Kudos, I never see the kind of thoughtful coverage of 'design requirements' that you give at the beginning of the video. Right up front, you covered where to put it, what does it look like, dispensing finished product, recurring maintenance etc. Most people just jump straight into 'watch me fabricate this thing' without any encouragement to think about what you're doing. Excellent video.
Hey Diego, Built 1 last year and filled it with chopped leaves on bottom and Ramial wood chips for the remaining 3/4. Emptied it 9 months later... Results were good and progressive...Leaves composted beautifully. Rich dark compost at the bottom 1/4. Wood chips were definitely more composted than at time of filling, but still “chips”. Lots of worms through the reactor, moist material. I’d say to compost the wood chips to the point of use in a market garden, the total static compost time might need to be 18-24 months. I’m in Virginia so during the cold months of the year things slow down. For my purposes the 2 reactors I have I’ll be filling with shredded leaves
Thank you very much for Dr. Johnson's work to us. You need to review his work to see just how pertinent that work is. It is incredibly important on a very personal level.
The sticking point for most will be the reinforcing mesh. There are not vendors set up to sell this of small scale use. And it is difficult to transport and work with (angle grinder). BUT here comes the Interweb to the rescue. I have been using SILT FENCE for my compost bins for years before I saw the Johnson-Su video. Look it up at Home Depot. ~$90 US gets you 100 LF. a roll will fit in the trunk of a car and you can cut it with hand snips. It is 3ft tall and has the fabric already woven on. I wire two pieces together with the top piece overlapping the bottom on the inside. I converted my bin to a Johnson-Su this spring. Waiting for the results before a become an acolyte for them.
Lowes and home depot sell the concrete mesh in sheets kinda like bull panel. It's cheap and can be transported on top of a car with a piece of cardboard or old blanket and some rope.
Diego, Thank you so much, my friend. Have built a S-U in mid Oct, 100 km north of Toronto Canada. Gonna try two runs of 120 foot of roofing ice cables (120 run just up and down inside the 6 vent shafts), and R22 Roxul to keep my red wigglers active during our 5a zone. Handwatering every second day, 8 litres.
Very cool. I think your modified one does look better though (that one video of just a larger center hole in the middle and no landscape fabric). I have always done fungal compost piles. I live in Thailand and have one going now from a fallen Jack fruit tree and just cover it with a garden tarp. Works wonders. KNF and Natural farming in general is all about the microbes and if you manage it from the Fungal level, everything else falls into place. Great stuff.
That is what I am wondering. Since wood chips are course, they probably have enough air between them without pipes. So we can just them high, cover, water occasionally and they will decompose without any building. But I don't know, maybe tht specific way has higher fungal population thean regular decomposed woodchips?
Using Korean Natural Farming will produce diverse soil biology. This will improve your Bioreactor. As per Arden Andersen MD who also has a PhD in biophysics, build an electromagnet and run your water through it to magnetize it. The water becomes paramagnetic which increases crop biomass. These nearly free inputs greatly increase yields while reducing the growing period. Plants have no endocrine system so there is no reason why zucchini can't reach maturity in 30 days in your garden even if all the gardeners you know take 60 days in theirs. Also check on Boron. It protects plant cell walls against disease and pests. It also makes roots grow. The best practice in seed soaking is to soak your seeds in clean water for 24 hours with Manganese, Cobalt, Zinc, Copper and Boron. Also check out the Jena project and Quorum Sensing. gsmgardening.wordpress.com/.
Very good instructional video. If you aren't a professional instructor...you should be! You explained location requirements clearly, and the functions of the components were easily understood. I'll never have accumulation enough for a bio-reactor of this size, but I can easily scale it down. Thanks!
Many thanks for this video Diego, finished my first reactor this week and will start the 2nd reactor today. A tree cutter gave me three loads of chips so my end goal is 4 reactors.
Anxious to see the inevitable follow-up when you go to retrieve your compost. I suppose the easiest way to go about it would be to disassemble the wire frame but then you've got compost everywhere. Great work!
This is amazing. I can say from experience here in very dry northern Utah, that it can take three or more years for a huge pile of wood chips to break down enough (without any work or interference on our part) to even start incorporating them into our regular compost piles.
Starting with moist materials is important (David Johnson throws them in water first), and then the daily irrigation to maintain that moisture. I think if you do that it will progress quickly, though I am inclined to mix manure in with my woodchips rather than going with straight chips.
I've built about 100 of these at our farm in Ecuador. Beyond the construction, it would be useful to understand the why behind it. Would recommnd looking up David Johnsons's relevant publications. In this case, it's about promoting a stable, high lignan/fungal compost, rather than a high N/bacterial based system. We have isolated a population of white fungi from the local highland forest, capable of degrading fibrous and resistant eucalyptus bark -- a readily availabe source of C in the area. White fungi uniquely produce a series of enzymes capable of breaking down lignan. We seek about 400 parts carbon to one part N in the bioreactor to produce a very stable compost with a high F:B ratio. We primarily use the resulting material to innoculate the growth medium in our green houses.
@@jesseolivarez1493 You live in a lovely place! We are basedI in the Los Chillos Valley outside of Quito, so unfortunately quite far away... You can see images of our farm at @urkuwayku. As you may know, Ecuador has a very lively alternative food movement, including in the south. You can follow some of the activity at: www.quericoes.org
An extra thumbs up for your article in Acres this month. Hope to see more written material from you on it in the future. Looking forward to updates on the bioreactor as well.
@@johnsavchak8202 I'll renew the subscription to Acres, but find Mother Earth News and Permaculture to be too beginner oriented. Picked up Hobby Farms recently just to see if it catered in anything beyond intermediate and haven't been heavily impressed yet.
Thank you so much for making this video! David Johnson recommended adding earthworms, did you add them too? Also, can this bioreactor survive over winter (snow/ice, below 0 degrees temperature conditions)? Will the fungi, microbes, bio-mass survive outside during the cold winter months? How can we supply water/moisture to it during winter? Thanks!
Johnson recommends Red Wigglers not earthworms. The Bioreactor is designed to have exposure to air so no need for earthworms as they are deep divers. Soil biology hibernates below 12 degrees C. Worms sluggish below 18 C.
