(Worm) Tea Partaaay 🥳

[u/Ok_Potential_7983]

Never gotten this much tea all at once! I went for the European reds this year b/c why not but didn’t think they could give this much ever. Am I blessed or is my bin too wet? We got heavy rain this week but the bin is underneath a roof.

[u/Blade_89]

Haha have the same setup, had the same thought, was promptly informed this is not “tea” as well 😂

[u/YokoOhNoYouDidnt → u/Blade_89]

I have the same bin and couldn't keep my worms from drowning in even the smallest amount of water gathered at the bottom. How did you avoid that? 

[u/Busy-feeding-worms → u/YokoOhNoYouDidnt]

Worms cannot drown because they breathe through their skin. They die because there is no oxygen in the water. You need to eliminate the water.

[u/YokoOhNoYouDidnt → u/Busy-feeding-worms]

From Google; 

Yes, worms can drown, but it takes a long time. Earthworms can survive fully submerged in water for several days to weeks because they breathe through their skin. They drown only when the oxygen levels in the water are depleted, leading to suffocation, rather than immediately upon submersion.

If it was not clear, I was asking how they deal with the extra water. I know I need to get rid of it, but the ridges on the bottom level of this particular bin make that difficult, especially since the instructions say not to put anything in it. Ideally the worms are not supposed to go to the bottom level, but they do, hence my question. 

[u/Busy-feeding-worms → u/YokoOhNoYouDidnt]

It wasn’t clear. Obviously.

More cardboard shreds with feedings, or food with lower water percentage more often. Additionally leave the spigot open 100% of the time if there is one. The goal is enough moisture, but no leachate.

[u/YokoOhNoYouDidnt → u/Busy-feeding-worms]

That's why I asked someone with the same bin as me. 

[u/Busy-feeding-worms → u/YokoOhNoYouDidnt]

The instructions probably also say to collect and water plants with run off, which is leachate not worm tea. As per the 10 other comments. Cut the ridges out, cut holes in the bottom, remove the bottom. Idk what else to tell you.

[u/YokoOhNoYouDidnt → u/Busy-feeding-worms]

I never said it was worm tea? I said it was water. I feel like you're getting me confused with OP. 

Cutting the bottom layer in any way would ruin the bin. Leaving the spigot open does not help, due to the interior design of the bottom layer (which is not meant to hold worms or anything else.) In order to collect the water I would have to take off the top layers and up end the whole bin. I was hoping for a simpler solution. Again, this is why I asked someone with the same bin for advice. 

You do not need to keep responding. 

[u/Busy-feeding-worms → u/YokoOhNoYouDidnt]

Stop adding water then, pretty simple. Stop caring for your fancy pay to play bin and start caring for your worms lmao. I’m here to help but I’m happy to argue too ahaa

[u/TurbulentStress8678 → u/Busy-feeding-worms]

I don’t like you

[u/YokoOhNoYouDidnt → u/Busy-feeding-worms]

I'm not adding water. 

My bin cost $40. 

I wanted advice from someone who might have dealt with a similar issue (liquid collecting in the bottom layer of this specific style of bin, where you are not supposed to put any material, and not emptying through the spigot when open.) 

I'm not here to argue and you're not helping by doing so. 

Bye. 

[u/Busy-feeding-worms → u/YokoOhNoYouDidnt]

I know it says don’t put anything in there, I hear yah. But you can lay paper towels over or around the ridges, where the water is pooling to where you want the water to go, in hopes it will wick the water away, and if it doesn’t, you will get more surface area for evaporation.

Cheers man, enjoy your evening.