The Gut

② The Manifest

The parts list. Cores are what you actually need; “if you prefer” opens cheaper, local, or heritage swaps — never budget fallbacks, just other good ways.

③ The Sequence

1. 01Prepare vessel2 hrs Install inlet pipe (top) and outlet (lower third). Seal all joints.
2. 02Gas outlet1 hr Fit gas port at top. Connect tubing to gas bag. Inline desulfurizer between.
3. 03Pressure safety30 min Install water-trap pressure relief between vessel and bag.
4. 04Seed the digester30 min Fill 50% water. Add fresh manure or septic sludge as inoculant.
5. 05Begin feeding5 min/day Chopped kitchen waste, 1–2 kg/day. No bones, minimal citrus, no oils.
6. 06Wait for gas2–4 weeks First usable gas in 2–4 weeks. Flare initial bags (high CO2).
7. 07Connect stove30 min Once gas burns blue, connect via flex line + flame arrestor.

⑤ The Echo

⑥ Feeds

How this rig connects to the rest of the Ark.

• ← material The Shelf Stack Spent nutrient water → biodigester input or outdoor soil irrigation
• ← material The Living Shelf Fish waste solids from filter cleaning → high-nitrogen biodigester input
• → material The Shelf Stack Digestate (filtered, diluted) → supplemental hydroponic nutrients
• ← material The Sanctum Human waste → biodigester feedstock (60+ day retention, extended treatment)
• → energy The Burn Biogas → cooking fuel
• ← information The Sentry Biodigester internal temperature → stall detection
• ← information The Vault Offline reference material for Loop Sequences
• → material The Porch Garden At larger scale, biogas digestate slurry can supplement vermicast as a soil amendment — particularly valuable mid-season when worm output cannot keep up; apply diluted (1:10) to avoid nutrient burn
• ← material The Porch Garden Larger plant matter (tomato vines, pepper stalks at end of season) that is too tough for the worm bin goes to the biodigester
• → material The Guild Ring Digestate slurry from the biodigester applied as foliar spray or root drench — provides immediate-availability nutrients vs. the slow-release of finished compost; apply diluted (1:10) to avoid nutrient burn
• ← material The Guild Ring Larger pruning material (branches under 1\" diameter) goes to the biodigester; larger limbs (1\"+) go to firewood or hugelkultur
• → material The Walipini Biogas digestate slurry for foliar feeding and root drenches — provides immediate-availability nutrients vs. the slow-release of finished compost; apply diluted (1:10) to avoid nutrient burn
• ← material The Walipini Larger plant material, end-of-season cleanup — tomato stalks, pepper plants, woody herbs that exceed Worm Bank intake size. Closed Loop with the biodigester.
• ← material The Living Pantry Larger volumes of vegetable waste, spent grains from The Preserve, food past edibility, and trimmings the worm bin can't process fast enough — the biodigester handles overflow
• → material The Distillery Kitchen scraps and trimmings from The Gut (Loop) — citrus and fruit peels, herb stems, cores — get extracted into tinctures, bitters, citrus extract, and scrap vinegar. The closing of the nothing-wasted loop.

⑦ Field Notes

This rig, seen in the field — what running it actually taught.