Compost tea spray rig PSI

[Turboguy]

Originally Posted by Tim Wilson

According to James, these recirculation jets can be shut right off but I don't know if there is any potential damage to the pump, if left running with no flow. The impellers are obviously going to be still turning.

My idea includes a pump which turns off and on as the applicator valve is closed and opened.

Tim, they can be shut off totally if you are spraying. The need a little movement through the pump. You can shut them off for a few minutes without spraying but an extended period of being shut off totally with the pump still running would start to build up some heat which would likely affect the microbes. Running that way for an extended period will take the seal out of the pump. You can run the agitators so it is just sort of trickling out of the agitation and not have any adverse effects and I am sure it would not affect the tea.

A pump that ran only when you needed it would not be that hard in a unit that was pulled on or mounted on some kind of vehicle such as the Walker that was mentioned but would probably be a bit of a trick in a rig where you were applying the tea with a gun such as a 100 or 200 gallon tank sprayer.

The pump in the photo looks like a surflow which is a decent pump. There are better choices.

I believe I mentioned earlier in this thread that I know more about sprayers than Tea but am doing the best I can to learn more. You brew tea by aerating it but big bubbles are bad and little bubbles are good as I understand it. I almost have a feeling if you took the three best experts in the world and put them together that there would be some areas where their ideas were very different. It is really an interesting subject and there does seem to be a lot of conflicting information. Lawnsite and you guys are really a good resource for learning.

[Tim Wilson]

The question is, does the agitation in your microbulator effect the fungi?

No because I use only air. It is the impellers which cause the damage. Compare it to you with a bunch of spaghetti type appendages going through a water slide over and over. Likely most of your spaghetti will stay attached. Now consider that you need to go through a propeller (or fan blades) each time you enter the slide. Chopped up spaghetti. BTW I happen to know that in paricular flagellates love riding the microbulator:>)

I have heard people argue that the agitation form bubbles alone in a highly aerified CT brewer can harm the fungi.. I have heard others say that this is a none issue. What have you observed?

'from bubbles alone'?

This is bogus, bogus, bogus. I have observed and stated this many times. Of course there are reasonable limits of agitation.

[JDUtah]

Originally Posted by Tim Wilson

No because I use only air. It is the impellers which cause the damage. Compare it to you with a bunch of spaghetti type appendages going through a water slide over and over. Likely most of your spaghetti will stay attached. Now consider that you need to go through a propeller (or fan blades) each time you enter the slide. Chopped up spaghetti. BTW I happen to know that in paricular flagellates love riding the microbulator:>)

'from bubbles alone'?

This is bogus, bogus, bogus. I have observed and stated this many times. Of course there are reasonable limits of agitation.

Makes sense. Thanks for the response!

[phasthound]

For what it's worth, Elaine Ingham states that recirculation in a spray rig helps keep the ACT oxygenated. James Scotillo uses piston pumps at high pressure when applying ACT to large trees. They get results.

I use a diaphragm pump at about 200psi & am happy with my results. I have not looked under a microscope before & after spraying.

[FOL]

I will post the pics of the my spray rig soon, should have it finished by next week. I will then start some serious testing. I went the low pressure spray rig from Rittenhouse.

My intentions are to head down to TG's "hope you guys are ok" once finished and we are going to do are best to supply some tests results for everyone to see different sprayer setups. Whether it is video like Tim has provided us or at least something. Any suggestions anyone. Give us some time here but I have all the intentions to help everyone with this subject.

One of my biggest concerns getting one of these spray rigs or building my own was the outcome of the herd counts after it has had a chance to go threw these systems. So I will do my best to produce some data, so we can all learn some more about this subject.

[Tim Wilson]

For what it's worth, Elaine Ingham states that recirculation in a spray rig helps keep the ACT oxygenated.

I question the logic of advocating against CT brewers which use water pumps and then advocate the recirculation over and over of finished CT through a water pump.