Hi Diego. Have you seen or considered using GEO-BIN as an alternative to building the cage? There's a height and build time advantage to the GEO-BIN, unless there's an better advantage to the height of the bio-reactor. GEO-BINS sell on Amazon for $40 on Amazon. Thanks.
Thank you diego! This is great work and you are very good at explaining things. I have some questions. If this compost serves mainly to restore soil funghi and innoculating seeds and plants. What other kinds of compost generating method do you use or recommend as an alternative to this one in therms of more nitrogen rich compost, or other important properties plants need. And, if this reactor serves to create a medium for funghi breeding or attracting would it be a good idea to find a forrest, or some place that is all year damp and full of life, maybe somewhere where mushrooms sprout and extract a piece of that soil to add to the bioreactor?
David Johnson's presentation on static compost shows that with this compost the fungi and bacteria are able to provide the plants with everything they need-the compost does not itself need to be rich in nitrogen or other nutrients. I think starting with some inoculant from a forest would be a good idea, but it was surprising how many species showed up in the compost over time.
Great vid! A few questions that I can't seem to find the answer to in all the other vids. What amount of worms to add? Also will the worms die if you have a cold winter and the bioreactor stays outside? How will a cold winter affect the reactor (snow falls on it). What about watering during winter months. Thanks for any help.
Don't add worms til the internal temp drops the worms should be good given ( it's a pretty thick winter coat) snow would plug the holes in a blizzard and then thaw and melt but also act as a insulator at the same time. Biological activity is dramatically reduced in cold temps after thermophilic stage but weatherment will continue to work it
Hi Diego. I love what you are doing. Do you thingthat I could use olive tree leaves for this. If yes would it be better to have a mixture of different types if tree leaves to have diversity. Thanks and looking forward to your videos!
Any chance you checked the temp the bioreactor was putting off? I’m trying to build something to have inside a greenhouse to boost the temp 10 or so degrees
Now it seems that the "NEXT BEST THING" would be to use ALFALFA HAY as the main source of materials in a bioreactor so that you can reap the benefits of both methods to make the very best compost/ compost tea/ seed innoculant. Guess I just need to build one and see.......looking forward to spring of 2022...lol
Careful, the nitrogen content of alfalfa is high enough that you can get spontaneous combustion when it is wetted down. I've seen haystacks catch fire because the alfalfa wasn't fully dry when baled. :-o
you can get that build time down to a couple of hours.. and the materials can be collected from scraps.. great vid tho...your good at this bro. respect.
According to your instructions, a 40"×48" pallet is required but a 12.5 circumference makes a 4 foot circle which means it won't fit on a 40"×48" pallet. Why am I the only one noticing this? Am I misunderstanding something? I'm in the middle of the build and need help as quickly as possible to continue. Thanks!
Pull the ring of mesh tighter (overlap it more) to get it to fit onto a 40/48. It doesn't have to be a specific diameter. 48/48 pallets are harder to find, but would be perfect.
Looking forward to seeing the results. You think this will be ready for spring? You used wood chips. Would this work as well with grass clippings? Would grass clippings decompose faster?
If you had grass clippings I would suggest mixing in a coarser material. The grass clippings might compact too much and go anaerobic. Other than that they would be very good, I think. The other thing to watch out for is that so many people spray things on their lawn that you would want to avoid, but unsprayed grass would be fine.
Make sure it is ventilated or where p.p.e because of the toxic gasses produced however they can be filtered and converted through fineshed compost with a carbon base layer like bio char
What I I did was a work around. I built a row outside the North face of my green house to insulate from the north wind and to keep as much sun on the Southside as possible then Ran stainless steel conduits through it like a radiator and used the natural flow of the water being heated to make it flow through a main line with multiple radiators through my green house no pump
hey there, a voice from Ukraine's village, thanks to your vids I've re-thought the word agri-culture, especially the last part of it. btw, what is the reddish pile of compost to your right hand at 12:55 ?
I have a quick question, How is the best whay to use the compost after the process. do you have to desamble the hole thing? you have to go inside with a shovel? Thank you!
I live in Sandy Utah, Salt lake Valley. We have cold winters, snow, frost, temps during the day can be as low as 10 degrees or as high as the 40's and night temps as low as single digits. Do these reactors need any care during the winter? I'm sure for the most part they just freeze and sit there until the temps warm up.
Could I use 8 pallets stacked vertically and screwed together to create a box instead of using the wire concrete mesh and then duplicate everything else and get the same results?
I think so as long as humidity and aeration is good, right? Gonna slowly rot starting after a few years, though. Hardwood pallets better than softwood. Wind could be an issue, and shapes make a difference, round best for wind. Make sure it won't all get knocked over in a 70mph 💨
Great detailed video. Glad I have gardens growing and ahead of the curve...as the presidente said food shortages are coming. The sheeple are going to panic buy veggie seeds, plant and find mediocre yields that takes years to figure out what works.
Thanks for the great video. I am busy building a bioreactor and am wondering if anybody has some results on inoculating the bioreactor with mycorrhizal fungi and trichoderma? I want to use the compost to create an extract or tea to use in my commercial vineyards.
I would reccommend adding mycorrhizal fungi once the compost has cooled. It's worth adding malted barley and mslted corn while it's composting to up the enzymes and also helps aid breakdown and with other fungal growth in my experiences.
I make these and other composting bins. I found that using the wire stitching method to be to tedious and left the fabric too loose. MY technique is to use *hog rings and the hog ring pliers to cinch the fabric to the wire cage. I also use the hog rings when I make shade cloth bed covers over cattle panels. Also attaching ends of chicken wire fencing. and for patching those mysterious holes that randomly appear in the hen house. I typically use 3/4 inch rings with the spring open handle ( straight or right angle pliers ). Don't use the Dewault ones that have the hog rings on a strip because the nose and design of these wont allow for the correct angle to attach the ring and cinch tightly. The spring loaded handle just makes it easier on the hands and wrist to load the rings. One less step of inserting a ring.
Have you tested ,examined under a microscope the difference in compost between a mound dropped versus this bio reactor after 1 year ? It is a pretty expensive alternative to normal compost mounds so the returns should reflect that.
