I decided to build my own style of airlift vortex tea brewer for making ACT teas, worm casting teas and other nute mixes.

I built to these plans http://www.subtleenergies.com/ormus/tw/turbo-vortex.htm basically and changed the top tee to a 90* elbow, this was a mistake. running the airlines there the water outlet cut the air lifts water flow down to much. I'll be changing that this week. and doing a complete diy

Ok I added 4 tees at the top of the air lilts and now have a vortex going in the brewer

when I got this thing running completely I'l write the whole thing up right now using this thread to keep track of myself

Ok I added 4 tees at the top of the air lilts and now have a vortex going in the brewer

when I got this thing running completely I'l write the whole thing up right now using this thread to keep track of myself

few links with vortex composters

http://microbeorganics.com/#What_is_Compost_Tea_
http://www.breedbay.co.uk/forums/100-org...act-brewer.html

Air lines manifold

Here the parts list all pipe and fitting are 1/2 inch SCH 40 drain pipe
1) 2-Caps
2) 1- 4 way cross connector
3) 1- Tee
4) 6- 90* elbows
5) 15 ft od 1/2 inch SCH 40 cut into the following lengths
3- 5 1/4 inch
1- 1 1/4 inch
1- 2 1/2 inch
4- 21 3/4 inch ** measure the air lift tubes against your water jug before cutting it may not be the same height as mine
1- 3 inch
1- 2 inch
1- 24 inch ** this length will be according to where you place your air pump

Water Tank and airlift tubes

Parts list

All pipe and fitting are SCH 40 1 1/2 inch except the shut off valve which is 1/2"
1) 1-4 way cross piece
2) 6- tees (using the vent tees and elbows gives a better air water flow imo)
3) 4- 90* elbows
4) 1 1/2" to 1/2" reducer
5) 1/2 shut off valve

chuggin along

I'm looking at this and thinking "This could be made with a 55 gallon barrel" hmmmmm.........

Yes, it could real easily. There or some of these made that hold 1000 gal. Done been told my pump is way to big for this small a vortex. The 4 air lifts is mostly used in the bigger, over 100 gal systems. most of the oxygenation takes place in the air lifts and the vortexes main purpose is to physically break up the organic material into smaller particles making it easier on the microbes to eat and break them down into a more plant real to use nutrient.

Made the first batch is worm castings tea started it Wednesday after brewing 36 hrs, the tea has seems to be a much deeper color with a lot less foaming than a bubbler tea brewer. going to do a few modification over the weekend see if I can get just little faster vortex. my design not having separate controls for each airline is a mistake but I'm going to run this design a few time. I'm playing with the number of holes drilled in the pipe it "adjust" the air in the lift pipe stand.

The worm castings tea recipe I used was 2 cups worm castings, 5 tbsp blackstrap molasses, 3 tbsp alaskan fish fert 5-1-1. I brewed the tea for 36 hrs because for what I can find at 36 hrs the dissolved oxygen is at it highest and this is when it is best to give to the plants. not only does the capillary action of the water moving thru the soil pull air thru the soil the water has higher oxygen levels a well.

It works but not as well as a single air lift vortex