"worm friendly" media

[Christopher Brickey]

 so i have to switch out the media in my gb's and i was wanting suggestions for a media that my worms will be happy in.

[Phil Slaton]

Got it ...

[Don Gibbs]

Phil, The way I added worm castings to my system was to submerge them bag and all in the tank before I put in plants and fish. You must test the water daily doing this because it will throw the whole system out of balance and you will wind up doing water changes like I did. If you go this route, I would advise using it for no more than 2 or 3 days max and then just let the system circulate. I think it did start the system faster, but to fast is not good.

Phil Slaton said:

. . . and aid in starting bacteria growth sooner?

Phil Slaton said:

For a new system, would adding worm castings aid in providing missing nutrients to the plants?

[Chris Carr]

If it is something that one would really want to experiment with, perhaps making a compost tea with the castings and dosing the system (as you would maxicrop) would be a more controllable method. How much is unknown. I think the real issue with it is that the composition of the castings could vary considerably depending on the worms diets where something like maxicrop is predictable.

Don Gibbs said:

Phil, The way I added worm castings to my system was to submerge them bag and all in the tank before I put in plants and fish. You must test the water daily doing this because it will throw the whole system out of balance and you will wind up doing water changes like I did. If you go thus route, I would advise using it for no more than 2 or 3 days max and then just let the system circulate. I think it did start the system faster, but to fast is not good.

[TCLynx]

I did add worm castings to my beds when I first started up my big system.  I added about a heaping tablespoon of castings along with perhaps 100 worms per 150 gallon grow bed.  I was fishless cycling using hummonia on my first big system.

It is important to use worm castings/worms that are from a bed that hasn't been feed anything that can be nasty for like 4 months+. 

I would recommend extreme caution about using worm castings heavily in a new system with fish in it and you would perhaps be better off making an aerated worm tea and diluting it properly and spraying the plants if you are hurting for nutrients.

As for worm friendly media, don't stress too much about it, the worms don't care that much.  I've had worms happily living in lava rock, expanded slate, 1/2 inch river rock, Zipgrow matrix media, and even plumbing parts and plastic drink bottle caps as media.  the worms like it all as long as they have well aerated moisture and food.

I would recommend against the perlite though since it floats and gets everywhere and is rather a pain eve if the particles were not questionable to the health of the fish.

[Chris Carr]

I like the idea of spraying it directly on the plants if needed the best.

TCLynx said:

I would recommend extreme caution about using worm castings heavily in a new system with fish in it and you would perhaps be better off making an aerated worm tea and diluting it properly and spraying the plants if you are hurting for nutrients.

[TCLynx]

aerated worm tea spray can not only help with nutrients but also to combat certain fungal problems as well as controlling some types of pests.

[Phil Slaton]

'' . . . controlling some types of pests.''  Does it work on ex-wives?

[TCLynx]

Hum, mix it really strong and fling it with the castings and worms mixed into small amounts of water.  She will either think you are flinging mud or something less savory or think it's the greatest mask

Phil Slaton said:

'' . . . controlling some types of pests.''  Does it work on ex-wives?

[Sheri Schmeckpeper]

I'm not sure about ex-wives, but I've heard it works really well on ex-husbands. So if you see a mud-like substance flying your way, watch out, Phil! LOL!

[Phil Slaton]

But  you know I was an angel ...

[Sheri Schmeckpeper]

LOL!

[Christopher Brickey]

how about staying with rocks? i went to a bulk rock place the other day and they got all kinds of rocks. i am wondering if i can even find a white small one that will work. i also thought the rose quartz looked pretty bad ass. maybe it will give a good aura too?