I would think putting the tubes in a normal pile would get you most of the benefits here... Along with some regular irrigation, and would cost almost nothing if you use the pipes again in the next pile
The whole point is it's passive so no turning and watching the originators (Johnson and Sou) they explained how you leave it for 12 months to mature. Sounds good and am building one today
Now add a copper or lex or landscape tubbi.ng in a coil in the reactor and you have y,our self a water heat source. Compost hot tub or other water heat use. Its basically a ultra slow burn of the material and you can get some crazy heat off it. That's why they had barn fires sometimes in the old days if they stored hay in the barn when it was too wet it would actually spontaneously combust.
@@jaswindersoin4410 do a few you tube searches for compost heating, compost water heater, compost hot tub, there are only a few videos out there. I think this is one of the most underused energy sources out there. Its amazing, tons of benefits and get 4 main things and can be done from super rustic to highly sofisticated. 5 main benefits 1. Disposal of food and other biodegradable waste, anything compostabe. 2. Of course resulting in usable compost. 3. Very cheap to free "fuel source" 4. Great addition to passive homes that depend on sunlight or wind since this adds a source that is independent. 5. Long lasting, can produce stable molucle by molecule low burn heat for up to 24 months. 6. For higher lvl sophisticated system can even have methane capture for additional heat or energy production. This system has in my opinion the most future potential, because almost zero being done with it. Has even a few more potential possibilitys to such out every btu out of the biological process that I have developed, but I'm not currently in the position to experiment :(. If you have the means please experiment I think the potential is phenomenal.
I think it will work but it is more experiment that practical water heater. The problem is you will likely draw water out at a rate that doesn’t allow new water to heat up. So you get a small amount of hot water then cold water.
@@DiegoFooter yes this is true, you do lose an amount of btu thru usage draw, but it does work 100% the only part that needs experimentation is your system and application for your exact circumstances. Simple solution to the problem you posed it a few ways 1. Multiple compost bins and valves so you can alternate your draw. 2. A pump on a timer and properly timed based on needs and fuel( compost amount) . 3.multiple loops within same pile( really same as #2 just in one relative stack vs multiple.) 4. Use expectations, meaning to be used as supplemental heat, or even preheating water similarly as many solar hot water heaters are used to preheat water then boosted to desired temp. This system will have peaks and valleys but can be optimized for sure, and 95-140f degree output isn't nothing.
How much water is too much?? Thinking that installing it at the back of the house and use the downspout to keep it watered, could save water and it's automatic. Warmer water too in the summer. Thoughts?
Christian Shiels I believe both Geoff Lawton and Paul Wheaton may have info/videos on using compost piles to heat water. Some people also build a compost pile on one side of their greenhouse in the winter to heat it.
I'm wondering if anyone has experimented with a different base than a pallet. It seems like a lot of work to drill holes into the pallet and cover them with fabric and all that. If there were a base that has large enough holes in it already, or could you put more and smaller pipes into the setup that could fit between the slats of the pallet? Also, has anyone tried the silt fencing that someone else mentioned? I'm also wondering if jute netting would work or if it would decompose too quickly?
Wouldn't it be possible to just fill it as you accumulate the material and then pull pipes after its full , possibly giving a more complete cycle then switching to the second bin?
I've been using a wire mesh cylinder - without pallet, pipe, or landscape fabric - for years. The mesh contains everything just fine, anything that does leak out just gets shoveled back in the top. As long as the mix is good its pretty much finished compost in a few months. How is the bioreactor better?
I wouldn't say it is better, but it is different. Your method only allows airflow from the top and sides. This allows air from the top, bottom, sides, and within the pile through the air channels.
You are making a different style of compost. A tumbler makes "hot" compost. This makes "cold" compost. They are different end products. Also you could never fit this much in a tumbler nor would wit work on more mature carbon like wood.
Not unless you add too much water. It it was a wet climate you could tarp the top. You are adding more brown type material so it is less wet to begin with.
I've got a surplus of woodchips, and this is a brilliant idea... I was going to make biochar but if this can create compost in half the time, well... I thikn it just might be worth the invest.
Aphleese Gurtra - the compost you make from the wood chips will last 2 to 4 years in the soil. Biochar you make from the wood chips will last a few thousand years in the soil.
@@aphleesegurtra2820 Worms won't eat char, it is pure carbon with no nutrients. They might eat innoculated biochar if it is fine enough but just incidentally. Biochar is usually mixed 50/50 with compost as a soil ammendment. There are plenty of videos here on UA-cam about biochar. Try some from Living Web Farm.
Could you make a shorter version of this reactor? Or does the height play a factor in the way the bio reactor works? Also I am wondering if you could inoculate the bio reactor with a few techniques from Korean natural farming or some bokashi?
Bokashi won't help because there aren't really anaerobic conditions in this pile. You could shorten the height. The height isn't really a factor. The key here is the amount of air being introduced to the system and the distribution of that air throughout the pile. Given all of that the pile has to be big enough to matter, but you could probably shorten to 3 feet high.
Hi Colin. I have created several modified versions of a bio reactor. I used 2" x 4" wire mesh that is 4' high. I then was able to cut the full length of septic pipe in half and use both sides avoiding the med to glue pipes or paying for extra lengths, like Diego did. I also built them reactors a little wider with a 14'6" circumference. This requires additional pallets to section off, but the advantage is having extra space to step on assisting with infilling the reactor. The 4' height avoids the need for creating a platform to step on during infilling as well.
So you have about 5 inches from the outside of the ring of pipes, to the outside surface, to fit on the pallet. So if you had a bigger pallet you could go for up to a foot? What's the maximum distance to air for good composting again?
At 21:36 I thought you were going to whisper lol really dont want that hole collapsing! Thanks for a great video! I've had a bioreactor on my project list for a while and I plan on making one with my chicken coop bedding...
I do not use PVC piles, too expensive. I used a bundles of tree branches. It is common in countryside, farmers insert bundles of tree branches to help air going through. This design is not easy to load and unload compost. I use jumbo bags which soil providers use to package compost.
