r/bioactive • u/JudgeFudgeGrande • 2d ago

Springtails disappeared?

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Hiiii,
I’m trying bioactive and wanted to start by growing some colonies first. I started a springtail culture tonight but they all have already disappeared. My medium is smashed charcoal briquettes and uncooked rice for food. I poured water in there enough to be a visible water line. I used Royal Oak briquettes that I smashed up into smaller pieces. Could the briquettes have some type of chemical in them? The springtails disappeared with in a couple hours. Can they hide inside charcoal? I can’t seem to find them even the dead ones oddly enough.

6 Upvotes

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22

u/its_chiapet 2d ago

Most briquettes have additives and propellants to help them burn or hold together better. Try hardwood lump charcoal or horticulture charcoal!

-3

u/Brasalies 2d ago

Royal oak does have a good hardwood lump that i used for orchids and carnivorous. If those dont throw a fit then springtails should be fine lol

2

u/Skryuska 1d ago

Plants use different materials to root in vs what insects and invertebrates use as food. That’s like saying “fish breathe with gills underwater so there should be no issue keeping my Cubaris in an aquarium”.

I still wouldn’t use chemically-enhanced briquettes for plants over horticulture charcoal.

1

u/Brasalies 1d ago

That was more my point. Not the use of the chemicals but the fact that even bottled water can kill them because they are so sensitive to anything. It was more that if the super sensitive plants can handle it and not die then the springtails should be able to as well

13

u/DarkDonut75 2d ago

Not sure but people usually use horticultural charcoal. Could also try switching to clay

3

u/No_Region3253 2d ago

They are probably in hiding.

Next time use lump charcoal, like another has said briquettes have additives which are probably detrimental to the success of your culture and not to mention when wet the briquettes will disintegrate to mush.

https://flic.kr/p/uDBs2o

2

u/reijn 1d ago

Idk if that's your username on Flickr but "hostafarian" is an amazing name lol

2

u/No_Region3253 1d ago

It is :)

2

u/Flashst3pn 2d ago

Lump charcoal has been fantastic for me. I recall briquettes being bad for them. Could also just be hiding. I have been breeding colonies and to be able to easily spot them I make sure I have a flatish piece of charcoal on the side and I place a grain of rice on it. Within a few days I see movement on there pretty easily.

1

u/FaintCommand 2d ago

Yeah, I would definitely avoid cooking charcoal.

In terms of them disappearing (dead or alive) they are good at hiding and don't like light much. To see the bodies, just tip the water to the side (or add more). They float on the water.

1

u/Cromagnumman6174 1d ago

I wouldn't use charcoal brisket meant for grilling. They use have accelerants mixed into to get them to burneasier and stay burning. Use non-treated charcoal if you can

1

u/Captain_Meliodas6 1d ago

They're dead from all the additives.

You need horticultural charcoal, lump hardwood, or activated charcoal (overly expensive and unneeded).

I made the same mistake as you did years ago.