# Cultures stink....



## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

So I`ve been using the same media and preparing it the same way for years. Why is it sometimes they smell fine but other times they smell like the rotting ass of Satan?

The cultures are not old and it`s not every time, just once in awhile.
I have a few I set up 5 days ago that already stink, yet the one`s before were fine


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## Alan (Jan 12, 2005)

How is the air circulation around your cultures? Which kind of lid? Air temp and humidity?

Its usually a lack of air circulation - if the media/mix is the same as before.

Any chance some crud from an unhealthy seed culture was used to add FFs?


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

Great suggestions Allan thanks!

I also read adding a little honey might help


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## Bcs TX (Sep 13, 2008)

John, not sure if your making your own or buying media, I make my own and always add cinnamon, helps with the smell and mold.


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## erikm (Oct 1, 2015)

I use repashy superfly and on the 2nd/3rd day after making my cultures, they really smell like yeast. Not a great smell to my sensitive nose. 

This goes away after about 24 hours and then my cultures don't have much smell at all until near the 30 day mark.


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

Thanks Erik.

Beth, I use a sponsors media.


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## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

After a culture is a month old, give or take, I throw it into the garage freezer. Every 30-60 days I pull them all out and pop out the frozen puck and give the cup a swish. I've noticed I'll occasionally get a real stinker in the bunch and it's usually ones that the flies never really boomed in. I'm not sure if it's correlation or causality but it's pretty consistent.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

There are a couple of potential causes of foul odors that you've encountered. In no particular order

1) the protein content of the media isn't evenly distributed and the excess protein is decomposing releasing "lovely" smelling decomposition products like putrescine ... 
2) Your getting the occasional alternate microbes becoming established in that culture. Different microbes can change the odor of a cultures. 

I would suggest cleaning and sterilizing the tools used in making the cultures (example containers used to store media, measuring cups sand so forth) and sniff which cultures you choose to start the newer cultures. If you can smell any of the odors you find so offensive, do not use those flies to start new cultures (and wash the collection container if you use the same container to start new cultures later at some point). 

I found that if I place the old cultures on top of one of the light fixtures they finish drying out and I can pop a dry puck of materials out of the containers without any problem. 

Some comments 

Ed


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## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

In addition to those listed by Ed. 
You might want to store your dry ingredients in the fridge or freezer. If you use active yeast, you might want to replace it with fresh.
Elimination of the source is best, those microbes don't just smell, they can be toxic to the larvae.
Has anyone tried adding an odor mask like vanillin or something similar? I would think someone who makes candles or soaps could recommend a food grade additive, or maybe someone that works with cadavers.
I want my cultures to smell like cotton candy.


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