Brewing Compost Tea using Air Lift Pump

I made a compost tea brewer using an air lift pump. The whole thing is powered by a small aquarium pump. I took a plastic barrel full of water and a few feet of 1/2" PVC pipe and had it running in 10 minutes.

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Howto & Style

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• compost
• tea
• air
• lift
• pump
• gardening
• home
• grown
• food

[TubeFrankM]

I used 4 pounds of a mix of worm castings and chicken compost. What amount of compost would you recommend for 45 gallons of tea?

[NOSMOJEFF]

@WhichDoctor1 thank you for you input have a nice day

[WhichDoctor1]

@NOSMOJEFF Not really a debate, just pointing out some potentially dangerous advice.

[NOSMOJEFF]

@WhichDoctor1 I do not debate anymore life is too short read what the SOIL FOOD WEB says about it and you can talk to them thank you and have a nice day

[WhichDoctor1]

@NOSMOJEFF Not arguing with the efficacy of compost tea. but since you said "I would add about 8 ounces (or more) of organic molasses" I would say that sounds like a recommendation to me. Since the addition of molasses has been shown to promote the growth of Salmonella and E. coli in compost tea I was just pointing out that it mite not be such a good idea.

[NOSMOJEFF]

Hows the microbes? I am using micrscope now to do my own counts

[NOSMOJEFF]

@WhichDoctor1 I am not recomending anything it's all over the web no big secret. This brewer is not mine anyway .I have a LARGE regenerative blower that makes tea in 250 gallon tote and the O2 is 6% or more average. Now the soil fodd web has re vamped it's findings that you need not even use sugars to make good tea...so here we go "what's the facts" What some one does is not my call it is up to them to learn. The good news is people are "trying to get away" from chemcals, for that I salute them

[WhichDoctor1]

@NOSMOJEFF If you add things like molasses or seaweed extract you run a high risk of breeding a range of pathogenic bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella. Not something you should be recommending to people really.

[Jakiedog]

looks like an anerobic compost tea. You need a much bigger air pump to get better circulation and to get your dissolved O2  up. nice try.

[NOSMOJEFF]

I would add about 8 ounces (or more) of organic molasses and brew it 3-4 days. It will look like root beer when it is ready. Worms make the best compost on the planet!

Use it within 2 hours after the air is off. Use it sooner if possible I spray mine in late afternoon giving it time to soak in.