# Keeping FFs in the dark increases production.



## moothefrog (May 16, 2008)

I have tried this many times.In the dark,out out of the dark.It yields a lot more fruit flies.Any one tried this?


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## boogsawaste (Jun 28, 2008)

Mine are always in the dark under the tank stand in complete darkness. It works great for me. Back when I was first into darts I kept the flies out in the open and I definitely did not get the results I get now. But before I jump to conclusions on my own observations I was using a different media then now so nothing conclusive can come from my own "test". 

But the dark is working great for me now.


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

i have been keeping mine in the dark(laundry room)stays pretty warm in there.i have four already and i bought a new culture yesterday.i have no frogs yet and five is overboard for the frogs i will have but im trying to get the hang of it,but the dark is where i keep mine.works for me!


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## hexentanz (Sep 18, 2008)

Before I made my cabinets i kept the cultures on top of our tv cabinet , recently i moved them in to the cabinet which receives no light other then when i open the door to get flies out and already the cultures are booming.


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## Roadrunner (Mar 6, 2004)

I talk w/ a guy who runs a ff lab. They produce better given a light/dark cycle given all other conditions are equal. It`s probably warmer or less draft increasing humidity or something along those lines. It`s all about what works for you.


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

Agreed regarding Temps.

s


frogfarm said:


> I talk w/ a guy who runs a ff lab. They produce better given a light/dark cycle given all other conditions are equal. It`s probably warmer or less draft increasing humidity or something along those lines. It`s all about what works for you.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Keeping the flies in the dark may be producing a ff that is deficient in source of vitamin A (provided you use a media that supplies sufficient carotenoids to convert to A) as the flies need the light to convert beta carotene to an anlog of retinol. 

Ed


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## moothefrog (May 16, 2008)

They are not in the total dark.I leave a little light in for about 2 hrs each day.


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## skips (Dec 15, 2008)

Do they need UV light for that conversion? i.e. direct sunlight or a UV bulb. You know, like we need to convert...vitamin D i think?


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## boogsawaste (Jun 28, 2008)

skips said:


> Do they need UV light for that conversion? i.e. direct sunlight or a UV bulb. You know, like we need to convert...vitamin D i think?


Good question since a lot of people use glass containers which would filter out the UV anyway. I use plastic tall deli cups but am not sure if that filters UV or not as I've never even thought of it.


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## nish07 (Mar 16, 2008)

I've talked to Ed about this through emails but I'm wondering if anyone has a better idea than external balasting a T5 (non-HO) into my ff cabinet/incubator. It's a mini fridge (pics are on the site somewhere) converted with a heat lamp and temperature controller to be good temps for ff production. It works well but I'd like to light it for the reasons Ed stated. I get burned when I put the back of my hand on a T5HO bulb. Before I buy a non HO ballast and bulb setup, I'd like to know it's not going to burn the back of the fridge or one of the cultures cups if it happens to touch it. Would a UVB bulb be better?

-Nish


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

skips said:


> Do they need UV light for that conversion? i.e. direct sunlight or a UV bulb. You know, like we need to convert...vitamin D i think?


The references I have seen just specify light and do not specify UV.. from what I have seen the photoconversion here is not UV driven however while short time exposure to light is better than none... it doesn't equate to the same amount of exposure as if the flies had exposure to 10-12 hours a day. 

Ed


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## skips (Dec 15, 2008)

Ed said:


> The references I have seen just specify light and do not specify UV.. from what I have seen the photoconversion here is not UV driven however while short time exposure to light is better than none... it doesn't equate to the same amount of exposure as if the flies had exposure to 10-12 hours a day.
> 
> Ed[/QUOTE
> Ok, good deal. Thanks Ed.


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