# Pretty Good Media



## Herperboy (Jan 9, 2007)

I started making my own FF cultures, but I didnt feel like ordering media. Made my own from this recipe:

The "Power Mix"
By Chis Miller

In a pot bring the following to a boil.
2 cups water
2 cups vinegar
1/8th cup Dark molasses
1/2 can of grape juice concentrate
2-3 overripe mushed up bananas

After bringing this mixture to a boil, add the dry material

1/2 cup malt of meal
2/3 cup potato flakes
1/3 cup Brewers Yeast (the key ingredient)

Place about 2 inches of medium in each qt size jar, and sprinkle maybe an 1/8th teaspoon of activated yeast on the top. A day later, 20-30 flies are added. I have tried this medium with my hydei and melanogaster and I can't believe how many larvae are swarming the sided of the jar, I literally can't see through the glass jar, they cover every square inch of glass. For the first 10 days, I keep the cultures in cardboard boxes which are kept closed, after that, I keep them on a large shelf to help the larvae dry out.

It works well and is cheap to make. It is also relatively simple. It only took me about 10 min to make a batch.


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## Baltimore Bryan (Sep 6, 2006)

thank you so much! i have benn looking for an easy, cheap way to make ff cultures, because my way stinks and produces few flies. let me ask you, does it stink? i can't stand bad smelling ff cultures. thanks


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

Doesn't stink smells like vinegar when you make it, mildly yeasty while the flies are culturing.
Works great for melagonaster and hydei alike.
I've been using that recipe for 2-3 years, and it works great.


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## Herperboy (Jan 9, 2007)

Ive been using it for about a month now and I love it. So many flies in a culture. There are so many larvae that I literally cannot see into the bottom half of the culture. This stuff rocks!!!


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## fishy332003 (Feb 15, 2004)

is all these items i could buy them at supermarket?


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## fishy332003 (Feb 15, 2004)

it's kind of dumb question. can someone show me a photo a malt of meal look like.thanks


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

http://www.doylesdartden.com/fruitfly.html
Some good media ideas...


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

fishy332003 said:


> it's kind of dumb question. can someone show me a photo a malt of meal look like.thanks


Malt O' Meal

It should be in the cereal section of the grocery store, in with the hot cereal mixes...comes in a rectangular box.


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## Herperboy (Jan 9, 2007)

It should be with the grits and cream of wheat. The Brewers yeast I got at a vitamin store, other than that It all came from the grocery store...for some reason I couldnt find any molasses at walmart.


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## fishy332003 (Feb 15, 2004)

will cream of wheat work too?


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## Herperboy (Jan 9, 2007)

Not sure, I know cream of wheat generally has things added to it. You should be able to get malt o meal at the grocery store though...and its darn cheap.


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## Jencylivez (May 31, 2007)

How many 32oz containers does this recipe yield?


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## godsgurl377 (Dec 18, 2006)

If I remember right it makes about 8-10 cups of media. Can't quite remember though. So if you use 1/2c. in each culture it would make between 16-20 cultures. 

I got a tip from someone else on this board, can't remember who right now, to freeze the wet portion in ice cube trays and premix the dry and put it in the cupbord or fridge. When you are ready to make cultures, pop a few of the cubes in the culture, microwave it, mix in some of the dry. Then sprinkle some activated yeast on it and your good to go!

Good luck!


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

OK, when you state "add dry ingredients" are they mixed in or what? And is additional yeast sprinkled on top?

Let me know, I plan to try this soon.


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

*Sorry about double post...*

And... does Brewers yeast actually work? I heard it is pointless to use, But others swear by it.


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## Joshchan (Apr 30, 2006)

My understanding is the brewer's yeast (dead) is the protein source for the culture. I think most people use the activated (live) yeast for the adults to feed on. It is sprinkled on top of the media. I have done a little informal test with more or less brewer's yeast. I found the more brewer's yeast I added, the better my fly production. Remember this was very much seat of the pants science. But there does seem to be a correlation. I did not increase it too much, I think if the recipe called for 1/3 up I would put 1/2 cup instead. Worth playing with a bit to find what works best for you.
Josh


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

I have been unable to find Malt of Meal and have been told it has been discontinued. Anything else that I can sue in place of it?


