How do I activate a substrate brick??

[CrackTaxi]

Hello everybody

I know this is a silly and obvious question, just add water, but there's more.


A little over a year ago I bought a baby B. smithi, and thinking within a few weeks or so it would be full size, I bought a few bricks of this (not that specific auction) - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171526053133

But I haven't needed it yet because my sling is still tiny and doesn't need a massive cage/home yet, so he still lives in a tiny thing that doesn't need much substrate. Just after I got him, somebody on here was kind enough to send me some bark pieces and quite a lot of substrate in a bag that was ready to use, so until now I have been using that every time I clean out my 8 leg friend's home. I have now run out of the substrate I got for free and am now about to use one of my bricks. But what shall I do??

Because my sling is still insanely small, he still lives in a plastic container thing, so I really don't need that much substrate., so I don't want to be 'activating' all of this brick, because apparently it turns into like 8L of substrate that I don't have the room or containers to store.

So what should I do? Just rip some of the brick off and add (how much) water to it?


Thank you

 

[ArachnoFreak666]

Hello everybody

I know this is a silly and obvious question, just add water, but there's more.


A little over a year ago I bought a baby B. smithi, and thinking within a few weeks or so it would be full size, I bought a few bricks of this (not that specific auction) - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171526053133

But I haven't needed it yet because my sling is still tiny and doesn't need a massive cage/home yet, so he still lives in a tiny thing that doesn't need much substrate. Just after I got him, somebody on here was kind enough to send me some bark pieces and quite a lot of substrate in a bag that was ready to use, so until now I have been using that every time I clean out my 8 leg friend's home. I have now run out of the substrate I got for free and am now about to use one of my bricks. But what shall I do??

Because my sling is still insanely small, he still lives in a plastic container thing, so I really don't need that much substrate., so I don't want to be 'activating' all of this brick, because apparently it turns into like 8L of substrate that I don't have the room or containers to store.

So what should I do? Just rip some of the brick off and add (how much) water to it?


Thank you

im guessing your talking about the cocofiber substrate bircks.. just add some water to the corner or half of it and let it seep in to get the inside wet too. then start tareing and breaking at it until you get the right amount that you want for your slings deli cup. not hard at all to do! once you get the amount you want the rest of the brick will still stay together and eventually dry out.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Do the whole brick & save the extra substrate for when it gets bigger.

 

[CrackTaxi]

im guessing your talking about the cocofiber substrate bircks.. just add some water to the corner or half of it and let it seep in to get the inside wet too. then start tareing and breaking at it until you get the right amount that you want for your slings deli cup. not hard at all to do! once you get the amount you want the rest of the brick will still stay together and eventually dry out.

Thank you for your fast answer I was just thinking if I added too much water it would be too watery and be useless.

---------- Post added 11-17-2014 at 04:43 PM ----------

Do the whole brick & save the extra substrate for when it gets bigger.

I would but I don't have anywhere to keep 8L of substrate unfortunately...

 

[ArachnoFreak666]

Thank you for your fast answer I was just thinking if I added too much water it would be too watery and be useless.

---------- Post added 11-17-2014 at 04:43 PM ----------



I would but I don't have anywhere to keep 8L of substrate unfortunately...

you don't need to add too much water just add enough to start breaking it apart, as it starts getting harder to break apart and starts getting dryer in the middle you will need to add some more water. just add water when it is necessary while you are breaking apart the substrate. if you start adding to much or have it under running water while you break it up it will end up turning out like a pile of mud. just add water as you need it and it will be fine!

 

[Bugmom]

you don't need to add too much water just add enough to start breaking it apart, as it starts getting harder to break apart and starts getting dryer in the middle you will need to add some more water. just add water when it is necessary while you are breaking apart the substrate. if you start adding to much or have it under running water while you break it up it will end up turning out like a pile of mud. just add water as you need it and it will be fine!

Yep. That's what I do. I put it in a bowl of water, standing "up" (vs long side laying down). Then it soaks up the water and I crumble off however much I need.

 

[CrackTaxi]

you don't need to add too much water just add enough to start breaking it apart, as it starts getting harder to break apart and starts getting dryer in the middle you will need to add some more water. just add water when it is necessary while you are breaking apart the substrate. if you start adding to much or have it under running water while you break it up it will end up turning out like a pile of mud. just add water as you need it and it will be fine!

