I also have a vermicoposter, and when I had worms and BSF together, I had a huge increase in worm population. I truly think the BSF waste had much to do with it because the population has decreased quite a bit since I removed the BSF larvae. Since the moisture has decreased dramatically, I may try adding some redworms to the mix to see if that will help bring things under control before I pull everything out to modify the drainage. I am assuming that if I do not add new waste for a few days (the other has been consumed) that this will mean no new liquids. Is this correct? If you can’t tell, I am really trying to fix the smell and moisture as much as possible before digging in! Also, what is the best way to preserve any eggs before washing things out? I know the vast majority that were laid in the velcro (they have also managed to peel the edges up and lay it there) may be lost because I cannot move them without damaging them and they may be washed away. There are also lots under the outside rims of the bucket.

I have been thinking some about how to improve the base of the filter system. I am toying with the idea of making some kind of legged frame (tripod or four legs) that will fit above the level of the drain and topping it with some kind of wire or plastic mesh (wider holes-similar to the plastic needlepoint mats from the craft store). I am also thinking about trying slide washers up the legs before placing them in the bucket with heavy monofilament or something similar tied to the washers that could run up and outside the top of the bucket. Maybe I could add washers to the outside ends and stick them to the magnets just to keep them attached, but out of the way? In the event that this happened again (or I just needed to change the filter material, I could just place the bucket in a larger container, and lift out the contents without having to “muck around” so much in the mess. If everything is fine, I could replace the filter, lower the leg stand in, place the filter on top, and pour everything back in. I am not sure if I did a great job explaining this, but can you kind of see what I am thinking? Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks for reporting this issue; this is how we can refine our equipement and techniques. Below I will list some general concepts you may or may not be aware of, as well as some new ideas inspired by your current situation:

Don’t overfeed – The bucket composter is a relatively small BSF unit which can only process a few ounces of waste per day, maybe up to one pound (.5kg) if carefully managed. Rule of thumb; don’t add more waste than can be consumed in one or two days on average. The shape of a common bucket isn’t ideal for what we’re doing with it. I believe the key factor that determines the volume of waste a unit can handle is surface area and we don’t have much with this design. I should make it clear that this unit is not intended to be a workhorse, it’s more a tool for learning about BSF.

Drainage drainage drainage – The unit must drain well. Just today I found that the system I’ve been using in version 2.1 for about a month is gradually failing. This wasn’t exactly a failure of the filter medium which is still in a condition to filter liquids; the problem is in the support system which, in this version is done with plastic golf balls. Due to the constant churning of the larvae the golf balls are mixing with the filter medium. I suspect this arrangement would still filter adaquately for a while, but at this point I’m going to test some type of disc to support the filter. I will probably continue to use the golf balls or some similar items to create the liquid collection area, but I will insert a porous disc on top of them. I may also use an additional disc on top of the filter medium to help minimize expansion.

I think that we may not be able to rely solely on a filter material for adequate drainage; it may be necessary to monitor and adjust the content and consistency of the waste material itself. BSF larvae can’t eat wood shavings but I add them to my unit because I believe they work as a moisture buffer and they might also effect the texture of the waste in a way that improves drainage. It just now occurred to me that ground corn cob might be even more effective than wood shavings because of its sponge-like texture. Corn cob might facilitate better drainage and also result in better aeration of the waste. The need for, and quantity of cob or wood shavings will vary with each unit because the waste is different in each.

Jenn, based on the above information I suggest that you:

*Remove the waste from the unit and modify the drainage system. If you don’t get a clear picture from my description above for the filter send me an email and I’ll go into more detail. I hope to add a new description and photos for the modified design on the composter page today or tomorrow. I think we’re seeing the developement of version 2.2.

*Mix corn cob bedding into the waste. I know you can buy it at pet stores, and I hope to find it cheaper, maybe through feed stores. I can’t tell you how much to use but you can start out conservatively and add more if needed. I would also add an inch or two (40mm) directly on top of the filter material before to return the waste to the unit.

*You might consider adding only a portion of the waste back into the unit since it’s clearly anaerobic.

*Stop or reduce the addition of new waste to the unit until the bad odor (anaerobic bacteria) is under control.

It might have been nice if everything had gone perfectly with your attempt to use the current design, but I’m glad you took the time to report the problems since we both have an opportunity to learn from them.

Thanks!

If you ferment some dried corn or fresh cabbage I think you could direct the BSF anywhere you want them. Check out one of my earlier recent posts for details.

The BSF prefer your tumble composter because it smells better to them than your BSF unit smells. All you need to do is reverse that situation. I would stop adding any kitchen scraps to the tumble composter and limit that type of waste to the BSF unit. You can add a few pounds of scraps to the unit immediately. This is more than I usually recommend in the beginning but since you have a good BSF population nearby already you’ll see the colony in your BSF unit grow quickly. Keep adding BSF eggs to your bucket composter. Your set up for the eggs sounds find and you might want to mist it lightly with water a few times a day. Keeping the egg container moist will help the newly hatching larvae crawl out and into the scraps. Without knowing how your tumble composter is built I wonder if you could insert strips of cardboard into the grooves that the BSF are targeting. If they’re too wide for a single strip you could double or triple them until they stay wedged in place. I would still try to encourage the BSF to stop laying in the tumble composter, but they will probably be attracted to it for a while anyway.

It sounds like you’re doing well and I hope you’ll stay in touch.

I’m curious why you’re seeing this happen. It might be helpful if you could post a clear photo of your waste pile, preferably just after you’ve added fresh waste and the BSF larvae are working at the surface. To answer your question; no, the house fly larvae won’t effect the BSF, but this should be a temporary situation.