C
CT Guy
That should work for a 5 gal. unit
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CC-Fuck! That's only 5 or 10 more then i paid for the aquarium pump. Thanks for the help. I should've done more research.
CT Guy-I reread my post and i realized i'm basically asking you to tell me how to build a product you sell! Sorry i didn't mean it like that. In Teaming with Microbes they suggest a 1/4 in. soaker hose(can't find) and i was wondering if anyone had a suggestion. After looking at the pump CC suggested i'm definitely going to be spending more $. Then i checked out the Keep It Simple site and i'm thinking it's propbably best to just order the 5 gal. kit.
Just didn't want to come off like a dick.
Ninja
CT Guy-I reread my post and i realized i'm basically asking you to tell me how to build a product you sell! Sorry i didn't mean it like that. In Teaming with Microbes they suggest a 1/4 in. soaker hose(can't find) and i was wondering if anyone had a suggestion. After looking at the pump CC suggested i'm definitely going to be spending more $. Then i checked out the Keep It Simple site and i'm thinking it's propbably best to just order the 5 gal. kit.
Just didn't want to come off like a dick.
Ninja
Ninja420
Please, please buy the unit from Keep-It-Simple because if your time is worth even $10.00 per hour you'll be better off buying their product.
Plus their support and after-market products round out the reasons to go with them. I built my own 5-gallon system and probably 'saved' about $40.00 in the final analysis. I was working for free in my calculations in order to 'save' $40.00
Live and learn! LOL
CC
Please, please buy the unit from Keep-It-Simple because if your time is worth even $10.00 per hour you'll be better off buying their product.
Plus their support and after-market products round out the reasons to go with them. I built my own 5-gallon system and probably 'saved' about $40.00 in the final analysis. I was working for free in my calculations in order to 'save' $40.00
Live and learn! LOL
CC
C
CT Guy
Hey, no worries. I realize the economy is tough right now and I get more and more people who want to make their own brewers to save money. From a business perspective, it's probably not the best for our company, but personally, I understand why. My whole purpose in this regard is that I want people to do it correctly if they are brewing compost tea or making a brewer, whether they use a commercial system or not.
There's a lot of variables that many people don't consider when they go to make a brewer, I just hope this info. helps!
Lastly, the motor that CC posted is probably closer to our extended life motor rather than our regular system in regards to the rating and life of the motor if you plan on brewing weekly.
Cheers!
obZen
Member
!!
Sprayers
Sprayers
CT Guy
I was at the KIS website last week and read the suggestions about the best sprayers for applying compost teas.
If I gave you a link to a specific sprayer brand and model could you tell me if it meets the guidelines at the KIS website perhaps?
Also - do you know where to source a stainless-steel mesh bag for filtering the teas into the sprayer?
Thanks for any/all help.
CC
Sprayers
CT Guy
I was at the KIS website last week and read the suggestions about the best sprayers for applying compost teas.
If I gave you a link to a specific sprayer brand and model could you tell me if it meets the guidelines at the KIS website perhaps?
Also - do you know where to source a stainless-steel mesh bag for filtering the teas into the sprayer?
Thanks for any/all help.
CC
C
CT Guy
No clue on the stainless steel mesh bag. Post a link to a sprayer and I'll take a look. Ultimately, you should test the organisms before and after they've been through the sprayer if you want to be 100% sure.
CT Guy
Sorry about that but the various links wouldn't give you enough information to go on.
The manufacturer is Hudson and it's their Bugwiser Model #67215
From the photos at KIS it appears that the connection is what we're looking for as far as it being an 'open throat' (for lack of a better term). This product is made from stainless-steel and some of the things that I like about this product is that the connecting tube from the sprayer to the handle is a product that you can buy at any home improvement center.
Hudson sells the kits to refurbish these sprayers so that's a good thing.
And the price - I've seen these for as much as $59.95 and I was able to order it through WalMart and have it shipped directly to a store of my choosing for only $44.00
Having spent several dollars on the poly-sprayers @ $20.00 this seemed like a better deal given the construction materials.
Thanks again for any help!
CC
EDIT: Here's a photo - big deal right? LOL
V
vonforne
Great Post CT! And to think I gave you hell for bieng a corporate goon. Lots of great information there.
Keep up the great work CT. And again Thanks.
V-man
Keep up the great work CT. And again Thanks.
