# Coffee filters for culture tops?



## Puff (Jan 15, 2013)

Just wondering if it's okay to use coffee filters to cover the tops of the cultures, or is it too thick? Basically Ill just put the coffee filter on top and screw the jar cap on, of course the cap has holes for air.

Also, is it okay to use shredded paper(I have a lot from junk mail) instead of excelsior? Is it too thin for it?


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## kcexotics (Jul 23, 2012)

I use them with rubber bands and solo cups.It will dry out your culture if it's not very humid.I use the coffee filters in the media too.Shredded paper will fall out when your shaking out flies and most likely mold.If you have a screw top on your culture a filter wont hold up and probally need changed every time you open it.You could try tyvek,you can get it for free a the post office.Priorty mail envelopes.I've never used it for fruit flies,but it would allow air exchange and hold up better than a filter.


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## bobrez (Sep 10, 2011)

Coffee filters work awesome, you do havta be careful with it drying out, that is before the maggots start doing thier thing.


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## TheCoop (Oct 24, 2012)

I have been using coffee filters for 10+ years and they work great..


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## TDK (Oct 6, 2007)

I use coffee filters over fruit jars for bean beetles as well as fruit flies and for the fruit flies I use the plastic grocery bags just cut to length to fit the jar and then pushed into the media. Good re-use of bag.


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## Puff (Jan 15, 2013)

TDK said:


> I use coffee filters over fruit jars for bean beetles as well as fruit flies and for the fruit flies I use the plastic grocery bags just cut to length to fit the jar and then pushed into the media. Good re-use of bag.


Oh then you don't have to wash the jars? just throw away the plastic?


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## Ripley71 (May 14, 2011)

I wouldn't think coffee filters would be too thick. The cheap basket filters are thin enough. I haven't used them for culture tops but as the "stuffing" for the flies. Recently I have been using clean wrags as the ventilation.

Junk mail I'm not sure would work as a ff "stuffing" I would think there is a toxicfilm over it - like newpaper, but I have never used it.


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## TDK (Oct 6, 2007)

Puff said:


> Oh then you don't have to wash the jars? just throw away the plastic?


Yeah-I wash the jars and throw away the plastic.


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## stevendart14 (Feb 21, 2005)

TDK said:


> I use coffee filters over fruit jars for bean beetles as well as fruit flies and for the fruit flies I use the plastic grocery bags just cut to length to fit the jar and then pushed into the media. Good re-use of bag.


Do you got a pic of one of your grocery bag cultures?


I always use coffee filter tops also, mine stay connected to my mason jar lid and they take alot of abuse


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## TDK (Oct 6, 2007)

Here is one dated 12-25-12, hopefully you can see that it is producing heavily and one I just setup tonight dated 1-18-13. I date the top of the coffee filter with a Sharpie pen and note if I tried any different mix recipe.


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## Blue_Pumilio (Feb 22, 2009)

I just use two layers of paper towels, works great.


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## radiata (Jul 24, 2010)

TDK said:


> Here is one dated 12-25-12, hopefully you can see that it is producing heavily and one I just setup tonight dated 1-18-13. I date the top of the coffee filter with a Sharpie pen and note if I tried any different mix recipe.


I've *NOT* been pleased with the way metal Mason Jar tops/lids turn to rust. White plastic replacement tops are available at both my supermarket and Amazon. For this particular application, you'd just need to drill a few holes in them...


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## radiata (Jul 24, 2010)

TDK said:


> Here is one dated 12-25-12, hopefully you can see that it is producing heavily and one I just setup tonight dated 1-18-13. I date the top of the coffee filter with a Sharpie pen and note if I tried any different mix recipe.


I've *NOT* been pleased with the way metal Mason Jar tops/lids turn to rust. White plastic replacement tops are available at both my supermarket and Amazon. For this particular application, you'd just need to drill a few holes in them...


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## TDK (Oct 6, 2007)

radiata said:


> I've *NOT* been pleased with the way metal Mason Jar tops/lids turn to rust. White plastic replacement tops are available at both my supermarket and Amazon. For this particular application, you'd just need to drill a few holes in them...


I throw the tops/lids away and just use the rings so that the coffee covers the entire opening to allow for more ventilation. Just be sure when you are adding mix to dry the outside and inside of jar opening with a paper towell and you won't have any problems. I've done this for years and reused the same jars and screw on rings and no rust what so ever as you can see from the photos.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Puff said:


> Oh then you don't have to wash the jars? just throw away the plastic?


I think he's using the plastic inside the jars the way you would use excelsior (and the way I use coffee filters). I'm going to try the plastic bag method asap. I hate when the coffee filter melts into the media and kills the culture. 

I use canning jars, take out the round insert leaving just the ring, put the filter over the mouth of the jar and screw the ring on. I find that my cultures with coffee filters get mites at a much slower rate than the cultures with the standard cup/lid.

eta: nvm. He just explained it and even showed pics, lol.


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## TDK (Oct 6, 2007)

The coffee filters seem to "wick" the water out of the mix and then colapse and catch flies and pupae in it. The plastic bag doesn't wick the water and don't collapse and the flies seem to pupate very well on it. I usually use the corners and cut to the length of the jar and then take what is left over and cut it to length and use it as well. I usually only use one section but two may even work better providing twice the surface. I got tired of driving to but the excelsior and then cleanig up the mess I always made using it. The bags come with the groceries so it makes an easy supply for me plus I use them in my bathroom trash cans--doulbe whammy! Most of the time I use paper and recycle.


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## frog guy (Jan 8, 2013)

I have tried it all... vented poly lids hands down are the best... even seems like I get a better yield


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## stevendart14 (Feb 21, 2005)

TDK said:


> Here is one dated 12-25-12, hopefully you can see that it is producing heavily and one I just setup tonight dated 1-18-13. I date the top of the coffee filter with a Sharpie pen and note if I tried any different mix recipe.


Okay and the only time I'm using coffee filters is for the lid(haven't had problems). Now coffee filters inside my culture just messed up two good cultures
Thanks for the pics


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## afertuna (Jan 11, 2013)

frog guy said:


> I have tried it all... vented poly lids hands down are the best... even seems like I get a better yield


Where is there a good source for them and the continers?


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## WendySHall (Aug 31, 2010)

Fruit Fly Culturing Supplies, Fruit Fly Media | Josh's Frogs


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