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## Jencylivez (May 31, 2007)

Try a target or a walmart. Thats where I got mine from


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

Thanks.


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

OK, I found it

the yeast I have is active yeast, will this work?


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## Jencylivez (May 31, 2007)

Yeah either that or Brewers works fine..And the dry ingredients must be mixed in when the liquid is boiling and then additional yeast must be sprinkled on top


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

OK, thanks. Same kind of yeast, right?

Anything else I should know?

Can i put the flies in once it cools down?


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## Jencylivez (May 31, 2007)

Nothing else really, I believe the difference is that active yeast is alive and brewers isn't.. I wait a couple of hours before I put them in


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

OK, does that matetr that the yeast will be alive?


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## Jencylivez (May 31, 2007)

Nope. I've been using brewers yeast for a while and it works fine


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

Yes, but the recipe calls for Brewers yeast, I have Active yeast. Will this cause a problem that it is alive?


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## Jencylivez (May 31, 2007)

No it wont pose a problem, I think brewers yeast is a lot cheaper tho so keep that in mind for next time.


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## Tripod (Jun 5, 2006)

Be careful substituting active yeast for brewer's yeast in any media recipe! 

Active yeast should only be used sparingly because it gives off carbon dioxide (waste gas from the little buggers as they consume sugar...). Anything more than a pinch per culture and you risk asphyxiating your FFs after you close up the container.

Brewer's yeast is dead and therefore will not produce CO2. It's main purpose (from what I understand) is to provide protein to culture media.

The two types of yeast serve two different purposes in our media recipes. They are generally NOT interchangeable.

Steven


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## Jencylivez (May 31, 2007)

Thanks for the correction, I was mislead by prior posts.


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

Thank you tripod, I agree and this is actually the answer I was looking for and thought was true. Wanted to make sure. I was told when i sprinkle yeast on top, for it to be alive,

Now where to buy brewers yeast? I couldn't find it at my supermarket or Wal-Mart. Where?


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## Jencylivez (May 31, 2007)

I got mine from joshsfrogs.com, bulkfoods.com also carries it. Below are links to both

http://www.bulkfoods.com/search_res...tFromSearch=fromSearch&txtsearchParamTxt=4711

http://joshsfrogs.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_50


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## Tripod (Jun 5, 2006)

I have never found Brewer's yeast at Walmart.

I get mine at the local supermarket. It's in the "health and beauty" section along with all the vitamins and such.

If I'm not mistaken GNC carries it as well. It's probably a bit expensive though.

Another place to find it would be any local Home Brewing store that sells merchandise for the micro and homebrewers.

Steven


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

Thanks, but I am first going to look at some local stores.


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## geedubya (Mar 16, 2006)

*Brewer's yeast*

A slight correction. You won't find the proper form of brewer's yeast at a store that carries brewer's supplies. They DO sell yeast, but it isn't what you want. 

The yeast you want is the nutritional brewer's yeast which, it is my understanding, is the dried spent yeast AFTER the brewing process. The yeast you buy at a brewing supply store would be alive, just like baker's yeast from the supermarket.

GNC DOES carry brewer's yeast, but you really can't beat Josh's prices, unless you are buying in bulk.

Hope this helps.


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

I got 32oz of it. It is Brewers yeast, dead I believe, for protein purposes I found it at a natural food store.

I made the power mix, "sealed" it using yeast, and have six of them now. Too many i guess. I am going to mail one to my friend who is at college in cananda! Just so he has a FF culture in his dorm room, no reason, no frogs either. LOL!  Well, wish them luck, I add the flies tomorrow, it actually looks pretty good so far, media has set and everything. Yeast seal worked AWESOME!

Now, If I was to try using Methyl Paraben also, what should I do? Replace water and vinigar all together? Wouldn't that not be liquidy enough? Or can this be done? Or do I keep the vinigar and water and add methyl paraben to that?


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## Tripod (Jun 5, 2006)

MP and vinegar are both used to prevent mold. You only need one OR the other in your cultures. If you decide to use MP, then replace the vinegar with water. Mix the MP thoroughly into the dry ingredients before those are added to the boiling "soup" of your recipe.


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

OK thanks. This helps. Thanks.


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

HOLY CRAP! I used this media recipe, and it is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I followed the exact recipe, and then "sealed" it using some active yeast in place of sprinkling yeast on top.

