# The media mixologist



## Evan Keller (Dec 4, 2008)

I recently purchased josh's frogs media and I don't remember the last time I've had so many flies from one emergence ever!! And before anybody says its conditional, temp, humidity etc.... This is from my experience of using 4 different types of media along with making my own for several years and I must say I am very impressed.
Sooo anyway, I was wondering if anybody else could chime in on their success with various media types. Just to give you a rough gauge of what I'm looking at; currently the walls of my culture cup are brown because of the massive amount of flies crawling up them. 
Cheers
Evan


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## ChrisK (Oct 28, 2008)

Tried power mix yet?


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## Evan Keller (Dec 4, 2008)

No I've never heard of power mix before, what is in it?


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## ChrisK (Oct 28, 2008)

Go down till you see Power Mix: Fruit Flies-Doyle's Dart Den


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Here is a recipe I put together years ago. I've always had great results from it. I was going for a couple of things when I put this together. Optimal nutrition, well producing culture, and long lasting culture.

PUMILO'S MIX
14 cups (30 ozs) potato flakes
7 cups instant oats
5 cups (1 lb) flaxseed meal (Red Mill)
3.5 cups White rice flour (Red Mill)
3.5 cups whole grain corn flour (Red Mill)
3.5 cups whole wheat flour
2.5 cups Corn starch
12 cups Brewers yeast flakes (1.5 lbs)
6 cups Powdered Sugar
12 TBSP Cinnamon
just under 1/2 cup Methyl Paraben
All ingredients powdered and mixed in blender/food processor (Measured FIRST, then blended)

Mix 1/3 cup media to 2/3 cup cold water. Microwave until fully boiling, stirring once. The extra water that this recipe holds allows it to last a long time in Colorado's dry climate. You can actually put about 3/4 cup of water in but production seems to drop a little in the first boom.
Of course the usual 10 or so grains of active bakers yeast. Instead of excelsior (hate it), I use a piece of standard fiberglass window screen about 3 inches wide and as tall as the container, pressed down into the media.

Here is POWER MIX
2 cups of water
2 cups of Vinegar
1/8 cup dark molasses
1/2 can grape juice concentrate
2-3 ripe bananas
Above ingredients must be blended then brought to a boil before solids are added. Also the mixture must cool a little before adding the solids.

Solids.
1/2 cup malt of meal
2/3 cup potato flakes
1/3 cup brewers yeast
Add above ingredients after boiled mixture has cooled.

After mixture has been placed into container then sprinkle a little brewers yeast on top of substrate.
This mixture will produce thousands of FF and stay active for weeks depending on how much you add to each container.
I place about 3-4in of substrate to each container which will make each culture last 4-8 weeks. 

Doug


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## Evan Keller (Dec 4, 2008)

Thanks pumilio for that recipe post, sounds like you have your mix down to a science! 
Ok now that you put the recipe up I do remember reading something about power mix. I just never got around to trying it out!


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## MountaineerLegion (Apr 8, 2008)

I've been using the same recipe since I started and been happy so I've never switched but I always read these threads anyway...dunno why.

Question: Why do some of the recipes people post say you have to boil them first? That seems like a lot of work so I always wonder what the benefit is that they would go to all that trouble. Thx


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## packer43064 (Nov 30, 2010)

MountaineerLegion said:


> I've been using the same recipe since I started and been happy so I've never switched but I always read these threads anyway...dunno why.
> 
> Question: Why do some of the recipes people post say you have to boil them first? That seems like a lot of work so I always wonder what the benefit is that they would go to all that trouble. Thx


Most people boil or use hot water because it helps to mix everything up better. Some recipes need the boiling, while a basic recipe hot water is perfectly fine to help mix it up.


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## melas (Oct 24, 2007)

Methyl paraben will only dissolve at high temps - hence the boiling water. Also it could kill fungal spores/bacteria that may be in the dry media ingredients.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Mine gets boiled to mix methyl paraben in fully, to kill mold spores/sterilize, to kill mite eggs, and also to activate the flax seed and the corn starch (both thickeners) to maximize water holding capacity.


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