# Fruit fly media preservative



## PappaFrog (Feb 27, 2012)

Does anyone use calcium propionate as a preservative in their FF cultures? I know this is used for preserving bread products. Is it safer to use Methylparaben, which I believe is used to preserve fruits. I am asking because fruit fly cultures seem to be made more of bread products that fruit products, so it seems that calcium propionate should be a better preservative for the cultures.

Am I way off base here?


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## TheCoop (Oct 24, 2012)

I tried it as a substitute to M.P a few years ago.. All I know is I got some of the most beautiful mold I have ever seen in a FF culture when I used it lol..


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## NickJR (Jul 28, 2011)

I just use vinegar and cinnamon and never get mold...

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## TheCoop (Oct 24, 2012)

I agree with Nick, his method works well also..


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## PappaFrog (Feb 27, 2012)

NickJR said:


> I just use vinegar and cinnamon and never get mold...
> 
> Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2


Is the cinnamon a preservative or used to make the culture smell better?


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## Rusty_Shackleford (Sep 2, 2010)

PappaFrog said:


> Is the cinnamon a preservative or used to make the culture smell better?


While it undoubtedly makes the cultures smell better, I believe I've heard that cinnamon has anti-fungal properties. 


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## Ghost vivs (Sep 26, 2010)

Both.

Cinnamon History - The History of Cinnamon

Casper




PappaFrog said:


> Is the cinnamon a preservative or used to make the culture smell better?


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## PappaFrog (Feb 27, 2012)

Thanks for the replies.
I tried only vinegar before without the cinnamon but got a lot of mold. I'll try it with the cinnamon. What ratios should be used for the vinegar/cinnamon mix?


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## Mike1980 (Apr 10, 2013)

I just started mixing my own media with applesause, instant potato, cinnamon, purified water, and a dash of vinegar. No mold and getting decent yeilds! The cinnamon seems to inhibit the mold growth.


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## laborelch (Jul 21, 2012)

PappaFrog said:


> Thanks for the replies.
> I tried only vinegar before without the cinnamon but got a lot of mold. I'll try it with the cinnamon. What ratios should be used for the vinegar/cinnamon mix?



I use 2 tsp of cinnamon on 15 cups of media. Then 1/3 cup of medium + 50/50 hot water/vinegar.


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## PappaFrog (Feb 27, 2012)

laborelch said:


> I use 2 tsp of cinnamon on 15 cups of media. Then 1/3 cup of medium + 50/50 hot water/vinegar.


Great. Thanks, I thought that the cinnamon was sprinkled on top of the media, like you would with bakers yeast. But, as you indicated it is mixed through out the media.


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

Never had mold. I use cinnamon, not vinegar, but peach fruit juice for my "Diy" media.


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## NickJR (Jul 28, 2011)

I use instant mashed potatoes no measure just eyeball it... Cinnamon, sugar, applesauce, Half vinegar and half water mixed until everything is the consistency of applesauce. Been doing thiz method over a year and get alot of fruit flys.. Just as much as purchased mediums with almost no cost!

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## RibbidyReptiles (Jul 14, 2012)

I have always just used mashed potato flakes, nutritional yeast, sugar, and cinnamon to make the media and than mixed it with 50/50 vinegar with water.
I get lots of flies and have never seen mold. But i must add that this seems to only work with melos. When used with hydei you get some amazing blue mold


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## r.avalos (Apr 10, 2013)

NickJR said:


> I use instant mashed potatoes no measure just eyeball it... Cinnamon, sugar, applesauce, Half vinegar and half water mixed until everything is the consistency of applesauce. Been doing thiz method over a year and get alot of fruit flys.. Just as much as purchased mediums with almost no cost!
> 
> Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2


Does this work with both melos and hydei ff as well? And what exactly is the applesauce for?


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## packer43064 (Nov 30, 2010)

r.avalos said:


> Does this work with both melos and hydei ff as well? And what exactly is the applesauce for?


http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62277

Try this link. You don't need a fancy recipe...not that the person your talking too is fancy recipe. Vinegar works well ...completely agree.

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## r.avalos (Apr 10, 2013)

packer43064 said:


> A guide to making FF cultures - Dendroboard
> 
> Try this link. You don't need a fancy recipe...not that the person your talking too is fancy recipe. Vinegar works well ...completely agree.
> 
> Sent from my SGH-T839 using Tapatalk 2


Thank you for the link, it was useful.


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