Bioactive Odor

[ChameleonTherapy]

My cleanup crew doesn't seem to be doing it's job well. Last night I noticed a definite funk coming from Kreacher's enclosure. 30 days before he arrived I added 25 isopods to the soil (caught inbackyard) but did not add any springtails as I figured they would develop from the Bioshot I added to the soil (from Biodude). Reckon I need to add springtails? If so, is it ok to do so while the cage is inhabited?

 

[JoXie411]

You can add spring tails while your cage is inhabited. What type of isopods did you add? Some isopods are more protein hungry so maybe you need a different type of isopod in the cage. I use giant canyon isopods and when I added them I first used I giant culture I was growing for about 5 months and add the whole bin the the cage. Do you ever see the isopods on in the soil?

 

[ChameleonTherapy]

You can add spring tails while your cage is inhabited. What type of isopods did you add? Some isopods are more protein hungry so maybe you need a different type of isopod in the cage. I use giant canyon isopods and when I added them I first used I giant culture I was growing for about 5 months and add the whole bin the the cage. Do you ever see the isopods on in the soil?

Not really...my top layer is leaf litter. I just got isopods out of the yard no idea what species they were.

 

[ChameleonTherapy]

Not really...my top layer is leaf litter. I just got isopods out of the yard no idea what species they were.

From their appearance I would say it was maybe three different kinds

 

[JoXie411]

From their appearance I would say it was maybe three different kinds

hmmm maybe they didn’t have a chance to reproducing ?

 

[snitz427]

I am 99.9999999% sure that the bioshot he sells is just Jobe’s Organic fertilizer. The smell and texture are unmistakable. It also smells super funky.

What are you smelling? Very wet, stagnant soil will get a funky smell. The leaf litter has a smell as well, although I dont think its funky - just woodsy.

 

[snitz427]

And definitely add springtails! They work just as hard, if not harder, than isopods at cleaning up!

 

[ChameleonTherapy]

I wanna say its a poop smell, but not for certain as I never got real close to smell his poop :-D

 

[snitz427]

I wanna say its a poop smell, but not for certain as I never got real close to smell his poop :-D

My guess is bioshot - especially if there are no animals yet. Did you mix it in or sprinkle on top? It smells very weird but kinda poopy.

 

[jamest0o0]

I actually think springtails are overhyped. They do well and I would seed my enclosure with them, but they tend to show up almost no matter what you do. I also do not think they even closely compare to cleaners like giant canyon. Giant canyon isopods will have poop gone within hours.

As for biodude, he puts fancy labels on basic products and charges high prices for it. He isn't the bioactive genius he makes himself out to be, just a guy that's good with marketing. Can't hate him for making $, but I can call it for what it is.

Another thing I wanted to add about springtails, you only need a very small amount. No need to buy a huge culture from someone. A little chunk of soil with springtails in it dropped into your substrate will quickly spread throughout the entire substrate.

 

[jamest0o0]

Sounds like your drainage may not be working well. Often bad smells from bioactive(not the earthy, sweet forest-like smell) are from a build up of anaerobic bacteria. This happens when soil gets water logged and you have a die off of the aerobic bacteria. Anaerobic bacteria has a nasty smell, think like a sludgy swamp with stagnant water if you've ever picked up mud it smells almost like sewage.

 

[ChameleonTherapy]

My guess is bioshot - especially if there are no animals yet. Did you mix it in or sprinkle on top? It smells very weird but kinda poopy.

Kreacher has been inhabiting the cage for over a month now.

 

[snitz427]

I actually think springtails are overhyped. They do well and I would seed my enclosure with them, but they tend to show up almost no matter what you do. I also do not think they even closely compare to cleaners like giant canyon. Giant canyon isopods will have poop gone within hours.

As for biodude, he puts fancy labels on basic products and charges high prices for it. He isn't the bioactive genius he makes himself out to be, just a guy that's good with marketing. Can't hate him for making $, but I can call it for what it is.

Another thing I wanted to add about springtails, you only need a very small amount. No need to buy a huge culture from someone. A little chunk of soil with springtails in it dropped into your substrate will quickly spread throughout the entire substrate.

I disagree about springtails, I think the springtails and centipedes in my tanks pull the majority of the weight! I see them working day and night on poop and dead stuff. They take the day shift and isopods work night shift. A combination is where its at. I agree they multiply very quickly (and appear out of no where), so a few will go a long way.

I also agree Biodide is way overrated. This coming from someone who spent a ton on his soils. Its literally just peat (which is $10 for 3 cubic yards) and some wood chips and sand mixed in. He surfed the frog forums and basically just branded the soil mixes that are commonly used. His bioshot is definitely organic/bio fertilizer, Im pretty sure its Jobes. I got a horrific case of artillery fungus from his soils which wrecked at least 2 cages and actually stuck to my walls and ceiling (and stuck to my cham). Im sure its due to using the woodchips / mulch in his soils. I would totally make your own... I paid for convenience but now I mix all my own soil for plants and cages. His advice and setup for some of the bio cages are suspect, too!

