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HOU_Mike
02-08-2011, 12:34 PM
I'm trying to find out more about using red worms in the grow beds (F&D). I've seen several posts mentioning their use. I've seen them called red wrigglers and red worms. I was wondering if they can be bought or found (better) locally and do they survive well during shipping? (I am in Houston, Texas)

I think our search engine said the word "worm" was ignored because it was too common. :o

Just found this which might be helpful to other seekers:
http://www.redwormcomposting.com/

keith_r
02-08-2011, 01:42 PM
i use red wigglers in my growbeds, and that's what you want for composting..not "night crawlers".. i started with a dozen or so in each bed, they are reproducing (i found small ones when i moved a pair indoors)
there's a guy in nc that sells worms and includes shipping;
http://www.earlybirdworms.com/worm.htm

i have n.f.i. with that..

i think they're a good idea for in the gb, every now and then they escape into the ft where they are quickly eaten

stucco
02-08-2011, 06:45 PM
We get all of our worms from Larry Martin here in Florida. There is a link to his site, VermiTechnology, here (http://backwaterprovisions.com/GreenFriends.aspx) under sustainable agriculture.

badflash
02-08-2011, 08:56 PM
Reds are best for warm water.

keith_r
02-09-2011, 07:40 AM
got some pics, i'll try to post at lunchtime,, my water has been pretty steady at 68, i cleaned out some plants and put new seeds in on the weekend of the 29th, saw lots of big and little healthy red wiggler worms

wh33t
03-14-2011, 08:00 PM
Reds are best for warm water.

What is your definition of warm water? I really wanted to do the worm thing. Sounds like an extra helping hand!

urbanfarmer
03-14-2011, 11:22 PM
I buy mine of Amazon a few pounds at a time. They have both red wigglers and european nightcrawlers (which I use as fishing bait often).

wh33t
03-14-2011, 11:38 PM
I buy mine of Amazon a few pounds at a time. They have both red wigglers and european nightcrawlers (which I use as fishing bait often).

What do you keep your water temps at?

keith_r
03-15-2011, 06:08 AM
water temps in my indoor system have been at about 68.. just cleaned out a couple of plants and plenty of worms (little and big) on the root balls

francois
03-15-2011, 08:35 AM
my worms in my system lived in water temperature of sometimes 35 degrees in summer and 11 degrees in water.

urbanfarmer
03-15-2011, 08:48 PM
I buy mine of Amazon a few pounds at a time. They have both red wigglers and european nightcrawlers (which I use as fishing bait often).

What do you keep your water temps at?
My systems are only outdoor now; so, whatever mother nature sees fit! If we get record low winters again, I may lose my Tilapia, but this last winter I only had goldfish in there, and they didn't care. Some people use catfish because they withstand the winters. Just like you want to use the "right plant in the right place" you want to have the "right fish in the right place" meaning consider your local conditions.

With your indoor system, whatever the water at should be fine for almost all conditions. I assume you keep your home cooled/heated; therefore, it should be more than okay! :D

wh33t
03-15-2011, 10:46 PM
Catfish eh. Do they tolerate novice Aqua-grower mistakes as well as Gold Fish?

urbanfarmer
03-15-2011, 11:45 PM
Pretty close from what I hear.

wh33t
03-16-2011, 12:51 AM
Pretty close from what I hear.

Excellent :mrgreen:

txdurk
01-30-2012, 01:00 PM
Walmarts and feed stores sell red wigglers (and nightcrawlers) in N Houston. I' in Magnolia.

Eleven11
02-04-2012, 06:43 PM
I'm just getting up to speed on red wigglers. A local worm farmer sells them for $20/lb so I bought a few lb's and a worm compost bin.

One pound will be divided up among the grow beds and I'm also planning to add a fish poo filter in the sump tank so I don't have to keep changing out filters every day or so. I found out that reds can live under water as long as the water is oxygenated and the sump tank water level will be going up and down constantly so this should work.

The plan is to put some expanded clay and red wigglers in a large container (used pool tablet bucket with holes in the bottom) and sit it in the sump tank and let the SLO drain onto it and drain out the bottom into the sump tank.

Today's guinea pig worm has been on the bottom of the sump all day and still wiggling.... what a trooper.

wh33t
02-04-2012, 06:51 PM
I'm just getting up to speed on red wigglers. A local worm farmer sells them for $20/lb so I bought a few lb's and a worm compost bin.

One pound will be divided up among the grow beds and I'm also planning to add a fish poo filter in the sump tank so I don't have to keep changing out filters every day or so. I found out that reds can live under water as long as the water is oxygenated and the sump tank water level will be going up and down constantly so this should work.

The plan is to put some expanded clay and red wigglers in a large container (used pool tablet bucket with holes in the bottom) and sit it in the sump tank and let the SLO drain onto it and drain out the bottom into the sump tank.

Today's guinea pig worm has been on the bottom of the sump all day and still wiggling.... what a trooper.

I don't have red wrigglers in my flower bed right now. They are some "bait" worm from a fishing shop down the road. I periodically see them poking their heads out of the clay beds and then returning back under. My flower bed floods and drains several times an hour and the tobacco plant I am growing has exploded in growth. I presume they are helping.

Eleven11
02-05-2012, 06:51 PM
I put the new Fish Poo Filter together today and added the red wigglers.

Here's a video of it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi0BqmVh ... e=youtu.be (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi0BqmVhy7o&feature=youtu.be)

Eleven11
02-24-2012, 08:30 PM
Update:

Well my idea to add a nylon (door) screen layer at the bottom of the inside gravel container didn't work out as planned. I removed the screen after it got clogged with particles of something... not sure, maybe dead algae bits from cleaning the inside walls of the fish tank.

I checked the filter today and saw the water not draining well at all. It seems ok now that I pulled it out. Good to see the worms still in the gravel.