Fwd: [compost_tea] , CACT cycle REPEAT ( by request)

From: Robert Norsen <bnbrew_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 6 Mar 2005 16:40:41 -0800 (PST)



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Preface: More testing is needed to prove the assumptions that are made here-in. Testing was done but restricted to one test. Financial, situation and time limitations prevail. Proving repeatability involves hundreds of tests for a single CACT brew cycle and involves thousands of gallons. Test of multiple intermittent CACT draws, full size? Done And in miniature? Done. Is a 10 gallon brew the same as a 500 and 1,000 gallon brew? Probably. Close field observation during actual use, using microscopic observation will help. Microscopic evaluation had not been recognized at the time of this work. I hope to join some farmer to make these tests in 2005. I hope those of the List who have any reason to do so will test and report here.
 
The ACT Cycle: Aaerated Compost Tea
In the normal ACT cycle multiplication of the "herd" in the brew starts out with dormant slowly. awakening microbes. When conditions are right the numbers of bacteria build and as the fungi "wake up" to good conditions they grow. Let me guess that protozoa wake up, come out of dormant stage to grow or multiply but only after more hours than the usual 24 of an ACT cycle. Along about 12 to 16 hours the rate of bacteria reproduction is high. As food is used up the microbes return to dormancy so the incubation slows down fungi have started to grow. Protozoa are awake but (still celibate? grin )
 
For just a few of the 24 hour ACT cycle, the incubation rate is very high.
 
The CACT Cycle Continuing Aerated Compost Tea
If we could catch that high rate and hold production at that high the brewer would produce far more life per hour than is the average rate for a normal ACT cycle. Longer cycles may also bring more diversity. Longer cycles reduce total output unless the longer cycle can produce in a productive repeating continuity. A nearly constant flow and fill. This is the object of CACT.
 
For some application situations a continuing brew has advantages. Such as a farm irrigating with pivots or other flowing irrigation. The need for ACT is immense, steady for many hours.
 
A nursery could set up for a week and aways have fresh ACT ready for customers to take home.
 
A golf course, large landscape project or farm could keep a brew going to complete the job, non-stop. No waiting around in the AM for a 20 + hour brew to finish.
 
CACT preparation, involves measured loading of the bewer at many intervals
A source of compost- Activated Alaska humus or equal good quality compost is required just as in any brew cycle. For a 500 g brew such as the BobO500 the initial load would be 15 gallons, added 5 gallons at start, 5 gallons after 5 minutes and after 10 minutes.
 
Plan adding 5 gallons every time that 25 % of the ACT is removed. If you plan to run 12 hours a day for 7 days you need to prepare 12 x 7 = 84 5g packs of compost + nutrients.
 
Kelp, 2 gallons of Kelp flour with the first charge and 2 qt with each 5 gallons of compost added.
Humic acid, 2 gallons with first charge, 2 qt with each 5 gallons of compost added
other nutrients can be added in the same way. Such as 1 qt. of fish in the first brew, add 1 cup of fish with each added 5 g of compost. I suggest those following packs be prepared as 6 gallon 'charges ready to go in after each 25% ACT draw.
 
A source of water is needed that enters the tank at near 70F or warmer, pre-- de-chlorinated.
The air pump might be a good source of heat. Water can replace the draw slowly, furnished by any means, controlled by a float so as ACT is drawn, water replaces to hold the level near constant. Air never changes.
 
The compost/nutrient charge is added at the end of each ACT draw. Expect a minor dip in the microbe density due to the constant water input. Think of that as equal to slight dilution.
 
Since the activity is at a high rate all of the CACT cycle the recovery and activation of the new compost and use of the nutrients starts rapidly.
 
Must the ACT be remove exactly on the hour? No. Once an hour seems to be the shortest interval for a 25% draw. Why not a more frequent smaller draw? Probable OK. Or a larger less frequent draw? Up to 50%? likely OK Longer intervals at 25% draw will reduce the production rate but may increase the microbe content of the ACT. What about over night?
 
Our testing chose to shut down at what we estimated to be a.reasonable 12 hour farm day and to start up at a reasonable farm morning - dawn !. We treated the 8 hour shut down just as any other interval. No major deviation occurred. MORE testing is needed to assure this nonchalance is justified.
 
How many days can this CACT cycle run? We think 10 days may be a target.
 
1) A question asked by several is what prevents thick anaerobic film build-up causing the same problem as a dirty brewer?
 
The brewer is designed with excess air and excellent rapid flow circulation washing all surfaces with high DO2. The compost and nutrient load is low enough and the air induced is selected to assure 6+ DO2 washing all surfaces. We don't expect that problem. Didn't have one.
Surfaces in the brewer did not feel slimy after 2 days of running.
 
2) Will the extractor chamber fill after several re-fills with so much compost added?
 
Yes, it is necessary to empty the extractor after several loads. A high % of large particle non-soluble particles in the compost will fill the chamber after a few loads. With a little experience the operator will know when to dump the chamber. After a dump a double load of compost and nutrients are added, 2/3 of a start load. Using Alaska Humus almost all is lost to the ACT and to silt. The brewer is designed to prevent the silt forming an Anaerobic layer in the brewer.
 
3) Working with pivots we want to go from pivot to pivot without shut down. Can we do that?
 
That is intended. The system needs to have a generator on trailer to keep the O2 moving into the brewer. 15 minutes off O2 is probably about the limit.
 
4) Is CACT only possible with Bob's Brewers? We don't see a reason that other brewers can't use this cycle. The brewer would need good circulation, high O2, easy loading and dumping of the extractor, rapid extraction, good separation of silt from TEA and a way to "dump' the silt if it collects too deep to stay aerobic. Agricultural models of Bob's have these capabilities.
 