Could you be a nerd and just put a temperate sensor on each hole and record it over the year. I know that's a pain, but you are years ahead of me. I'm wondering if it could heat a custom greenhouse. Surly in a poly tunnel like thing (OYR) it'd hold the air from frost and perhaps even help stir the air? Does not compost absorb and give off water? With data you could know the size it could be used to heat. Or the amount of water it would dump into the air. Would you know if a shed small enough for it to keep above a growing temperate would have what you'd call humidity problems? At times I seriously struggle with comprehending humidity and haven't grown many different plants. I figure a nice black container of future mud would be best placed right inside next year's greenhouse. With a prepping mindset from incessant virus alarm I wonder how many of these would represent a person's planting needs if you had to live off it. To know the size of woodchips to secure next years garden would be reassuring. Image you are one of 3 people in your country after alien invasion. How big a pile of bio matter if you survive to enjoy it is enough for next years diet? I like this design it involves tubes and the minimum number of tubes. If you've a pile of chips or leaves or wood then there will be an average energy density and an efficiency as it passes through plant to human. It's a question I've become curious to know the answer too, but can't keep large piles at home yet. Like on TV where they're suddenly in a place with no humans, if you're stuck you are going to want to garden. This seems the most caveman basic route. Good pile.
Don't think it would heat much. You can find videos of Johnson Su saying max heat tends to be first three days and then it starts cooling quite a bit. I noticed that just from a fresh pile of woodchips- steamed quite a bit for a few days and then cooled substantially.
Sustainable numbers: I have 400m2 of polytunnel, 1500m outdoor 70in beds. I use 14m3 of compost a year with no additional fertilizers. To get this material i trim my trees back and chip the wood, and the trim from 8 eucalyputs a year i cut for firewood. I have a dumping spot for my neighbours grass clippings + my own and garden waste. I get the manure from a neigbourbouring cattle farmer each spring when he empties his sheds. I spend a week each year making lasagne piles which i cover and leave for next year. Regarding heating a greenhouse, ive seen it done by having the north wall made of wire and building the compost piles against the wall from outside. It worked quite well. i use water barrels and a clay bank to stabalise the temps in my polytunnels. Compost gives of bursts of heat, stability is better.
Kudos, I never see the kind of thoughtful coverage of 'design requirements' that you give at the beginning of the video. Right up front, you covered where to put it, what does it look like, dispensing finished product, recurring maintenance etc. Most people just jump straight into 'watch me fabricate this thing' without any encouragement to think about what you're doing. Excellent video.
This is the value of observation
Excellent video thank you
This is the most comprehensive video on building a bio reactor that's out there. Thanks Diego.
Hey Diego,
Built 1 last year and filled it with chopped leaves on bottom and Ramial wood chips for the remaining 3/4. Emptied it 9 months later...
Results were good and progressive...Leaves composted beautifully. Rich dark compost at the bottom 1/4. Wood chips were definitely more composted than at time of filling, but still “chips”. Lots of worms through the reactor, moist material. I’d say to compost the wood chips to the point of use in a market garden, the total static compost time might need to be 18-24 months. I’m in Virginia so during the cold months of the year things slow down. For my purposes the 2 reactors I have I’ll be filling with shredded leaves
I really hope the follow-up/results video is coming soon! 🤞🏼 I’m on the edge of my seat to see how it worked!
Thank you very much for Dr. Johnson's work to us. You need to review his work to see just how pertinent that work is. It is incredibly important on a very personal level.
The sticking point for most will be the reinforcing mesh. There are not vendors set up to sell this of small scale use. And it is difficult to transport and work with (angle grinder).
BUT here comes the Interweb to the rescue. I have been using SILT FENCE for my compost bins for years before I saw the Johnson-Su video. Look it up at Home Depot. ~$90 US gets you 100 LF. a roll will fit in the trunk of a car and you can cut it with hand snips. It is 3ft tall and has the fabric already woven on. I wire two pieces together with the top piece overlapping the bottom on the inside. I converted my bin to a Johnson-Su this spring. Waiting for the results before a become an acolyte for them.
Lowes and home depot sell the concrete mesh in sheets kinda like bull panel. It's cheap and can be transported on top of a car with a piece of cardboard or old blanket and some rope.
@SA Cajun Have you completed any compost? If so, how were the results?
Diego,
Thank you so much, my friend. Have built a S-U in mid Oct, 100 km north of Toronto Canada. Gonna try two runs of 120 foot of roofing ice cables (120 run just up and down inside the 6 vent shafts), and R22 Roxul to keep my red wigglers active during our 5a zone. Handwatering every second day, 8 litres.
Haha I’m from Australia and our coldest temp is 20degC, I felt like I was translating your post.
Very cool. I think your modified one does look better though (that one video of just a larger center hole in the middle and no landscape fabric). I have always done fungal compost piles. I live in Thailand and have one going now from a fallen Jack fruit tree and just cover it with a garden tarp. Works wonders. KNF and Natural farming in general is all about the microbes and if you manage it from the Fungal level, everything else falls into place. Great stuff.
That is what I am wondering. Since wood chips are course, they probably have enough air between them without pipes. So we can just them high, cover, water occasionally and they will decompose without any building. But I don't know, maybe tht specific way has higher fungal population thean regular decomposed woodchips?
Using Korean Natural Farming will produce diverse soil biology. This will improve your Bioreactor.
As per Arden Andersen MD who also has a PhD in biophysics, build an electromagnet and run your water through it to magnetize it. The water becomes paramagnetic which increases crop biomass.
These nearly free inputs greatly increase yields while reducing the growing period. Plants have no endocrine system so there is no reason why zucchini can't reach maturity in 30 days in your garden even if all the gardeners you know take 60 days in theirs.
Also check on Boron. It protects plant cell walls against disease and pests. It also makes roots grow. The best practice in seed soaking is to soak your seeds in clean water for 24 hours with Manganese, Cobalt, Zinc, Copper and Boron. Also check out the Jena project and Quorum Sensing.
gsmgardening.wordpress.com/.
Your videos help me learn English! I understand about 75% of the words you say. thank!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
That's great now you are smarter than 80% of America !
Very good instructional video. If you aren't a professional instructor...you should be! You explained location requirements clearly, and the functions of the components were easily understood. I'll never have accumulation enough for a bio-reactor of this size, but I can easily scale it down. Thanks!
