[compost_tea] Re: Re: Air Required + Measuring

From: Kirk Leonard <kirk_at_oregonatural.com>
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 11:53:47 -0700

I got some offlist feedback, thank you, and apologize for the tone of my
prior message if I have offended.

> In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, Robert Norsen <bnbrew_at_y...> wrote:
> Among other stuff we were aiming to establish is how much AIR. So the
first thing we proved as we held AIR a constant, was that the amount of AIR
is very different for equal temp, gallons, nutrient and quantities of three
different composts. Your turn now Kirk, design, operate and pay for a test
that will establish the AIR required under all conditions. <
I wish I could. A single fair test of air volume effects, all else held
constant would cost minimum $500-plus just for tests, and if you wanted
protozoa and ciliates something like $1200. I assume it would take six
systems and have only one small air machine, and not a standard one at that.
All conditions would cost considerably more, and I'm not yet making money on
tea or
machines...

> using grab samples? In-tank sampling could account for the variability in
You are saying that grabing samples from the brew in a separate container is
better than a continuing sample submerged IN the brew? No way! <
OK. I understand it's easier to sample in-tank and that continuous grab
sampling is probably silly (and I'm not actually that anal...), but a DO
meter randomly exposed to air bubbles in a running machine sure seems to me
like it would distort readings. Data logging would smooth that and probably
make more sense, so if you had that in a DO test setup, in-tank makes sense.
If not, I think grab sampling - for test comparability - not necessarily for
regular tea making/monitoring - is needed to eliminate random effects on the
meter. If I'm wrong, so be it. Need to hear from others, since I don't
even own a DO meter... trust compost quality, few nutrients, and a .5 a/w
ratio.

> the runs. And as I recall from Kevin's description, you were testing with
(Ground Up ( Wood based) AH alaska Humus, Paul Sachs North country Organics
from Vermont )
> different composts, right? That info would be interesting to hear along
> with DO diffs. <
I meant to ask how the DO levels may have differed with the different
composts. That's an important thing to understand, too, and more difficult
than a handle on air volumes, I think, so I appreciate your efforts. Do you
plan to look at air volume effects?

-- Kirk L






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Received on Thu Oct 09 2003 - 21:35:30 EDT

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