Vermicomposting.
First, buy one of these http://www.happydranch.com/wormbins.html. Or make one yourself by googling "vermicomposting." Australian government websites have tons of info on how to make your own worm farm. I live in a condo, so I prefer to simply buy a manufactured worm bin. Rather than allowing my engineering skills to fail, resulting in worm pee all over my carpet.
Next, order 1,000 red wigglers (or tiger worms as they're sometimes called) from a worm farm. Eisenia fetida is the exact name you want to see. These are best because of their efficiency as composters, smaller size and temperature tolerance (34-85 F). This means they can probably live in your garage or your basement, if you can't keep them anywhere else inside. But since your wife already let you have that huge tank, I doubt she'll throw a fit about worms inside. Especially when you tell her you're just doing your part to save the planet.
Most sites sell these worms by the pound (about 1,000/lb). Google turned up prices between $30 and $45 for 1,000 worms! Which, I don't need to point out, is insanely cheap per worm. I'm accustomed to buying worms 24 at a time for $3 at Walmart.
The best part about this food source is that you're recycling and cutting down on your garbage output. You feed these worms kitchen scraps, which is food you've already paid for and gotten your use out of. (I know what you're thinking- don't feed them poop). Remember that anything that was once living your worms WILL eat. From onion peels to newspaper, apple cores to vegetable skin - they'll eat almost anything. However, it's not recommended to feed them meat, since it spoils before they can eat it.
But get this, they'll even eat hair.
I'm not going to attempt to explain the worms' reproductive cycles or lay out all the info. Keep in mind that if you have 1 pound of worms, you will have 2 pounds of worms in 3 to 4 months. With proper feeding and moisture, your worm farm will double itself 3 or 4 times a year. For more complete info, go here http://www.happydranch.com/10.html
The way I see it, there's nearly no drawbacks to vermicomposting. Whatever drawbacks there may be are clearly outweighed by the benefits.
Pro's:
Less garbage to take out.
Nearly free live food for your rays.
Amazing plant food in the forms of compost and "worm tea."
Ability to gut-load your ray's food.
Recycling scraps and saving them from your landfill.
Con's:
If bought retail, ~$200 start up.
First, buy one of these http://www.happydranch.com/wormbins.html. Or make one yourself by googling "vermicomposting." Australian government websites have tons of info on how to make your own worm farm. I live in a condo, so I prefer to simply buy a manufactured worm bin. Rather than allowing my engineering skills to fail, resulting in worm pee all over my carpet.
Next, order 1,000 red wigglers (or tiger worms as they're sometimes called) from a worm farm. Eisenia fetida is the exact name you want to see. These are best because of their efficiency as composters, smaller size and temperature tolerance (34-85 F). This means they can probably live in your garage or your basement, if you can't keep them anywhere else inside. But since your wife already let you have that huge tank, I doubt she'll throw a fit about worms inside. Especially when you tell her you're just doing your part to save the planet.
Most sites sell these worms by the pound (about 1,000/lb). Google turned up prices between $30 and $45 for 1,000 worms! Which, I don't need to point out, is insanely cheap per worm. I'm accustomed to buying worms 24 at a time for $3 at Walmart.
The best part about this food source is that you're recycling and cutting down on your garbage output. You feed these worms kitchen scraps, which is food you've already paid for and gotten your use out of. (I know what you're thinking- don't feed them poop). Remember that anything that was once living your worms WILL eat. From onion peels to newspaper, apple cores to vegetable skin - they'll eat almost anything. However, it's not recommended to feed them meat, since it spoils before they can eat it.
But get this, they'll even eat hair.
I'm not going to attempt to explain the worms' reproductive cycles or lay out all the info. Keep in mind that if you have 1 pound of worms, you will have 2 pounds of worms in 3 to 4 months. With proper feeding and moisture, your worm farm will double itself 3 or 4 times a year. For more complete info, go here http://www.happydranch.com/10.html
The way I see it, there's nearly no drawbacks to vermicomposting. Whatever drawbacks there may be are clearly outweighed by the benefits.
Pro's:
Less garbage to take out.
Nearly free live food for your rays.
Amazing plant food in the forms of compost and "worm tea."
Ability to gut-load your ray's food.
Recycling scraps and saving them from your landfill.
Con's:
If bought retail, ~$200 start up.
