Many people have asked me how to keep their worm bin warm during the winter months which are setup in their garage or basement. So I finally purchased all the material to build a homemade worm bin heating system which can easily be built within an hour or so.
I set this up with an air temperature in the garage of 61 degrees Fahrenheit. Internal bin temperature was 68 degrees.
After running on high for 6 hours, the temperature in the buckets of water was 89 to 90 degrees.
The internal bin temperature had risen to 73 degrees Fahrenheit, a total of 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
The temperature of the exterior sides of the tubing was 78 degrees.
First, the needed supplies are as follows:
- 1 – 5 Gallon Bucket
- 1 – 2 Gallon Bucket (Easily fits within the 5 Gallon Bucket)
- 50 Feet of 3/8 inch flexible tubing.
- 1 – Fountain Pump (capable of pumping up at least 4 feet) and calls for 3/8 inch tubing
- 1 – Adjustable Thermostat Aquarium Heater… Submersible Pump Only
- 2 – Dozen Wire Ties
These materials will run right around $75.00 to purchase.
First, drill a hole through the lid just large enough to pass the thermostat cord through in the center of the lid. You do not want to make this too large as you will lose too much water due to evaporation. Also drill two ¼ inch holes or so next to each other off to one side of the thermostat wire so as to secure the wire with a wire tie later on.
You need to drill two ¾ inch holes near the top of the five gallon bucket to thread your tubing through. Be sure to drill just below your lid once the lid is snapped securely in place. At the same time make a “U” cut in the top rim of the five gallon bucket large enough for your pump electrical wire to lay in. Be sure this also goes low enough that it will not interfere with the lid when you go to snap it down.
Next is to drill holes in the bottom of the 2 gallon bucket. I used a 3/8 inch bit for this.
Next you need to proceed by drilling holes in the side of the 2 gallon bucket making two of them close to the bottom so as to use a wire tie to anchor one end of the 3/8 inch tubing.
Once the holes are drilled you are ready to coil the tubing on the exterior of the 2 gallon bucket. Use a wire tie for the end of the tubing to secure it on the bottom of the 2 gallon bucket. Continue by coiling around the bucket and securing with ties about every three revolutions. You should end up coiling about 25 feet of the tubing around the 2 gallon bucket. Be sure to use a wire tie at the top of the 2 gallon bucket where you finish the coiling.
Take the other end of your tubing and feed it through from the inside of the 5 gallon bucket to the outside. Pull the tubing all through so as to be able to place the 2 gallon bucket inside the 5 gallon bucket.
Now you need to drill two ¾ inch holes near the top of your worm bin so as you can still place your lid on. Run the tubing through one of the holes, from the outside to the inside of your worm bin. Next begin coiling by running back and forth in the bottom of your worm bin. Using wire ties to secure the tubing on the bottom of your bin making use of your aeration holes drilled on the bottom. If needed drill and extra hole here and there to secure on the bottom of the bin.
Run the tubing through the second ¾ inch hole in your worm bin from inside to outside.
Now run the tubing from the outside to the inside of the second ¾ inch hole near the top of your five gallon bucket. Place the pump with suction cups to one side of the 2 gallon bucket, drape the power cord through the “U” slot near the top of the 5 gallon bucket and attach the end of the tube to the pump.
Pull your power cord for the heater through the bottom of the center hole in your 5 gallon bucket lid. Before snapping the lid in place, place on top of the 5 gallon bucket and run a wire tie to support the power cord of the heater so as the heater dangles just about ½ inch above the floor of the 2 gallon bucket.
Photo does not show the tubing ran in the worm bin
Now fill with water and plug the pump in only. Once the tubing fills with water, add additional water to fill the 5 gallon bucket just below the holes drilled for your tubing and pump cord on the side of the five gallon bucket. Be sure the heater is completely submerged under water. Plug heater in and adjust temperature on heater as needed.
Be sure to check the temperature of the worm bin daily and adjust your thermostat as needed. Also be sure to check the water level as the thermostat needs to be submerged under water at all times.
If you have any question, please post them below.
Bruce Galle
Hi,
I’m unclear about this heater. I know the white bucket goes inside the blue bucket, but does the blue bucket then go into your worm bin. How big of a worm bin do you need to use this heater?
thanks
Linda
.
Hello Linda,
The water gets heated within the five gallon bucket which simply sits beside your worm bin, not inside it. The water leaves the bucket through the extra length of hose which is run back and forth within the bottom of the worm bin. The water then returns through the hose to the five gallon bucket to be reheated.
Hope that helps to clarify.
Bruce
Very interesting. This looks like a great idea. How big of a compost bin should this handle?
