David Trees

Thanks Matt C.

I like the vortex concept. I hadn't seen it before, so your post was spot on and cool.

My only question is this; does it still spin as well with a big bag of compost/vermipost sitting in the middle of the vortext.

It's a good idea for perhaps mixing / aerating the Tea but, how does it "shake" the microbes out from the mesh bag...?

I was under the impression that this bag needs some good solid vibration from air stones like bubbles (not literally air stones) to shake the microbes out of the compost/vermipost medium.

That all being said... it gives me more food for thought and it is great that you shared the concept. I had been thinking about how I could make the mixture move from top to bottom and left to right too. So the images and videos confirmed something that I had been drawing and thinking about from a design/concept perspective.

I had seen Tim Wilsons site too, found it a bit hard to read though.

It's a pity it doesn't have pages for sections and better spacing for ease of reading, as the images and content are great. The images are brilliant.

Now this looks like it could be the ticket from a aeration and a flow perspective. It is a YT video showing how to create flow using an airlift kind of system.

Looks good with the little pink ball circulating showing the flow and how they create it. They are Koi Carp pond enthusiasts who made this demonstration model.

http://youtu.be/I1uBybsdXHQ

They're either Dutch or Flemish writing (Belgium). I think it wouldn't be that hard to integrate this into a square water butt or a help with the flow.

What do you think?

Here is one more. The key seems to be go big with the pipes and the bubbles. It moves more water and therefore must aerate it better on the surface.

http://youtu.be/KSb81nHCpI8 - This is his 3rd modification.

This is a link to the pond forum where RicShaw discusses his design and on page 5 or 6 shows photos of it opened up and the bits with measurements of how he created it.

This guys set up was not very expensive at all. He did have an air pump that could pump about 30 litre / minute. I think it cost him sub $40.00US. The rest was some scrap water pipe some bends and end caps and that is it.

Hey R Scott,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me above. I appreciate your comments a lot. I have just bought a nice pump for a sensible price. Found those air curtains and a source for good quality low prices poly pipe.

I will be using it for the long term so the cost was worth it but I can see what you mean about spending too much cash, after visiting that Hydroponics shop. I am not tempted because of my experience and because I have clear sense of what I want to do in my PC self sufficient property once we get it on our return to Australia later this year.

I will think about the shape of the drum/vessel for the compost tea as I did not know about the way the currents run in square / rectangular fish tanks / vessels.

So a BIG thanks for that info.

Hope all is well with you and yours.

Cheers..

Hey Josef

OK so 3 things in reply...

1. Thanks so much for taking the time to reply...

2. Simply said... Yes, you are right. I thought that aeration (not oxygenation) happened in the length of the compost tea vessel because air is effectively being injected in and causing the microbes, bacteria, funghi to dislodge from the medium and multiply in the water. Things like unsulphated molases feeds them causing them to grow and multiply in the water.

3. So... Based on your comments/concepts; the best thing to do is move the air through the vessel in a way that excites the water(bubbles @ 55l/min) to the surface where the exchange takes place..

BUT/And... To make it super efficient, I need to find a way to also create some kind of surface to bottom circulation. Kind of like how cold air falls and then rise as it heats in a sense. (I have never heard/read, it explained as you have shared it.)

So the bubbles through an air curtain in the compost bag, which I was told/taught dislodges in a sense the good critters from the compost medium is ... Ummm, not true or redundanct according to your experience?

Therefore an airlift system is a better system as it takes water from low or a set height and pumps it up and effectively drops it back onto the surface of the water creating a splash or bubbles.

I know it might seem quite complex in some respects but the soils well being makes knowing worth it to me.

Or perhaps a combination of the two.. Airlift pump with air curtain. It isn't that expensive to create both. The pump has two lines and the air curtain is only £3.00 for a 3 foot lenght and an extra £1 for a 4 foot length and is weighted to keep it on the bottom...

Brilliant, great input... Thanks again for all the input so far. I am getting a better picture of how this works best now.

Thanks for taking the time to write Jordan.

I didn't know what an air lift pump was...LOL

So, I reviewed some videos on YT. For me... They don't like they generate enough aeration IMHO. The videos made it look like it just created a stream of water that perculated out.
Mind you I know nothing about aquariums.

Of course I would guess that this might be purely down to the pump itself(??).

The recommended minimum aeration is 55l/min from sites that offer a suggest aeration volume.

Once again thanks for sharing your idea. I can try it at least as the pump I have is a really solid one with lines out.

I was at a hydorponics store in our town today and I spoke to a very helpful fellow who suggested using a length or two of aquarium air curtain, rather than air stones (as they clog).

I thought what a great idea. They come in 4 lengths,12", 24", 36" and 48". They are flexible and can be shaped to any shape. They are normally used in aquariums for exotic fish he said.

This is the kicker and a few questions... They have a kind of rubberised sheath around them to make them soft. They are also a little weighted to help them stay in the bottom of an aquarium.

So.. Has anyone used one for Aerated Compost Tea?

Does anything think that the rubber sheath might some how adversly affect the compost teas biologicals?

Any other thoughts and feedback if you've tried it would be great. Thanks

Has anyone tried to create a garden / farming using Hugelkultur?

If so, we're white ants any issue?

Can Gum Trees be used? Or are they to .... "Eucalyptusy"

Any feedback is welcomed. Thanks in advance.

Greetings Herr Wolfgang,

I have just joined the Permies forum. This is the first post I read and it touched me, so I am replying.

I will be following this thread if I may please.

I'm an Aussie who has lived in Europe for the past 16,5 years, in England. We often visit the Odenwald in summer to be with friends.
I am very partial to Germany as its wonderful people.

My mother was born in 1944 in a village in Germany called Binau und Neckar, which is near Mossbach. Not far from Heidleberg.
Now, they live just north of Sydney. She was born to Ukrainian parents.

Right now I am reading Sepp Holzer's Permaculture book with sheer delight at what is possible when
someone allows themselves to think and live outside the box and work with nature to create something that is so worthy of legacy.
I love Sepp's peaceful yet relentless pursuit of his dream. It sounds to me like you are similar in passion and nature.

I found it interesting that you are looking for someone from Europe or the US to bring continuance to your life's work...

I will follow this to see how it goes.

All the best in your transition to the next phase of your life.