5) What sizes are available from Bob? 300, 500, 1000, 1500. 2550 g
     Sure we still have the Bitti and the BobOLator. They CAN make good use of the CACT cycle too with some minor adjustments. When 5 to 20 gallons per hour is a useful rate one of those models on the CACT cycle may be just right.
6) On CACT cycle what capacity do those AG sizes offer?
 
300 x .25 x as many hours as the operator can work per day x 10 days
 Assume a 12 hour day = 900 g/day, 10 days 9,000 g
500 / 4 x 12hr = 1,500 x 10days = 15,000 Double shift? Double output.30,000g
1,000g 3,000 30,000 double shift = 60,000
1500 4,500 45,000 90,000
2550 7,650 76,500 153,000
 
7) What is the saving? Take a PIVOT situation. The pivot is 50 miles from the ACT supply. so ACT is generated at the barn, hauled out to the pivot, 500 g at a t time, many trips, MANY man hours lots of gas, ACT that is under stress for lack of O2? One pivot a day per man day of labor?
Same size brewer on CACT, IN THE FIELD: The power is there. Water is there, the compost pacs are in the truck that pulls the brewer. The CACT cycle brewer sets up at one pivot for 6 hours - or however long the pivot irrigation run. The CACT brewer runs the same time. Done there? Move to the next pivot and keep the cycle going. Pivot after pivot. One attendant can operate 3 to 4 CACT brewers at a time if in close proximity. The crop can't wait.
 
Take DITCH irrigation.- A big brewer sets up to add ACT the irrigation water for the week that the irrigation continues. DAY and Night. Shift keeps the brewer going 24 7 Many thousands of acres get the ACT they need. The crop can't wait.
 
Golf Course - A CACT cycle is started the day before, the Irrigation system is turned on at dusk, to run over night. A 500 g brewer on ACT cycle may be less than needed. On a CACT cycle can pour ACT into the irrigation system at a constant 125g per hour all night, for 7 hours. Float keeps the TEA level constant. At each hour a compost/ nutrient pac is added. ( auto magic? ) The 500 gallon brewer cranks out 875+ gallons and can do it again tonight, without a reload or shut down. Or it can irrigate and "TEA" the grounds away from the course, and still be ready to go again that night.
 
TEA SERVICE. Truck is loaded with pacs, water treatment system. trailers a 500 g brewer. Drives 15 miles to the first 5 customers.
Now he is 20 miles from home base and 1/x thru his route. On ACT cycle this is the end of the end of the delivery that day. 5 x 180 = $900 income $500 cost. FINANCIALLY NOT ENOUGH.
CACT cycle: at each stop he unloads 100+- g ACT, LOADS that much water, adds a pac charge and continues. At the 5th customer he has a full tank, has brunch, continues on the route. 70 miles from home, has dinner, takes in a show, sacks in at the local motel, starts with a full load at dawn for the rest of his route. A week after leaving home he has serviced 80 customers at $ 180.00= $14,400 for a cost of $2400.+ bonus and per diem The customers need this service every week April thru October October to March you have a route in Peru?
 
REMEDIATION Oil fields and mine tailings - where else? - need thousands of gallons of ACT to meet EPA requirements and for PR, to reduce lawsuits, to meet civic duty.
These applications might best start with 2550g system. Application average of 500 gph would be economical for labor and to get the essential volume of ACT. .So a 2550 g system on a tractor trailer travels to the area, applies system output 1,000 g per hour soaking 20 gpa 100 acres per 2 hours. The job involves 5,000 acres, spaced on 50 sites, 1,500 miles from home base. 5000x20 = 100,000 g, 100 hours spray + 150 hours moving & loading water.
The 2550 g on a CACT cycle can produce 500 g per hour. The job takes 250 hours plus
travel. 6 long weeks sell. $300,000? cost, $130,000 ?
The same brewer on ACT cycles would take 14 weeks, same value, cost $281,.000, 14 weeks. No bonus.Wife mad. expert quits. Grin
 
If ACT is going to do the world much good it's gonna take a lot of ACT
Mega farms can't dink around with small capacity. The mechanical extractors offer part of the answer, but they use many times as much compost to produce the same quantity of microbes in the field. Are there other advantages in extractor / brewers
over straight mechanical extractors? Don't know.
 
7) Have other brewer makers tried this CACT cycle? Don't know. They should work much the same way,
8) Is the quality from CACT equal to the quality from ACT? There seems to be little if any difference. Takes more experience to know As a farmer I would be doing CACT. As a specialist doing TEA in many situation I would choose CACT . If I am going to make a difference on EARTH It must be enough profitable to make it grow strong and big.
 
Driving to Canada and Idaho and Oregon, Pivots! Driving California away from I-5, miles of ditch irrigation. Fly across North America, circles all the way. Reading about oil field damage to surrounding areas, looking a miles of mine tailings in Arizona, Utah, Peru, World wide, tailings are destroying nearby rivers. Road sides, railroad shoulders, work on subdivisions where acres are graded raw dirt, sloping to streams. Forests being clear cut, need soil stabilization. The need for and opportunity for BIG TEA is staring at us. If the world knew what TEA could do we would need capacity to do it. Lets let the world know 'n quite dinkin around.
 
CACT may multiply most brewer capacity by 3 and increase the profit to operators much more, enough to make this TEA business meet the worlds need in Elaine's lifetime.
A monument to one hard workin gal, and many other folks, who made it happen. Bob















Received on Tue Mar 08 2005 - 23:37:34 EST

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