Ratios for substrate fermentation?
- Thread starter Goliathus
- Start date
Hi Goliathus,
I use 1lb of wheat bran for every 5 lbs of raw pellets. So 4 lbs for a 20 lb bag of pellets. So I guess that is 16.66 percent of the total. I honestly don't know if thats the right ratio because I haven't really tried other amounts, just always did it that way. Like you have mentioned, it seems like the heat is the key factor. If its really hot, it turns black in a month or so but if its not that hot, it only gets dark brown. So for me, it seems that temperature is more the key. I used to ferment twice. First the 1 lb per 5 lbs of pellets and then two months later, another 1/2 lb of wheat for 5 lbs of pellets and then it would get pretty dark after the 2nd time. Now I just do it once when its hot and seems be better than doing it twice when its cooler.
I use 1lb of wheat bran for every 5 lbs of raw pellets. So 4 lbs for a 20 lb bag of pellets. So I guess that is 16.66 percent of the total. I honestly don't know if thats the right ratio because I haven't really tried other amounts, just always did it that way. Like you have mentioned, it seems like the heat is the key factor. If its really hot, it turns black in a month or so but if its not that hot, it only gets dark brown. So for me, it seems that temperature is more the key. I used to ferment twice. First the 1 lb per 5 lbs of pellets and then two months later, another 1/2 lb of wheat for 5 lbs of pellets and then it would get pretty dark after the 2nd time. Now I just do it once when its hot and seems be better than doing it twice when its cooler.
scottbot84
L3
I used the same ratio at different times this year. Indoors at room temp in a bucket took a number of months, outdoors in warm temps in a breathable bag was dark brown in a month's time. So from limited experience I would say heat makes a difference.
This is my first year using pellets, what I have settled on is to start in a bucket and move to a bag after the initial few days of fermentation. I should probably make more soil in prep for winter, since it might take 2-3 months indoors.
This is my first year using pellets, what I have settled on is to start in a bucket and move to a bag after the initial few days of fermentation. I should probably make more soil in prep for winter, since it might take 2-3 months indoors.
Heat definitely makes a difference. The bacteria involved in lignin degradation has higher metabolism and growth in higher temperature (as with most organisms). In fact, the actinomycetes bacteria that composes the bulk of the lignin degradation during hot composting is most efficient in temperatures of 160 fahrenheit. The hotter the better, up to certain extent. Composting during the cold is definitely inferior.
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