Ok so I lied.

Right after posting I decided to dump the whole mess and take stock of the situation. There were a few worms that looked good but most looked like they were suffering from 'Worm Rot'. I had thought that the tub was too wet weeks ago, but the worms were doing wonderful back then. So I let it slide, guess I should have followed my gut. I also think that air holes on just the top may not have been enough.

So I decided to restart things. I took another container and made swiss cheese out of it (including the bottom) added some dry and wet grounds (total mix drier than existing tub) with filters ripped up. This will be my new breeding tub.

I took the existing tub and added holes in the sides (none in the bottom of this one). I then added dry grounds to the mix. So I have a dryer mix with more food and full of eggs. I'm sure I lost plenty of eggs with all this, but I had hundreds if not thousands already (heck there were probably 100 on that poor worm in the pic alone).

So much for SIMPLE, huh.

Once I get things in balance it really will get easier. Bigger containers are easier also, and I am planning on moving into larger containers eventually, but it is cool to have a small farm.

Anyone else noticing a similarity to ponds.

Smaller container- less room for error, makes changes happen much faster, easier to start over/correct.

Aeration- if there had been more airflow I think the worms would be better looking, the container would have dried out more if nothing else.

Food/Waste balance- After closer observation I do think they had 'converted' much of the coffee grounds. Need more food and bedding.

Let the experiment will continue.
(note to self, new container started 11/04/07)

Oh yes and I got the 'LOOK' from the SO last night. I had the PB forum open so she read my post and said
'Nice post. You really have worms growing here?'
I said I had told here about them several times.
She just shook here head and said now she knew I had really lost it.
Silly woman, you'd think by now she'd know I never had it.
Especially after another comment one time about ponds/fishing or something else I showed her the pic of Theo full of floats setting his aerator and said hey I'm not the only one. I got the 'LOOK' that day also.


Matt Wehland