Easy AACT Vortex Brewer

[Aolelon]

So I am sure there are plenty of threads, I just figured I would share one for the newer people.
It was very easy to make, took all of 20 minutes. Cost me about 50$ with the air pump.
Materials list:
Home Depot
5 Gallon Bucket
Bucket Lid
2 - 1" x 2' PVC Pipe
3 - 1" Slip 90* Elbow
1 - 1" Slip 45* Elbow
Vinyl Tubing
Amazon
1" Slip Bulkhead
Eco Plus Commercial Air Plus 1 793 GPH

I build a small box to set it on, Ive seen milk cartons used.
*** Sorry for the sideways Images**


First I cut 1 of the 2' PVC into sections.
3", 4", 4.5", 5.5"
The second 2' Piece of PVC is cut to 20 1/2".

Next I took one of the 90* Elbows and drilled a hole in the corner aiming down one of the openings for the Vinyl tube to stick through. I had to epoxy the tube in place as I drilled the whole a little too big.

Next, Cut out a whole in the bottom of the bucket so that the drain will fit in it. I found that cutting out the circle part in the bottom of the bucket was a perfect fit.

After tightening the drain down, it was just a matter of assembling the PVC pieces.
I stuck the 4" slip into the drain, then a 90* elbow

Then the 5 1/2" piece and the elbow with the vinyl hose, you want the vinyl hose on the inside to be pointing up towards the top of the bucket.

The 20 1/2" piece went next, then the last 90* Elbow, The 4 1/2" Piece , The 45* Elbow, and last the 3" piece.
I cut a hole in the lid to fit the 3" piece down into so it won't splash back.

And the finished Product.

Any questions let me know.

 

[meangreengrowinmachine]

Will have to make one of these guys up!

 

[SoCal Calyx]

Great tutorial!

 

[Bugeye]

Good design, less parts than mine which is good for easier cleaning.

 

[meangreengrowinmachine]

can you just throw EWC, kelp meal etc right in there or do you think a bag is needed?

 

[Aolelon]

can you just throw EWC, kelp meal etc right in there or do you think a bag is needed?

I'm sure you could throw it right in there, I am going to use a bag myself.

 

[Aolelon]

can you just throw EWC, kelp meal etc right in there or do you think a bag is needed?

I've actually been throwing in the ingredients. I noticed when I put in the bag, that it stops the vortex. When removing the water, I can just pump it out into another bucket and filter it out that way.
One thing I have noticed, is make sure you add the ingredients slow while it's running, or they will sink into the pipe and clog it up, especially the ewc or thicker types, like Alaskan humus.

 

[Greenthumbs256]

Does it really work better than a few airstones no offense I just don't really think it would, seems like less air getting into the water in my opinion

 

[Mary's Confidant]

Does it really work better than a few airstones no offense I just don't really think it would, seems like less air getting into the water in my opinion

There have been published reports that documented amount of dissolved oxygen in the water. The stones don't hold a candle to the basic airlift style.

People think because they can see bubbles in the water, all of that oxygen is dissolving in the water. That's not true. The oxygenation occurs at the surface when the bubbles break the surface of the water. Do some research, this has been documented.

 

[vostok]

my concern is the pump will shred the bacteria before it hits the soil?

what have you to prevent that.????

nice diy tho

 

[Miyagismokes]

shred the bacteria

That pump would have to have some VERY close tolerances in it's engineering for that to be a thing.
If that worked, a pump would act as a sterilizer.

 

[Aolelon]

my concern is the pump will shred the bacteria before it hits the soil?

what have you to prevent that.????

nice diy tho

I really dont think a simple pump is going to shred the bacteria, all the pump does is produce air bubbles to force the water to rise. And so far I have seen great results using it.

 

[Aolelon]

Does it really work better than a few airstones no offense I just don't really think it would, seems like less air getting into the water in my opinion

I've read airstones create anaerobic areas in a tea as well. There are a couple videos of people testing the dissolved oxygen levels of various tea brewers, and the airlift vortex style has been shown to be the best.

 

[meangreengrowinmachine]

if you have an air pump that can sterilize water.... sir you better patent that sht!

 

[Miyagismokes]

oxygenation occurs at the surface when the bubbles break the surface of the water.

I had heard falls were the oxygenators of rivers and creeks, but the specific mechanic was not known to me.
A few park ponds had fountains installed in my hometown because they were having low oxygen problems in the water...
So, if instead of a vortex, one let the return flow fall into the water, you'd have better function?

 

[Aolelon]

I had heard falls were the oxygenators of rivers and creeks, but the specific mechanic was not known to me.
A few park ponds had fountains installed in my hometown because they were having low oxygen problems in the water...
So, if instead of a vortex, one let the return flow fall into the water, you'd have better function?

The return flow does fall into the water on mine, you can essentially do the same thing by just making a pipe like mine, and not cutting a hole in the bottom of the bucket, and sticking it in there. It would essentially just be an airlift style brewer with no vortex. I find the vortex to be better, as it keeps everything moving and there is no chance of any of the mixture becoming stagnant.

 

[Miyagismokes]

The return flow does fall into the water on mine, you can essentially do the same thing by just making a pipe like mine, and not cutting a hole in the bottom of the bucket, and sticking it in there. It would essentially just be an airlift style brewer with no vortex. I find the vortex to be better, as it keeps everything moving and there is no chance of any of the mixture becoming stagnant.

My tank is 500 gal.... I can't generate a vortex in a container this large without a pretty gutsy pump.
I also hate the added accoutrement of air pump, so I thought I might be able to just waterfall it and generate a mixing motion and aerate at the same time...

 

[Aolelon]

My tank is 500 gal.... I can't generate a vortex in a container this large without a pretty gutsy pump.
I also hate the added accoutrement of air pump, so I thought I might be able to just waterfall it and generate a mixing motion and aerate at the same time...

Yea you would need a pretty big pump.
I think that should work for you. I havent seen one 500g so I really dont know.

 

[Miyagismokes]

Yea you would need a pretty big pump.
I think that should work for you. I havent seen one 500g so I really dont know.

Shit, here, 500gal is small... A lot of folks have one or more 1250gal

 

[DankTankerous]

Have you looked at your tea under a microscope yet? What did you see?