Air stacks

17 years ago

I am trying to do some research before I make a set up and purchase my squirmers. I was going to start with your basic rubbermaid recyling bin. Air circulation seems to be a major issue, and I have not read through the previous posts, but why couldn't you take a 2-3" wide PVC pipe taller than your bin to extend up through the top & bottom like a smoke stack, drill holes in the sides and put nylon stocking over the ends and do a couple of these in addition to the standard holes in the bottom of the bin, etc. Trying to think this thing through before I take up the drill . . .

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Comments (6)

anewgarden
17 years ago
Sounds good! Can you come over to my place and drill some stuff too? Maybe someone has done this, I don't know. Might it get clogged?

Do you have a shredder? I just got one, so helpful for newspapers.
Good Luck with your bin!
folly_grows
17 years ago
Joyfuljan -- Sounds like you are overthinking the ventilation thing. With holes in the sides and lots of shredded paper on top of the food, there will be enough air circulation. Toilet roll tubes in the bin also make air pockets in the VC and help keep the VC from compacting. There's been some discussion here that with a properly maintained worm bin, even the holes aren't necessary. Some wormers just place a piece of burlap on top and don't use the lid.

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boreal_wormer
17 years ago
The Worm-a-wayÂ® bin uses horizontal 'stacks' for ventilation so your idea should work. I have similar perforated ventilation pipes in my homemade bin and use landscape fabric to cover them after they had been blocked with castings which had squeezed through the 3/32" drill holes. This material was wet with the consistency of mud.

Here is a link that might be useful: Worm-a-way®
arkiegold
17 years ago
Aeration doesn't usually become an issue unless overwatering causes compaction (muddy, septic results) and/or compaction from castings, at which time it is time to sift and change the bedding. Worms burrow around and pretty much create their own ventilation system.

I don't get the notion of collecting worm compost tea that drips through the bedding of some systems. That to me is over watering. Nor do I get the notion of food stuffs causing heat, that's overfeeding and if the food is too wet to cause leachate then mix it with carbons till it's not dripping. Sorry I didn't intend to rain on your ventilation post but the more I read here, the more I see common mistakes that can be prevented with sound practice. Worm castings should be moist and crumbly but never muddy and sticky and there should never be heat in the bedding from overfeeding. Feed in thin layers on top in amounts the worms can finish in a day, two at the most. True compost/casting tea is made from aerating/brewing finished compost or castings in a separate container, not in the worm bin!

On the other hand, if MH designed a bin with air stacks as it seems, you can bet she had good cause and sound methods. Probably to protect the worms from us!
arkiegold
17 years ago
Pardon me, not MH, MA, Mary Appelhof
steamyb
17 years ago
arkiegold is right. Keep It Simple Silly!