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Invite a friend over to help but first buy or scrounge 1 turkey baster (super large eyedropper) 1 large can chunky fruit cocktail 1 gallon of cheap red wine (in a clear or light green bottle) 1 funnel with a large neck (small enough to fit in the bottle) 1 large punch bowl 1 saucepan 1 food processor or mixer. A large block of ice First add the ice, fruit cocktail and red wine to the punch bowl and set aside. Soak the wine bottle in hot water. Hunt in your refrigerator for old green vegetables past their prime, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, lettuce, etc. Boil the old vegetables in 4 cups of water in a medium saucepan until well done. Puree the vegetables in a food processor (chop small enough to go through the funnel) and allow to cool. Clean the labels of off the large (gallon) wine bottle, and rinse with hot water (sterilize) Pour your veggie puree mixture through the funnel into the clean wine bottle. Fill the wine bottle with de-chlorinated water but leave 2" space below the neck. After the mix is room temp, add the squeezing from a dirty sponge filter that is currently in use (infusorians starter culture). Cover the jug with a piece of cheese cloth or pantyhose and a rubber band and place the infusoria jug out of the way. Pat yourself on the back, give your frind a hug for a job well done and drink a glass of Sangria (wine punch). Repete as necessary. The veggie mix will float for 3 days and then sink, leaving a cloudy liquid (infusorians). Suck the infusorians out of the bottle with the turkey baster and add to your fry tank or daphnia culture as needed. If the tank is still cloudy from the last feeding, do not add any more! When the jug starts to turn clear, it's time to make a new batch. (new bottle of wine and new friend optional) Decaying organic material is food for infusorians. (banana skin, lettuce, milk, peas, hay, potato, grain flour, crushed cereal, rabbit pellets-the ones that go in or the ones that come out). Boiling organic material used as food will break down the plant tissue so that it will decompose faster and kill any unwanted critters that may be present. Water squeezed from a sponge filter (from an established healthy aquarium) is a good source of critters (starter culture). Water from stagnant ponds, rain barrels and flower vases in which cut flowers have been standing may provide useful critters but they may contain harmful critters. Use a magnifying glass and learn to identify hydra, Cyclops and dragonfly larvae. Prepare your medium and add your starter. Fill a gallon container with water. Allow the water to age and all the chlorine and other chemical treatments to evaporate (4 days). Use "dechlorinator" chemicals sparingly as any that have no chlorine to react with will remain in the water and may be toxic to infusorians. Add your culture material, mix thoroughly, add your starter culture and cover with cloth and a rubber band to keep unwanted insects out. After a few days, the organic mater will sink to the bottom and the culture will appear cloudy and may be slightly offensive in smell. Check a sample with your magnifying glass. Infusorians look like small white moving spots. If all is OK you can start to use the culture to feed the fry. After a month, set up a new culture with a starter from your established culture. It is possible to maintain an established culture for a long time but it's good to have a backup. |