Comment by wswope
2 days ago
Thanks for posting!
Out of curiosity, could you talk more about the practical utility of the sensor readings you get while monitoring compost? Temp and moisture seem straightforward, but e.g., does gas composition imply anything about C/N ratio, or does it check if the pile is going anoxic? Is air pressure a general proxy for decomposition rate?
Also, have you changed any of your own composting practices due to what you’ve learned from your experience with monitoring?
To dive into the utility of the sensor readings-- The main gas we monitor is Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs), which act as a general proxy for decomposition activity. Combined with temperature data, this gives a strong indication of whether the activity is aerobic (a healthy compost pile) or anaerobic (not ideal and potentially smelly!). For example, a spike in TVOCs with decreasing oxygen availability often flags anaerobic conditions.
In terms of air pressure, this is used as part of our pile turn events detection in our companion app Monty Mobile. The app also analyses other data to assess how changes in conditions (e.g., moisture levels, turning frequency) affect decomposition. For most users, though, the general proxy is plenty— by identifying when a pile is “active” or “stalled,” they can tweak their process (e.g., adding browns, adjusting moisture, or aerating).
Compost is incredibly diverse, and the results will vary depending on the setup (tumblers, bins, worm farms) and inputs (manure, food scraps, garden waste). That said, 24/7 data from our system helps streamline the behaviour-change process. Rather than relying on a “try-wait-try-again” approach, users get immediate feedback, which can be a game-changer for both beginners and seasoned composters.
As for me, Monty has been a massive learning tool. Using the Monty Mobile app has personally helped me engage more with my compost pile and remember to add feedstock to adjust the pile when needed. It definitely makes me feel more in tune with what’s going on!
I hope this clarifies things! Happy to chat more :)
Good to see more in the composting space!
Using the oxygen sensor to tell if it's anaerobic or not makes sense, what sensor do you use for oxygen and how accurate is it over time? Does it have to be calibrated often?
And can you talk more about the role of TVOCs in anaerobic conditions? Wouldn't oxygen be enough?
Thanks!
Great summary - tyvm!
I can absolutely see how quick feedback from those metrics could help people dial in their maintenance.