Fermented substrate odor

[Mantisfan101]

I began fermentstion about 4-5 days ago and it smelled different at first but I checked on it today and now it smells earthy(not like sawdust). Is it ready? It’s a bit orange/golden in color, not the dark earthy brown. Is it ready? I fermented it a bit before and dried it after a while before fermentjng

[darktheumbreon]

How long in total was it fermented prior? For most people there is no way (unless through mechanized methods) that flake soil would be ready from fresh sawdust in just 4-5 days unless you happened to have perfect conditions for it right now.

[Mantisfan101]

About a month or so beforehand. Also another bigger batch has begun to smell of ammonia but it hasn’t heated up, should I discard that batch?

[Dynastes TItyus hunter]

If you don't want to waste the batch, you can dry it and ferment it again 

[JKim]

Usually, 4-5 days are not enough to ferment any raw sawdust unless you used agricultural mixer or heater things you know what used in Japan or in farms... (large scales).

I would go ahead dry it out completely, and then mix up with your known formulas again to retry it.