Not A Bad Start

Ratmosphere

Ratmosphere

Moderator
Moderator
Took today off from working out and explored the wilderness. Found three different rotten logs and this is what I came up with. Not a bad start; I still have a lot to go. PM me if you have any professional substrate!

(Photos deleted.)

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Nice haul! FYI, big Ziploc bags are a substrate collector's best friend, much easier to transport those bags than a whole bunch of plastic containers. Plus they hold a lot of substrate.
default_smile.png


 
I put them in tupperware containers. These cups are just the broken wood that I separated. I took a wheelbarrow into the woods, gathered decaying logs, brought them home, and started shredding. I shredded them more yesterday so it's starting to have a nice consistency.

 
Got two tubs full, need way more. Added some water to it and then dried it out a bit. The dark pieces aren't hard wood, just some red rotten wood that I stumbled upon.

(Photos deleted.)

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Today I got two more tubs full, a bag full, and a home depot bucket partially full. This process takes some time, hopefully this lasts me a while.

(Photos deleted.)

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hey, click beetles are cool! I'm currently breeding a medium sized species of Melanotus sp that I caught underneath a willow tree, and trying to breed some Ampedus sp I've had larva of for a few years now. I find them quite interesting as larva, though that's just my opinion of them.
default_smile.png


 
So some of the wood dried out and it became more stiff than the stuff that I previously collected. Can I still use it? It was really wet and easy to take apart when I collected it. I'm worried I tainted my whole supply when I added everything into one. Thoughts?

 
Ratmosphere said:
So some of the wood dried out and it became more stiff than the stuff that I previously collected. Can I still use it? It was really wet and easy to take apart when I collected it. I'm worried I tainted my whole supply when I added everything into one. Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Just wet it again, should return to it's rotten goodness.
default_smile.png


 
Thanks dude. Mixed that substrate with a small amount of organic potting soil and put it in a small deli cup with the lid on. I misted it as well. This is just a test to see if I get mold or not. Wish me luck!

 
During this test I had 5 deli cups mixed with organic potting soil and white rotten wood. I prepared 5 more that had pure white rotten wood only. I lightly misted the containers and put them in a shelf behind a door and came back days later. Note that I put lids on all of these cups with 10 air holes each. To my finding, all of them except one grew mold throughout. The one that didn't grow mold was the 100% wood. Not sure what happened. Should I add flour and yeast to ferment it more?

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top