Making flake soil indoors?

jake7917

jake7917

L3
Has anyone ever tried to make flake soil indoors?

I live in Canada where we are cursed with freezing temperatures 8 months of the year, and this just isn’t practical for making flake soil. I also love with others who would hate to constantly be smelling fermentation. So a few months ago I attempted to make some flake soil in a 5 gallon bucket, which was sealed during the day and shaken and mixed every morning. It has gained a really dark color, but smells a bit like plastic or artificial, if that makes sense. It’s not a sour or stinky odour at all. I’m wondering if fermentation has taken place.

I recently purchased a laser heat gun, and made another batch of bucket flake soil, monitoring the temps. I am also mixing twice a day now, in the morning and night. It’s been around 3 days and heat hasn’t been generated yet.

If this will definitely not work, feel free to inform me on why. I’m aware fermentation needs a lot of oxygen, but I don’t have any other option. 
 

If anyone has any methods for making flake soil when the weather is poor, or has tried something similar to this, I would love to hear about it.

 
If you put the proper ingredients in, it should ferment. Just make sure the moisture level is right. If it is too dry it will have trouble fermenting.

Are you able to buy those breathable bags? They are perfect for making substrate. 

Indoors gets a bit complicated, as you said; your roommates might not appreciate the stench of the substrate fermenting. It does get pretty potent.

 
@jake7917, I'm in Maine and have the same problem with weather being a bit too cold.  I made flake soil indoors a while back and used a reptile heat mat controlled by a thermostat to keep the oak pellet mush hot and it seemed to work pretty well. It was in a breathable polystyrene bag inside an unvented sterile container.  I would open every few days and shake up the bag inside.

I kept it in a closet and didn't notice it make the apartment smell. I don't really remember what I set the heat at but it wasn't that high since I'm paranoid about leaving any sort of heating element on when I'm not home.  I'm guessing between 70&80 Farenheight?

Hope this helps :)

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top