If anyone decides to make one of these designs, you don't have to glue the joints on the pvc socket joints. I tap them firmly with something to seat the joints. They stick together well, rarely leak, and no glueing makes for easy clean up....MIW
No gluing for easy clean-up! I am glad you thought of that as that is a very valuable tip, because immediate cleaning after brewing is vital in keeping the bio-film from gumming things up! Thanks MIW Sam
hey Waterboy - very exciting! (Tank in the mail) I'm jumping on the bandwagon, going to be ordering the 15 gallon setup w/ the stand later this week, I'm like a kid at christmas! *lol* jerry.
It is exciting! This I gonna be my first tea brewing experience! I was shocked how loud the pump was with no air hose hooked up!
Hi Waterboy. I think that I am going to buy a new dedicated air pump for the new AACT brewer tank that I am ordering later this week. With you saying that yours is loud, I would like to avoid this - if possible, as I am going to be running mine in the cellar and if avoidable.... Which pump did you buy, is there a specific one that I should be looking for, etc? This is one think that I could use some help with from anyone with any experience! Please remember that I have been doing the 5 gallon bucket and fishtank airstone for the last couple of years, and if I am going to spend a hundred and fifty bucks for a new tank and stand then I definetly want to get the right air pump to go with it! I obviously need it strong enough to do the job that it is intended for but I never thought about noise as a factor, which I guess it could be if I'm going to have it indoors (at least down in the cellar). I want something that i can run quite often without keeping us all awake at night! *lol* Anyone have any suggestions as to which model(s) I should be using with a setup like this? i'm super excited since I found Stankie's thread 9thanks again Stankie!!) and want to build a really cool super professional setup that will last me for many years... Thanks in advance! jerry.
Jerry When looking at specs on the air pumps in the class (size) that we use it's usually best to start at the web sites that cater to the high-end aquarium crowd for a simple reason - these people are f*cking nuts about the equipment they buy. Not worth risking a $10,000.00 saltwater set-up going south on you over a $200.00 air pump, wave maker, some special filter blah, blah, blah.... These guys (Aquarium Linear Air Pumps) have a fair range of pumps that will do what you want and do it efficiently and for fair money, IMHO If it were me, given the set-up that you're designing, I'd lean towards the Alita product line. When it comes to air flow into a cistern the credo 'Go big or go home' pretty much applies. HTH LD
As usual LD comin' thru. Thanks man. This said, is the AL40 ($170.00) model sufficient do you think, or should i go for the AL60 ($200.00)? I do understand that the sheer volume of air makes a difference. From the reviews I just read on thier website, it seems that the AL40 will run may multiple setups, so could it be sufficient for a 15 gallon AACT setup? At the same time, I guess I dont want "sufficient". I want it to work as good as or better than anyone elses...*lol* I want it to friggin' ROCK. I want it to turn out critters by the billions... So - AL40 or AL60? For the $30.00 difference, should I just go with the AL60 and not look back? thanks in advance. Again. jerry.
Same here............ BTW - if I gave anyone the idea that you want to purchase a pump from the aquarium stores then I apologize. That's just where you can get some specs to work with and then go and shop price, price, price. The better pumps will have a manufacturer's guarantee regardless of where you purchase the air pump. Other places to look for pricing would be koi pond sites, outdoor pond sites, etc. to see how their pricing works. HTH LD
I got an AL 15A from another place, a pond supply store, but that pump kicks ass and it is quiet. I use it in a 5 gallon bucket and I have to put about 2.5 -3 gallons in it at a time. WIth 4 gallons or more in the bucket, the brew will roil over the edge and spill all over my deck, then my dogs lick it up. The pump puts out plenty of air for a 5 gallon bucket, believe me. JaK
Ok - I've done it. Taken the big step towards a kick ass brewing system. I figure this equipment has the potential to last for many years of hard, constant use. This is what I ordered today - This is the 15 Live Chat by LivePerson This is the 15 gallon tank and stand. LD, I did some looking around, and really couldnt find much of a better deal on the air pump, and did end up going with the "Alita AL60" model. I have absolutely no doubt that this is a high end pump and going to be more than sufficient to do the job. $200.00 bucks for the pump. So, for the 15 Gallon tank, with stand, and the pump so far i'm at (eek) $400.00. I'm sure I'm gonna have to spend a little more for some pvc hardware, air hose, a good diffuser, ball valve, etc. I'm super excited about this. Input? jerry. Ace 15 Gallon Full Drain Biodiesel Tank / Wine Tank Part Number: A-INFD15-19 Medium Duty (1.7 S.G.) Capacity: 15 Gallons Size: 19"D x 27"H Weight: 15 lbs. Ships From: IA View Technical Drawing | Freight Calculator Add Stand for Ace 15 Gallon Full Drain Biodiesel Tanks / Wine Tanks ($73) Part #: A-INFD15-ST Online Price: $69.99
That set-up will do far, far more for your garden(s) than just AACT mixes. Botanicals teas like a neem & kelp meals brewed for 36 hours for a wide range of benefits as a fungicide, insecticide along with the PGRs contained in the kelp meal that limits internode distances on flowering plants. Toss in some Aloe Vera exact and you've moved it into an entirely higher level with the phytohormones, SARs, auxins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids from this plant to marry up with similar (but different) compounds in the neem and kelp meal. And I don't mean seaweed extract - kelp meal. Then you can play around with alfalfa & kelp meal for a similar (but different) set of benefits. And on and on. You'll be paid back in spades, IMHO That's a very professional set-up. Spend several hours looking at other paths to the 'how & why' on aeration and most importantly the method of discharging the brewed tea from the tank - this is the one that gets most people out in left field and they end up with a worthless set-up that requires re-purchasing a new tank because once these plastic units have holes drilled you pretty much own it - ain't no going back. Sounds like a Madonna song......... LD
Jerry, Huge props on your new set up. You're in the game now and it only gets better from here. If you haven't been there already, Microbe Organics is a great resource to dial you in on the fine points of compost teas, brewers, microbes and such. The gentleman that operates this site is a self taught microbiologist that has posted video clips of the various microbes that we are trying to get in our brews. You'll get some higher education on the art of tea brewing for sure. Again, nice set up. chunk
Not to worry because these guys have them up to 11,500 gallons so 50 gallons would be no big deal! LOL LD
I looked at all the Ace Molded Tanks and they are certainly nice. I'd love to get one of those 15 gallon tanks. How exactly do you set the tank up for a pump? Do you put a flexible line to the drain from the raised pump and blow the air from the bottom? I imagine you put a valve inline at the drain? Let me know when you have a chance. I really like that outfit. JaK