AIR PUMPS & AIR STONES

A powerful air pump yields a powerful brew. Period. Multiply by the BILLIONS the beneficial group of aerobic bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes. These highly useful microorganisms in your compost tea crave an oxygen-rich environment.

Commercial Air Pumps

This is the air pump that we include with our Boogie Box Pro Kits.

The beneficial microorganisms in compost tea are referred to as “aerobic” and it’s impossible to give them too much oxygen!

An air pump for brewing a 5 gallon bucket of compost tea with an output of 45 liters of air per minute (or more) will offset it’s additional power usage by providing you with a FASTER brew time.

From the list of best compost tea brewing practices called “The Do’s and Don’ts of Brewing”, written by Josh, a properly powered air pump is the #1 most important factor for creating the desired biological activity in your compost tea.

Active Aqua Pump 6 Outlets 20W 45L/min

Features

– Ideal for running several Waterfarms or multiple air stones at once
– Electrical magnetic air compressor in a high quality aluminum alloy case
– Wear and tear-resistant material for cylinder and piston
– High pressure and high output.
– Comes with 6 outlet, high quality copper, individually controllable air divider
– 45 lpm, 713 gph
– Pressure >0.02 mpa

Shipping Weight 3.2 lbs.
Package Dimensions 6.5L x 4.3W x 4.9H
Rated LPM 45
Warranty 1 Year
Voltage 120
Rated GPH 700
Rated Amperage 0.17
Max. Decibels 45

Active Aqua Pump 8 Outlets 60W 70L/min

Features

– Ideal for running several Waterfarms or multiple air stones at once
– Electrical magnetic air compressor in a high quality aluminum alloy case, wear and tear-resistant material for cylinder and piston
– High pressure and high output
– Comes with 8 outlet, high quality copper, individually controllable air divider
– 70 lpm, 1,110 gph
– Pressure >0.03 mpa

Shipping Weight 5.8 lbs.
Package Dimensions 10.0L x 5.3W x 5.9H
Rated Wattage 60
Warranty 1 Year
Rated LPM 70
Voltage 120
Rated GPH 1100
Rated Amperage 0.5
Max. Decibels 60
Max. Decibels 45

Active Aqua Pump 12 Outlets 112W 110L/min

Features

– Ideal for running several Waterfarms or multiple air stones at once
– Electrical magnetic air compressor in a high quality aluminum alloy case
– Wear and tear-resistant material for cylinder and piston
– High pressure and high output.
– Comes with multi-outlet divider (6, 8, and 12) that can be individually opened or shut
– 112w
– 110 lpm
– Pressure >0.035 Mpa

Shipping Weight 11.5 lbs.
Package Dimensions 11.5L x 6.4W x 7.0H
Rated Wattage 112
Warranty 1 Year
Rated LPM 110
Voltage 120
Rated GPH 1750
Rated Amperage 1
Max. Decibels 60

Related Items

FAQ’s

Q: Does my air pump need to sit above water level?

A: Yes, this is very important for proper placement, otherwise you risk water back flowing through the air tubing and causing permanent damage to the pump.

Q: Can I use this pump outdoors?

A: These pumps are meant for indoor use only.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Brewing:

#1 Do use LOTS of oxygen!

A powerful air pump yields a powerful brew. Period. The beneficial organisms in your tea simply crave oxygen. It is impossible to use too much. Harmful, pathogenic organisms thrive in an anaerobic, or low oxygen, environment. Good compost tea will effectively colonize soil with an abundant population of beneficial microbes, fungi, and protozoa when “fueled” with large amounts of oxygen for 4 to 18 hours first. Low-oxygen brews will always create more opportunities for pathogens to flourish. Don’t give them the chance to gain a foothold. We recommend an air pump with an output of 45 liters of oxygen per minute or more. Your tea will also brew FASTER this way, offsetting any additional power usage.

#2 Do make quick use of your tea.

“Infuse it and use it”. Allowing fresh Boogie Brew to sit around and “peak” is all too easy a mistake and is counter-productive to effective soil colonization. To truly benefit from a good compost tea’s root zone enhancing qualities, it should be used immediately after brewing. Try not to let your tea stagnate for more than two hours: Take advantage of all that bio-activity & drive fresh life into your soil ASAP!

#3 Don’t use chlorinated water!

Unfortunately chlorine and chloramine compounds are used in almost all municipal water systems and thus the use of an effective filter is required for creating quality compost tea. This is due to chlorine’s functional elimination of all bacteria, including the beneficial organisms that are alive and well in high quality compost, worm castings and other “live” amendments found in good tea recipes. Do continue to use de-chlorinated water on soil previously inoculated with live teas. Otherwise you will wipe out most of the beneficial biology you just introduced into your soil. You wouldn’t use antibiotics after cultivating acidophilus in the intestine from high quality yogurt cultures, would you? Use similar principles with compost tea for soil-success!

#4 Don’t forget to clean your brewer!

No matter how you infuse your Boogie Brew, it is imperative that you clean the container between brews. Otherwise there’s the risk of “bio-film” build-up and subsequent contamination. “Bio-film” is the layer of dead, organic material that is a natural result from the production of “exudates” from the billions of beneficial organisms flourishing in a healthy aerobic tea. As these organisms burst to life and begin to digest their food sources, (including the consumption of OTHER organisms), they “exude”, or give off, waste matter of their own. This exudate tends to collect wherever the billions of microbes living in a healthy tea are least active: i.e. the lining of your bucket or reservoir etc! If this layer of dead bio-film is not vigorously brushed clean between brews, it will contaminate and degrade the quality of new tea.

#5 Don’t mix synthetic fertilizers with your tea!

Ideally, infuse your soil with fresh tea only when you are applying your brew. Think of Boogie Brew as both a mild organic food source for your plants and at the same time a beneficial soil drench or biological “flush”. Some folks like to tinker with their teas and that is fine, as long as you don’t overdo it. Any sources of nutrition in your reservoir should be well-diluted and organic in nature. Don’t mess with success. Use natural ph adjusters if necessary, like citric acid/vit. C crystals, and apply to tea only AFTER brewing.

#6 Do practice good gardening!

That means sensible watering techniques, (don’t overwater!) as well as the intelligent use of organic fertilizers and non-toxic pest control whenever possible. Regard your plants and the soil they live in as a beautiful reflection of the symbiotic relationships of all living things. Modern science has shed much light on the intertwined and complex interactions that occur within a healthy soil-food-web, yet there is so much more that we still don’t fully understand. Respect those secrets and nurture your soil in the same manner you would revere the delicate balance and nature of life itself. Remember that compost tea’s miracles allow for far greater absorption and utilization of food/water sources. Be gentle. -Josh