Help anaerobic composting

Joined
Aug 5, 2022
Messages
3
Reaction score
1
Location
Montreal
Country
Canada
Hi, after 5 hours of pointless reading and googling here I am! Most articles about this subject are nonexistent, irrelevant and with very little information, or strictly about producing energy on small or a massively industrial scale. My needs are simple and I hope someone can enlighten me with knowledge to prevent my dumb self from making mistakes! Need for zero odor, maintenance free, indoors storage, safe for humans while stored. First, in the even I only fill up a 5 gallon bucket(not the cheap one from a hardware store, but a kind used for fermentation that can be properly sealed), can I leave it sealed for the entire process if all I put is green matter? I would not be introducing any complex materials like fat or stems that are near that stage which are hard and woody, while also filling the bucket fully to the top with rain water. So second question, how long would this process take approximately? Are there very accessible( no additional stuff to buy but something found in often used household materials) things I can introduce to accelerate the process and promote the proper environment for the best possible compost tea? A lot of articles claims different things everywhere, some claim methane gas will not even be produced in a submerged setting or even just very high humidity levels as long as the acidity levels are very high, any truth to that? Because I feel like no one wants methane gas inside their home. If such is the case, will the 5 gallon bucket pop itself open from excess pressure buildup and create danger? I am highly aware how dangerous the results can be, but many claim pretty much anything at this point. Some say that if the anaerobic process is completed, all harmful contents will be neutralized and ready to use, while others claim it will need to sit in open air outside to neutralize for an incredibly vague amount of time. As you can see, trying to do something that simple nowadays with access to internet makes all information borderline mythological with no reliable source. In advance, thanks for YOUR TIME reading this, and if any guidance, all is welcome. This is a shot in the dark for me, as dumb as I am with my questions.
 
Joined
Jul 17, 2022
Messages
126
Reaction score
46
Location
Manchester
Hardiness Zone
8b
Country
United Kingdom
Interesting. I don't know enough to say really but I used to deal with domestic gas, mainly meters so to my mind some type of low pressure relief valve and/or gauge fitted in the top of the lid might handy for a sealed system like that. At least it would be an indicator. Even a balloon or something that would swell if gas were building up would be an indicator. I'm not sure there would even be enough gas to be overly concerned but it's not an activity I'm familiar with. Perhaps a homebrew forum might have some suggestions as well?
 
Joined
Jul 17, 2022
Messages
126
Reaction score
46
Location
Manchester
Hardiness Zone
8b
Country
United Kingdom
perhaps a hole in the lid with something like this that was sealed and a balloon with on it with a rubber band to hold it in place
 
Joined
Oct 8, 2017
Messages
6,997
Reaction score
5,128
Location
Birmingham, AL USA
Hardiness Zone
8a
Country
United States
I think you would find an aquarium bubbler useful, as well as a heater. Oxygen and heat speed the process. Use sugars for a more bacterial tea and proteins for a more fungal tea. If you are just breaking down compost then bacterial is best. A nitrogen source can be household ammonia, but not much, a few tablespoons every few days. You have to have oxygen to promote oxidative processes, so drill a hole in the lid for the bubbler tube and one for an exhaust. You have a bathroom fan? keep it there. Incidentally you are doing what is necessary to make moonshine should you ever choose to compost corn. 80f is a great temp for that, warm really helps. Maybe a heating pad or plant seedling mat?
 
Joined
Aug 5, 2022
Messages
3
Reaction score
1
Location
Montreal
Country
Canada
perhaps a hole in the lid with something like this that was sealed and a balloon with on it with a rubber band to hold it in place
I have heard of those but then it s a different process, aerobic. Looking for something you can safely forget somewhere for a year and use it later. Thanks though!
 
