# Drying substrate



## harpy (Mar 10, 2006)

What a pain it is to expand the substrate blocks, and then dry them out completely to silicone to the background. Any good tips on fast-forwarding this process?

Pastor Josh, I think you should sell bags of pre-expanded, and pre-dried substrate! Just open the ziplock, and start siliconing!

Greg


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

You can buy basically the same stuff at any Petco or Petsmart already expanded - its called Jungle bedding (i think). Sometimes it has some pretty large coconut chunks in it, but works pretty well. Smetimes its still a little moist, just spread a thin layer on a cookie sheet and slip it into the oven for a little bit when the significat other is not looking. I bake it, mix in some spahgnum, and away I go!


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

Buy a "brick" of peat moss at your local hardware store. 2.2 cuft will run you about 6 bucks


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

I have expanded them then squeezed it out with my hands and spread it out on a large sheet of plastic with a small fan running over it. It takes a day or so and its dry again and ready for a background.


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## fishfry (Aug 20, 2006)

I squeezed the water out with my hand and spread it out in a large shallow cardboard box in the sun, it dried out in no time at all, but this is Southern California and the weather was in the 90s.  

Alternatively I have heard of people drying it out in the oven at a low temperature.


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## iljjlm (Mar 5, 2006)

You can move to florida, add enough water to expand it then set it out in the sun on a sheet. It will only take a couple of hours to dry. Only drawback in this is moving to florida.
-Dave


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## Guest (Sep 1, 2006)

defaced said:


> Buy a "brick" of peat moss at your local hardware store. 2.2 cuft will run you about 6 bucks


this is the easiest method ive found


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

Espeically when that brick can do like 50 backgrounds.


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## Guest (Sep 1, 2006)

i use it in my soil mix to. i bought one bag about 3years ago. ive built a lot of vivs and replaced a lot of soil using the stuff. $6 definatly goes a long way with it!


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

I agree with Landon and Mike but if you're stuck with the coco fiber, easiest thing to do is get an old pillow case, and put the coco fiber inside. Tie it off and then toss it in the drier for 1/2 hr or so.

I have the Peat cube though. I think that thing will last for ever. Haha.


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

I think I've went through one a year on average. But that's with my mom stealing some for her garden.


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## harpy (Mar 10, 2006)

Thanks for the replies everyone. Peat cube...I did not know that. I suppose that's why you guys get paid the big bucks, huh?

Thanks again, peat it is!

And I placed my order from Antone this afternoon, and my glass lids were completed by the glass shop today for 26 bucks. By golly, I'm learning!

Greg


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## DartMan (Nov 29, 2005)

Cake pan, 1 hour @ 200-degrees F. 

I bake for 30 minutes, then remove and stir around and put it back in. I re-stir every 10 minutes during the last 30 minutes of baking.

Pull out from oven and let sit for about an hour stirring it once or twice to release the slight moisture thats remaining.


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## jdcook72 (Sep 12, 2006)

*Microwave?*

I was going to ask if microwaving would be ok as I'm starting to build my first viv and was going to ask about drying substrate when I found Greg's post. If people are baking their substrate I can't immagine what would be wrong with the microwave but I wanted to ask around first to be sure.

Microwaves only work on the moisture in items when "cooking" so I think this would be fine to use on the rehydrated compressed stuff.

Thoughts?


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## DartMan (Nov 29, 2005)

Well, ..... if it's your microwave good luck!  

If it's your wife's microwave ......... well, you figure it out!   

To be honest with you, I don't know how a microwave would do??????

Keep us posted with your outcome.


Oh yeh, GOOD LUCK! :wink:


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## Guest (Sep 19, 2006)

i *think* the problem with the microwave is fire. when you heat it in the micro you arent going to have ny way of controlling what temp it gets up to. be careful about setting it on fire


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## jdcook72 (Sep 12, 2006)

Well, it takes about 15 minutes to dry out 1/3 of a brick (7-8 liter size). I Soaked it overnight and this afternoon I tried drying it in the microwave. After doing this experiment I would recomend only getting the stuff mostly dry in the microwave, just to speed up the process and not completely dry it this way. Because (to my surprise :shock: ) it will start to smolder  

2mnytnx was right about that, it's a good thing I was checking it frequently. It didn't burst into flames but I'm guessing it would if left in long enough.

DartMan: It's my girlfriend's microwave, lucky for me she is at work. The windows are open right now as I'm trying to air out that smokey smell before she gets home :wink: 

I'm thinking an hour or so in a regular oven on low is the safer way to speed things up, I don't think the half hour saved is worth the risk.


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## DartMan (Nov 29, 2005)

Joe,

I order to keep this "hush-hush" to your girl friend about your little near mishap with the microwave thing, you have buy EVERYONE one this thread a pair of PDF's of our choice. 8) 

Understand where I'm going with this? I knew you would. We have ways of finding you in Idaho.  

Use the oven man.


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

I have friends out there who have ways of getting people to do what they want. So we've got a local hook up. 

In that case, either a pair of Std Lamasi or Reticulatus. I'll have to get back to you on which on exactly. 

:wink:


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## Guest (Sep 20, 2006)

you can send me frogs of your choice


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## Guest (Sep 20, 2006)

> I was going to ask if microwaving would be ok as I'm starting to build my first viv and was going to ask about drying substrate when I found Greg's post. If people are baking their substrate I can't immagine what would be wrong with the microwave but I wanted to ask around first to be sure.
> 
> Microwaves only work on the moisture in items when "cooking" so I think this would be fine to use on the rehydrated compressed stuff.
> 
> Thoughts?


this reminds me of a couple winters ago. i was plowing for the winter, and i woke up at 3:00 am to go out and plow. i was in a hurry and couldnt find any dry socks. i have a bunch of water soaked socks from the previous night. so i stuck a pair in the microwave, then went to put my coveralls on. about 30 seconds later i hear my girlfriend screaming her brains out. i ran downstairs and my socks were on fire in the microwave :twisted: ....well, i didnt wear socks that night....

nick


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## pl259 (Feb 27, 2006)

I never bothered soaking the bricks and broke them up by hand over a 5 gallon pail. No need to dry. 

EricG.NH


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

I actually think it's a good idea to wet it. Let me explain why.

I've been using coco fiber to make my springtail culture mix. I add a few things to it.

First I put smaller pieces of coco brick in a blender (smaller pieces is the key). I blend it down to powder. Then I wet it. 

Even though it is powder - it *still* expands. I think it is smart to allow the coco fiber to expand first, then dry. I would hypothesize that it dries a little larger in size than when it is compressed.

If you place the coco fiber on the background without wetting it first - I think it _might_ cause problems with the background. I haven't done it so I cannot say for sure.

By the way - *everyone* should have a blender in their frogroom. I use mine all the time. I bought a new one for my wife and absconded with the old one. :? 

Scott
Sanford, Maine


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## Guest (Oct 10, 2006)

Scott, i have a food processor! does that count as a blender  i think its a neccesary part of my room, but i use it mostly for making fish foods.

thats interested what you say about the undried coco fiber. im ammused that some one esle had the same hypothesis as me. ive never tried it, but because of logistics, i wont. its not worth the hassle, when i can just dry it. but, my new prefered method is to use peat instead.


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

Landon - I don't use it as a cover for foaming either. Just hypothesizing.

s


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## Socks of Christ (4 mo ago)

Can you bake the dirt at 300+ degrees Fahrenheit?


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

You can dry coco fiber in an oven, though best to use low temps if possible. It dries fine just out in the room too.

This is an ancient discussion with posters who are no longer around, so I'll close this one out.


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