The SFG Journey-Johnson Su Bioreactor for composting, No turning

OG, It does look like the same product. I had planned to leave them in and harvest the mature compost up to and around the tubing as needed, then remove it easily.

Have you seen good prices of the metal tubing?

Oh, oh.  Am I supposed to cover everything with a plastic tarp?  Mowed alfalfa hay, fall leaves, bedding straw, plus 1 cup blood meal and half a bag of alfalfa feed pellets.  And lots of water on each layer. Here are 3 photos:

do the pipes have holes? It will prevent the compost from going anaerobic. you'll pulled the pipes out after 24 hrs. The piles looks right , at least 12 inches from each other to prevent any dead space or anaerobic conditions. is that a breathable fabric on the back and side walls. Use a weed cloth cover on the top. Look at my pictures to see how everything is allowing air to flow into and through the pile, outside and inside to prevent an anaerobic condition.
Yes you water every layer as you are building it. this why the air flow is so important. The sources you are using is ok.

after it built, you will water everyday for one min, sometimes twice a day for very hot climates.

The pipes are rigid leach lines and the perforations are on the back sides, not shown. I have a layer of bedding straw on top, like mulch. Three (3) side have weed fabric and the front has the warped removable boards so I hope there's enough ventilation. On the morning of 4th, steam was coming out of the pipes. This evening when I got back in town, the 5th, the temps were 160*F in the center and 150* 4" in on the sides. I'm just watering with the hose as I am here 99% of the time.

So, I should remove the pipes now? I will place the bridal tulle cover over it to prevent crepe myrtle flowers from falling on it over the weeks.

Sanderson, you're doing great!!!  Remove the pipes because it getting too hot and will go anaerobic. It will settle down.  It needs the air flow. the pipes stay only 24 hrs because there not enough holes in it to allow the air to spread thru the compost pile. you need to cover the entire top of the box, no sunlight, so the microbes can do their thing. you need to find a way to make you door aerated so air is flowing from the outside in. in my pictures, the weed cloth is allowing air and water to flow through the walls and the top and thru the pipe vents. Don't let the steam fool you. it usually just a sign of two temps between the outside air and inside, like in the winter when you blow hot air out of your mouth and it meets the cold air.
ps -water every day for one minute, maybe twice a day if temps are too hot. don't let the top layer dry out, it will keep the rest of the pile moist.

has55 and sanderson, thank you for sharing. I haven't even started mine yet. I won't have the needed materials until the leaves begin to fall but sanderson gave me a great way to place my tubes, in two pairs and a triplet. Thank you very much. Now I don't have to get my brother to weld me anything in a circle, three straight pipes, up and out. If it helps you are basically herding microbes in an enclosed pasture, water and air regulate temperature to allow the microbes to thrive. 160 F is a critical temperature for beneficial microbes, 145 F for pathogens and weed seeds, better to stay in the 150 - 155 F. Most living things, plants and animals begin to labor just to maintain above 95 F.

update, I had the holes closed again after adding two pounds of Alabama jumpers to the 2 pounds of compost worm I added earlier in the project. They have caused my holes to fill in again. I would think when they stuck their little head through the walls of the vent they would turn around, but NOOOOOOOO, they seem to continue moving through the vents causing it to fill in, maybe collapse. I'm not sure how it happening since their no camera there to catch the actual live event.
Solution: decided to use my PVC pipes since they already on hand and drill many holes into it so it is very aerated and air passes thru easily into the compost pile. I also glued and screwed to the pipe a super solar screening from Lowes to prevent those critters from figuring a way to refill the pipes. I reinserted the pipes and recovered the bioreactor. I'll let you know how it goes. The compost has dropped two feet from the 5 feet, unbelievable!!!, but it will be concentrated nutrient full of healthy microbes when matured. So a little bit of compost will go a long way.

The second Bioreactor is still open, but if it closes I will add permanent pipes to it too, but I will use a hole saw to make 1-2 inch holes in the PVC pipe and cover with the solar screen. It was a lot of drilling to make the small holes before the light bulb came on because I had not figured out about using the solar screen to prevent further closing at the time I started the multiple holes project.







 release yesterday on David Johnson Channel.

