Indoor Composting and Red Worm Culturing
Posted under: A few years ago my wife Sheryl and I were very involved with freshwater fish. In our 120 gallon show tank we had what are refered to as the “King of the Freshwater Fish,” the Discus. A couple of our discus are shown on the left. One of the greatest pains in maintaining a Discus tank is their finicky appetites. Every week we found ourselves going to Sailfin pet store to pickup bloodworms (misqutoe larvea) just to get them to eat. This was not only inconvenient and expensive, but somewhat gross.
I started researching culturing my own Discus food. Some people culture bloodworms by taking a filled baby pool and sprinkling some grass clippings. That idea was immediatly shut down by the boss (A.K.A Sheryl) and I was back to the drawing board. Later I read online that some people feed their Discus earthworms or earthworm flakes, which are high in fat and protein content, to help Discus grow. An indoor compost pile provides a steady source of worms and also serves as a repository for kitchen waste. I will discuss how we made an indoor compost pile by recollecting the steps we went through.
Step 1 – The Container
Any plastic container will do, it all depends on how many worms you intend to keep. Some compost retailers sell containers specific to composting with multiple trays. I built my own by stacking multiple containers, however I have only used one so far. I recomend purchasing a plastic tub along with another tray that the tub can fit into. Drill small drainage holes into the bottom of the plastic tub, and the tray will catch the drain fluid.
Step 2 – The Worms
For the worms we choose red worms (species Eisenia fetida). They can consume their own weight in food every day, reproduce quickly, and are readily available on Ebay. The worms tolerate between 40-90 degrees F, consider this and your climate when ordering.
Step 3 - Worm Care
The worms need biodegradable bedding that distributes moisture and eventually becomes worm food. The most cost effective option is paper from the office shredder. Remember to explain your noble intentions to the secretary, they might get suspicious. Keep your worm box in a dark, warm place. We keep ours in a closet near our water heater. Finally, you will need to feed your worms. We give ours spoiled vegtables and fruit. For aromic reasons, avoid anything with lots of protein (meat, eggs, and fish) .
