Looking to buy a air pump for tea brewing I'm using 5 gallon airlift I just want to buy a good pump is a 1750gph to much some say the ecoair 1 will do but some say need bigger I probably won't upgrade making more then 5 gallons I mean I really will only need like three gallons anyway but I just want to buy the best pump for Better results so any suggestions or info I have read Tim W page just didn't know if it was older page so thanks for reading
Air pump for tea brewing help
- Thread starter Dano13
- Start date
McShnutz
Well-Known Member
I've learned that oversized pump is key. Otherwise you won't get a continuous vortex. It will more less gurgle. You'll still diffuse O2 in the water and get alot of foam but you can tell it's not running correctly. I made a double airlift in a 7gal beer brewing bucket
PS- don't add any enzymes or aloe during the brew cycle. You'll have foam everywhere!!
PS- don't add any enzymes or aloe during the brew cycle. You'll have foam everywhere!!
Totally agree, here is a case where more is better!!!!!!!
Thanks I reading and looking at my options and this reply help because I also been emailing Tim W and he help to but I was thinking of making it for little more then 5 gallons thanks for the reply it help me and help give me better idea thanks how did you make the double airlift
PadawanWarrior
Well-Known Member
No need for a vortex setup really. I like a decent pump and good quality air stones. Less agitation will help not kill the nematodes, if you're adding something like EWC.
McShnutz
Well-Known Member
I had no idea the nematodes were in danger using a vortex. Why?
PadawanWarrior
Well-Known Member
I don't know for sure if they are, because I've never set up my stuff like that. But I can tell you that they don't like it too turbulent.
I have a couple different pumps. And have messed with both. I just saw way more toads when I'd use a milder, lower pressure pump, and a shorter brew helped too. Like around 24 hours, vs longer. I'd see them swimming at the surface.
I think they probably drown if it too rough or too long. But this is just my stoner intuition, lol.
NewGrower2011
Well-Known Member
After reading this thread and the nematodes comments it led me to think why not just top dress with some EWC before watering in with the tea. That way the nematodes from the top-dressing would not be impacted by the mechanisms used to brew the tea. That way you can brew using the more aggressive agitation & longer brew times to get what is supposed to be the best results for making the tea while still getting the benefits of the nematodes you're after. Sure the ones in the brewed EWC may (or may not) be killed off but you know they'll still be getting applied either way.
NewGrower2011
Well-Known Member
Also if noise is a factor for you, I was looking at the "better" options for high volume air pumps and it seems the ones they call "linear" pumps have multiple benefits over the traditional diaphragm pumps we typically use. I believe they're better at tolerating heat, higher reliability, etc.
McShnutz
Well-Known Member
Never thought of it like that. I've never looked that closely tho either. Definitely sparked my interests. I am aware of times for brewing, bacterial vs fungal dominant teas. I don't even waste my time anymore brewing for fungal since cannabis is an annual and benefits the most from bacteria. The fungi is well established in my no till beds.
I think it may be time for me to get a cheap microscope. I'm also very big into hobbist mycology. Laminar flow and scope are the only 2 missing components in that hobby.
McShnutz
Well-Known Member
Good point, a top dressing is always a good idea. The only reason I now brew tea is to inoculate a new batch of soil. But I've been making my own soil for the better part of 15 yrs. The idea behind organic is to feed the soil, not the plant (per say). Obviously feed the soil what you want the plant to be fed.
I know it's easier for me to say that because I run 4x8 fabric beds. I keep worms in my beds and they feed on the scraps I hide in little patches throughout.
But for most, a pot is where they're confined, so brewing once every 2 weeks is warranted.
McShnutz
Well-Known Member
Every pump will generate heat, and if your shooting for bacteria that's great, they'll explode and enzymes too in those warm temps. But they'll also exhaust themselves and go back into a crystalist if the food is depleted. Basically you lose your gram count. They can re-emerge later in the soil under favorable conditions but in this case it's like saying potatoe/ potato. Just another reason I went no till living soil