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composting

Humanure Drum Question

Tristan Alexander

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Location: Panama City, Florida, USA

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posted 8 years ago

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Hey all! So I have been utilizing a system where I do my business into a 5 gal buck and cover it with leaves. Then when the 5gal fills up, I dump it into a 55 gallon barrel, and seal it. It is almost full, and I just recently learned that it needs to be aerobically composted to heat up properly for humanure. Should I just drill some holes in the 55gal drum?
Thanks for the help.

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Todd Parr

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Location: Wisconsin, zone 4

posted 8 years ago

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Unless you drill a lot of holes, you still aren't going to get enough air. It would be better if you could drill some holes on both sides of the barrel and run a piece of pipe or PVC thru the barrel that has holes drilled all over it. That way you will get air into the middle areas of the barrel. Another (easier) possibility would be to drill holes around the barrel, and only fill the barrel three quarters or so. Then you could just roll the barrel around a bit to aerate it.

"People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do."

Daniel Ray

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Location: Victor, Montana; Zone 5b

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posted 8 years ago

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You don't need to use aerobic composting to break down humanure. Instead, if you don't have the room for a big open compost pile, and you are set on using 55 gallon drums, you can use anaerobic composting which relies on an acidic environment to break down organic compounds. Basically, anaerobic organisms thrive with no oxygen rather than aerobic which need oxygen to do their job. Below is a link to a person using this system in a suburb setting for humanure and also a link to a good description of anaerobic composting if you want to read more.

https://www.planetnatural.com/composting-101/compost-digesters/anaerobic/

http://www.spiritwoodnaturalbuilding.com

Todd Parr

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Location: Wisconsin, zone 4

posted 8 years ago

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That youtube video is for a simple composting toilet. I have one myself. It is not anaerobic composting. If you have ever tried anaerobic composting, you've undoubtedly noticed the wonderful smell associated

If you have a bin that you could fill all they way up at once and then seal it for a year, it may be fine and the smell should be gone by then. If you have an anaerobic environment and you have to open the container to add to it, you may decide that aerobic composting is the way to go.

"People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do."

Ian Rule

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Location: Nevada County, CA

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posted 8 years ago

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We do a number of humanure systems, which all translate from a simple bucket to a simple pile. Anaerobic is the key to everyone knowing what you're up to - our humanure pile is the first place I bring guests because of how impressively unoffensive it is. Cover with enough carbon and it wont stink OR last very long. We have plenty of rat problems, but not one has ever been spotted near said piles. Carbon!

I must admit, the very idea of a barrel of humanure on the property seems like the beginning of wartime technology.....

"It might have been fun to like, scoop up a little bit of that moose poop that we saw yesterday and... and uh, put that in.... just.... just so we know." - Paul W.

Tristan Alexander

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Location: Panama City, Florida, USA

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posted 8 years ago

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Haha, thanks for your input you guys. I will probably just let it sit in the 55gal drum and begin dumping a pile and covering with leaves instead. Do you ever turn it or just continuous add more leaves and chips and such?

Todd Parr

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Posts: 1793

Location: Wisconsin, zone 4

posted 8 years ago

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No turning necessary. Just add.

"People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do."

Tristan Alexander

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Location: Panama City, Florida, USA

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posted 8 years ago

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Awesome. And same with my 55 gallon drum that's almost full? It's OK if it just sits and anaerobic composts for a year?

Todd Parr

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Location: Wisconsin, zone 4

posted 8 years ago

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I wouldn't open it

I don't know the actual answer, I have only composted from my bucket toilet aerobically.

"People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do."

Rebecca Norman

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posted 8 years ago

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I have some experience of simple composting toilets, though not the bin idea you propose here, and I would pitch in my two cents for the pervasive methane smell that may waft over the neighborhood when you empty the closed barrel. In my experience, one or two years may not be enough. If there's any way to make it an aerobic system I think it will work much better. There are designs online for wheelie bins with a raised mesh floor and a ventilation pipe going from the upper edge down to the gap. They are wheeled right under the toilet room from outside, and then are wheeled away to stand and compost for some time.

Works at a residential alternative high school in the Himalayas SECMOL.org . "Back home" is Cape Cod, E Coast USA.

Ian Rule

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posted 8 years ago

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Build the bottom of the pile with a mound of sticks - was an early lesson I forgot to mention. That ensures constant air-flow; as we never turn or tangle with THOSE compost piles.... at least until they're done ~cooking.

If I might be so snobby - pick up a copy of Joseph Jenkins 'The Humanure Handbook'. Masterpiece!

"It might have been fun to like, scoop up a little bit of that moose poop that we saw yesterday and... and uh, put that in.... just.... just so we know." - Paul W.

Tobias Ber

Posts: 525

Location: Northern Germany (Zone 8a)

posted 8 years ago

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hey tristan,

do you use urine diversion?

... it´s about time to get a signature ...

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