Repashy and potato

[Synapze]

Has anyone tried to stretch out their supply of Repashy by adding potato flakes or powder? I tried the last time I made cultures and really couldn't tell the difference... but then again I was cautious with how many potato flakes I used. 

Has anyone tried this and have ratio suggestions? 

Also, I think I have been using too much mix in my cultures. I've recent tried using less media and have found that about an inch seems to keep the culture producing until the recommended 28 disposal date. I don't think a culture needs 2 inches of media that will be disposed of and wasted after 28-30 days. Thoughts? 

 

[ausar318]

I’m not sure about mixing them, but I’ve used only potato flakes for my cultures. It’s just so much cheaper than using a premade mix. And I’m a cheapskate ?

I use a 7:1:1 ratio of potatoes: powdered sugar: brewers yeast. I use 1/2 cup of that dry mix, put it in a jar, and add as much liquid as I need. I use 1:1:3 (approximate) ratio of Apple cider vinegar: white vinegar: water. Then I add as much extra water as I need to get the right consistency. My cultures last a really long time, my oldest one is now 40 days old, and still producing flies. I use them as starters for new cultures ?

my flies usually only eat about 1/2 of the media, so I guess you could decrease the amount you put in. Although I wouldn’t decrease it too much, as it will probably shorten the lifespan of the culture. But I agree with your statement that it is good to decrease the media amount. Especially if you’re using the premade stuff, it will definitely save you a lot of money in the long run. 

 

[Synapze]

I've tried many of the recipes and it seems that the fly larvae are larger when I use Repashy. The very basic recipe (potatoes, water, dash cinnamon/apple cider vinegar) I've used actually begins to produce faster, but the flies are noticeably smaller. I have a huge surplus of flies at the moment, so I'm taking the opportunity to experiment with new recipes. I'm going to try your dry mix recipe... dry mixes are so much more convenient. I'll set up 2 small cultures, one Repashy and your recipe and compare. The money I save can be used for better things, such as buying more mantids. ?

Since I usually toss my cultures at around 28-30 days to minimize mite issues, I think an inch may work just as well. 

Thanks for the recipe!