[Cardinal197]

Anyone have any good tips on minimizing the odors from fruit fly cultures? My roomate claims to have a sensitive nose.

Thanks,
Drew

 

[kleinhanz]

My roomate claims to have a sensitive nose.

Move roommate out....problem solved!

But seriously, can you explain what you are keeping your flies in now, how long you keep each culture, and what temp do you keep them at.

I don't seem to have any smell from my cultures and all I use is the plastic 32oz deli cups with lids (pretty standard), each culture is scrapped after ~3weeks, and they are at room temperature.

 

[christina hanson]

Try a box of baking soda near your cultures. When we were trying to figure out a good cooked medium in past years, we turned out some real stinkers. The baking soda did help quite a bit.

Christina

 

[addam4208283]

christina hanson
Joined: 16 Feb 2004
Total posts: 31
Location: Washington State
Gender: Unknown Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2005 6:46 pm Post subject:

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Try a box of baking soda near your cultures. When we were trying to figure out a good cooked medium in past years, we turned out some real stinkers. The baking soda did help quite a bit.

Christina

I put all my FF cul. in a rubber made box that has a hole cut in the top covered by screen for air flow. Inside the box is one of the baking soda clean air things. Works out really well, and keeps FF down to a min.
ADAM

 

[Cardinal197]

My fruit flies are kept in 32 oz deli cups with screened lids held on with deli cup lids with drilled holes. I use Ed's flymeat media and keep them about 75-80 degrees. I personally am not bothered at all by the smell of the cultures, of course I may have grown immune to the smell over the years... at this point, kicking the roomate out may be a viable option...

 

[joshsfrogs]

I keep all my fly cultures in rubbermaid type containers (9 cultures to a rubbermaid) with no ventilation (except when I open to feed) and have more flies now than when I kept them out in the open. Some media's smell more than others.

 

[Arklier]

In my experience, cultures start to stink when they begin to dry out. I use the 50/50 vinegar/water solution and it doesn't smell (other than the smell of vinegar and that's only when you stick your nose in it) as long as the cultures stay wet enough. So if you don't mind the smell of vinegar you might try it.

 

[melissa68]

honey....

In addition to a vinigar water mix (maybe 10-1) we add a small amount of honey to the culture after is has set up but before we add flies.

I think you will be happy with the results...I don't think it will do any good for cultures you have already created, but for your new ones it will help!

Melis

 

[elmoisfive]

I can vouch for the effectiveness of a small amount of honey to "cut" the smell of FF cultures...

Bill