V-man
have been doing the fall leaves in a 5 g bucket forever it seems but i don't aerate and i do dump a chunk of compost area dirt in sometimes any suggestions for cheapest way to upgrade this [independently poor on ssi disability pension ] to get better and safer results oh
i add aged diluted urine to this somtimes too.....
i add aged diluted urine to this somtimes too.....
C
CT Guy
For the cheapest option I would go more for extraction than brewing of the tea. Take a few handfuls of compost (preferably vermicompost or worm castings), throw them in a bucket of de-chlorinated water. Add 1-2 T. of unsulfured molasses. Stir vigorously for a few minutes, and then repeat the process as frequently as possible over the next 4-6 hours and then apply.
You won't get the same levels of microbial growth, but you should be able to keep the tea aerobic with the stirring for a short period of time. Personally, I wouldn't bother with the urine in the tea.
Good luck!
You won't get the same levels of microbial growth, but you should be able to keep the tea aerobic with the stirring for a short period of time. Personally, I wouldn't bother with the urine in the tea.
Good luck!
C
CT Guy
Thanks V, I appreciate the kind words. Really want to get people out there brewing good tea correctly. It makes for healthier plants and helps our industry out in regards to our reputation. I think compost teas really work when they're made correctly!
Cheers,
T
V
vonforne
Hey check this out CT. I am talking to an old German Frau last weekend and she is an organic tea master. Not quit on the cutting edge but she soes collect fungi from the forest via cultures and makes all sorts of teas out of organic plants. Nettles, comfrey and the like. I do not have much time now but thought I would throw that one your way. If I can translate all the inffo I will give it to her and let her check our way out also.
V
C
CT Guy
Baby oatmeal could be use as a way to increase your active fungi, prior to brewing. You would add it to your compost 3-5 days before you brew.
Vegetable oil may be used in small amounts to combat foaming. A couple of teaspoons in a 5 gal. bucket typically does the trick. Foaming occurs most frequently when using worm castings, so if you are using a vermicompost, you may want to just add the veg. oil at the beginning of the brew cycle.
Vegetable oil may be used in small amounts to combat foaming. A couple of teaspoons in a 5 gal. bucket typically does the trick. Foaming occurs most frequently when using worm castings, so if you are using a vermicompost, you may want to just add the veg. oil at the beginning of the brew cycle.
V
vonforne
I have used baby oatmeal and regular oatmeal. I used to let it sit in a bucket with coffee grounds mixed with water (tepid) and then add to the soil and to my teas. LOL Jaykush, said it used to make him sick to his stomach.
CT, is it more effective added to the tea or to the soil. What is your take on that? I had good luck adding it to the soil in most cases but did find it ineffective in some cases using the same soil compounds.
V
C
CT Guy
I do add it to our composts as we do find it increases fungi of large hyphal diameter (which according to Dr. Ingham is what you want). Whether or not this particular species that it selects for is of huge benefit has yet to be determined, or at least I haven't seen any data on it. But, I'd add it to your soil in small amounts. Personally, i really like organic alfalfa meal the best. It's an excellent microbial food, and we use it in our tea and our composts.
^ thanks, I hear alfalfa is great stuff... I actually have the tea brewing manual and got to reading it today, some stuff I thought I would throw out that some people might not know:
-smaller bubbles make more oxygen in the water
-you want the oxygen content at least at 6 mg /l ( as most will never know...)
-don't add mychorizal ( spelling ) till your ready to use, they will die if they don't hit roots in 24 hours...
-not exactly sure, but I think we want more bacterial dominated teas ??
-400 micron bags
-tad's brewers / setup got a good report in the book ...
also reading the book, it seems to me people think they can make tea with a air stone but there is more science to that, I suggest if people are serious about teas to get at least one tested to make sure that there time doing teas are beneficial
also suggest the book for anyone making teas, I will have to read it several times as I'm reading so many books at once to catch to most you organic guru's..
-smaller bubbles make more oxygen in the water
-you want the oxygen content at least at 6 mg /l ( as most will never know...)
-don't add mychorizal ( spelling ) till your ready to use, they will die if they don't hit roots in 24 hours...
-not exactly sure, but I think we want more bacterial dominated teas ??
-400 micron bags
-tad's brewers / setup got a good report in the book ...
also reading the book, it seems to me people think they can make tea with a air stone but there is more science to that, I suggest if people are serious about teas to get at least one tested to make sure that there time doing teas are beneficial
also suggest the book for anyone making teas, I will have to read it several times as I'm reading so many books at once to catch to most you organic guru's..
