Cost to make an AACT brewing setup

Proud Marine Dad

Proud Marine Dad

I saw another post where someone asked what's the cost to set up a brewing system so I thought I would show what I bought and the costs.
You can use anything you want from any manufacturer you like so it doesn't have to be exactly what I bought.
 
I hope this is helpful to some of you interested in starting your own AACT brewing system.
 
Mine consists of:
 
Two of these dual outlet air pumps from Walmart:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Aqua-Culture-20-60-Gallon-Double-Outlet-Aquarium-Air-Pump-1-Ct-Fish-Aquatic-Pets/10532634
Two of these 3" x 1" x 1" air stones which are superior to the ones at Walmart:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=8121
The clear tubing at Walmart
I bought two "T" fittings and run both air pump outlets into a single line which attaches to the air stone. So each pump is operating one airstone each by both of the pump's outlets for a little more pressure.
Although some people put the compost directly into the bucket I prefer to put it in a 400 micron filter bag like this that I bought from eBay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Size-1-Mesh-Filter-Bag-7in-x-16-in-400-micron-part-NMO400P1S-/290923306098?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43bc615c72
I use a Lowes 5 gallon bucket for brewing
 
So to sum up the total price:
 
Two dual outlet pumps from Walmart - $21.14
Two 3" x 1" x 1" air stones from Drs. Foster & Smith - $9.58
Tubing for pumps and two "T" fittings - $6.00 (estimate)
400 Micron bag on eBay- $5.50
Lowes 5 gallon bucket - $2.78
 
Total cost minus shipping - $45
 
Here is a short video of the pumps running in the bucket: http://smg.photobucket.com/user/MikeV/media/2012_0809TeaBrewer0002.mp4.html

 
 
cactusMD said:
$45 + the cost of what you have to put into the tea bag
Click to expand...
 
I have my own compost bin so it's free. You can easily make your own compost or throw grass clippings in the water if that's all you have.
You also have to buy some unsulfured molasses as well but it's inexpensive.
 
Personally, I feel the air stones are not needed. I'm a long time aquarium hobbyist, and I was also the acting curator of a large saltwater (10,000 plus gallon) system for a large chain restaurant for a few years. Breaking the surface tension of the water and circulating water in a system does far more to oxygenate the water than air stones do.

I feel that you get more bang for your buck from your pumps by just weighing the air line down at the bottom of the bucket and letting it rip, IMO the stones just reduce the force of the air coming from your pump and reduce the potential lift effect, slowing circulation and breaking of the surface tension.

I doubt that there is much of a difference between using them and not, but to me it's just one less thing to buy. :)
 
spydrweb77 said:
Personally, I feel the air stones are not needed. I'm a long time aquarium hobbyist, and I was also the acting curator of a large saltwater (10,000 plus gallon) system for a large chain restaurant for a few years. Breaking the surface tension of the water and circulating water in a system does far more to oxygenate the water than air stones do.

I feel that you get more bang for your buck from your pumps by just weighing the air line down at the bottom of the bucket and letting it rip, IMO the stones just reduce the force of the air coming from your pump and reduce the potential lift effect, slowing circulation and breaking of the surface tension.

I doubt that there is much of a difference between using them and not, but to me it's just one less thing to buy. :)
Click to expand...
so a really big drinking bird > air stones?
 
spydrweb77 said:
Personally, I feel the air stones are not needed. I'm a long time aquarium hobbyist, and I was also the acting curator of a large saltwater (10,000 plus gallon) system for a large chain restaurant for a few years. Breaking the surface tension of the water and circulating water in a system does far more to oxygenate the water than air stones do.

I feel that you get more bang for your buck from your pumps by just weighing the air line down at the bottom of the bucket and letting it rip, IMO the stones just reduce the force of the air coming from your pump and reduce the potential lift effect, slowing circulation and breaking of the surface tension.

I doubt that there is much of a difference between using them and not, but to me it's just one less thing to buy. :)
Click to expand...
 
That may be true with the larger systems you have worked with spydrweb77 but with these low powered pumps I don't think it works as well without the air stones.
 
Here's a video with just water and the air stones connected: http://smg.photobucket.com/user/MikeV/media/20130601_155554.mp4.html
 
Here it is with the air stones removed: http://smg.photobucket.com/user/MikeV/media/20130601_155731.mp4.html
 
Now a piece of tubing held down at the bottom with several small 1/32" or smaller holes may produce the desired effect without an air stone. I have not tried that but some people do it that way although most I have seen have been much larger pumps.
 
