Slurry Stirrers: Benefits Of Electric Pond Stirrers

A well mixed effluent pond or storage tank is an essential component of an efficient and effective dairy effluent system, so needless to say, slurry stirrer selection is important. If you can get electricity running down to your effluent storage, here’s why we’d recommend an electric slurry stirrer…

At the same output, electric effluent stirrers are generally cheaper to run per hour than a PTO slurry stirrer and are also more consistent.  Electric motors have also been proven to have significantly less wear and tear than a PTO.

TIP: To be even more cost and time efficient, program your electric slurry stirrer to run overnight in conjunction with a travelling irrigator.  Simply set the stirrer to run for half an hour before the irrigator is set to start to get the slurry mixing first.  This not only takes advantage of cheaper night power, but the two machines will do the work while you sleep!

If you have insufficient power to run the two motors at once, there is a way around that too.  Simply start the stirrer half an hour to an hour (depending on the size and consistency of your pond) before the irrigator to thoroughly mix the pond/storage before pumping.  The solids will remain in suspension while the pump is running.  It is always better to stir for half an hour before pumping every time you pump, than occasionally stir for hours on end.

Time is precious, and with an electric effluent stirrer you can be doing two things at once.  As mentioned in the tip above, electric slurry stirrers can be programmed to run on a timer, so you can let the stirrer do its thing while you get on with other jobs.  What’s more, you’re not needing to reserve a tractor for PTO stirring.

Let’s be honest – jobs that are easier to do are more likely to get done.  Electric stirrers simply make effluent stirring easy.  We’ve seen it many times, and it’s quite understandable that with a PTO stirrer the extra effort of having to hook up a stirrer to the tractor and leave the tractor running while the stirrer mixes the effluent is a task that often gets put off for another day.  It can easily become an inconvenience, where an electric stirrer is much easier to fit into a routine.

A good electric stirrer will be able to be oscillated from the mounting point.  The ability to pivot and move around the pond means everything can be well mixed.  You’ll also want the stirrer to have good height adjustment to get the best stir.

Placement of an electric stirrer is often just as important as choosing a good stirrer for getting optimum performance.  As long as the stirrer is in the right place, one good shore mounted electric slurry stirrer should be able to get the whole pond swirling.   

As every effluent pond/storage is different, it’s always recommended to talk to a specialist about placement before installing your electric stirrer.  In some instances they may even be able to advise over the phone.