| ▲ | magicbuzz 5 days ago |
| I love it, but surely just a temp gauge for running a hot compost is nice & simple? If mine is over 45C, I'm fairly sure that means the thermophiles are present and doing their thing |
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| ▲ | montycompostco 5 days ago | parent | next [-] |
| You’re absolutely right— a temperature gauge is a fantastic tool for monitoring for many composters who are focused on the basics of maintaining an active hot composting pile. Where our system shines is when you want to go a little deeper. For example, adding data on gas, moisture levels, and air pressure allows users to troubleshoot or optimise their process more effectively. Is the activity aerobic or anaerobic? Is your moisture level tipping the pile too far one way or another? These kinds of insights can help when composting setups or inputs get more complex, or when things stall and you’re not sure why. That said, we totally get that not everyone needs all the bells and whistles—sometimes a reliable temp gauge and your composting instincts are all you need to make amazing, healthy compost! |
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| ▲ | hermitcrab 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| I can barely get my compost more than 5C above ambient. But I think it is mainly because the compost bin isn't big enough (one of those black plastic daleks), so has too much surface area/volume. Also, it is in a very shady spot. |
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| ▲ | duckmysick 4 days ago | parent | next [-] | | Shade shouldn't be a problem. In fact, a cover is good because it helps you control the sunlight and rain. If the pile isn't heating up it's usually either bone dry or there's not enough volume. Aim for at least one cubic meter (or 3x3x3 feet). If you have fresh grass clippings, add them - they will help a lot. A heap of grass clippings with nothing else will heat up on its own (but don't do it because it will smell). Your cold compost is going to be fine, it will just take longer and won't cook the weed seeds. If you have more questions there's a composting subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/composting/ | | |
| ▲ | hermitcrab 4 days ago | parent [-] | | Thanks, I have done a bit of research of carbon:nitrogen etc. I think it is lack of volume. it still produces good compost, just takes longer. |
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| ▲ | lukas099 4 days ago | parent | prev [-] | | > But I think it is mainly because the compost bin isn't big enough Pile size is almost all that matters for how hot it gets, in my experience. |
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| ▲ | PittleyDunkin 5 days ago | parent | prev [-] |
| How do you verify the expected metabolic processes are occurring that produce said temperatures? |
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| ▲ | montycompostco 5 days ago | parent [-] | | Great question— thanks for asking! Verifying the metabolic processes in composting is a bit of a mix between understanding composting fundamentals and interpreting the data we collect. The processes are highly dependent on factors like feedstock type and volume. For example, a sudden spike in temperature might be due to an addition of nitrogen-rich materials or a recent turning of the pile—both of which can accelerate microbial activity. While our sensors provide 24/7 data on temperature, gas composition, and more, there are always factors we can’t directly see or control for, like the exact distribution of materials within the pile. That’s where a bit of interpretation comes in: matching what the data is telling us with the fundamentals of composting. By combining real-time monitoring with an understanding of what’s happening in the pile, users can make informed decisions to keep their composting process on track. It’s not an exact science, but the extra data helps a lot! |
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