Going to put mine together tomorrow. I was concerned that I would have to much chlorine in my tap water so I used my pool test strips and found out chlorine is not going to be my problem. it's Alkalinity and PH. They are way high! Alkalinity is 8.4 and PH is 180 ppm.
 
Is this going to be a problem. Will the Tea itself change this or do I need to add something special to it. So far I have Worm Castings both packaged and fresh, Bat Guano,Liquid Kelp, Grass and Alfalfa cuttings, Mycos, and some compost. I looked for Humic Acid but can't seem to find any locally yet. One place had Fulvic Acid, but I have not heard much about that in teas here. I do have some fish emulsion but I read here that the oil could mess up the brew so I figured I leave that out.
 
Is there anything I should add to the water to make it more acidic and less alkaline? 
 
SL3 said:
Going to put mine together tomorrow. I was concerned that I would have to much chlorine in my tap water so I used my pool test strips and found out chlorine is not going to be my problem. it's Alkalinity and PH. They are way high! Alkalinity is 8.4 and PH is 180 ppm
 
Is there anything I should add to the water to make it more acidic and less alkaline?
Click to expand...
I think you need a solution for all your watering, not just aact.

Gathering rain water?
 
No Rain Water. Hell no rain!!! Got four 50 gallon barrels so I could fill them up and treat them I suppose. But with what? For now I want to make sure this water don't kill my tea and then my plants. So far the plants are doing ok with the water, but I have been pulling it out of horse troughs, dog bowls (my dogs drink out of 50 gallon containers cut in half) or wherever I can find water that has not been changed for a day or two. I was just doing that thinking I was avoiding the chlorine. 
 
SL3 said:
Going to put mine together tomorrow. I was concerned that I would have to much chlorine in my tap water so I used my pool test strips and found out chlorine is not going to be my problem. it's Alkalinity and PH. They are way high! Alkalinity is 8.4 and PH is 180 ppm.
 
Is this going to be a problem. Will the Tea itself change this or do I need to add something special to it. So far I have Worm Castings both packaged and fresh, Bat Guano,Liquid Kelp, Grass and Alfalfa cuttings, Mycos, and some compost. I looked for Humic Acid but can't seem to find any locally yet. One place had Fulvic Acid, but I have not heard much about that in teas here. I do have some fish emulsion but I read here that the oil could mess up the brew so I figured I leave that out.
 
Is there anything I should add to the water to make it more acidic and less alkaline? 
Click to expand...
 
I am not sure how much the tea changes the pH SL3. Are you planting in pots or the ground? If in the ground I believe it will take care of itself. If it is in pots and you are worried you could go to a hydroponics store and buy the pH up/down kit they sell which is less than $20.
 
Thanks for the reply Proud Marine Dad. Their in pots so I will go purchase the pH kit and treat some water in 50 gallon barrels for the plants. As always I appreciate your advise. 
 
would it be adverse to use other ph lowering agents (e.g. vinegar in small quants.) to compensate? Cant beat its price ...
 
cheers
al
 
Proud Marine Dad said:
That may be true with the larger systems you have worked with spydrweb77 but with these low powered pumps I don't think it works as well without the air stones.
 
Here's a video with just water and the air stones connected: http://smg.photobucket.com/user/MikeV/media/20130601_155554.mp4.html
 
Here it is with the air stones removed: http://smg.photobucket.com/user/MikeV/media/20130601_155731.mp4.html
 
Now a piece of tubing held down at the bottom with several small 1/32" or smaller holes may produce the desired effect without an air stone. I have not tried that but some people do it that way although most I have seen have been much larger pumps.
Click to expand...
I'm just going to have to agree to disagree on this one. The videos are pointless without a dissolved oxygen test to show any measurable difference.

At any rate, I'm not going to fault anyone for using them, but IMO they just are an added expense that is not needed. I get frothy Brews in 24 hours without them. Here is a shot of the brew I started yesterday... Foam got knocked down quite a bit when I popped the top, bu still nice and foamy, if that's how we're measuring success here...

 
I like air stones, and the bigger the better.  I have seen round plastic rings with holes that sit at the bottom of a 5 but I cant find them any more.
 
spydrweb77 said:
I'm just going to have to agree to disagree on this one. The videos are pointless without a dissolved oxygen test to show any measurable difference.

 
Click to expand...
 
I don't know if it's only the dissolved oxygen that is key to compost tea as the bacteria in the compost need to be loosened from the material they are attached to and I would think a lot of bubbles coming up into the compost sock would be the key to doing that. Maybe I am wrong. :think:
Also remember that foam on the top means nothing as far as whether beneficial bacteria are present or not. ;)
 
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