# Springtails food an substrate



## nate_88 (Dec 3, 2013)

Hello i want to hear what people prefer. I use abg now but used to use charcoal kinda miss it. I also use bug burger and glassbox tropicals springtail food. What's everyone else doing to really make there's boom?

~N8


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## ZookeeperDoug (Jun 5, 2011)

Depends on the type of springs being cultured as far as substrate.

Whites I do on charcoal.

Everything else is on a mix of 1/3 of each of the following. Crushed leaf litter, turface, and the last part is either ABG, Coco Coir, eco earth


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## pafrogguy (May 8, 2013)

I do all of mine Pink, Silver, Temp White, and Giant on New England Herp media with clay added and some crushed leaf litter. I keep it moist but not sopping wet. Feeding Bug Burger,a high quality dog food, and Josh's Spring To Life every few days.


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## Moghue (Jan 15, 2013)

I only have the whites right no. I use Joshes spring to life and have to say it works great. oh i culture mine on charcole.


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## Brian317 (Feb 11, 2011)

I have many different substrates and trying out which work best. So far, I think the mix of Turface, Coco Fiber, and crushed leaf litter is working fantastic. I use this for all my isos (Grey, Striped, Purple, Canyon, Orange) and for some of my springs (Pink, Silver, White). I am only using charcoal on the Pink and White Springs. They both really seem to do well with both charcoal and the mix. Silvers do horrible on charcoal. Been feeding GlassBox Tropical food to all the springtails. For Isos, using Repashy Bug Burger, Morning Wood, and high grade fish flakes (can't think of the brand name off the top of my head).


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## nate_88 (Dec 3, 2013)

Thanks I'm gonna try some smaller cultures like some.of these post. But I still welcome others to comment thanks again

~N8


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

ABG and I feed Bug Burger, yeast and mushrooms. 
The shrooms get a good zap in the microwave to kill any mites.


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## nate_88 (Dec 3, 2013)

Mushrooms are one thing I have not tried like the mushroom powder

~N8


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## Pubfiction (Feb 3, 2013)

I have messed around a little but have seen almost nothing but anecdotal accounts that would lead me to have any clue. 

For instance one person her claims great results on what I have found to be about the lamest combination possible. 

I think springs are tricky because their can be million of babies that are very small in fact I would imagine many of the older folks would have no chance of seeing them with or without glasses. And people may attribute a food change to just the maturing and growing of those babies they noticed right after adding food when they were hoping to see an improvement. I believe this because I saw one account where a guy noticed this huge increase in an amount of time that was so short I don't believe it was possible for several generations to have accumulated. 


All that said charcoal is really nice because I find mite infestations almost non existent and they can be reared and easily seen on it. And that has nothing to do with productivity.

BTW I went looking for mushroom powder and didn't find any reasonably priced where are people getting this?


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## nate_88 (Dec 3, 2013)

Ya I have some cultures with alot more charcoal and they do way better then just abg. And you are right offspring are super tiny 

~N8


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## ecichlid (Dec 26, 2012)

Pubfiction said:


> I have messed around a little but have seen almost nothing but anecdotal accounts that would lead me to have any clue.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Glass Box Tropicals springtail food works great and has some mushroom powder in it.


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## nate_88 (Dec 3, 2013)

I know I bought like 4 pounds of it awhile back lol

~N8


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## p51mustang23 (Mar 18, 2014)

I just split my first culture today. It was in neherp media which worked well and had them booming in a months time. 

The new culture is in abg, but I think neherp might be better than abg for cultures. 

I want to switch to charcoal as it's easier to feed from. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## nate_88 (Dec 3, 2013)

Ya I agree with charcoal being easier

~N8


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

Really some controlled experiments would be excellent to do. 

Pubfiction: I think charcoal suppresses mites but they can definitely grow well on charcoal. One of my older cultures has quite a few running around in it. I try not to stress too much as I haven't switched over to micron filters...when I do then those will go in a separate area. I figure pumilio do enjoy eating mites.


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