"Fleemo" wrote in message
om...
I'm making some compost tea and want to be sure I'm doing this right.
I've taken a 5 gallon bucket and added two shovelfuls of compost.
I've taken an old aquarium pump and run an air line to the bottom of
the bucket to aerate the tea. Then filled the bucket with water.

QUESTIONS:

. How long does this tea have to steep? I've read everything from
overnight to two weeks.
. My tap water is chlorinated. Will the chlorine kill off beneficial
bacteria in the compost? If so, will adding chlorine remover used for
acquariums help?
. Is it really necessary to have the air line plugged into a gang
valve for multiple bubble streams, or will one good stream of air
bubbles do the trick?

Thanks for the help.

-Fleemo

1. Tea should steep 1- 5 days. It depends on what you feed the "herd".
2. Chlorine kills. No need for a chlorine remover when stirring it every few
hours for 24 hours will do the trick.
3. No need for a gang valve. The microbes get oxygen from the water's
movement at the surface. Thus one air stone is sufficient.

Try he
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/...080726617.html

Also read the FAQ at gardenweb.com : http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/soil/

hth,
Fito