# Spring Tails. Best substrate is...?



## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

What si the best substrate for tropical spring tails?

Right now I had three small cultures to supplement my vents diet.

One (original) had a lot of substrate, i believe coco bedding. Then I had two more with less substrate and they produced less spring tails.

I would like to begin feeding my vents more spring tails, but am finding this hard.

I placed a pieces of charcoal in each to transfer the spring tails into the tank, but just not enough are producing.

I fed them apple, broccoli, cucumbers, and ass they began to decay they would eat it.

Any ideas? What is best substrate?


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## Hayden (Feb 4, 2007)

I fed them apple, broccoli, cucumbers, and ass

Just a suggestion, but maybe you should lay off feeding them ass!!! :lol:


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

Hayden said:


> I fed them apple, broccoli, cucumbers, and ass
> 
> Just a suggestion, but maybe you should lay off feeding them ass!!! :lol:



Uh, what the heck are you talking about. Thanks for nothing...


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## qwertkb2d (Aug 14, 2007)

*Springtail Substrate*

Don't mind him...he's just pointing out your typo in your question by being an *ASS himself.

For springtails I'd use something that has more surface area then co-coa bedding. I know some people that have tried fir, but it decays rather quickly according to them.

The best thing I have found is to use either porous rock like lava or charcoal chunks on the bottom of the container. Then I sprinkle peat on there. The peat is used to keep everything moist as it has an incredible capacity to hold water. Then add about a centimeter or so of water in the bottom. Put the cap on the container and you are good to go.

Also, you may want to try using different food. I've had the most effect by purchasing a container of mixed flake food for fish. They like the red colored ones the best, but will eat them all. After a couple weeks of using fish food my cultures boomed.

Hope this helps!


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## superjalami30 (Mar 28, 2007)

I've noticed that fish fry food works really well.
When I started using it my cultures literally exploded in a week.

"Nutrifin basics staple food for fry" is the stuff I've been using.


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

I keep mine on charcoal and feed them rice.


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## jaysnakes (Jul 5, 2006)

I've been using coco-fiber and orchid bark chips mixed together in 6qt Sterilite shoeboxes. The substrate is about an inch thick and I feed the springs honestly what ever I have laying around: fish flakes, rice, Gerber baby oatmeal, and bakers yeast. I've found that if you feed to much you will attract fungus gnats and your cultures may crash. So i just feed enough to last the springs about 2-3days then feed them again. My production is booming and I alternate between each tub for feeding everyday.


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## IN2DEEP (Aug 7, 2007)

I mixed equal amounts of leca balls, coco bedding, and sphagnum moss. Just so it's about 2" thick and just make sure it's pretty moist. Standing water just makes a smelly mess. I use the spring food from Ed's Fly Meat. I sprinle alot into and on a wet springtail condo (a few pieces of corrugated cardboard held together with rubberband) placed ontop of substrate. Sprinkle alittle on the rest of substrate to keep the suburbs happy. When the condo is white, pick it up and shake like salt shaker into the tank. My condos are 2"x3"x1.5" and i use clearish containers to see when they are loaded up. Sure beats shaking random pieces or flooding containers and using a spoon! I've saved spring cultures from pest (mites and mini earthworms) by eliminating food and condo for a few days, placing a piece of wet cardboard in there and pouring fish food on the top/center of it, when you get a large population of pest on it, throw the cardboard outside. Repeat a few times untill most of pest are gone and put the condo back.


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## Hayden (Feb 4, 2007)

MonopolyBag said:


> Hayden said:
> 
> 
> > I fed them apple, broccoli, cucumbers, and ass
> ...


You guys have absolutely no sense of humor whatsoever. Sorry I didn't help but I did bump your thread up at least. Anyway, I have several different cultures, some on charcoal and some on coco fiber and I get much higher yields from the cultures that are kept on coco fiber. Oh and I feed strictly yeast and have had great results.


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

kyle1745 said:


> I keep mine on charcoal and feed them rice.


Just Charcoal Kyle? And by the way, where can I get Charcoal? Can i make it myself by burning wood?

Oh, and Hayden, after rereading my post a couple of time, I found it funnier... it does sound like I feed them cucumber, broccoli, apple, and ass.

Personally, the ass seems to be working good.


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## pl259 (Feb 27, 2006)

*Hayden said*


> You guys have absolutely no sense of humor whatsoever.


I thought it was a funny. We should all be together enough to laugh at ourselves. The world could use more of that.

I use large charcoal as a substrate and whatever for food(rice. pasta, cukes, no ass). You can find the chunk natural wood charcoal at WM and some super markets. It's also at orchid supply places.


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## sports_doc (Nov 15, 2004)

Mine do not do as well on straight charcoal. 


What works best for me is a combination of coco husk chunks, some coco bedding mixed in, tree firn fiber and leaf mold. Keeps it light and airy.

I cover the mix with an inch of moist sphagnum and feed purely yeast (keeps the mites at a minimum, b/c they love the richer foods)

Best,

S


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## sports_doc (Nov 15, 2004)

pl259 said:


> *Hayden said*
> 
> 
> > You guys have absolutely no sense of humor whatsoever.
> ...


and the buttocks typo joke wasnt funny....

:roll:


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

OK, Well in terms of yeast, live yeast I assume from your picture.

SO I think i got the basics down. I bought a larger container too to house them in. I will try tog et some substrate soon too.


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## Hayden (Feb 4, 2007)

sports_doc said:


> pl259 said:
> 
> 
> > *Hayden said*
> ...


I admit it was a bit corny, but I just couldn't resist myself... :wink:


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

Uh............................... ok.


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## Drew (Nov 9, 2006)

I am really just starting to culture springtails. I have multiple cultures of both the tropical and temperate varieties going. Some are on charcoal, some on bark/coco fiber, and one of each on hydroton (didn't have charcoal left). At this point can't say which is better, but the bark-fiber seem to be outpacing the others. My original cultures (charcoal) are the only ones that are booming, the others are still a work in progress.


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