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Too dry FF media - What can I do ?
#1
It's been about two weeks since I started my first cultures. The directions I used said to mix the dry stuff (corn flour/potato flakes/etc) with about equal parts vinegar to make a `dry paste.`

One of my cultures looked like it had died off, then started booming with activity, now it seems to have slowed. I see plenty of dead flies in the bottom, but none of the blackness that a good culture shows when it is producing full force.

By comparison to the ones I buy locally, the media in the bottom looks a little dry, or spotty/crusty. Is there a good way to add moisture, if that's the problem?

TIA,
Jay `Sick-Of-Paying-For-FFs-Guy`
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#2
Just pour a little water in. Thats what I do
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#3
Thanks! That seems to be the advice I'm getting from other sources as well. Looks like I was making my media way too dry to begin with. For the record, `dry paste` not a good way to go. More like a nice creamy milkshake is a better reference.

My milkshake brings all the flies to the frogs. My milkshake, is better than yours. Dang right its better than yours. I could teach you, but I'd have to charge...

(hehe - anyone who doesn't know that song is gonna' wonder what's wrong with me....)
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#4
Jay Why Wrote:Thanks! That seems to be the advice I'm getting from other sources as well. Looks like I was making my media way too dry to begin with. For the record, `dry paste` not a good way to go. More like a nice creamy milkshake is a better reference.

My milkshake brings all the flies to the frogs. My milkshake, is better than yours. Dang right its better than yours. I could teach you, but I'd have to charge...

(hehe - anyone who doesn't know that song is gonna' wonder what's wrong with me....)

haha i definately know that song! So is it bad that i'm not using yeast in my fruitfly milkshake? Also, i'm not using vinegar...is that ok?
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#5
Theres a ton of different fruit fly `milkshake` recipes, so it depends which one you're using.

The one I'm using has potato flakes, corn flour, sugar, and yeast. The water/vinegar (vinegar is a mold inhibitor) holds it all together and starts the yeast reacting on the sugar to produce sugar alcohol, which the flies (or maggots) consume and then they get it on. I'm not only raising fruit flies, I'm raising the roof on a fruit fly party! Wink

What's your recipe?
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#6
haha jay youre a funny guy =P

i use eds fly meat recipe. it is definately a moist paste but far from milkshake consistancy. i suppose that all depends on the ingredients of the mix. i dunno what exactly is in theirs but i know the base is potato flakes. following their directions it comes out like...instant mashed potatoes.
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#7
If you're using ed's media, the yeast is probably already mixed in - don't know for sure, haven't used their stuff. I do know if you follow their directions you can't go wrong.

Oh yeah, then no you don't need vinegar, because I'm sure they include a mold inhibitor in their mix also.

So... if you're getting flies from it - you're good to go.
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#8
Vinegar (mold inhibitor) is ok....but I would only use "tablespoons of it" and still make HOT water my main liquid.

Water should be hot as the reaction with the media is best. No matter what media I used - my own or anygiven commercial product, I would still use a few small shakes of activated yeast on top - just to "get that party started right".

Allow the media to "set up" for up to an hour - this allows it to cool as well. Be sure it's COVERED so no wayward escaped FF slip in there and try to make fliers of everyone. The setting up process will allow the media to absorb the water and expand and after and hour or so, you can much better judge how watery or dry your culture is. If it looks a little too dry - tip the cup and check for runny-ness, then add a tiny bit of water at a time until you are satisfied. If it's too wet - pours like soup....well then....maybe starting over is best.

Dry-ness and Wetness of your culture media is always dependent on:

1. time of year
2. house humidity
3. house Temperature
4. type of media and water used
5. where you are geographically located - New York in the summer is vastly different from New Mexico, for instance.
6. combinations of all the above
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#9
Jay Why Wrote:My milkshake brings all the flies to the frogs. My milkshake, is better than yours. Dang right, its better than yours. I could teach you, but I'd have to charge...

JUST now saw this...freakin' hilarious. Big Grin
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#10
Philsuma Wrote:Vinegar (mold inhibitor) is ok....but I would only use "tablespoons of it" and still make HOT water my main liquid.

Water should be hot as the reaction with the media is best. No matter what media I used - my own or anygiven commercial product, I would still use a few small shakes of activated yeast on top - just to "get that party started right".