 

[Highway61]

Sounds like your drainage may not be working well. Often bad smells from bioactive(not the earthy, sweet forest-like smell) are from a build up of anaerobic bacteria. This happens when soil gets water logged and you have a die off of the aerobic bacteria. Anaerobic bacteria has a nasty smell, think like a sludgy swamp with stagnant water if you've ever picked up mud it smells almost like sewage.

^ ^ ^ this

The first few months after I setup my very first bioactive enclosure I was misting more than I needed and it produced a musty, moldy smell. Scaled back on the moisture and problem fixed. As for isopods and springtails, I added them at the same time. Since I haven't seen a single isopod since then, I really can't say if their in the soil or just died off. As for the springtails, they are *everywhere* in the soil.

 

[jamest0o0]

I disagree about springtails, I think the springtails and centipedes in my tanks pull the majority of the weight! I see them working day and night on poop and dead stuff. They take the day shift and isopods work night shift. A combination is where its at. I agree they multiply very quickly (and appear out of no where), so a few will go a long way.

I also agree Biodide is way overrated. This coming from someone who spent a ton on his soils. Its literally just peat (which is $10 for 3 cubic yards) and some wood chips and sand mixed in. He surfed the frog forums and basically just branded the soil mixes that are commonly used. His bioshot is definitely organic/bio fertilizer, Im pretty sure its Jobes. I got a horrific case of artillery fungus from his soils which wrecked at least 2 cages and actually stuck to my walls and ceiling (and stuck to my cham). Im sure its due to using the woodchips / mulch in his soils. I would totally make your own... I paid for convenience but now I mix all my own soil for plants and cages. His advice and setup for some of the bio cages are suspect, too!

Haha I call out a challenge then, a springtail bin vs canyon bin. My canyons literally clean up piles of old food and dead roaches within days, your springtails can't touch them!

When you say centipedes, do you mean millipedes? Cause they were awesome cleaners for me too.

Seriously though, springtails do play a good role, I'm not dismissing them. I worded that a little more harshly than I intended. In all of my enclosures, and I've had a lot, nothing got rid of poop like the canyons. Especially for larger reptiles, like my Parsons or something much larger like a tegu, you'd need isopods to break down waste that size. On the flip side of that though, I feel springtails help break down the smaller particles and leaf litter more adding a richness to the soil. So it's a balance for sure. Springtails are easy to seed an enclosure with, even by doing nothing(as a snail keeper you know the feeling), good isopods need to be added on the other hand.

 

[snitz427]

Haha I call out a challenge then, a springtail bin vs canyon bin. My canyons literally clean up piles of old food and dead roaches within days, your springtails can't touch them!

When you say centipedes, do you mean millipedes? Cause they were awesome cleaners for me too.

Seriously though, springtails do play a good role, I'm not dismissing them. I worded that a little more harshly than I intended. In all of my enclosures, and I've had a lot, nothing got rid of poop like the canyons. Especially for larger reptiles, like my Parsons or something much larger like a tegu, you'd need isopods to break down waste that size. On the flip side of that though, I feel springtails help break down the smaller particles and leaf litter more adding a richness to the soil. So it's a balance for sure. Springtails are easy to seed an enclosure with, even by doing nothing(as a snail keeper you know the feeling), good isopods need to be added on the other hand.

LETS THROW DOWN @jamest0o0 !! *kicks off flip flops* Yes I meant millipedes, I was never good at math

Pound for pound, the isos def eat a ton, but the springtails are so active. As we both know, they tend to magically appear when not invited, too!

 

[Pickle-cham]

Haha I call out a challenge then, a springtail bin vs canyon bin. My canyons literally clean up piles of old food and dead roaches within days, your springtails can't touch them!

When you say centipedes, do you mean millipedes? Cause they were awesome cleaners for me too.

Seriously though, springtails do play a good role, I'm not dismissing them. I worded that a little more harshly than I intended. In all of my enclosures, and I've had a lot, nothing got rid of poop like the canyons. Especially for larger reptiles, like my Parsons or something much larger like a tegu, you'd need isopods to break down waste that size. On the flip side of that though, I feel springtails help break down the smaller particles and leaf litter more adding a richness to the soil. So it's a balance for sure. Springtails are easy to seed an enclosure with, even by doing nothing(as a snail keeper you know the feeling), good isopods need to be added on the other hand.

My set up isn't even bioactive never added any cuc and got a thriving springtail colony spring up on & under my jade plant?