Maybe a solution for FF odor?

[Marc]

I posted this just recently as a reply, but thought I would put my solution (so far) out there for others. After using various packaged FF media with very limited success I finally found a good media. It produces like mad... no one great feeding and then fizzle out to nothing after that. This is great stuff, only problem when it produces like mad it smell like death! I do discard at 28 days like recommended but even at 14 days, 8 cultures were really stinking!

Here is what I did and 2 weeks later it is still working fine. If you see issues, please add your two cents worth as I may need to tweak it.

My setup is a 72 quart rubbermaid container on top of a (covered with a lid) water filled flat rubbermaid container. The water filled container has an aquarium submersible heater in it and keeps the container above at about 76F. The top container which contains my FF cultures has a lid but needed air circulation for better FF production. (Plus it still stunk!!!) I took a heated nail and made a hole at the lower corner on one end for an intake area. I then placed a small aquarium air pump into the top container corner and drilled another hole towards the top of the container, just below the lid on the opposite side. Through the hole I have threaded the aquarium tubing to the outside of the container (attached to the air pump). I have about 12 feet of hose now leading out of the container. I took the hose and drilled another hole through the wooden casement of the window in my basement. Same size as the airline tubing. I stuck the end outside and attached a "T" valve on it so it would not pull back through. Also helps if one side gets clogged it can still vent out the other side. The air pump sitting in the large 76 quart plastic lidded container on top, draws air from inside the container and out through the window, venting it outside. The air hole at the bottom of the container allows air to flow into it. The pump gives off some heat (My heat gun shows the pump itself at 92F) So I did have to lower the submersible heater below it a tad, as it adds heat to the container (but it also pulls the heat from around the air pump outside first). I also may have to make more intake holes at the bottom too. So far so good, with FF production. The container hold about 12 FF 32 oz containers plus the pump. You can now only smell the stink when the container is opened for feeding and the FF have fresh air flowing into the container and the stink is being vented outdoors! I still need to give it a few weeks, but so far no problems and no smell! I at first tried to make it more complicated until I realized that the aquarium air pump drew air from a hole underneath it and pumped out through the airline. I'll keep you posted, but cannot see any problems with this set up as aquarium air pumps are designed for slightly damp places and I'm keep tabs on the humidity in the fly box. (That is why I may add another hole or two at the bottom for added intake). I just want to make sure the major draw of air is from that hole. I know some air will be drawn in around the lid, but that is okay as long as it is into the container and out through the window. Hope this a a solution for me and maybe others.
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