Many thanks for this video Diego, finished my first reactor this week and will start the 2nd reactor today. A tree cutter gave me three loads of chips so my end goal is 4 reactors.
Fantastic!
The leftover concrete reinforcing mesh can be used to make a high-tunnel greenhouse!
If you have a stump you want to get rid of, situate the reactor on top of it.
I am going to try that!!
Anxious to see the inevitable follow-up when you go to retrieve your compost. I suppose the easiest way to go about it would be to disassemble the wire frame but then you've got compost everywhere. Great work!
I think that will be the plan. We'll see.
Just leave it you just built a raised bed plant into the sides and top there by increasing your grow space several times over vertical farming man
Save your back use your head
This is going to be my winter time project. Thanks for all the info!!! Very encouraging!
Excellent video man. Clear, specific and to the point!
This is amazing.
I can say from experience here in very dry northern Utah, that it can take three or more years for a huge pile of wood chips to break down enough (without any work or interference on our part) to even start incorporating them into our regular compost piles.
Starting with moist materials is important (David Johnson throws them in water first), and then the daily irrigation to maintain that moisture. I think if you do that it will progress quickly, though I am inclined to mix manure in with my woodchips rather than going with straight chips.
I've built about 100 of these at our farm in Ecuador. Beyond the construction, it would be useful to understand the why behind it. Would recommnd looking up David Johnsons's relevant publications. In this case, it's about promoting a stable, high lignan/fungal compost, rather than a high N/bacterial based system. We have isolated a population of white fungi from the local highland forest, capable of degrading fibrous and resistant eucalyptus bark -- a readily availabe source of C in the area. White fungi uniquely produce a series of enzymes capable of breaking down lignan. We seek about 400 parts carbon to one part N in the bioreactor to produce a very stable compost with a high F:B ratio. We primarily use the resulting material to innoculate the growth medium in our green houses.
Stephen, where in Ecuador are you?
@@jesseolivarez1493 Yep. Been here for 25 years.
Stephen Sherwood Thanks. We want to build one of these bioreactors soon. We moved to Vilcabamba 8 months ago. What part of Ecuador are you in?
@@jesseolivarez1493 You live in a lovely place! We are basedI in the Los Chillos Valley outside of Quito, so unfortunately quite far away... You can see images of our farm at @urkuwayku. As you may know, Ecuador has a very lively alternative food movement, including in the south. You can follow some of the activity at: www.quericoes.org
Stephen, appreciate your comment. However, can you say that in plain, 5th grade English for me?
An extra thumbs up for your article in Acres this month. Hope to see more written material from you on it in the future. Looking forward to updates on the bioreactor as well.
How is that magazine? Been thinking about subscribing...
@@johnsavchak8202 I'll renew the subscription to Acres, but find Mother Earth News and Permaculture to be too beginner oriented. Picked up Hobby Farms recently just to see if it catered in anything beyond intermediate and haven't been heavily impressed yet.
Eric Collins )l
Chico state University has a registry of people using the Johnson Su Bioreactor FYI
Thanks! They've got a lot of good info that was easy to find by searching your entire sentence :-)
Super easy and functional! Just what I was looking for to up my compost game! Thanks so much for making this video!!!
Thank you so much for making this video! David Johnson recommended adding earthworms, did you add them too? Also, can this bioreactor survive over winter (snow/ice, below 0 degrees temperature conditions)? Will the fungi, microbes, bio-mass survive outside during the cold winter months? How can we supply water/moisture to it during winter? Thanks!
Johnson recommends Red Wigglers not earthworms. The Bioreactor is designed to have exposure to air so no need for earthworms as they are deep divers. Soil biology hibernates below 12 degrees C. Worms sluggish below 18 C.
@@Horse237 red wrigglers are surface dwellers, preferring to be in the top 4-5 inches of soil.
Great video! Sounds like a future project for myself. Grow on!
looking forward to the irrigation set up video. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Diego. Have you seen or considered using GEO-BIN as an alternative to building the cage? There's a height and build time advantage to the GEO-BIN, unless there's an better advantage to the height of the bio-reactor. GEO-BINS sell on Amazon for $40 on Amazon. Thanks.
I have 4 compost bins 4x7x 3 ‘ cost me 0$. After watching your video I’m thinking of putting 4” pipes in them for air flow. Let me know what u think
That's what I'm thinking. If you've already got a structure just add the airpipes.
Awesome work Diego! Great to see the Bioreactor getting built.
Johnson tzu reactor they invented it they should get the credit he should get the credit for bringing it to y'all
Why wouldn't it work. Are you sure? Did you test it out? Or do you just love turning handles
See this is why we like Diego he is a little more sientific he will actually put it to the test then make a statement
Some one from dacota needs to test this
@assassinlexx okay so you like mechanizing things that has nothing to do with south Dakota
Thank you diego! This is great work and you are very good at explaining things. I have some questions. If this compost serves mainly to restore soil funghi and innoculating seeds and plants. What other kinds of compost generating method do you use or recommend as an alternative to this one in therms of more nitrogen rich compost, or other important properties plants need. And, if this reactor serves to create a medium for funghi breeding or attracting would it be a good idea to find a forrest, or some place that is all year damp and full of life, maybe somewhere where mushrooms sprout and extract a piece of that soil to add to the bioreactor?
David Johnson's presentation on static compost shows that with this compost the fungi and bacteria are able to provide the plants with everything they need-the compost does not itself need to be rich in nitrogen or other nutrients. I think starting with some inoculant from a forest would be a good idea, but it was surprising how many species showed up in the compost over time.
Outstanding. I'll have to accumulate more material to fill one but when I do I'll be building at least one maybe more. Thank you for the sharing.
Great vid! A few questions that I can't seem to find the answer to in all the other vids.
What amount of worms to add?
Also will the worms die if you have a cold winter and the bioreactor stays outside? How will a cold winter affect the reactor (snow falls on it). What about watering during winter months. Thanks for any help.
