[ponderingky]

Deb,

I bought some fridge thermometers because I wasn't sure what our's were cooling to. According to the color charts on the temp lines, your fridge should be between 34 and 40 degrees, your freezer below 0 to - 20 degrees. My fridge where I keep my fish stuff is 40 degrees pretty consistently (its really old). I would guess most are between 34 and 38 coming from the manufacturer. I really do think mine are too cold - but I have no clue. I do hope he joins us to share his secrets and help us mimic his success.

HTH,

[VINNYSANGELFISH]

Hi deb, refrigerator temperatures are usually in the 40 degree range

[Deb]

Well, that explains it! My worms are freezing and not producing. I saw a few with mittens and ear muffs on. That should've given me a clue.

I think I'm just going to take them OUT of the refrigerator and see how they do.

I have to wonder what else I could be doing wrong. I put some wheat bread with plain yogurt on it in with the worms after seeing that video. I got the worms a different type of box too. It's not as deep and it's wider and longer. They have these new type of boxes that are called "Oven Bakes" Or something like that. They are shallow plastic pans with lids. They're like those storage containers with lids. That's what I got. Have you seen those? Only thing I really don't like about them is....I don't think the lids fit tight like they should.

Deb

[Nagatsubo]

OK, I got my worms and talked worm ranching a bit with David. He said he will sign-up and would be willing to address guestions.

He uses Miracle Grow soil for the substrate. Even though they claim it has fertilizer added, his experience has been it has almost zero and when he does see a bead of ferts, he simply picks it out and tosses it.

A fridge is much too cold and at 70 F they will expire. I'm going to place these directly on the concrete of the unfinished part of the basement and see how they do. David thought that might just work but recommends the wine cooler.

After a while, they will use up the substrate and the culture will crash. However you can usually see the change in the loam and prepare another container that you seed using worms from the expiring culture.

[Deb]

I have no idea where I'm going to keep these worms then because if I don't keep them in the refrigerator, they will die. I don't have any place else to keep them that is that cool.

I'm glad he is going to join up on the forum. I'd like to see what all he has to say about these worms and how to care for them. Thanks for asking him to join up, Stan.

Deb

[bonniesdad]

Hi.White worms and the smaller version "GRINDAL" prefer temps on the 75-low 80"s range. I use plastic shoeboxes with colored lids.. Loose peaty soil with no added fertilizer and or coconut fiber work great , keep moist and I use Gerber Mixed or Rice cereal sprinkled on top and misted.. To harvest wet a small 4-6" square piece of plastic or glass sprinkle lightly with cereal or fine flake food. (Flake is good gut loader especially Spirulina) Next morning piece will be covered with worms , rinse into plastic cup and you have ready to feed..Hope this helps.

[absoluteangels]

Grindal worms and white worms are not the same thing. Grindal worms prefer room temp but whiteworms need it cooler or they will die.

~Stacy

[Nagatsubo]

Originally Posted by absoluteangels

Grindal worms and white worms are not the same thing.

Grindal worm: Enchytraeus buchholzi

White worm: Enchytraeus albidus

[absoluteangels]

So basically scalare vs altum

~Stacy

[ponderingky]

Seeing that they are closely related (grindal and white worms) are they similar in size, nutritional content, ect.? I am going to check w/our local appliance shop hoping to find a wine cooler cheap - we'll see. Though I haven't harvested any from my batch from Stacy - they are growing and multiplying - just at a slow rate, probably because of the cool temp.

[absoluteangels]

Grindals are smaller...about all I know about their nutrition is they are high in fat. I used to keep and feed them to my bettas. They were easier as far as they didn't need to be kept in the fridge but because they are at room temp...other bugs(mites) were a problem. Eventually I just threw them out cuz I was sick of dealing with it.

~Stacy

[djramsey]

Hi everyone, This is David Ramsey, the guy who put up the Youtube video on raising whiteworms recently. Lots of people have asked what media I use. Basically I use any of the gardening seed starting mixes. Right now I have 2 different ones. Miracle Gro Organic Choice Potting Mix and Ferry-Morse Organic Seed Starting Mix. Both say they have some fertilizer in them. Haven't seen any and I don't worry about it. Take your pick. I use about an inch in a container. I dust the top with some calcuim source to help hold the pH as the worms grow. That and water to make a damp mix is all there is to it. I am working on a web page for my site that will have pics and go into more detail. It should be ready soon. I will put the link here when I have it ready. Until then, raise those whiteworms!

[Deb]

Hi David and to the forum!

That video you did was really something. I couldn't believe how many worms you had in those containers and was shocked when you said you harvest them every 2 days!

Thank you for registering on the forum. I'm sure you will get bombarded with questions. Probably from me more than anyone. LOL

Since I've seen your video, I have taken my worms out of the refridgerator and just have them sitting out in room temperature. At first I thought I might kill them by doing that but I looked in there today and it looks to me like they are producing! I will probably know more in a few more days but it looks promising. I think I was keeping them way too cold so they weren't doing anything but eating very little.

Thanks again for joining up with us. I hope you enjoy the forum. We have a lot of great people here.


Deb

[Nagatsubo]

Hi David, The worms are doing fine! I'm amazed at how fast they can eat the yogurt/bread offerings.

~Stan

[VINNYSANGELFISH]

Hi deb, upon opening the container of worms does it throw off any foul odors.

[Deb]

No so far, Vinny.


Deb

[ponderingky]

I put a container w/moist coconut fiber on the floor of my unfinished basement, it got down to 70.9 degrees - don't think that is cool enough. I am curious how your culture will do over the next few days Deb - keep us posted. I have found some wine coolers on e bay for under $120, I may just order one. I spend about $70 every 3 or 4 months on frozen BW and BS - I would like to switch. With Dave's yields it would be possible for me I think. I also talked to a used appliance store - he said you can get an add on thermostat (maybe at Radio Shak) that you could put on a small fridge that would allow you to take the temp up to 50 or 55 (whatever you set it on) - might be an option if you have one of those sitting around.

HTH,

[djramsey]

Wine coolers should be available used for very cheap prices. Mine was $35 on Craigs List. Watch the paper, check the community board where people put business cards and stuff at your local wine or regular liquor store.
The old way of keeping the white worms cool was to keep them in a insulated cooler with a ice pack. Rotate the ice pack every day or as needed. Put in the ice pack, lay a folded towel on top and then the whiteworm containers. Doing that for a while will definitely make the price of a wine cooler get more affordable. They also have them at the big box stores. Maybe even try for a deal? Can not imagine they are selling many of them at full price.

[djramsey]

I just did a search on Craigs list for Atlanta for wine cooler. 63 entries. Some nice ones too. One like mine for $50. Raleigh has 22. So check it out and get your whiteworms chillin'.

[Deb]

Update on my worms: Since I have taken them out of the refrigerator, there has been a worm explosion. They were definitely too cold before.

I have them sitting out in room temperature which is 76 degrees at the moment. I open the lid everyday and look at them and I have not smelled any foul order from them. There are worm eggs all around and on the piece of bread that is in there and a lot more worms than there was before. I've been feeding them wheat bread with a few drops of milk on it and some plain yogurt.

I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing until I see something going wrong.


Deb