Allow the media to "set up" for up to an hour - this allows it to cool as well. Be sure it's COVERED so no wayward escaped FF slip in there and try to make fliers of everyone. The setting up process will allow the media to absorb the water and expand and after and hour or so, you can much better judge how watery or dry your culture is. If it looks a little too dry - tip the cup and check for runny-ness, then add a tiny bit of water at a time until you are satisfied. If it's too wet - pours like soup....well then....maybe starting over is best.

Dry-ness and Wetness of your culture media is always dependent on:

1. time of year
2. house humidity
3. house Temperature
4. type of media and water used
5. where you are geographically located - New York in the summer is vastly different from New Mexico, for instance.
6. combinations of all the above


Good post here Suma, this was helpful and to the point for me. Usually I make my cultures at night and seed them in the morning before I head off to work. Not really enough time to accurately gauge the water absorption and consistence if the culture. Im going to start making them earlier and then checking them in an hour for consistency.

What can be done about cultures that start to dry out in a week or so... Mist? Poor in a little water?
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#11
I haven't had great luck with trying to "save" a dry culture....but I have heard of others misting theirs a little. I'd think that mold would enjoy that though...

Maybe others will chime in here on "How to rescue a dry culture".
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#12
I've misted the mesh lids before and it seems to bring them back after a day or so.
Glenn
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#13
Philsuma Wrote:Vinegar (mold inhibitor) is ok....but I would only use "tablespoons of it" and still make HOT water my main liquid.

Water should be hot as the reaction with the media is best. No matter what media I used - my own or anygiven commercial product, I would still use a few small shakes of activated yeast on top - just to "get that party started right".

Allow the media to "set up" for up to an hour - this allows it to cool as well. Be sure it's COVERED so no wayward escaped FF slip in there and try to make fliers of everyone. The setting up process will allow the media to absorb the water and expand and after and hour or so, you can much better judge how watery or dry your culture is. If it looks a little too dry - tip the cup and check for runny-ness, then add a tiny bit of water at a time until you are satisfied. If it's too wet - pours like soup....well then....maybe starting over is best.

Dry-ness and Wetness of your culture media is always dependent on:

1. time of year
2. house humidity
3. house Temperature
4. type of media and water used
5. where you are geographically located - New York in the summer is vastly different from New Mexico, for instance.
6. combinations of all the above
7. Type of non-food medium used to create fly traffic space.

Coffee filters, cardboard tubes, excelsior and plastic screens all can dramatically affect drying time as well. It seems like everybody has to experiment a bit to get things ironed out in their particular situation.
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#14
you dont want to spray the lid as a wet lid allows other flies (like phorid flies) to lay eggs on the wet lid and get larvae into your cultures.

^^I just read this on another forum and it makes sense although I don't get phorid flies in the winter months. I really hate those little buggers!!
Glenn
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#15
If we see a culture that is a bit dry we just give it a quick mist, I don't think we get horrid flies here....now where did that P get to :oops: . I think the secret to this is monitoring your cultures regularly and putting enough flies in there from the off to get that media moving thereby preventing mold, and like all dart related stuff being constantly "ONIT" OK diligent is the secret.

Stu
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#16
Philsuma Wrote:Vinegar (mold inhibitor) is ok....but I would only use "tablespoons of it" and still make HOT water my main liquid.

Water should be hot as the reaction with the media is best. No matter what media I used - my own or anygiven commercial product, I would still use a few small shakes of activated yeast on top - just to "get that party started right".

Allow the media to "set up" for up to an hour - this allows it to cool as well. Be sure it's COVERED so no wayward escaped FF slip in there and try to make fliers of everyone. The setting up process will allow the media to absorb the water and expand and after and hour or so, you can much better judge how watery or dry your culture is. If it looks a little too dry - tip the cup and check for runny-ness, then add a tiny bit of water at a time until you are satisfied. If it's too wet - pours like soup....well then....maybe starting over is best.

Dry-ness and Wetness of your culture media is always dependent on:

1. time of year
2. house humidity
3. house Temperature
4. type of media and water used
5. where you are geographically located - New York in the summer is vastly different from New Mexico, for instance.
6. combinations of all the above

Too dry OR too runny.....the entire process of making media is gonna take practice and trial and error even with a commercially available product with directions included. There are so many variables.
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#17
Thanks for bumping again Phil. Don't know why I have a hard time searching and finding what i'm looking for. Exactly the answer I was looking for if you'd like to delete my other post.
Jon
1.0.6 D. Leucomelas
0.0.2 D. Azureus
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