Don't add worms til the internal temp drops the worms should be good given ( it's a pretty thick winter coat) snow would plug the holes in a blizzard and then thaw and melt but also act as a insulator at the same time. Biological activity is dramatically reduced in cold temps after thermophilic stage but weatherment will continue to work it
Oh and 500 worms
500
Hi Diego. I love what you are doing. Do you thingthat I could use olive tree leaves for this. If yes would it be better to have a mixture of different types if tree leaves to have diversity. Thanks and looking forward to your videos!
Any chance you checked the temp the bioreactor was putting off? I’m trying to build something to have inside a greenhouse to boost the temp 10 or so degrees
Now it seems that the "NEXT BEST THING" would be to use ALFALFA HAY as the main source of materials in a bioreactor so that you can reap the benefits of both methods to make the very best compost/ compost tea/ seed innoculant. Guess I just need to build one and see.......looking forward to spring of 2022...lol
Careful, the nitrogen content of alfalfa is high enough that you can get spontaneous combustion when it is wetted down. I've seen haystacks catch fire because the alfalfa wasn't fully dry when baled. :-o
I so want to make one of these. Johnson introduces worms too.
you can get that build time down to a couple of hours.. and the materials can be collected from scraps.. great vid tho...your good at this bro. respect.
According to your instructions, a 40"×48" pallet is required but a 12.5 circumference makes a 4 foot circle which means it won't fit on a 40"×48" pallet. Why am I the only one noticing this? Am I misunderstanding something? I'm in the middle of the build and need help as quickly as possible to continue. Thanks!
Pull the ring of mesh tighter (overlap it more) to get it to fit onto a 40/48. It doesn't have to be a specific diameter. 48/48 pallets are harder to find, but would be perfect.
Looking forward to seeing the results. You think this will be ready for spring? You used wood chips. Would this work as well with grass clippings? Would grass clippings decompose faster?
If you had grass clippings I would suggest mixing in a coarser material. The grass clippings might compact too much and go anaerobic. Other than that they would be very good, I think. The other thing to watch out for is that so many people spray things on their lawn that you would want to avoid, but unsprayed grass would be fine.
At end of year how will you access compost? Undo wire and fabric?
He says in the beginning. You have to undo everything. Then you pull it all out.
Good to see you’re still doing permaculture stuff, Diego!
Enjoying your bioreactor videos. Can you put grass clipping in a modified Johnson Su? I've not seen any comment on this . Thanks
Yes, but I would blend it with some more mature carbon.
Should put caps on top of pipes so u can chuck in your material
It’s a good idea and I have noticed that when filling. It would help.
I am glad to see that Freddy Mercury's brother is getting into organic gardening so much.
Have some respect. The man has been a huge influence in the permaculture community
@@6liquid6black6 please explain how this is disrespectful?
lmao...too funny
Good work Diego. I need to make 2-4 of these bad boys. Maybe put them in a high tunnel or something?
Make sure it is ventilated or where p.p.e because of the toxic gasses produced however they can be filtered and converted through fineshed compost with a carbon base layer like bio char
What I I did was a work around. I built a row outside the North face of my green house to insulate from the north wind and to keep as much sun on the Southside as possible then Ran stainless steel conduits through it like a radiator and used the natural flow of the water being heated to make it flow through a main line with multiple radiators through my green house no pump
Then I used the compost created to expand my green house system
Salts will start to develop throughout the process be mindful
Also they make pretty good raised beds ready to go
Is there a reason why there are so less holes in the pipes? Why not adding more holes or even a wired construction.
hey there, a voice from Ukraine's village, thanks to your vids I've re-thought the word agri-culture, especially the last part of it. btw, what is the reddish pile of compost to your right hand at 12:55 ?
Great video, thank you.
I have a quick question, How is the best whay to use the compost after the process. do you have to desamble the hole thing? you have to go inside with a shovel?
Thank you!
Undo the size to get access.
I live in Sandy Utah, Salt lake Valley. We have cold winters, snow, frost, temps during the day can be as low as 10 degrees or as high as the 40's and night temps as low as single digits. Do these reactors need any care during the winter? I'm sure for the most part they just freeze and sit there until the temps warm up.
Could I use 8 pallets stacked vertically and screwed together to create a box instead of using the wire concrete mesh and then duplicate everything else and get the same results?
Probably, but that sounds difficult. The mesh is just the structure so I think you could sub-out as needed.
That's how I dry my firewood. But with an open front.
Our Homestead Journey yes
I think so as long as humidity and aeration is good, right?
Gonna slowly rot starting after a few years, though. Hardwood pallets better than softwood. Wind could be an issue, and shapes make a difference, round best for wind. Make sure it won't all get knocked over in a 70mph 💨
Did you ever make one of these with pallets? I’m toying with the idea right now 🤔
Great video!
Great detailed video. Glad I have gardens growing and ahead of the curve...as the presidente said food shortages are coming. The sheeple are going to panic buy veggie seeds, plant and find mediocre yields that takes years to figure out what works.
Thanks for the great video. I am busy building a bioreactor and am wondering if anybody has some results on inoculating the bioreactor with mycorrhizal fungi and trichoderma? I want to use the compost to create an extract or tea to use in my commercial vineyards.
I would reccommend adding mycorrhizal fungi once the compost has cooled. It's worth adding malted barley and mslted corn while it's composting to up the enzymes and also helps aid breakdown and with other fungal growth in my experiences.
I don't recommend trichoderma. Those are parasitic fungi and will consume your beneficial fungi.
Solid state fermentation or solid substrate fermentation. Awesome 👌
I make these and other composting bins. I found that using the wire stitching method to be to tedious and left the fabric too loose. MY technique is to use *hog rings and the hog ring pliers to cinch the fabric to the wire cage. I also use the hog rings when I make shade cloth bed covers over cattle panels. Also attaching ends of chicken wire fencing. and for patching those mysterious holes that randomly appear in the hen house. I typically use 3/4 inch rings with the spring open handle ( straight or right angle pliers ). Don't use the Dewault ones that have the hog rings on a strip because the nose and design of these wont allow for the correct angle to attach the ring and cinch tightly. The spring loaded handle just makes it easier on the hands and wrist to load the rings. One less step of inserting a ring.
Nice video! Just in time as I scale up my compost system.
How do you empty this? The sheer size of it tells me to go rent a crane.
