[compost_tea] Small Home Brewers versus Commercial Ones

From: Sonshine <sonshine_at_houston.rr.com>
Date: Wed, 19 May 2004 08:51:04 -0500


  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Kirk Leonard
  To: Compost Tea Group
  Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2004 9:42 PM
  Subject: [compost_tea] Several Subjects (Sorry Jeff & Doc...) Mostly aera=
tion...



  On available small tea machines, my take is KIS units are the best value
  available today, but they're way too noisy and short-lived. Quieter and
  more energy-efficient linear pumps can provide air more reliably over a m=
uch
  longer time than blowers. Bob's Bitti is a good machine, and if Alaska
  Bounty has fixed their aerator they should be good tea makers, too, but
  small machines are easily home-made with good aquarium pumps and other
  aerators. I have no idea what's available outside of the US, and I don't
  trust the recent Gardens Alive product, and SoilSoup kits are not good fo=
r
  aerated teas, though they can produce good bacterial and nutrient teas, I
  think.

  Hi everyone. I've given up waiting for Gardens Alive $24.95 brewer. Bee=
n on backorder for months and finally cancelled so I'm still trying to figu=
re out what to do. Am reading all the posts and getting rather frustrated =
since this seems to be a science having to test soils and the tea and makin=
g sure the actual brewer is correct and then what goes into the compost tea=
. Certainly don't want to harm my medicinal plants in my little garden tha=
t took so long to acquire and to find the perfect spot for each one.

  Serious question since the Kis units seem to be "short lived" and I don't=
 wish to purchase something that will die on my soon; how difficult would i=
t be to build my own that would brew maximum of 5 gallons without having to=
 do soil and compost tea tests? Can it be done for a small garden or am I =
risking hurting my medicinal plants?

  Could I just purchase an air pump with perhaps dual outlets, add a couple=
 of air stones, get a food grade 5 gallon bucket, and just try it or will t=
his be too simple and I'll make a huge mess?

  Thanks so much for your asisstance.

  Frustrated and confused Rosie




Received on Wed May 19 2004 - 12:52:58 EDT

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