New flow through bin

10 years ago

I just got my 500 worms and created a flow through system using two 5 gallon pickle buckets. I filled it almost half way with cut up newspaper and cardboard mixed with some UCG. The material was thoroughly soaked then rung out so it was moist but not dripping. I put a solid piece of wet cardboard on the bottom. I also put a thick wet layer of solid newspaper on top. No lid on top. I put them under a bright light for 1/2 day and they squirmed down into the bedding.

My question is...now what? What do you think of my set up? How long do I wait before I introduce some food scraps? Also, how often should i water?

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Comments (13)

sbryce_gw
10 years ago
The time to add your first feeding was a week ago. I would feed them some food now. You may not need to water. Most food has enough moisture in it to keep the bedding damp. Watering a bin is an art that you will develop over time. It is easy to over water.
iLoveLawn
Original Author
10 years ago
A week ago? Where do you get that from? I didn't get my worms until yesterday lol.
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By placing bins on top of the others eventually you just get a very dense and packed material that probably could even go anaerobic. I just posted pictures of my new flow through bin http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/verm/msg0422570210660.html. What you are mentioning here is more of a stacking bin system. A stacking bin system can work but generally the top bin would not press on the contents of the bottom bin, it would just touch it so the worms would migrate upwards. The thing is the worms will decide where they will go and are probably staying put in the lower levels as there is enough food for them.
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I don't think my father in law paid for anything as he used scrap pieces of wood to build it and off course the grill from the curb. I don't think it would do well outdoors unless you were to somehow protect it as in the wood would rot pretty quickly. The other bad thing of it not being painted is that you have to be very careful as the outside bare wood gets dirty pretty quickly. As to the dimensions it was made to fit the grill but here they are. 37 inches high without the wheels 25.5 inches length 15 inches depth there is 21.5 inches in where the bedding/worms can go in. And that leaves 14 inches in the opening with the remainder to the grill. Hope that helps and if you are building one please do post pictures. By the way the bin is working well but some worms have fallen through the grate as the paper broke through in some spots. So I decided to put some finished vermicompost in the drawer to give it a chance to dry and also to provide a home to any that fall through. No liquid falls through so I am not worried about rewetting the vermicompost.
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I made a flow through worm bin out of a similar bin. I originally was sold the bin back in 1999 as a worm bin, but it was of the 'throw everything in the top and hope for the best' type. Not sure how to post photos here, so it's pushed me to finally write the blog entry I've been promising to write and posted the pictures there. As to getting your worms locally- if you can go and collect them, you'll not only save on postage, but you'll be able to see that the worms you get are good quality, and they'll spend a minimum of time out of bedding. Also, because you won't have to worry about postal weight, you can ask the guy to give you some of the medium they were living in, so they'll settle in quicker into your bin. (and some cocoons may come along for the ride!!) Here is a link that might be useful: my blog
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The VC falls through the bottom grate when its cohesion with surrounding VC is less than the force of gravity pulling it down. The problem that I've seen with them is that the bottom layers harden into a brick so additional effort is required to break clumps loose. Often this will not result in the VC above the broken zone settling into the newly opened area so you get a hardened dome of VC that requires you to get up under it and smack it with something until it falls. When it does fall, keep in mind that it may have enough momentum to break the bottom screen and dump the bin on the ground, or you. Being crushed by a pile of dirt and/or manure is a guaranteed placement in the Darwin awards. Taking your question of why they are more "effective" literally, that idea is silly. They don't make a better product faster, or with less work. The most effective would probably be the windrow system, as that is what is done commercially. The windrow system adds material to the end and allows the worms to move though it. When the worms complete an area and that area matures, it is collected. This windrow system can be replicated in typical horizontal bins and the stack of trays style bins, but is not well implemented in the 'drop through' flow through systems. The drop through systems essentially move the worms out of a section when that section becomes too dry for them to survive there, regardless of how ready the compost is. It then turns into a hard brick, etc, etc. In a bin where the compost is kept habitable until it is collected, you can be sure that the area that both looks done and is not inhabited by worms is likely to be the closest to finished and is quality "effective" VC.
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lawanddisorder
10 years ago
I guess I can't speak for Sbryce, but I think he was referring to the fact that most people will tell you to get your bin ready with bedding and some worm food material a week or more before putting the worms in so it can begin to produce the microbes or enzymes (or whatever they are) that the worms really like.
iLoveLawn
Original Author
10 years ago
Oh, well I guess it's too late for that. I prepped the bin the day the worms arrived. Think I should add something right now lawand? or just sit tight and leave them be for a week?
lawanddisorder
10 years ago
I would add veggie scraps now, if you haven't yet. Preferably something that will break down fast and easy or something already beginning to break down. then just watch the moisture level and keep feeding them as necessary
PRO
equinoxequinox
10 years ago
Psst. sbryce,

I just brewed up some iced tea with a bit of lemon. Why don't you pull up one of these here big'ol elderly rockers on the shady front porch. We can sit a spell around this cracker barrel checker board while keeping an eye on chuckiebtoo's watermellon 'xsperiment. Oh, and I added a goodly amount of hair of the dog. I expect we are going to need it. The tea leaves and lemon rinds have been put into the bins with a bit of hair for them too. I suspect they too will want some.

The porch is wide and plenty of chairs folks.
iLoveLawn
Original Author
10 years ago
It's been about 4 days and I think the worms are doing great. I didn't prep the bin ahead of time, just soaked some newspaper and cardboard for about an hour and mixed it with UCG. So I was a bit worried.

But I fed them for the first time yesterday, just a little leafy greens, they are all over it. Today I put more food on other sides of the bucket. I took 1/4 avocado, spring mix, UCG, and cucumbers and chopped in in my blender. I figure I won't bother them for a week at least and see they like that combination. I'll post pics soon.
iLoveLawn
Original Author
10 years ago
Has anyone tried black soldier fly larvae compost bins? It looks like vermicomposting on steroids. I'm interested to know if it's do-able or if it's any better than composting with worms.
zzackey
10 years ago
I never prepped my worm bin and I had at least a thousand of them. They love to eat chopped up paper. I wouldn't put whole newspaper in there or paper with colored ink. Mine all died when I put colored ink paper in my worm bin. I don't think you should water the bin unless it is drying out. I cover my bin at night. My husband stepped on one in his bedroom when I used to leave them uncovered and that was at least 6 feet from the worm bin.
iLoveLawn
Original Author
10 years ago
by colored ink paper do you mean the glossy kind, like the coupon inserts?
boreal_wormer
10 years ago
" Posted by iLoveLawn none on Sat, Jun 8, 13 at 19:24

Has anyone tried black soldier fly larvae compost bins?"

Here's a previous thread all about BSF

Here is a link that might be useful: All about Black Soldier Fly
iLoveLawn
Original Author
10 years ago
YEAAAA! I just checked on my bin and the food I put in a few days ago has disappeared! And there are 3 seedlings sprouting out the top of my bin. And I swear there are more worms than I started with. Lookin pretty awesome in there

WOOOT! ...just wanted to share
mendopete
10 years ago
SWEET! Way to go....

New flow through bin

Comments (13)

sbryce_gw

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New flow through bin

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sbryce_gw

iLoveLawnOriginal Author

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