@@kathytaylor9798 you dismantle them
Can this be done in a smaller scale for urban backyard ?
Yes, you can use an IBC or trash can. Video on that coming up.
@@DiegoFooter wonderful!!! Will watch and share ASAP 🙏🏼
Have you tested ,examined under a microscope the difference in compost between a mound dropped versus this bio reactor after 1 year ? It is a pretty expensive alternative to normal compost mounds so the returns should reflect that.
I would think putting the tubes in a normal pile would get you most of the benefits here... Along with some regular irrigation, and would cost almost nothing if you use the pipes again in the next pile
Yes it would as long as air can penitrate
Air can effectively pen one foot in so design of that knowledge
The higth of it causes a chimney effect sucking air through it it's like a rocket stove
This way you eliminate the air pump
Can we see the resulting compost?
Considering it is supposed to take 12-18 mos, it might be a while. But I’m also looking forward to seeing it
Hi Diego, nice video. Please can I use black plastic or jute bag instead of landscape fabric as it is not not readily available in my locality
Would you suggest making a cover for in in case of heavy rains?
GO MO7 yes
The whole point is it's passive so no turning and watching the originators (Johnson and Sou) they explained how you leave it for 12 months to mature. Sounds good and am building one today
How did it go?
Good work man
Now add a copper or lex or landscape tubbi.ng in a coil in the reactor and you have y,our self a water heat source. Compost hot tub or other water heat use. Its basically a ultra slow burn of the material and you can get some crazy heat off it. That's why they had barn fires sometimes in the old days if they stored hay in the barn when it was too wet it would actually spontaneously combust.
I'd like to know more on the water heat source .
@@jaswindersoin4410 do a few you tube searches for compost heating, compost water heater, compost hot tub, there are only a few videos out there. I think this is one of the most underused energy sources out there. Its amazing, tons of benefits and get 4 main things and can be done from super rustic to highly sofisticated. 5 main benefits 1. Disposal of food and other biodegradable waste, anything compostabe. 2. Of course resulting in usable compost. 3. Very cheap to free "fuel source" 4. Great addition to passive homes that depend on sunlight or wind since this adds a source that is independent. 5. Long lasting, can produce stable molucle by molecule low burn heat for up to 24 months. 6. For higher lvl sophisticated system can even have methane capture for additional heat or energy production.
This system has in my opinion the most future potential, because almost zero being done with it. Has even a few more potential possibilitys to such out every btu out of the biological process that I have developed, but I'm not currently in the position to experiment :(.
If you have the means please experiment I think the potential is phenomenal.
I think it will work but it is more experiment that practical water heater. The problem is you will likely draw water out at a rate that doesn’t allow new water to heat up. So you get a small amount of hot water then cold water.
@@DiegoFooter yes this is true, you do lose an amount of btu thru usage draw, but it does work 100% the only part that needs experimentation is your system and application for your exact circumstances. Simple solution to the problem you posed it a few ways 1. Multiple compost bins and valves so you can alternate your draw. 2. A pump on a timer and properly timed based on needs and fuel( compost amount) . 3.multiple loops within same pile( really same as #2 just in one relative stack vs multiple.) 4. Use expectations, meaning to be used as supplemental heat, or even preheating water similarly as many solar hot water heaters are used to preheat water then boosted to desired temp. This system will have peaks and valleys but can be optimized for sure, and 95-140f degree output isn't nothing.
What kind of water do you use? Is it tap water with chlorine?
I think Geotextile fabric would work great for this project.
How much water is too much?? Thinking that installing it at the back of the house and use the downspout to keep it watered, could save water and it's automatic. Warmer water too in the summer. Thoughts?
Not much. A few drip emitters for 1 minute per day. A downspout would be too much.
Is there a way to make this but on a smaller scale?
Could you theoretically use a compost pile as a heat/energy source?🤔
Yes. The trouble is keeping it hot for a long time. Warming the water or area is more likely than really pumping out heat.
Christian Shiels I believe both Geoff Lawton and Paul Wheaton may have info/videos on using compost piles to heat water. Some people also build a compost pile on one side of their greenhouse in the winter to heat it.
Christian Shiels - yes
I'm wondering if anyone has experimented with a different base than a pallet. It seems like a lot of work to drill holes into the pallet and cover them with fabric and all that. If there were a base that has large enough holes in it already, or could you put more and smaller pipes into the setup that could fit between the slats of the pallet? Also, has anyone tried the silt fencing that someone else mentioned? I'm also wondering if jute netting would work or if it would decompose too quickly?
Wonder if one could do wide and low BR with the center one larger center tube? Tall is not OG friendly.
Rylock stock fence instead of reinforcing mesh- huge savings.
Wouldn't it be possible to just fill it as you accumulate the material and then pull pipes after its full , possibly giving a more complete cycle then switching to the second bin?
Yes but the wait would be way longer
And only if the pipe we're screen material it has to be breathable
It is a batch system so that's why it's not such a good Idea to slowly fill it
However it is scaleable so build a smaller one that fits your material needs then another then another and so on
@@jerrymaxey782 I was wondering about making smaller scaled ones.
Beast mode switch 'on' lol
Can I modify the height to 4’, I’m very short.
Is there a follow-up video to this showing the results?
Yes
I've been using a wire mesh cylinder - without pallet, pipe, or landscape fabric - for years. The mesh contains everything just fine, anything that does leak out just gets shoveled back in the top. As long as the mix is good its pretty much finished compost in a few months. How is the bioreactor better?
I wouldn't say it is better, but it is different. Your method only allows airflow from the top and sides. This allows air from the top, bottom, sides, and within the pile through the air channels.
Why do you drill holes in the pipe if it's going to be removed after a couple of days?
I'm guessing to prevent the center from going anaerobic.
Could you charge a battery with the heat coming off the bioreactor? Maybe pipe the heat into a small greenhouse to over winter it?
I don't think it would generate enough heat to justify the effort. 70-80F isn't that hot.
What's the difference between this & building a compost tumbler? The tumbler looks like it'll be far easier to build & manage.
You are making a different style of compost. A tumbler makes "hot" compost. This makes "cold" compost. They are different end products. Also you could never fit this much in a tumbler nor would wit work on more mature carbon like wood.
