdust/Azomite/Greensand mix
drizzle of olive oil to keep the foam down and the vortex spinning strong
Been leaving out the kelp. Again 24-36 hrs later and its a nice diverse brew with Bacteria, fungi, and protozoa.
Jerry that's calculated from MM's formula and has been working great. Here's the recipe I've been going with the last few brews and seeing great results in 24-36 hrs.
~1 cup dry molasses
~3 cups FRESH vermicompost
~1/4 cup "finished" soil from the mixing bin.
~1/4 cup wood chip mulch/ garden soil with fungi visible
~1/4 cup old fuzzy alfalfa pellets
~2Tbsp Rockdust/Azomite/Greensand mix
drizzle of olive oil to keep the foam down and the vortex spinning strong
Been leaving out the kelp. Again 24-36 hrs later and its a nice diverse brew with Bacteria, fungi, and protozoa.
That's a good amount of molasses but I've never tried dry molasses. Where do you get it? I'd like to try it. Have you done a comparison with liquid?
Also, curious if you've compared with using kelpmeal.
Also, curious if you've compared with using kelpmeal.
I get it at a feed store, sold for animal feed additive. I have not done any comparisons with liquid in this brewer, or since I got the scope. I used it in the past when I was using an airstone in a bucket. It seems like the liquid is a bit "sweeter/stronger" than the dry stuff. The dry stuff is as I understand it is essentially the same as black strap but it is coated and dried onto some kind of a binder, which is called "roughage product" on the bag. It reminds me of tiny little pieces of straw...
The taste and smell are very similar, though it probably is a lower grade molasses also compared to the human food grade liquid.
I have tried both with and without kelpmeal, and I've been leaving it out. It did not seem to help any and it does seem like I get more protozoa sooner without it. granted my microscope is crappy, so ID'ing microbes specifically is tough but I can get a good idea of what types are in there and the tea seems to be coming out better since I skipped the kelp.
I found the same results with the aged alpaca manure, and have cut it out too.
It seemed like that stuff (mostly bacteria?) sorta dominated the tea and protozoa were slow to appear and not like the numbers I've seen in my last couple brews without it. I was not getting as diverse of a brew as I'm getting with the above recipe.
Seems I corroborate your experience MM that molasses + womcastings = great tea. and the other stuff is just fluff...but I do feel like the finished soil and garden soil are good additions of diverse microbelife.
The taste and smell are very similar, though it probably is a lower grade molasses also compared to the human food grade liquid.
I have tried both with and without kelpmeal, and I've been leaving it out. It did not seem to help any and it does seem like I get more protozoa sooner without it. granted my microscope is crappy, so ID'ing microbes specifically is tough but I can get a good idea of what types are in there and the tea seems to be coming out better since I skipped the kelp.
I found the same results with the aged alpaca manure, and have cut it out too.
It seemed like that stuff (mostly bacteria?) sorta dominated the tea and protozoa were slow to appear and not like the numbers I've seen in my last couple brews without it. I was not getting as diverse of a brew as I'm getting with the above recipe.
Seems I corroborate your experience MM that molasses + womcastings = great tea. and the other stuff is just fluff...but I do feel like the finished soil and garden soil are good additions of diverse microbelife.
Bunz
Active member
Quick DIY I put together..............less then $100, including the pump. Too small for the balla's, but for us closet farmers, it's perfect.
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=239192
Edit.................at request of the OP, I've included a few pics
And the tea brewing away...........
Bunz
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=239192
Edit.................at request of the OP, I've included a few pics
And the tea brewing away...........
Bunz
Quick DIY I put together..............less then $100, including the pump. Too small for the balla's, but for us closet farmers, it's perfect.
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=239192
Bunz
Nice! Try one large airline connected directly to the pump with no reducer. See my webpage for guidance.
Bunz
Active member
In the plans. Going to install a 1.5" "T" with a reducer barbed fitting (3/8") on the riser tube going directly to the pump.
M
MrSterling
Good evening organics! I decided to bite the bullet and build an ACT brewer. I've been meaning to do it for a couple years now, but now I have the time and money.
I've been digging through the stickies trying to build my own list of parts, but still need some advice. I have about two acres of farm and garden that I'd like to brew for, and I'm unsure how large of a brewer I'm going to need. I was thinking a 30 gallon cone tank from tank depot will suffice. I have the room and would like something a little more permanent, and the cone tank seems like a good option. Can you guys offer any opinions? I still haven't figured out how to calculate the size of a pump I need, but I know I've seen the formula in the stickies as well. If anyone has any pump brand advice though, it's greatly appreciated.
Namaste! - Mr.S
I've been digging through the stickies trying to build my own list of parts, but still need some advice. I have about two acres of farm and garden that I'd like to brew for, and I'm unsure how large of a brewer I'm going to need. I was thinking a 30 gallon cone tank from tank depot will suffice. I have the room and would like something a little more permanent, and the cone tank seems like a good option. Can you guys offer any opinions? I still haven't figured out how to calculate the size of a pump I need, but I know I've seen the formula in the stickies as well. If anyone has any pump brand advice though, it's greatly appreciated.
Namaste! - Mr.S
MrSterling, a thirty gallon tank would work out very well for you I think. I dilute my compost teas 1/2 to 1/4 without any obvious drop off in performance, and I know you can dilute them much more than that, but I have a very small operation myself. For farm use MM would be the guy I would listen to, but again I think you will be fine with a thirty gallon tank.
For a air pump, I believe an Eco commercial pump 5 can service brewers up to 50 gallons. But if you want a vortex type brewer utilizing an air lift design, you need plenty of air pressure, but I think a 5 would serve you well there too, but there are probably higher end pumps if you want the very best......scrappy
For a air pump, I believe an Eco commercial pump 5 can service brewers up to 50 gallons. But if you want a vortex type brewer utilizing an air lift design, you need plenty of air pressure, but I think a 5 would serve you well there too, but there are probably higher end pumps if you want the very best......scrappy
I can post that up again rrog, it is on my home computer.
At the Max Yield hydro show they had a bunch of new brewer company's. One made me laugh on his "science" of brews. I will let you guys be the judge.....
6 riser pumps for an airlift cyclone brewer. Three facing clockwise, the other three facing counter clock wise. That way you can switch the direction of the brew in order to alter the microbes.......lol.
I may be wrong, but sounds like Bull Dooky!
At the Max Yield hydro show they had a bunch of new brewer company's. One made me laugh on his "science" of brews. I will let you guys be the judge.....
6 riser pumps for an airlift cyclone brewer. Three facing clockwise, the other three facing counter clock wise. That way you can switch the direction of the brew in order to alter the microbes.......lol.
I may be wrong, but sounds like Bull Dooky!
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If I buy one, will someone volunteer to clean it for me each time? The thought of that would be nightmarish, except for the calming classical music. -granger
Deuley's DIY Brewer - I'd upgrade the air pump and stones
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8_PuUon5_Q
or http://dchall.home.texas.net/organic/teamaker/PDFs/brewer.pdf
Deuley's DIY Brewer - I'd upgrade the air pump and stones
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8_PuUon5_Q
or http://dchall.home.texas.net/organic/teamaker/PDFs/brewer.pdf
What a total load of hoooey. $2800 for a 15 gal brewer?!