Michael
Well there are some variables that come into play such as how cold the area you live in gets during the winter… Where the worm bin is stored…. But basically it was designed to handle an 18 gallon Rubbermaid style bin but could go larger under some adjustments in some areas. For example by building a box to house the 5 gallon bucket and insulate it to enable it to hold a more constant temperature while heating the temperature higher…
Another nice feature I have not touched on is the summer time. One could remove the heating element, bury the five gallon bucket up to a few inches from the top of it and run cool water to help keep the worm bin cooler during the hotter months. One thing to consider is that while using for cooling there will proabably be more condensation build up withing the worm bin.
Bruce
Hi Bruce, I would like to see an example picture of the tubing in a worm bin like the four drawer system or whatever it is that you use it in. I think I lost all of my African Nightcrawlers I ordered from you. I believe it was because it got to cold in the bin. I had them in a Worm Factory system with some European Nightcrawlers and Red Wigglers. They seem to be doing fine. Is it okay to have the Africans in with the others?
Thanks,
Chuck
Chuck
You can mix worms however over time, one or more may become the lone survivors due to more favorable environmental conditions favoring one worm over another. This appears to be what has happened with your worms here since the red wigglers and European nightcrawlers can tolerate much cooler temperatures.
I do not have anything more but the picture below for the worm heater in action. You can see the input and output lines in the upper left hand corner of the worm bin. This is one of the European nightcrawler bins which I am running one of the heaters since the building is block wall and shaded by numerous 100 year old plus oak trees. The highest temperature I have recorded to date is 73 degrees even though it was 91 degrees outside before all the leaves filled in on the trees. Currently the temperature within this building resides between mid fifties to mid sixties. Hence why I have the heater running.
You only need to run the hose back and forth being careful not to pinch the line and cover with bedding material to hold it in place.
The drawer system would make it more difficult but not impossible since you would be sliding the drawers open and shut….
Bruce
I`m currently prepareing to invest in a worm farm from ecologytek from what I`m reading on you`re website this could be a big mistake. Is this true?
Dan
First the feedback I received from folks who had purchased the system from ecologytek has not been good. Whether these folks followed the directions or not I do not know. I will say this, I would personally not spend the kind of money they ask for when you can build a much more efficient system, for one deeper, or have someone build one for you for much less money.
Bruce
In reply to you`re email about ecologytek,with the support,buyback program,and books&litature provided,it seems it would be worth it.Or am I wrong?
Dan,
First, just going by what others experienced and what they relayed to me. I would think twice.
On another issue, anytime a worm farm business offers a buyback system, watch out. This has been a known scam for years in the worm farming industry. Most will not buy back and if they do offer to buy from you the price will be so low you will lose money. The only reason the known scammers offered a buyback in the past was to get you excited to jump on board only to have the entire system fail…
As I mentioned, try starting small by putting something together yourself. Our worm farm does not have anything extravagant nor do we need it
Bruce
Bruce
Hi, just wondering what the temp. finally maintained in your bin, ENC are not big enough for my taste of fishing in the NW Pa. area. Would like to try African NC. My basement has been hovering around 60 degrees so I would need to bring my bins up to at least 12 to 15 degrees.
Jim
Once the temperature falls below 60 degrees F you will begin to lose them. I keep mine at 78 degrees F for optimal performance. One could keep them at seventy degrees however keep in mind the cooler the temperature, the less active they will be.
Bruce
How about working with electrically heated mats they make to warm dog houses, or to warm seedling starts?
One could place it under the bins.
Throw a blanket or something over it.
May be simpler.
You could try some of these, however I try to keep the electric separate from the worm bin with moisture… Another thing I talked to a fellow farmer the other week was about the possibility of using a water bed heater.
Bruce
Thanks for the info about heating and cooling. Very helpful.
Steve
What an interesting idea. I noticed in the picture above there is no cover over the bedding. I use here in Australia wet newspaper then old carpet over the top. I assume it would help insulate the worm bin and they seem to feed better under the paper than without it.
Brian
Just another thought. Could you use a heat mat used in reptile cages under the bedding or a waterbed heater?
Brian
Brian
Most likely in fact somewhere I mention the idea of a water bed heater. Great minds think a like
Bruce
Brian
There is a cover but had removed for the pictures. A sheet of plywood. The top insulation you add can be effective but would keep towards the dryer side if the weather turns cold.
Also know someone else that tried carpet by picking up new samples and turned out to be detrimental to the worms. In short, avoid new carpeting as it apparently can contain chemicals harmful to worms.
Bruce
Bruce really like your set up have started my ben but am always looking to improve. Would like to see more pictures of the way you made your ben
Don
Which worm bin are you referring to? I have built numerous ones as well as a rack system…. Always trying to see what works best
Bruce
[...] Heater UpdateA couple years ago I wrote an article with pictures showing how you can make a simple worm bin heater. Since many have been asking how to keep their worms warm during the winter I thought now would be [...]