From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Simi valley, ca

Ok I got small pump at hydro store , it is activeaqua aapa7.8L it says it puts out minimum of 7.8 liters per minute ,, I know some of the pumps i seen recommended in other posts had more output -but i got this going into circular air stone at bottom of 5 gallon bucket filled 4 inches from top , it seems to me to have a good amount of air bubbling -- i seems if it were much more it would bubble over sides! recipe is 1 cup or worm castings , 1/4 cup molasses 1/4 cup fish hydro-slate & seaweed ,1/8 cup blood meal , a pinch or mycor from rainforest ! I seems like it is bubbling enough ! but i am not sure ! ?

6/22/2011 2:29:27 AM

Simi valley, ca

Ok so i read that the mycor is probably not helping! I just wanted to add that the water i am using is rain water stored in galv tank , i have 3700 gallons of it !

6/22/2011 2:42:16 AM

Seattle, WA

You want .05-.08 cfm/gal. That means a .4 cfm pump is ideal for a 5 gallon brewer. Did an online conversion and your pump is only 0.0078 cfm.

http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/flow_rate_volume

6/22/2011 12:44:01 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

I think the flow is more. A liter is just a little more than a quart, so 7.8 liters is around 2 gallons. There are roughly 7.5 gallons in a cubic foot. 2/7.5 is .2666 cfm.
.266 / .05 = 5.32 so it looks like the pump is OK.

6/22/2011 1:39:11 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Fisssh, have noticed in yer original post about using "air stones" and now have a question? Had originally read that larger air bubbles are better? and my brew works well, w/ just open tubes...no air stones!!! Helps to keep more O into the mix than the lil bubbles? Don't get me wrong! If it's workin keep ON!!! Peace, Wayne

6/26/2011 12:21:05 AM

Simi valley, ca

Hey Wayne i have herd that too , Iam not sure why though ! I would think many more smaller bubbles would be better, more oxygen,it would seem like to me! so far it seems to be working , i think !

6/27/2011 2:30:01 AM

Erin, Ontario Canada

Seen the post about the air stone. What size are the bubbles coming from the air stone?

I just bought a 100 gallon air pump with a 36 inch bubble wand. The wand is around 1/2" diameter and is some kind of membrane material. It puts out bubbles anywhere from 1/8"-1/2" in size all the way down. Looks like it will work nice. Anyone using one of these also? Thanks Darren

5/23/2012 10:27:50 PM

Stanwood, Washington

1 cubic foot = 28.3 liters so a .4CFM Pump would = about 11.3 liters per minute. Your 7.8 Liter pump is equal to about .28CFM

2/20/2013 7:15:09 PM

Seattle, WA

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/flow-units-converter-d_405.html

2/21/2013 11:48:45 AM

Stanwood, Washington

Thanks Tad, Looks like my math was right. :)
Just baught a 9 Liter per minute pump today. Its a little less than your .4 cfm number but it was the biggest one they had at Petco. Tonight I am going to try and build this thing.

2/21/2013 4:57:16 PM

Seattle, WA

Good luck! You can always just not fill the bucket to 5 gallons. Maybe brew 3.5 to 4 gallons at a time.

2/22/2013 1:48:12 PM