How To Make Rhinoceros/Stag Beetle Substrate New Video

Ratmosphere

Ratmosphere

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Moderator
Here’s the simpler, easy to follow version. Needed space on my phone and had to get this video off. Idk, might delete later. 



 
Thank you for sharing! Great video!

Where do you get those nice bags? They look expensive.

 
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You're able to make the process to work without regularly rotating the substrate to get it to ferment evenly?  To help put fresh air into the mixture, I rotate my batches twice a day for the month it takes for fermentation to complete (a month, if the weather stays consistently hot).  I don't use the bag method though - I have ventilated drums that can be rolled.

 
Yes, it ferments but you need to split the 20lb bag into the two poly bags so it could all breathe. For the best results though you should turn the bags every other day. I put that in the description but also should have put it in the video. 

 
As opposed to the first method? I'd say yes. Easier to tumble the half full bags every few days than mix buckets everyday. 

 
Bumping this... not sure if I should create a new thread. 

Very curious how this method works for people. Next batch I'm going to make a video of egg to larvae stages, to pupa and to adult with my sub method. 

If any of you tried this method please let me know how it worked for you! Good or bad, very curious to hear it all.

 
I tried the bags but started too late in the year (September/October) so I had to move them indoors (too cold outside). They worked well but had a couple issues. First, I found the substrate dried out really quickly. When they were outside, I just hosed the bags down every couple days. Indoors, I had to open them up to add more water. Not super annoying but something to be mindful of.

The most annoying problem was fungus gnats because they easily laid eggs in the substrate through the weave of the material. This wasn't a problem outdoors but once I moved the bags indoors, I had fungus gnats everywhere. The fungus gnat larvae was also throughout the soil so I started microwaving the substrate before use to kill off all the larvae.

For my last couple batches, I ended up using 5 gallon buckets with some weedcloth over over top to keep fungus gnats out. Instead of stirring the buckets with a stick, I just put the regular lid on and rolled the buckets back and forth every couple days and the substrate mixed very well. So far, I'm liking this method. 

 
Wow interesting method! I too find it harder in the colder months because it dries out easier. Just cant wait until the temps are 70 degrees and up!

 
Hi, is there a difference in the recipe for making stag beetle flakesoil vs rhinobeetle flakesoil? I read it was just moisture level. 

 
can i ask, what is the  composition mixture for making this flake soil?

like how much wheat bran and yeast for 20lb of oak pellet?

 
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