Joined
Aug 5, 2022
Messages
3
Reaction score
1
Location
Montreal
Country
Canada
I think you would find an aquarium bubbler useful, as well as a heater. Oxygen and heat speed the process. Use sugars for a more bacterial tea and proteins for a more fungal tea. If you are just breaking down compost then bacterial is best. A nitrogen source can be household ammonia, but not much, a few tablespoons every few days. You have to have oxygen to promote oxidative processes, so drill a hole in the lid for the bubbler tube and one for an exhaust. You have a bathroom fan? keep it there. Incidentally you are doing what is necessary to make moonshine should you ever choose to compost corn. 80f is a great temp for that, warm really helps. Maybe a heating pad or plant seedling mat?
So far all answers point to access to oxygen for the process, does no one truly does anaerobic compost? My lack of experience sadly doesn’t help, and anyone can write stuff on the internet. But I can’t give up on this since I need something that won’t attract pests, and won’t be a danger to humans around, nor smell. Time of process is irrelevant as long as it doesn’t cost me money to produce and won’t fail through some “chemical imbalance” via failure of maintenance if I am absent for a long period of time. A lot of aerobic processes will attract pests of all sorts and even bring them indoors if they can find a way. On a farm, far away from your home, it’s different. So I need to think of something that works and does not add problems to me or even other home owners around me. Yet again, thanks for the reply since I can see some effort was put in there and it could be very useful if the application was possible.
 
Joined
Jun 29, 2022
Messages
684
Reaction score
203
Location
Ayrshire
Hardiness Zone
9b
Country
United Kingdom
Hi, after 5 hours of pointless reading and googling here I am! Most articles about this subject are nonexistent, irrelevant and with very little information, or strictly about producing energy on small or a massively industrial scale. My needs are simple and I hope someone can enlighten me with knowledge to prevent my dumb self from making mistakes! Need for zero odor, maintenance free, indoors storage, safe for humans while stored. First, in the even I only fill up a 5 gallon bucket(not the cheap one from a hardware store, but a kind used for fermentation that can be properly sealed), can I leave it sealed for the entire process if all I put is green matter? I would not be introducing any complex materials like fat or stems that are near that stage which are hard and woody, while also filling the bucket fully to the top with rain water. So second question, how long would this process take approximately? Are there very accessible( no additional stuff to buy but something found in often used household materials) things I can introduce to accelerate the process and promote the proper environment for the best possible compost tea? A lot of articles claims different things everywhere, some claim methane gas will not even be produced in a submerged setting or even just very high humidity levels as long as the acidity levels are very high, any truth to that? Because I feel like no one wants methane gas inside their home. If such is the case, will the 5 gallon bucket pop itself open from excess pressure buildup and create danger? I am highly aware how dangerous the results can be, but many claim pretty much anything at this point. Some say that if the anaerobic process is completed, all harmful contents will be neutralized and ready to use, while others claim it will need to sit in open air outside to neutralize for an incredibly vague amount of time. As you can see, trying to do something that simple nowadays with access to internet makes all information borderline mythological with no reliable source. In advance, thanks for YOUR TIME reading this, and if any guidance, all is welcome. This is a shot in the dark for me, as dumb as I am with my questions.
Not strictly what your asking, but would an indoor wormery fit your needs? I hate the idea, but I know people keep them in their kitchens and even their living rooms.

For example :

 
Joined
Oct 8, 2017
Messages
6,997
Reaction score
5,128
Location
Birmingham, AL USA
Hardiness Zone
8a
Country
United States
So far all answers point to access to oxygen for the process, does no one truly does anaerobic compost? My lack of experience sadly doesn’t help, and anyone can write stuff on the internet. But I can’t give up on this since I need something that won’t attract pests, and won’t be a danger to humans around, nor smell. Time of process is irrelevant as long as it doesn’t cost me money to produce and won’t fail through some “chemical imbalance” via failure of maintenance if I am absent for a long period of time. A lot of aerobic processes will attract pests of all sorts and even bring them indoors if they can find a way. On a farm, far away from your home, it’s different. So I need to think of something that works and does not add problems to me or even other home owners around me. Yet again, thanks for the reply since I can see some effort was put in there and it could be very useful if the application was possible.
The romans did, and so did the indians of the amazon over the soil called Terra Preta. They used pots, outdoors, eventually full of liquid, food scraps, coals, sewage etc. They had a system that recycled things for them, which is the point you should see that you are fighting. If it does not work for you there are alternatives.
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
27,874
Messages
264,674
Members
14,613
Latest member
visiultra

Latest Threads

Top