Place some yeast in sugar water, and then once bubbles (took about 2 hours for me) pour on media, then swoosh around, pour of excess. NO MOLD, LAST LONG, PRODUCES LARVAE IN LIKE 7 DAYS! AND DOESN'T SMELL BAD (I kinda like the smell, but I also like the smell of ferrets enclosures)


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## allanschon (Mar 25, 2007)

I'm glad someone posted this; I've been thinking about sharing it again, because it's worked so well for me. There's a little bit more work involved in this recipe, but I can't recommend it enough. It doesn't smell, it works great, and it's extremely inexpensive, especially given the yield.

I've been using this for about a month, with a couple of small modifications.

First, I couldn't find Malt-o-Meal, so I just used cream of wheat. I have a feeling that Malt-o-Meal is just a brand name for cream of wheat. Anyhow, the media has been working fine with the substitution.

Also, I don't add the brewers yeast until after the mix has cooled down. I followed the recipe exactly for my first batch, and it took FOREVER for the flies to start breeding (almost 3 weeks for melanogaster). I suppose the heat killed off the yeast, because after I noticed the slow development, I used the same media, added a spoonful of brewers yeast to each culture, and the new cultures passed the originals in production in less than a week. I'd take that as evidence that brewers yeast is key to success. If you're having trouble finding decent prices on brewer's yeast, Josh's Frogs sells it in bulk at very good prices.

I've noticed that the mix gets soupy for me, so I add a spoonful of extra potato flakes when I make up the culture, so that it starts out the consistency of oatmeal.

I only make two cultures per week, and have been keeping the extra media in the fridge until use.


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## boombotty (Oct 12, 2005)

How long do you think extras will stay good for in the fridge? I only make 2-3 cultures at a time, but it would be nice to have some in an extra fridge so I can just take one out, warm it up, and add flies. 
Thanks,
Scott


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## Geoff_Dice (Nov 24, 2007)

*Hey*

for you media
I cant find any Malt of Meal ...is there anything else i can substitute that with??? 
if you could get back to me asap that would be greatly appreciated thanks


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## frog_newbie (Sep 5, 2007)

Geoff check out this thread. They talk about malt-o-meal.

http://www.dendroboard.com/phpBB2/viewt ... malt++meal

Hope it helps,
Bruce


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## pilo0024 (Aug 22, 2006)

thought i would update this post and ask if this is still the recipe you guys use and like.


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

yup...still rockin the power mix!


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## chibisan (Apr 4, 2008)

quick question, so if I make this up and boil all the wet ingredients, can that be frozen or refridgerated until I need it? And then take it out, microwave it til it's hot again and then add the dry? I think I read someone saying you can do this, but just wanted to check. Because it'd be easier for me to make up a large batch and then take out what I need for that week.


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

chibisan said:


> quick question, so if I make this up and boil all the wet ingredients, can that be frozen or refridgerated until I need it? And then take it out, microwave it til it's hot again and then add the dry? I think I read someone saying you can do this, but just wanted to check. Because it'd be easier for me to make up a large batch and then take out what I need for that week.


I suppose you could do that, or just mix it all up, and store it ready-made.


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## chibisan (Apr 4, 2008)

oh okay thanks, I didn't know if it wouldn't work as good if it had been frozen and then thawed.


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## stchupa (Apr 25, 2006)

*Re: yeast*

I find when I add excess activ. yeast prior to fly introduction generally the culture tends to transpire(dry) prematurely than it would otherwise. Unless compensated for w/ more liquid, not always easily done for yeast. Adding active in place of brewers' is a deffinate don't even bother to attempt type scenario, live yeast is a sponge that would never quit expanding if it could/when you give it the chance. As long as the breeders stock you use to recolonize your new cultures came from a flourishing culture where yeast is present the use of active yeast is unneccessary, though it may be helpful to some who tend to have issues w/ mold

As for Malt O Meal, two words becoming all to familiar...

RE-CALL and of all things "salmonella" :?:


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## bruce (Feb 23, 2007)

I've been using this mix for about a year with great results, especially where mold is a factor. In comparison to the dry mixes/add water, for me at least, this constantly outperforms. They say hydei are limited on this medium but I have had mixed results, I'd be interested in what others think.


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