[arkay]

Hey all, I had something new happen in my last batch of FF's and I'm seeing it happen again with my redo (4 containers total). It seems the media is growing mold after a few days from mixing. I keep a large bag of premix dried and a gallon of premix liquid which now is a number of months old. Before I start my next attempt I was wondering what you guys thought the source of the mold was. I use a mix of water and vinegar for liquid and potato flakes, c.sugar, brewers yeast, and Spirulina for the dry mix. I store in a dark place.

The dry ingredients?
The liquid ingredients?
The containers?
The storage location?

Any help is much appreciated.
Thanks

 

[sports_doc]

Excelsior?? that is notorious....

Anyway, correct me if I am wrong but I think if you mix up your wet mix, microwave to a nice bubbling hot....and let cool....that will curtail your mold.

I also personally add methyl paraben to my mix, even when I used to use vinegar as well.


[oh, the other source//// your FF's !! so making cx's from cx's that are molded....will perpetuate the problem ad infinitum]

Best,

 

[Pumilo]

I second both microwaving and Methyl Paraben.

 

[arkay]

Thanks so are you saying microwave the water/vinegar let it cool then mix with dry mix or mix everything then nuke it? Or are you saying take what has mold on it and nuke it? (the flies are already in there they propably woulnt take to kindly to that)

How much methyl paraben do you add to a gallon?

Thanks again for the help

 

[Roadrunner]

You need enough larvae to overcome the mold taking hold or you have to make the media toxic(or at least very inhospitable) to what you don't want taking hold(mold spores). Adding more flies should get enough larvae to churn the top of the media so that the mold can't get a foothold. Or you can keep adding more stuff to the media.

I haven't had a mold problem more than once or twice in fifteen years of using excelsior.

 

[arkay]

So just add more flies? maybe ill just mix it up a little too.

 

[Pumilo]

I mix my media completely, both dry and wet. Add your excelsior if you use it. Put the lid on, and microwave it.
Methyl Paraben is a commonly used preservative/fungicide in a lot of things you use every day. It is naturally occurring in many fruits, including blueberries.

 

[Popliteal]

I've been having a mold issue as well, and am going to try to add the methyl paraben. I'm just curious as to where I might be able to buy this? Is there a common sort of store that I could pick this up? or would a special order online likely be my best bet?

Dan

 

[Pumilo]

Hey Dan, you can get it at Josh's frogs.

 

[Absolutbill]

Thanks so are you saying microwave the water/vinegar let it cool then mix with dry mix or mix everything then nuke it? Or are you saying take what has mold on it and nuke it? (the flies are already in there they propably woulnt take to kindly to that)

How much methyl paraben do you add to a gallon?

Thanks again for the help

I got some methyl paraben from Josh's frogs and it had instructions. I got my order just before Christmas and the past two weeks I have been using my first cultures with methyl paraben and without vinegar and those cultures are absolutely booming!


Sent from my Vivarium using Tapatalk

 

[BugginDave]

Do you use room temp water or boiling water? I've had better success with the latter.