# A little rice goes a long way!



## Tinctoc (Sep 15, 2012)

I was doing cultures this evening and decided to check on the springtails to see if they needed more rice or not and I just couldn't resist taking a pic of the bomb! (this is a 9"x13") sterlite container, BTW)


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## eyeviper (May 23, 2006)

Thats a lot of springs!


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## Tinctoc (Sep 15, 2012)

eyeviper said:


> Thats a lot of springs!


haha yea, and that's just one corner of the container. I think it's time to start a new one or 2 or 3 LOL!


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## mongo77 (Apr 28, 2008)

I don't know where I've been. I didn't realize that you can feed rice to them. Do you feel that they respond better to the rice versus flake fish food?


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## Tinctoc (Sep 15, 2012)

mongo77 said:


> I don't know where I've been. I didn't realize that you can feed rice to them. Do you feel that they respond better to the rice versus flake fish food?


I've been having better results when using yeast and rice vs. fish food.


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## papafrogger (Oct 21, 2012)

Do you use cooked or uncooked rice? Ive been using yeast and uncooked rice but the rice just seems like it isnt doing anything


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## kevin575 (May 7, 2012)

Thanks for the post. That is alot of springs! I thought I had alot, and was afraid that maybe they were getting close to being over populated (giving off their lower the population scent). But I'm way, away from that point lol. I been useing yeast, on leaves. Maybe by putting it on leaves slows the population boom. But I've been warned that fouling the water could make it crash. But anyways, I'm going to try a little rice now.


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## Tinctoc (Sep 15, 2012)

papajuggalo said:


> Do you use cooked or uncooked rice? Ive been using yeast and uncooked rice but the rice just seems like it isnt doing anything


Instant dry...so I'm assuming it's pre-blanched, at least. Basically what happens is the rice goes in dry, becomes a mushy mess soon and then molds. BLING!



kevin575 said:


> Thanks for the post. That is alot of springs! I thought I had alot, and was afraid that maybe they were getting close to being over populated (giving off their lower the population scent). But I'm way, away from that point lol. I been useing yeast, on leaves. Maybe by putting it on leaves slows the population boom. But I've been warned that fouling the water could make it crash. But anyways, I'm going to try a little rice now.


That's the idea behind charcoal, I believe...to prevent the water from becoming too fouled.


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## Tinctoc (Sep 15, 2012)

I knew better than to show off the springtails. The entire culture crashed due to my own stupidity! I had somehow forgotten that they needed ventilation and the last feeding caused a big 'explosion' of mold which I believe choked them out. Only one single day of not opening the culture is all it took. I came home from work and tended to my frog duties and when I opened the culture there was a horrible smell followed by the sight of thousands of dead springs.  Looks like it's time to start anew...I'm just glad it happened now and not when I actually needed them for pumilio froglets.


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## JPccusa (Mar 10, 2009)

I had this happen to me on a small tub. Good thing I had already divided my culture. 
Going forward, purchase some .3 micron filters and glue them to your lids. This is what it looks like:









Info on the filters here: http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/fo...-isopods-woodlice-springtails.html#post585626


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

I cant seem to get production even close to that. I feed yeast primarily. But using a peat/leaf mixture for substrate. havnt figured out what I'm doing wrong. Cultures stay stable, but never any big boom.


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## Tinctoc (Sep 15, 2012)

JPccusa said:


> I had this happen to me on a small tub. Good thing I had already divided my culture.
> Going forward, purchase some .3 micron filters and glue them to your lids. This is what it looks like:
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks so much! I have more (both temporate and tropicals) on the way and I'll definitely get it right this time!


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## Tinctoc (Sep 15, 2012)

One question, where can I find these filters?


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## JPccusa (Mar 10, 2009)

It is on Pumilo's thread I linked earlier, but here it goes: 70 mm Synthetic Filter Discs--Set of 10 - Fungi.com


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## Tinctoc (Sep 15, 2012)

JPccusa said:


> It is on Pumilo's thread I linked earlier, but here it goes: 70 mm Synthetic Filter Discs--Set of 10 - Fungi.com


Oh...I read the thread but must have missed the link. Thanks!


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## Tinctoc (Sep 15, 2012)

Well for some reason, I decided to open the culture up and have one last look before I dumped it. Most of them had sprang back up (pun intended) and were alive! There were still quite a few dead, but the culture isn't entirely lost.


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## bkochis (Sep 23, 2016)

JPccusa said:


> I had this happen to me on a small tub. Good thing I had already divided my culture.
> Going forward, purchase some .3 micron filters and glue them to your lids. This is what it looks like:
> 
> 
> ...


JP, I would think a basket coffee filter could be used for the same purpose. Admittedly 3 micron is tiny, but replacing a coffee filter would be less expensive. Thoughts?


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## Denny (Jul 1, 2016)

holy spring tails!! rice is the best! try brewers yeast also. they love it.


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## Marcello (Dec 3, 2016)

I will be adding some rice. Thank you


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