Re: [compost_tea] Micro bubbles + water pump...

From: Thomas Giannou <thomas_at_tandjenterprises.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2003 09:42:33 -0700

Bob,

The bubbles you described are too large. Think 20 microns in size. Look a=
t the aerob-a-jet.com web site. Those ponds are a lot bigger than any comp=
ost tea brewer, yet aerobic bacteria do just fine in those sewage ponds for=
 as long as they have food. Those devices put micro bubbles into suspensio=
n in the water. That technology has been around for a long time and is mor=
e than adequate to keep oxygen available over the long haul.

As I said, a venturi that produces 20 micron size bubbles is also available=
 and coupled with a water pump that doesn't beat up the fungi and bacteria =
might just solve the problem of having enough air present so the tea never =
runs out of disolved oxygen.

And it could solve the situation of running out of oxygen after the tea is =
brewed and before it is applied... very simple.. mix the tea with water tha=
t is already saturated with the micro bubbles. You wouldn't even have to a=
erate the liquid after that because the micro bubbles will sustain everythi=
ng untill the tea is applied. I'm not trying to work out every engineering=
 detail on this list, but this technology of generating micro bubbles appea=
rs that it could solve the DO needs of CT once and for all. I am bringing =
this up because most of the people on the list have never heard of this sor=
t of technology before. I think the "how to do" is just an engineering iss=
ue that could be solved and not end up having to be an expensive solution. =
 Micro bubbles of 20 microns stay in solution for a long time and their pro=
duction could very well solve all the CT / DO problems.

Heaters have been around in the aquarium industry for a lot of years. I be=
t they have a solution that would fit. In line heater? Maybe, maybe not..=
. it was just a suggestion. Take a look at the products in the aquarium in=
dustry for heating water. They have already solved this particular problem=
. It's a matter of matching up products with tank size etc. We are basica=
lly saying similar things, Bob. There's lots of ways to solve these proble=
ms and get the costs down so a lot of people can buy your product as a resu=
lt.

Elaine said a while back that a couple of people have identified water pump=
s that will work with compost tea. It appears that they do not want to sha=
re that info on this list. Why not? I think the reasons are called "fear"=
 and "money".

--Thomas Giannou
http://www.tandjenterprises.com

----- Original Message -----
  From: Robert Norsen
  To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
  Sent: Monday, April 28, 2003 10:08 PM
  Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Micro bubbles + water pump...


  I wonder Thomas, if the drawing i made in my head from your words is the =
drawing you had in your mind as you wrote. Close maybe?


  An in line water heater- Copper or what pipe?
                                     gently heat. Pipe is gonna be 100+F t=
o deliver many BTU to a larger tank. Bugs go from 70 to 100+ and back to 7=
0 repeatedly. will they object? I don't know.
  Design for a 5 minute clean it cycle. Pmp innards and pipe and elbows an=
d all is just part of a system to clean. Sounds complex, expensive and har=
d to clean. As simple as possible is a good rule.

  MICRO Bubbles When I see micro bubble it is as water pressure is droppe=
d suddenly as water pours from the city water system into my glass. Disolv=
ed air in micro bubbles is releaded as the pressure drops. My glass always=
 clears up in a matter of a few minutes. Micro bubbles bust to the surface=
. I am not familiar with bubbles so small they become suspended in water.=
  I see them in heavier more viscous liquids. like emulsions or taffy. I a=
m interested in that concept. It would have value . However even the sma=
ll air bubbles don't promise long term O2. If the microbes breath the micr=
o air they will use the O2 and give off CO2 ( root beer) so O2 may not foll=
ow the TEA as long as the bubbles. This is so unknow to me i need to liste=
n and look not debate. Tell me more.

  Water Pump In the Bob's line I use rising air bubbles as the water pump=
 and to agitate & extract during the cycle. This is still possible and pro=
ductive even if there
  is a micro bubbler in the system The advantage of the air driven circul=
ation is low cost, gentle action and ease of cleaning the system.
  as well as it furishes all the O2 we find needed in O2 testing. .
  I tend to stay by my suggestion of using a separate water heater to get t=
he water to the right temp at the start. When the ambient temps are ok to =
apply TEA the brewer will not lose enough heat to matter diring the brew cy=
cle.

  I departed a complex brewer that cost me $ 5,000 to make one I sell now f=
or $685 with 5 times the capacity, 1/10th the time to clean, makes the sa=
me or better quality TEA with less compost. I don't need a fork lift to mo=
ve mine around or a warehuse to store it. Brewing needs to be simple as we=
ll as effective. Them bugs are complex enough. Bob.



Received on Tue Apr 29 2003 - 14:15:20 EDT

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