Looking into composting toilet

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by rwidman

The term "composting head" is a lie!

Compost takes months to make and you will never have "compost" if you keep putting fresh poop in it.

These things are like a cat litter box.

If you are planning to put it in your garden and eat the produce, an important distinction. Of course, easy to solve by simply emptying in your household compost pile and let it finish.

For the average cruiser who doesn't have room for a garden on the back deck pretty much irrelevant that it DOES compost but doesn't complete the process...but who cares since it will be dumped anyway.

[rsvmille]

Informative thread. Thank you. I was set on a Lavac but used a Nature's Head and this thread makes it all the more interesting. It seems superior for the well beaten track in most regards.

I have a few questions:

1. What is the usage of media? Say in 1 mo how much coconut coir would you need for 1 or 2 people usage, roughly?

2. What is the availability of coconut coir in remote places? South Pacific for instance? (along with #1 how much of this stuff will I need to carry)

3. If I understand correctly, the process is to desiccate the solids. So liquid is a no-no and a handheld bidet, at least near this system would be counterproductive to its function.


Thank you!

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by rsvmille

Informative thread. Thank you. I was set on a Lavac but used a Nature's Head and this thread makes it all the more interesting. It seems superior for the well beaten track in most regards.

I have a few questions:

1. What is the usage of media? Say in 1 mo how much coconut coir would you need for 1 or 2 people usage, roughly?

2. What is the availability of coconut coir in remote places? South Pacific for instance? (along with #1 how much of this stuff will I need to carry)

3. If I understand correctly, the process is to desiccate the solids. So liquid is a no-no and a handheld bidet, at least near this system would be counterproductive to its function.


Thank you!

1) Depends on the unit but on our natures head, about equivalent to the volume of a gallon or two.

2) Easy to carry enough for 6 months or more. Haven't been to the S. Pacific but coir, peat moss, even wood shavings will work. It's just to create a little structure, so there are air spaces in the pile (see next answer for why).

3) The goal is moist/damp but not wet. If you saturate the pile with water, oxygen can't get into the pile and it turns anaerobic. Anaerobic decomposition is where you get the nasty odors. Bone dry actually will reduce the capacity as it will stop the breakdown of the waste.

[SuW]

Originally Posted by rsvmille

Informative thread. Thank you. I was set on a Lavac but used a Nature's Head and this thread makes it all the more interesting. It seems superior for the well beaten track in most regards.

I have a few questions:

1. What is the usage of media? Say in 1 mo how much coconut coir would you need for 1 or 2 people usage, roughly?

2. What is the availability of coconut coir in remote places? South Pacific for instance? (along with #1 how much of this stuff will I need to carry)

3. If I understand correctly, the process is to desiccate the solids. So liquid is a no-no and a handheld bidet, at least near this system would be counterproductive to its function.


Thank you!

The coconut coir comes in compact bricks so storage in a small boat is simple.
We use one brick in a three month season, but we're only weekend users. We break off a bit, wet it and then store it in a sealed box so we always have some on hand to add, or change the head contents.

You can get coir delivered by Amazon, so I suppose if you're out of the mainstream you may have to use something else.

I've also used dead pine needles, sawdust, actual compost, and the kind of leaf litter from my garden that you can sometimes find in wooded areas. (I have a massive supply of leaves every Fall and process them with a leaf shredder.)

I've used peat; it too is compact, but it's really messy to wet...the dust gets everywhere. Also it's a non-renewable resource.

lol, if you need to pressure wash your bum, do it in a shower or somewhere other than over the head!

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

And how does this answer the most recent question, or indeed any questions on this thread? Why are you even here?

To preach the truth man, to preach the truth!

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by rsvmille

Informative thread. Thank you. I was set on a Lavac but used a Nature's Head and this thread makes it all the more interesting. It seems superior for the well beaten track in most regards.

I have a few questions:

1. What is the usage of media? Say in 1 mo how much coconut coir would you need for 1 or 2 people usage, roughly?

2. What is the availability of coconut coir in remote places? South Pacific for instance? (along with #1 how much of this stuff will I need to carry)

3. If I understand correctly, the process is to desiccate the solids. So liquid is a no-no and a handheld bidet, at least near this system would be counterproductive to its function.

Thank you!

Looks like you've already got your answers, but I'll add:

#1. For the two of us, full time, we basically use one standard-sized brick of coir per cycle. This produces approx. five or six litres of material (I've never really measured it). My approach is to fill to just below the churn line on my Nature's Head. This doesn't take the whole brick, so I set the excess aside. I then start feeding additional handfuls about 1/2-way through the process.

#2. I couldn't comment on availability in the South Pacific, but since the material is so compact, it's pretty easy to carry many months to years worth of stuff in a small area. I tend to resupply every couple of years, so it wouldn't be hard to plan for remote travel.

#3. Correct. No bidet. The key to these heads is liquid separation, so that dilution and desiccation can take place. You don't want your bin desert-dry, but it needs to be fairly so.

There is a bit of a learning curve with these heads, but most who install one would never consider going back.

[smj]

A new composting medium that we just tried recommended by C-Head.

To say I’m impressed is a understatement!

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by smj

A new composting medium that we just tried recommended by C-Head.
Attachment 245564
To say I’m impressed is a understatement!

Interesting. What's got you so impressed SMJ? And how does it compare in compactness and cost to coir?

[smj]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Interesting. What's got you so impressed SMJ? And how does it compare in compactness and cost to coir?

We usually change the C-Head every week as it gets hard to churn. This week it’s churning freely and we observed absolutely no moisture and room for maybe another 50% above normal deposits. We mixed it with our normal aspen bedding.
The bag was $5.99 at WalMart and should last 13 weeks? Close to as compact as a comparable amount of coconut choir.
Pretty sick thing to get excited about I guess……

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by smj

We usually change the C-Head every week as it gets hard to churn. This week it’s churning freely and we observed absolutely no moisture and room for maybe another 50% above normal deposits. We mixed it with our normal aspen bedding.
The bag was $5.99 at WalMart and should last 13 weeks? Close to as compact as a comparable amount of coconut choir.
Pretty sick thing to get excited about I guess……

Yeah... but you got me excited . I wonder how it would work in my Nature's Head. I usually go a month between dumps using coir. Maybe with this stuff I could stretch it even longer.

[OutOfControl]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I usually go a month between dumps using coir. Maybe with this stuff I could stretch it even longer.

Wow, that's amazing.
I take one every morning usually after my first cup of coffee.
By the way how do you ingest the coir.

[smj]

Originally Posted by OutOfControl

Wow, that's amazing.

I take one every morning usually after my first cup of coffee.

By the way how do you ingest the coir.

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[Montanan]

Looking into composting toilet.

Well dang, certainly there are more interesting things and places to look into than a composting toilet. When I am out sailing, I don't spend much time looking down the pooping chute in the head.

But heck, whatever floats your boat.

[smj]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Looking into composting toilet.



Well dang, certainly there are more interesting things and places to look into than a composting toilet. When I am out sailing, I don't spend much time looking down the pooping chute in the head.



But heck, whatever floats your boat.

Yeah, without joker valves to replace, hoses to clean out or replace, through hulls to service, Y valves to service, cleaning or replacing holding tanks or cleaning out the vent hose us composter’s get pretty bored and take the time to open up our heads and cuss our bad luck!

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by OutOfControl

Wow, that's amazing.
I take one every morning usually after my first cup of coffee.
By the way how do you ingest the coir.

Everyone's a comedian .