# Fruit fly containers- trying something new



## andry (Jun 15, 2010)

Over the years I've had 4 kiddos and have become very cheap. Where I can save a buck I will. So after a year or so of another frogger mentioning they use left over bottle water bottles or containers and me having reused my current cups to the max, I decided to try it. I'll let you all know how it goes.










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I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?p3xz5p


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## oneshot (Mar 5, 2010)

Excelsior? Something for surface area?


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## andry (Jun 15, 2010)

There is paper in there. Do you think that won't work? It was easier than trying to stuff excelsior in there. Although I do have plenty of excelsor - big box full.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

I've tried that. It's very difficult to shake them out of the skinny opening without inverting the bottle and tapping rather hard. When you do that, the media collapses into a big mess all over the bottle.
Try something wider mouthed like small gatorade bottles.


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## andry (Jun 15, 2010)

Really? I thought it would have been easier. Well, I will try gatorade bottles or I can just cut off the top circle of the bottled water. I'll try that. If it turns out to be too much work, I'll just buy more cups. 

Now that I remember, the person who did this would just leave the water bottle in the tank for a little while and then pull it out. But I think I'd be afraid too many come out plus I would be afraid a frog got in the bottle.


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## volsgirl (Mar 29, 2012)

I use water bottles for my ff cultures. I've only been culturing for 1 month, but so far it's worked great......producing like crazy (and I don't even have frogs yet )

When starting new cultures from my producing ones, I haven't had any trouble pouring the ff's out the skinny opening......just shake and tap into a funnel and they come pouring out! and the media has stayed on the bottom......so far.

Maybe at the end of production, when the population is dwindling, it might be harder to get them out?


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## andry (Jun 15, 2010)

Thank you all for your input. I will definitely post my experience after a month or so.


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## ethin (Mar 26, 2009)

Since I've switched from plastic cups to glass Mason jars, I've saved myself a good amount of $$$. It's easy to clean, reusable, and last forever.


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## andry (Jun 15, 2010)

Cool, any pics? What do you use for lids?


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## ethin (Mar 26, 2009)

andry said:


> Cool, any pics? What do you use for lids?


I don't have any pictures right now since I'm at work lol. I use 4 coffee filters (folded in halts twice) inside the mason jars for flies to climb on and 1 sheet of coffee filter as a lid. Just put a sheet on top of the jar opening and screw on the cap... you're done!


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## andry (Jun 15, 2010)

Very cool idea, now where do you buy those?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

andry said:


> Now that I remember, the person who did this would just leave the water bottle in the tank for a little while and then pull it out. But I think I'd be afraid too many come out plus I would be afraid a frog got in the bottle.


Doing it in this manner prevents the use of the supplements required to balance the food for the frogs. 

Ed


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## andry (Jun 15, 2010)

yes! You are correct and I did think of that as well. Unless that person tapped in some supplements in the bottle before putting it in? Who knows. But yes, that would not work if you can't use the supplements.


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## ethin (Mar 26, 2009)

andry said:


> Very cool idea, now where do you buy those?


You can get Mason jars in most grocery stores. There are a couple different sizes including the size of the cap. Good luck and if you have any questions feel free to ask. My email [email protected]


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## andry (Jun 15, 2010)

Thanks again


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## djone2 (Mar 8, 2012)

Glass mason jars work awesome! What I actually use is pasta sauce jars as my wife loves pasta and I just collect the jars when she is done. I like using them because you can boil them after every use and avoid having mold problems. Mason jars can get expensive depending where you buy them. It's actually cheaper in most cases to go to a 99 cent store and buying pasta sauce there just for the bottles.
99 cent stores are awesome, I but spray bottles for misting, 6 quart shoe containers for my springtails, extension cords, etc.


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## andry (Jun 15, 2010)

Yes I agree, I have a king dollar by my house and am always in there getting stuff for my frogs. I get the syringe's to add water to my tadpole containers too. And yes, I did go looking for glass jars but didn't see any I liked. I didn't think of filled pasta jars. lol! Plus my husband said he would rather just trash the water bottle instead of having to keep washing containers. I think he's tired of it, since he does all the washing.  So, I did initially think of glass but we went water bottle instead. I will still re-consider the glass jar though seeing how easy it would be to use.

But I always wonder if those extension cords might start a fire one day because they are from the dollar store....hmmm


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## jeeperrs (Jan 14, 2010)

I always figured spending 40 cents on a cup from Josh's Frogs was cheap. Sometimes I have to remind myself that my time and energy saving 10 bucks (that is 25 culture containers a month) is worth more than the actual 10 bucks I saved. 

To make up for the frog food expense I drink at home and not at the bar...NOW THAT SAVES SOME MONEY!


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## Zorloc (Apr 6, 2011)

I do the same thing
Coffee filters in the media and for a lid as well.
I think i got a mason kit at walmart 20 jars and lids for like 15$




ethin said:


> Since I've switched from plastic cups to glass Mason jars, I've saved myself a good amount of $$$. It's easy to clean, reusable, and last forever.


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## dan d (Aug 9, 2008)

ethin said:


> Since I've switched from plastic cups to glass Mason jars, I've saved myself a good amount of $$$. It's easy to clean, reusable, and last forever.


I like this idea ! I know where some jars are laying around,
Thanks !


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## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

ethin said:


> Since I've switched from plastic cups to glass Mason jars, I've saved myself a good amount of $$$. It's easy to clean, reusable, and last forever.


same here....


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## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

how do you clean the mason jars???


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## Edhurl (Nov 8, 2011)

goof901 said:


> how do you clean the mason jars???


Hot water, baby bottle brush, quick soak in deluted bleach and then rinse


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## dneafse (Nov 1, 2006)

I find the standard plastic culture containers and lids to be highly reusable. If you freeze an old culture for at least an hour, you can pop the media 'puck' out of the bottom very easily. Very hot tap water quickly denatures the protein glue that holds the pupal cases to the walls. I have at least 7 containers in my collection that date back to 2008, and each has been used at least 20 times since then.

Because they nest inside of each other, they're more space-efficient to store. Plus, recycling them in this way assuages my guilt over the other negative environmental consequences of this hobby. 

-Dan


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

dneafse said:


> I find the standard plastic culture containers and lids to be highly reusable. If you freeze an old culture for at least an hour,


Or if you pop them onto some lighting fixtures, they rapidly dry out with the same result.. This may be a better option if a significant other objects to the fly cultures in the freezer (or if you are using too many cultures to make freezing feasible). 

Ed


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## dneafse (Nov 1, 2006)

Ed said:


> Or if you pop them onto some lighting fixtures, they rapidly dry out with the same result.. This may be a better option if a significant other objects to the fly cultures in the freezer (or if you are using too many cultures to make freezing feasible).
> 
> Ed


I'll try this! My wife has definitely commented on the frozen cultures in the freezer. . .


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