So, Dan, you like my bamboo and old shoe laces set up? This is my last compost pile in the 3x3x3 bin so I didn't want to put a lot of money into it, just had to purchase the pipes. I was able to use up all the stores of fall leaves, bedding straw, alfalfa hay and alfalfa pellets. Bagged composts will take their place.

Has, I don't know if I will be adding any worms when it cools. My earthworms? The pile will only be short 2' tall when it cools. Meanwhile, I have the tumbler where I used up the frozen stash of kitchen waste, plus some of the material listed above.

sanderson wrote:

Has,  I don't know if I will be adding any worms when it cools.  My earthworms?  The pile will only be short 2' tall when it cools. 

the worms complete the maturing of the compost. you can harvest your worms from the compost bioreactor bin to put back into your worm bin when it finishes maturing.

No more worm bin. Some mammal burrowed underneath and scarfed up lots of worms. Then, the big garden roaches and black widows moved in. I'm thinking that I may use the J-Su rough compost in the 1'x50' BTE strip, then recover with wood chips. The worms can have a ball there.

I about hurt myself this evening when watering the J-Su bin wearing some slip-on bedroom slippers.  I have a layer of straw mulch on the surface to slow evaporation.  Well, I'm up next to it, watering with the hose wand, when a mouse jumps up out of the straw and runs in my direction.   I jumped backwards, off a 4" ledge, losing both slippers and almost fell down.  #2 reason to end my illustrious carrier of making compost.  

Note: The core is still warm at 140*F with 5" in from the sides at 122*F.

temps are good. Did you remove the pipes? Have you covered the system with weed cloth barrier? Remove the straw to prevent other mammals from coming to terrify you. You're a brave women taking on that mouse with a quick retreat.

has55 wrote: You're a brave women taking on that mouse with a quick retreat.

Sanderson, were you able to remove the pipes and completely cover it? how are you doing with the aeration? How's the temp?

The short pile is now down to 18". I water daily and it looks like the mouse has left the house.

Update, two weeks ago I had to reopen the holes again for the third time due to the worms being so aggressive. So I decided to put in permanent pipes with large holes, wrapped in solar screen to prevent it from going anaerobic. So far, so good.  


pipes with large holes for aeration and wrapped in solar screen



Pipes stack up in IBC tote



Pipes inserted into #2 bioreactor holes




bioreactor compost in #2 bioreactor


setting  sprayer again in #2 bioreactor

The compost is looking good!

I really like the idea of making large holes in the pipe and wrapping with weed fabric to prevent cave-ins. Your worm activity reminds me of the movie Tremors.

sanderson wrote:The compost is looking good!  

I really like the idea of making large holes in the pipe and wrapping with weed fabric to prevent cave-ins.  Your worm activity reminds me of the movie Tremors.

Lol. Tremors, One of my favorite movies series.

sanderson wrote:

have you seen the last one in 2018 Tremors 6: A Cold Day in Hell) with Burt still being the star?

this is for you Sanderson. I found this on the post today. 
You're awesome.

Sigrid Anderson Question: Are the perforated pipes sitting on the pallet slats, each straddling 2 slats so there is good air flow? I set mine down on loose beveled brick and the bottom got septic. Now air flow from underneath. I like the way Austin Smith cut plenty of holes, and big holes, and wrapped with weed fabric. That way he could leave them in and the worms couldn't drag/push material into the holes.

Josh Wright Sigrid Anderson I cut holes through the pallets on the bottom then put the pipes all the way to the ground so in theory there's almost 4 inches under the bottom layer of weed stop fabric. I also maintained (to the best of my ability) the same gap around the entire perimeter. Air seemed to flow very well so far.
I saw a few that were built and they had found no difference between the reactors with maintained holes and ones that were allowed to cave in as part of natural progression.
Honestly I have no clue if this will work out well, but I had the resources to try it so I gave it a try. I have a thermometer coming tomorrow to check temperature but from a simple hand full feels as though it is progressing well.


Sigrid Anderson Josh Wright I tried the design in my 3'x3'x3' compost bin using leach field/ french drain pipes. It was the last compost I will ever be making, of any type, as I am almost 71. Little old lady. :smile: I have just had to try all types of composting so I would be a better instructor.



Austin Smith you're awesome Ms. Sigrid Anderson

I just saw that!

My first test report came in for #1 Johnson Su Compost Bioreactor. It's ok for my greens I just planted. How much homemade compost is everyone applying to their beds?