This is badass but one question:
Does it leak or does it shed any form of water or juices?
Not unless you add too much water. It it was a wet climate you could tarp the top. You are adding more brown type material so it is less wet to begin with.
I’m not convinced. Does this compost faster than simple compost pile and turning ? Seems a lot of extra work and expense.
The variable being compared isn't time - it's final result and maintenance work. They are different methods and involve different steps and processes.
I've got a surplus of woodchips, and this is a brilliant idea... I was going to make biochar but if this can create compost in half the time, well... I thikn it just might be worth the invest.
Aphleese Gurtra - the compost you make from the wood chips will last 2 to 4 years in the soil. Biochar you make from the wood chips will last a few thousand years in the soil.
@@briansmith6824 Now I'm pumped to get my worms juice into the char!
@@aphleesegurtra2820 Worms won't eat char, it is pure carbon with no nutrients. They might eat innoculated biochar if it is fine enough but just incidentally. Biochar is usually mixed 50/50 with compost as a soil ammendment.
There are plenty of videos here on UA-cam about biochar. Try some from Living Web Farm.
@@briansmith6824 Haha, Yea, I didn't mean go imply that they would, lol!!
@@briansmith6824 and you need both
Could you make a shorter version of this reactor? Or does the height play a factor in the way the bio reactor works? Also I am wondering if you could inoculate the bio reactor with a few techniques from Korean natural farming or some bokashi?
Yes you can do all what you are suggesting. Since it will lose water over time
Bokashi won't help because there aren't really anaerobic conditions in this pile. You could shorten the height. The height isn't really a factor. The key here is the amount of air being introduced to the system and the distribution of that air throughout the pile. Given all of that the pile has to be big enough to matter, but you could probably shorten to 3 feet high.
Thanks everyone.
Hi Colin.
I have created several modified versions of a bio reactor. I used 2" x 4" wire mesh that is 4' high.
I then was able to cut the full length of septic pipe in half and use both sides avoiding the med to glue pipes or paying for extra lengths, like Diego did.
I also built them reactors a little wider with a 14'6" circumference. This requires additional pallets to section off, but the advantage is having extra space to step on assisting with infilling the reactor.
The 4' height avoids the need for creating a platform to step on during infilling as well.
Do I need to do a certain combo of nitrogen to carbon for bioreactors?
can i use 2x4 wire fencing instead of the concrete mesh?
So you have about 5 inches from the outside of the ring of pipes, to the outside surface, to fit on the pallet. So if you had a bigger pallet you could go for up to a foot? What's the maximum distance to air for good composting again?
Correct, 12".
what are the benefots of landscape fabric as opposed to just using a finer mesh cage?
It may hold the moisture in better.
How can I do this in Wisconsin without a dedicated greenhouse in the winter? I'm sure it would freeze in the winter here. Help?
Just let it freeze and go dormant.
Can tris be done in a bucket?
Livestock fencing might be cheaper. Thinner but I'm sure it'd stand the pressure.
At 21:36 I thought you were going to whisper lol really dont want that hole collapsing! Thanks for a great video! I've had a bioreactor on my project list for a while and I plan on making one with my chicken coop bedding...
I'd love to see a follow up video
There is a follow up video. :)
Nice work 👌👍👍
There are only wood chips in the bioreactor?
Yes
So if your plastic pipes you glued together you must have used the wrong glue. Use the cleaner and cement like you would for drain pipe.
Yes, I figured that out after the fact. 🤣
Maybe add some blood and bone or similar fertilizer as you fill the reactor to increase the heat generation and speed up the process?
You could, but the idea here isn't speed or heat.
beautiful man
Why pull the pipes out? Why not just leave them in when they have holes for aeration?
I do not use PVC piles, too expensive. I used a bundles of tree branches. It is common in countryside, farmers insert bundles of tree branches to help air going through. This design is not easy to load and unload compost. I use jumbo bags which soil providers use to package compost.
Could you be a nerd and just put a temperate sensor on each hole and record it over the year. I know that's a pain, but you are years ahead of me.
I'm wondering if it could heat a custom greenhouse. Surly in a poly tunnel like thing (OYR) it'd hold the air from frost and perhaps even help stir the air? Does not compost absorb and give off water? With data you could know the size it could be used to heat. Or the amount of water it would dump into the air.
Would you know if a shed small enough for it to keep above a growing temperate would have what you'd call humidity problems?
At times I seriously struggle with comprehending humidity and haven't grown many different plants.
I figure a nice black container of future mud would be best placed right inside next year's greenhouse.
With a prepping mindset from incessant virus alarm I wonder how many of these would represent a person's planting needs if you had to live off it.
To know the size of woodchips to secure next years garden would be reassuring.
Image you are one of 3 people in your country after alien invasion. How big a pile of bio matter if you survive to enjoy it is enough for next years diet?
I like this design it involves tubes and the minimum number of tubes.
If you've a pile of chips or leaves or wood then there will be an average energy density and an efficiency as it passes through plant to human.
It's a question I've become curious to know the answer too, but can't keep large piles at home yet.
Like on TV where they're suddenly in a place with no humans, if you're stuck you are going to want to garden.
This seems the most caveman basic route. Good pile.
Don't think it would heat much. You can find videos of Johnson Su saying max heat tends to be first three days and then it starts cooling quite a bit. I noticed that just from a fresh pile of woodchips- steamed quite a bit for a few days and then cooled substantially.
Sustainable numbers: I have 400m2 of polytunnel, 1500m outdoor 70in beds.
I use 14m3 of compost a year with no additional fertilizers.
To get this material i trim my trees back and chip the wood, and the trim from 8 eucalyputs a year i cut for firewood.
I have a dumping spot for my neighbours grass clippings + my own and garden waste.
I get the manure from a neigbourbouring cattle farmer each spring when he empties his sheds.
I spend a week each year making lasagne piles which i cover and leave for next year.
Regarding heating a greenhouse, ive seen it done by having the north wall made of wire and building the compost piles against the wall from outside. It worked quite well.
i use water barrels and a clay bank to stabalise the temps in my polytunnels. Compost gives of bursts of heat, stability is better.