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Location

Message

Date Posted

ShagHarbour n,s canada

hello all after standing infront of my tea barrel i was thinking " i have water pumps that could cause circulation or is it air bubbles that the compost tea needs? could someone help me out

2/6/2013 1:25:26 PM

Wallingford,CT

bubbles

2/6/2013 1:38:17 PM

President - GPC

Oxygenation for microbial reproduction

2/6/2013 2:00:51 PM

Massachusetts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7IYR_rELyE

2/6/2013 3:10:43 PM

Novar, Ontario

Good one Marley

2/6/2013 4:29:15 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Thanks for the laugh Marley!

2/6/2013 4:53:12 PM

South East

try to do both

2/6/2013 4:55:50 PM

ShagHarbour n,s canada

if a pump circulates water aka creates oxygen enuf to keep fish alive wouldnt it do the same for the micro activity alive as well?

2/6/2013 5:53:25 PM

President - GPC

When the air bubble breakZ the surface is when the exchanges take place. A pump merely moveZ oxygenated water, not create it.

2/6/2013 5:55:29 PM

President - GPC

Also BIG bubbleZ breaking Oxygenate better than lotZ of smaller bubbles.....

2/6/2013 6:05:44 PM

Omaha, Ne.

when the water surface touches air You get air in the water. so the more water is turned the more oxygen. So if using bubbles to move the water from the bottom of the bucket to the top to get air. Or if you use a pump. the one that is better would be the that moves the most water to surface repeatedly. Now I would like to know is how fast is to fast and kills the micros

2/6/2013 6:19:27 PM

west central IN/East central IL

Try a powerhead and attach a long air tube. It will move over 300gal/hr and produce plenty of O2.

2/6/2013 6:54:50 PM

Massachusetts

this is the one i use, really!

http://www.hydroponics.net/i/131650

2/6/2013 7:30:05 PM

Massachusetts

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=173895

works great with the right pump, BUBBLES!

2/6/2013 7:33:26 PM

The North Coast

I have had success brewing with a air stone and a piece of PVC pipe If you add the two together you create an air lift pump. An air lift pump allows you aeration and adequate circulation from the bottom of the tank to the top. When I was really serious about it I would drop in my electric trolling motor into the drum too...now you're really getting 'r done.

2/7/2013 7:29:21 AM

Seattle, WA

Air lifts are excellent. Water pumps can damage the microbes during the brewing process, though they are fine to use for transferring or applying compost tea.

You need much higher levels of dissolved oxygen for compost tea than you need to keep fish alive.

2/7/2013 3:00:27 PM