[Killietalk] Grindal culture on synthetic media (was re: White WormKeeper)

["Ron @ CCK" <ronwill at starhub_net.sg>]

Dear RJ,

I was on graveyard shift the past week but did manage to get some the 
things you've listed;

> So if you are interested, start with the following purchases:
> 3 plastic shoe boxes Steralite or equivelent. The lids should
> fit snugly but not be air tight.
The use of shoe boxes is not widely practiced locally but the corner 
store had some plastic 4-box sets on offer.  Will this work?
http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/fishz/grindal/Soiless/GrindalBoxT.JPG

> Aquire sufficient scrubber pads to cover the bottom of 2 of
> the shoe boxes 5 or six layers deep. Note, they need not cover
> the entire bottom of the shoe box. There is nothing wrong with
> being able to see the water bath when opening the top.
Near the corner store, I bought some filter wool, commonly used in 
tank-mounted overflow filters.  Can I suppliment and combine the wool to 
make up for the thickness?

> The scrubbers shoud be equivelent to the green 3M variety used
> in households to clean dishes.  You can usually find them at
> 99 cent shops in the US.
The nearest equivalent to the 3M product scrubbers you described was 
this; 
http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/fishz/grindal/Soiless/Grindal3Mpads.JPG
These are 5pc packs measuring 75x100mm each.  I didn't buy alot of it, 
in case it wasn't the correct item.  If it is, then I'll go buy more.

> Obtain 2 plastic bags large enough to be sealed around two
> of the shoe boxes.
I have those thin and white garbage bags... but what would I need them 
for if there's already a well fitting lid?

> Although the synthetic white worm and the grindle worm
> are substancially the same size and appearance, they
> clumped differently in water.
Can you expand on the 'synthetic white worm' and are they able to 
tolerate higher temps than 'regular' white worms?  In my grindal 
culture, I'm also looking a 2 different crawlers and one of them look 
awfully like overgrown planaria.

> Now as to your question regarding the bacteria culture came from.
> I really don't recall and therefore must assume that it came in
> airborne.
If I had my boxes 'sealed' albeit for the breathing holes, do I just 
wait for a bacteria colony to appear?

> Ronnie, as you are too far away to get an established
> synthetic culture, I will help you set up your culure
> where you are.
Thanks RJ.  A couple of fellow hobbyists will be joining me with this 
project and will likely be following this thread as well.

I'm doing a simple page for personal reference, lest I get forgetful, as 
my own box progresses.  It's at; 
http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/fishz/grindal/Soiless/Grindal_Culture.html

> If you are interested and once you have gotten to this point
> let me know.
Ok RJ, now that I've gotten those stuffs, what am I to do next?

Best regards,
Ronnie Lee
Singapore



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