Vermicompost (Worm Poop)

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Vermicompost2761
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2021 10:17 pm
Occupation: Student

Vermicompost (Worm Poop)

Post by Vermicompost2761 »

Hello whoever is reading this, I am a middle school student performing an experiment on worms, to see which conditions worms make the best quality compost. I typically spend 3 hours a day feeding my worms and recording observations, such as pH, % castings, and worms found in the sample taken out. I use pH test strips to measure the pH ( meant for soil), my eye to estimate castings %, and my ability to count to record how many worms there are. Oh yeah, I also record weight of the product taken out. I always feel like I am not precise enough with my measurements sometimes ( castings %).

What can I do to be more precise?

-A science nerd middle schooler
hummch
Former Expert
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:59 am
Occupation: Student

Re: Vermicompost (Worm Poop)

Post by hummch »

Hi Vermicompost 2761,

It sounds like you are working very hard to produce accurate scientific data, a habit that will long serve you! Your composting experiment is a great idea especially as we move forward to a more sustainable future.

Determining the percent of casting with your eye is not necessarily inaccurate as long as you are being consistent with every analysis (i.e. also counting questionable castings versus never counting them). However, if you would like to be more precise, you could weigh the compost, then take out the castings and weigh them, and lastly, weigh the remaining soil. This will likely take more time, but it would provide you with more precise percentages and ratios.

Good luck with your project, and let us know if you have any further questions!
Cat
Vermicompost2761
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2021 10:17 pm
Occupation: Student

Re: Vermicompost (Worm Poop)

Post by Vermicompost2761 »

Thank you for your advice! :D
Vermicompost2761
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2021 10:17 pm
Occupation: Student

Re: Vermicompost (Worm Poop)

Post by Vermicompost2761 »

Hello, I also have another question. I am trying to come up with a good name for my project. The leader right now is Vermicomposting 2.0, but I’m not sure that this is really descriptive enough.

Thanks again,

A science nerd middle schooler
hummch
Former Expert
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:59 am
Occupation: Student

Re: Vermicompost (Worm Poop)

Post by hummch »

Hi vermicompost2761,

Vermicomposting 2.0 is a fun project title, especially if you're creating a second version (2.0) of the project or are improving the techniques of vermicomposting! If you are going for a more descriptive title, a line you wrote in your original post "which conditions worms make the best quality compost" or some variation of that would be a great descriptive title. You could even list the conditions you are changing if you want more description.

I hope this helps spark some title ideas!
Cat
cnoonan180
Expert
Posts: 98
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 9:33 am
Occupation: Student

Re: Vermicompost (Worm Poop)

Post by cnoonan180 »

Hello,

Great job being so dedicated to your project, and for striving to collect the most precise data possible!!

Depending on the type of container you keep the worms in, such as a petri dish, for example, you could always divide the container into sections that represent equal percentages. If you are using a petri dish, you could divide it almost like a pie chart into four equal sized sections, each representing 25% of the dish/container. Smaller sections should provide you with more precision of your percent measurements, and potentially more precise estimates of % castings.

For your second question, when thinking of a creative and informative science fair project title, a good format to follow is [catchy]:[informative]

Usually, catchy titles consist of some type of pun, wordplay, rhyme, or words beginning with the same letter to make the title easy for others to remember!

Here are a few other suggestions you can use to brainstorm:
1. Fantastic Fertilizer: Measuring the Conditions that Facilitate the Best Quality Compost
2. Wild Worms: Measuring the Conditions that Cause Worms to Produce the Best Quality Compost

Hope this helps!
-cnoonan180
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