[compost_tea] Re: pump questions

From: pshoe4u <pmaker_at_mac.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 01:32:11 -0000

Hi Elizabeth,

When choosing a pump it's best to use one that will not damage the microbial
populations in the tea, some pumps use excess pressure and some agitate
the solution exxeccively. Diaphram pumps are a nice alternitive as they are
available in low gpm (gallons per minute) models. The pump I will be using is
a 3.5 gph Sureflo. It ran about $140, I am sure you can find similar pumps for
less. Aquatic Ecosystems <www.aquaticeco.com> sells them as well as other
pumps and areation weuipmet for hydroponics and aquaculture as well as
lots of different kinds of fittings, hoses etc.

When making the tea, try to use the largest container you think you can
handle, one thing I learned at the NOFA conference is that you acheive higher
activity in 50 gallow batches than in 30 gallon batches. my system uses 15
gallons but that's all I want to try to handle for now - and if 5 is yours that's fine,
but plan on growing to a larger size for better results.

When you clean your bucket a solution of 1:10 bleach/water is sufficient, wash
scrub, rinse, dry. I keep a spray bottle (clearly marked) handy for spraying
trays to help ward off damping off between seedings, in this case I just spray
and let dry.

Hope all that helps - plase anyone correct me if I am in error

cheers

Paul
--
Paul Shoemaker
Activacres, Newton MA
Organic Lawn and Garden Care
NOFA Accredted Organic Land Care Professional

--- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, Elizabeth Fleming <elstrfleming_at_y...>
wrote:
> I am working on setting up my first tea brewer. I
> have at my disposal a pump from an old cat watering
> dish that recirculates the water. Has anyone used
> this type of pump? On the SFI site it says commercial
> brewers that pump the tea seem to work better than
> ones that pump air through so I thought I might try
> it. Anyone have any suggestions for cleaning it? Or
> should I just buy a new pump? I'm going to use a 5
> gallon bucket I use to brew beer, I was thinking of
> sterilizing it with bleach, rinsing really well, then
> degassing it with the pump for awhile. Any feedback?
> I'm sorry if questions like this have been covered
> previously, I find the search tool in yahoo groups
> pretty ineffective.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Elizabeth
>
> __________________________________
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Received on Thu Aug 21 2003 - 23:11:12 EDT

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