Water displaces air, even aerated water will not improve the amount of air in a compost pile if there is too much water. While the aerobic bacteria that digest the material in compost piles need some moisture to function air is more important. That may be akin to your trying to stay under water in an aerqated pond. There is still more water than air.

kimmq is kimmsr

I wouldn't, mainly because it would be a PITA working with it in the pile. A pile of your size should get adequate aeration just by natural convection. If not, sticking a pole or something into it and wiggling it around should allow for sufficient oxygen access. This is of course predicated on the pile meeting all the normal parameters for thermyphillic composting. Certainly aeration tubes can be beneficial in a larger pile, but once again they become a PITA when one tries to work the pile.

I am thinking that this -

<What do you think about spiraling a garden soaker hose into the compost pile as you fill it up with compost material.> - along with the subject line makes me think you are thinking about pumping air (not water) thru the soaker hose, correct?

While pumping air may help (or work) but as Lloyd says the hose will certainly get in the way.

IF nothing else it will make for an interesting experiment so don't be discouraged and do keep us posted if you do try it.

Passive aeration is not all that it's made out to be. If you were to pump air into the compost pile just leave the hose at the bottom to avoid the PITA. I would also put a false floor over the hose so that the hose will be completely out of the way when you empty or turn the bin.

These guys have done some work on the issue of compost pile aeration.

http://www.magicsoil.com/Research/

Turning adds more than air. It also exposes new surfaces to the organisms.

It looks like a lot of airation pumped in is needed to keep the purpose of doing it worth wild to do. I'll KIS and enjoy my time. Thanks everyone for your input.

I wouldn't - it makes it really hard to get the compost out without wrecking the hose.

However, I used a spiral of drip emitter line on the top of the compost bins and ran them with a regular amount of water to keep the compost moist. We had more of a problem with too dry and airy ion AZ.

If you have a good mix of coarse dry stuff with anything wet, it gets enough air just by diffusion. You don't need to force-feed it unless you are trying for the land-speed record for compost making.

My compost bins

let us remember that this method, besides being complicated and costly, damages the fertility of the final product, as it takes out as much carbon as possible. and carbon is the keystone nutrient.

'What do you think about spiraling a garden soaker hose into the compost pile as you fill it up with compost material'

I don't think much of it because the holes in a soaker hose are so incredibly minute (I'd like to know what they use to make them) that they would transport almost no oxygen, even if the hose wasn't squashed.

BUT, you could use nice big plastic ag pipe and thread it through in a few layers.

Edited to ask: will such a pipe release carbon?

tete, I don't think it would release carbon, but it would allow water vapor and ammonia gas to escape.

As far as aeration goes, I've tried piling the compost on a pallet, using pipes, using a chicken wire tube, but in the end, I just pile it straight on the ground and turn it. I keep it covered with a plastic leaf bag to help retain moisture but I don't seal the compost, just roughly enclose it.

I once caused myself trouble because I kept piling partially finished compost into a bin and the compost became compacted, turning into a black mud. Not good. Now, once a compost bin has been filled once, I don't add to it and I allow it to shrink down.

I would not discount this idea out of hand. This would blow out air and create channels in the raw material for air flow, when the compressor wasn't running. You could also use it to water the compost. As material composts it compacts too. A way to blow air air into without turning sounds good to me. I am composting in a 35 gallon barrel with holes and wire in the sides. I still have to tip or turn for air. Who knows how good of a job I'm doing. I could fill that barrel until no more fits, areate once in a while, dump the entire barrel, pull out the hose and start again. I will try it. It will be a while for the results though.

Tim45z10, thanks for thinking its a good thing to try out and see what happens. I didnt think of the watering point you mentioned I was turned off by the article that stated air needed to be pumped in every 20 minutes. However that may be for commerical growers and doesn't apply to smaller piles. I'm a first timer so i wouldn't know the difference anyway. I'll be waiting on your results.

I would avoid watering a compost pile or bin this way because I am almost certain it would make the compost waaay tooo wet and turn it into a slimy mess.

Normally, the driest part would be the outside.