I am very happy to report that today my worms look to be all settled in. None have tried to escape so the accommodations must be to their liking .. Do you have any links or suggestions on amendments that could or should be added for Veg and Flower ? I have read about every thing on the web about this and am digesting this as fast as the worms are digesting my compost ..
$20 DIY Worm Bin - Make your own worm castings!
- Thread starter ClosedCircuit
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I am very happy to report that today my worms look to be all settled in. None have tried to escape so the accommodations must be to their liking .. Do you have any links or suggestions on amendments that could or should be added for Veg and Flower ? I have read about every thing on the web about this and am digesting this as fast as the worms are digesting my compost ..
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- #22
ClosedCircuit
New Member
I actually don't have anything that specifically relates to cannabis. But if you come over to COorganic's thread on the basics of living soil we have partially been discussing what we feed to our worms. He feeds compost. This is preferred but not necessary. It produces a very nutrient dense vermicompost and is consumed by the worms alot faster provinding quicker turn around on your bins. There are several vermicomposts on the market that are produced in this manner - feeding thermophylic compost to worms. Obviously, this isn't always possible. If you don't have compost, or better yet highly amended thermophylic compost, kitchen scraps work just fine. But like mentioned in another comment, you would be well served adding kelp meal, glacial dust, gypsum flour - really anything that is going to enhance the mineral and vitamin content of your vermicompost. If you can do that you will have something that is great for all periods of growth and will also serve as an excellent base for making your own soil.
Dutty Panty
New Member
Nice diy. I need a worm bin.
Hey CC! 
I'm open to the idea of producing my own EWC, but something just occurred to me. I need in the neighborhood of 10 lbs/month. How fast do these fellas make poop?
I'm open to the idea of producing my own EWC, but something just occurred to me. I need in the neighborhood of 10 lbs/month. How fast do these fellas make poop?
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- #26
ClosedCircuit
New Member
Hey CC!
I'm open to the idea of producing my own EWC, but something just occurred to me. I need in the neighborhood of 10 lbs/month. How fast do these fellas make poop?
Not that fast under normal conditions. In my setup you'd be looking at a turn around of 5-10 gallons every 2-3 months. But keep in mind that is with non-degraded kitchen scraps. If you find or already have a good source of compost you could be making very quality vermicompost in half the time similar to this at buildasoil. With that one they are feeding worms highly mineralized thermophylic compost that already possesses am incredibly high concentration of microbes.
I don't know what your space constraints are...but you could purchase or build something that would hold 100 gallons of scrap/compost litter, and worms and you would probably have zero problem hitting that 10 gallon mark every month. Google Commercial Worm Bins to get some ideas.
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- #27
ClosedCircuit
New Member
You're doing entirely High-Brix right? Do you guys just use it for ACT?
Dutty Panty
New Member
No I use house and garden mainly. And have a 1000sq ft roughly vegetable garden under construction. no room restrictions I have tons of acreage and barn space
Dutty Panty
New Member
Well looks like I'm going with your idea. It's like 1300$ cheaper or more. Lol.
Dirt Maker Continuous Flow-Through Worm Bin Composters
Dirt Maker Continuous Flow-Through Worm Bin Composters
Dutty Panty
New Member
I saw the 100 ones on amazon. But it's smaller than your diy for sure.
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- #31
ClosedCircuit
New Member
Then you should look up what a commercial worm bin looks like and build to whatever size you would need. Something the size of a typical raised bed, say 6'x10' should probably keep you stocked up on Vermicompost. If I had all that space I would be doing that.
You should actually make a few super compost piles and when they are done start feeding that to your worms and using it in your garden. Something like this...
You should actually make a few super compost piles and when they are done start feeding that to your worms and using it in your garden. Something like this...
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- #32
ClosedCircuit
New Member
My goal was to pretty much build one of those with twice the capacity at a quarter of the cost.
You have the room to make a big ass worm pit. I would do that. I don't know how much you are willing to spend but a cinder block or brick bin a couple feet high, 6 feet wide, and 10 feet long would produce an enormous amount of VC.
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- #33
ClosedCircuit
New Member
So we were talking about larger worm bins and I found this very basic guide on what a "flow through" bin us and how to start one. Its kind of like what I have going on here, except finished vermicompost is allowed to fall freely from the bottom of the pile into a separate bin for harvesting.
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- #34
ClosedCircuit
New Member
Perfect! Well not really there are some design issues I would change, but this is just to get you thinking about cheap designs that involve minimal disturbance of the worms.
Subbed
I might be modifying my set up based on that video. I have those two tubs already set up. What would you change, CC? Thanks for sharing that, btw!
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- #37
ClosedCircuit
New Member
Hey medman...I haven't been around alot lately so I apologize for not making back to this thread to answer questions.
The two big things I would change in this design both have to do with the pvc pipes he is using. If you watched the second to last video you will see that guy using thick steel rope. Id probably go with something like that. Also I wouldn't attach the rope to the bottom bin. The way he has it set up there isn't any easy way to move the bin. You can't lift up the top bin without everything falling out.
To get around that I would brace the walls of the top bin so the steel rope doesn't pull in the walls. You would just have to find another way of resting the top bin on the bottom one since you won't have the PVC pipes to stack it on....well damn....now that I just typed that I don't see why you couldn't leave the pvc pipes to hold up the to bin while also using the steel rope at the bottom of the top bin.
You get what I'm saying....find a way to improve the design of the top bin.
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- #38
ClosedCircuit
New Member
I posted that video a little while ago about thermo-compost piles.
Here's another video that shows how you can even use a pile to heat water. Ben Falk (in this video) also uses his pile to heat his greenhouse beds during winter. If you all don't know anything about Ben Falk I recommend checking him out...he's an inspirational dude.
[video=vimeo;57148852]
[/video]
Here's another video that shows how you can even use a pile to heat water. Ben Falk (in this video) also uses his pile to heat his greenhouse beds during winter. If you all don't know anything about Ben Falk I recommend checking him out...he's an inspirational dude.
[video=vimeo;57148852]
Just built my flow through worm bin!
$11 total cost + $5 for worms! yea boy!
just cut the bottom out and i had a wire rack i cut apart and shoved into the bottom of the trash can so the castings can fall into a catch pan in the bottom. Wish the bottom was bigger so I could get a better catch pan to catch them in.
$11 total cost + $5 for worms! yea boy!
just cut the bottom out and i had a wire rack i cut apart and shoved into the bottom of the trash can so the castings can fall into a catch pan in the bottom. Wish the bottom was bigger so I could get a better catch pan to catch them in.
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- #40
ClosedCircuit
New Member
Awesome! You should post some more pics.