How to distinguish between mesophilic and cooling stages in composting?

[Stephanus]

Dear PF Forum,
There are four composting stages that I read in these links.
http://www.homecompostingmadeeasy.com/compoststages.html
http://www.weblife.org/humanure/chapter3_9.html
http://www.agrowingculture.org/2011/08/humanure-part-iii-thermophillic-bacteria-composting-stages-the-sanitization-of-compost-joe-jenkins/
1. Mesophilic
2. Thermophilic
3. Cooling down
4. Maturation
Thermophilic is easy to detect, that it's hot.
Now, I want to know about this mesophilic stage.
What is the characteristic of mesophilic stage?
How do we know that the composter is in mesophilic stage?
Do we have to open the bin and extract its content? Even if we do that, then how do we know that it's in mesophilic stage?

Thanks for the reply

 

[Buzz Bloom]

Now, I want to know about this mesophilic stage.
What is the characteristic of mesophilic stage?
How do we know that the composter is in mesophilic stage?
Do we have to open the bin and extract its content? Even if we do that, then how do we know that it's in mesophilic stage?

Hi Stephanus:

Where have you looked for an answer? I found the following at

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mesophilic .
"(of bacteria) growing best at moderate temperatures, between 25°C and 40°C."​

This contrasts with

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/thermophilic
"(of bacteria) growing best at temperatures between 50° and 60°C."​

My guess is that a thermometer would be able to distinguish the two states.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Buzz

 

[Stephanus]

Hi Stephanus:

Where have you looked for an answer? I found the following at

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mesophilic .
"(of bacteria) growing best at moderate temperatures, between 25°C and 40°C."​

This contrasts with

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/thermophilic
"(of bacteria) growing best at temperatures between 50° and 60°C."​

My guess is that a thermometer would be able to distinguish the two states.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Buzz

Okay, but how to distinguish between mesophilic and cooling and maturation?
And supposed I just throw organic waste in the composter bin. And it's 25⁰C. How can I be sure that it's in mesophilic stage?
Thanks for the answer @BuzzBloom

 

[Buzz Bloom]

Okay, but how to distinguish between mesophilic and cooling and maturation?
And supposed I just throw organic waste in the composter bin. And it's 250C. How can I be sure that it's in mesophilic stage?

Hi Stephanus:

I justt found the sites with the information I posted by searching with my browser. I am not looking at all the sites the browser finds. I think you will be able to find more information by doing your own searches.

Regarding "distinguish between mesophilic and cooling", I think if the ambient temperature if lower than 25C, and the composting material is also less than 25C, I would guess that the mesophilic phase is over. If the temperature is exactly at 25C, the result probably means that the compost is at the threshold of transition between mesophilic and cooling.

Regarding cooling and maturation, I found the following at

http://www.valid-compost.com/en/maturation/

There is very little microbiological activity during this phase of maturation: at surrounding temperature, it is the micro wildlife that settles in.
Thus the product is stabilized and moisturized so as to get a homogeneous aspect (brown).
After 4 weeks of maturation a sample is taken to compare the finished product with the relevant NFU standard.​

You may want to search "NFU Standard".

Regards,
Buzz