bed-a-beast

[ahkiu]

i think if you put moist peat in the microwave for 5 minutes you should be able to sterilize it pretty well. The water will heat up and kill any mites/bugs then let it cool and just moisten it again if required before using it in your tanks

 

[Buspirone]

Its been my experience that sterilizing peat seems to make it more prone to grow mold and contamination.

 

[Code Monkey]

Originally posted by Buspirone
Its been my experience that sterilizing peat seems to make it more prone to grow mold and contamination.

Yep, which is why the behavior is discouraged.

Any substrate you use is going to be non-sterile the second you take it out of whatever you sterilised it in and put it in a container. More importantly, since sterility is only good for surgery, all you've done is created virgin territory for who knows what to move in and take over, whereas before it was a more or less stable mixture of natural and harmless fungi and bacteria.

You are far more likely to wind up with something harmful by sterilising your substrate than you are by just letting a natural mix of stuff live in there.

 

[LunarFaery]

Originally posted by Code Monkey
If you have room to store it, you can go down to a feed store and pick up a large bale of peat and a 30lb sack of vermiculite for about $30 and will never need buy substrate again for a decade.

I went and got the 30lbs of verm because, as was pointed out, large chains are a bunch of litigation fearing pansies. The asbsestos was only detected in about 15% of American verm products. Further, the amounts were at the absolute minimum to be detectable, fully legal, and more importantly, 100% safe as there is no conceivable way to introduce it into the human body in free form. Then they turn around and push perlite - perlite is nothing more than the puffed rice version of glass and when dry gives off particulate mater that's like freebasing fiberglass. But, people don't fear that

Well this newbie NEVER would have guessed that this is a more heated debate than our current war :?

Anyway....I do have the ability to store those big bales....do it with my pine shavings for my small animals. Another question....Im not sure if this is the wisest thing to do BUT here goes....what mixture? 50/50?

Im not EVEN gonna touch the sterilization subject...I have my own theroies and thats enough said.

Jen

 

[Code Monkey]

50/50 is a general, all-purpose type mixture. You can increase (or decrease) the vermiculite portion to increase (or decrease) the moisture holding capacity of the substrate.

I'm a bit puzzled by your sterility comments. This has to be one of the least controversial aspects of T care. Nobody with any knowledge on the subject thinks it does a bit of good, and most think it stands a chance of increasing the odds of getting pathogenic molds or a parasitic mite infection.

 

[LunarFaery]

Originally posted by Code Monkey
50/50 is a general, all-purpose type mixture. You can increase (or decrease) the vermiculite portion to increase (or decrease) the moisture holding capacity of the substrate.

I'm a bit puzzled by your sterility comments. This has to be one of the least controversial aspects of T care. Nobody with any knowledge on the subject thinks it does a bit of good, and most think it stands a chance of increasing the odds of getting pathogenic molds or a parasitic mite infection.

Well since Ive never kept Ts I wasnt going to say what I thought. But I agree with you. I think anything, animal or person kept away from daily germs is more bound to have a stronger and probaly more harmful reactions, than things exposed to everyday things. Ive seen things about people curious about sterile enviroments and I didnt want to throw myself in the middle of a bru ha ha when I didnt have any concret knowledge on it.....I just have my own expirences with other creatures...my children included

Also thanks for your input on the peat/vermiculite mixture.
Jen