OK then, thank you very much for your help

---------- Post added 11-17-2014 at 04:59 PM ----------

Yep. That's what I do. I put it in a bowl of water, standing "up" (vs long side laying down). Then it soaks up the water and I crumble off however much I need.

Awesome



So if I was to ever use a whole brick, what kind of container(s) would be used to hold 8L of substrate?

 

[ArachnoFreak666]

OK then, thank you very much for your help

---------- Post added 11-17-2014 at 04:59 PM ----------



Awesome



So if I was to ever use a whole brick, what kind of container(s) would be used to hold 8L of substrate?

your very welcome

 

[14pokies]

hey bro use half as much water as the pack suggests.. for one brick i use 2 cups of super hot water and put it in an airtight container the humidity in the container causes it to expand and not be overly wet.also you can use a knife to shave some off the brick while its dry it can be a chore tho...

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

hey bro use half as much water as the pack suggests.. for one brick i use 2 cups of super hot water and put it in an airtight container the humidity in the container causes it to expand and not be overly wet.also you can use a knife to shave some off the brick while its dry it can be a chore tho...

Does using a airtight container get you the most out of the brick?

 

[Red Eunice]

To answer the question of container size for a whole brick of coco fiber, it will fit in a 5 gallon bucket. Bricks I use are 2"x4"x8" and don't completely fill the bucket.
I get the buckets with rubber sealed lids from a fast food chain, when available, for $3. I just clean them out and place the substrate in it.
I have mainly terrestrial T's and usually have 2 buckets ready to use. I prepare mine around June/July when its hot temperatures and let the sun dry it out in the course of a day.
Better to have too much than not enough when the need arises.

 

[ratluvr76]

if you do happen to get it too wet you can wring out the extra moisture just by squeezing it and then spread it pretty thinly on a cookie sheet in the oven at 225 for an hour or two, stirring it around every 20 mins or so until it's dry.

 

[freedumbdclxvi]

Are you saying you replace all the substrate any time you clean?

 

[gobey]

Substrate brick... ACTIVATE!

Sorry

Everybody here has said what's solid... Less water than more is ideal. As otherwise you have damp sub that can take forever to dry out or won't dry out and can really bother picky tarantulas from desert areas.

It is indeed a chore though to cut and tear through and get it right. It's worth it for your 8 legged friend.

 

[cold blood]

Substrate brick... ACTIVATE!

Ummmm, that's the "wondertwins"

Ya know:

"shape of an eagle"
"form of a bucket"

Then the eagle grabs the bucket, flys by a lake and scoops up water and flies over to put out the fire. Ahhhh, that takes me back.

---------- Post added 11-17-2014 at 06:33 PM ----------

Op, what else are using the substrate for that you are out of what was once "quite a lot". Like you said, a sling would use only a small amount, even after a couple (if that) re-housings as it grew.

 

[gobey]

Shape of "eco-earth brick!"
Form of "bucket half filled with of hot water!"

SUBSTRATE ACTIVATE!

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

No, no, no. You visit the website of the manufacturer who produces the brick. There, you will find a form where you submit the activation number of the brick you purchased, which activates it. Tip: A coin is handy to scrape of the stuff that conceals the activation number. iI your brick has no such code, I'm afraid that somebody has taken the code to use on their own stolen brick and you are stuck with a brick you cannot use.

Remember, coco-brick piracy is a crime, so do not attempt to do this yourself!!

 

[Galapoheros]

Tim, no, you can hack a brick by adding water but I don't want to give out too much info here. I use one gallon freezer bags for unused coco fiber, cheap and store pretty well.

 

[cold blood]

No, no, no. You visit the website of the manufacturer who produces the brick. There, you will find a form where you submit the activation number of the brick you purchased, which activates it. Tip: A coin is handy to scrape of the stuff that conceals the activation number. iI your brick has no such code, I'm afraid that somebody has taken the code to use on their own stolen brick and you are stuck with a brick you cannot use.

Remember, coco-brick piracy is a crime, so do not attempt to do this yourself!!

I heard the agency involved in coco-brick piracy is a division of the mattress police. Real hard-asses I'm told. I have an uncle doing 20 in the clink from removing the tags from the mattresses in his rental properties back in the 90's.:wink:

 

[14pokies]

Does using a airtight container get you the most out of the brick?

no you get less but i think its worth it..if you do it the way the package suggest your stuck wringing it out until you get arthritis! lol if you dont use a container with a lid tho only the bottom half gets saturated as the brick literally grows up! the lid helps it saturate evenly.