How To Make a Springtail Culture - Simple & Easy Method!

In this video I’ll show how to make a springtail culture from scratch! Springtails are a must have when it comes to terrariums so it’s always handy to have a healthy culture on standby. This beginner friendly guide will show you exactly how to have a thriving colony of springtails:)
Check out my Ebook, It’s perfect for beginners! terrariumdesig...
Materials:
Amazon Links United States(affiliate)
Container: amzn.to/3vcQVfw
Lump wood charcoal: amzn.to/3tyfCCL
Orchid bark: amzn.to/3NED3Bh
Springtails starter culture
Amazon Links United Kingdom(affiliate)
Container: amzn.to/4aJMadQ
Lump wood charcoal: amzn.to/3TE4QWi
Orchid bark: amzn.to/3TDb1tr
Springtails starter culture
Music: sunsets & beaches - ofshane
Chapters
00:00 what you’ll need
1:16 preparing the culture
2:17 adding the springtails
4:18 feeding & care

[@TerrariumDesigns]

Check out my Ebook, It’s perfect for beginners! terrariumdesigns.co.uk/products/ebook

[@suave47]

This video couldn't have come at a better time. I just got in 2 springtail cultures. They r still young and super small but I think I got enough into 2 on my new terrariums. But I wanted to combine them to make a huge colony so I have a never ending supply. Thx very much

[@actionlist9466]

I found this chanel today, and I coldn't stop watching videos. It is so beautiful and professional, very interesring. I love it. Thank you

[@j3rs3yjak3FIU]

Found this channel about the same time as you and I now have my first terrarium and a bunch of propogations going 😅 this is such a great hobby, in my opinion.

[@yourlocaltoad5102]

I setup my charcoal culture about 8 years ago and it’s still going strong. At one point I didn’t take care of it for two years (I thought it got lost during a move) and when I opened it again, there still were a few springtails alive and after a light feeding of yeast they quickly repopulated. And I can frequently harvest springtails to give away, sell or feed to my geckos. It’s an extremely stable system as long as you don’t overfeed and don’t keep it in direct sunlight.

[@starr_ship]

For springtails in dirt/coco fiber, I've had great luck expediting removal by submersing the whole thing (distilled/RO), gently stirring to free all the springtails so that they can float up and form little groups, and then I blow the groups to the edge of the container and then just pour them all into the new habitat.

[@thejuanderful]

This is so timely! I have some pretty cool local springtails I want to try breeding. 😊

[@j3rs3yjak3FIU]

I'm finally going to get some bug friends this weekend! Can't wait to be able to add them to my terrariums 🌿 we're also going to pick up some isopods so if anyone has any tips that'd be cool!

[@RagnarEgg]

After watching some of your older videos, I’ve noticed a clear difference in your confidence and quality in your videos. I’ve been loving binging them and learn so many new things from you! Thank you and keep up the amazing content

[@fishyerik]

Nice video! I probably would've just left the soil starter container open in the bigger container, feed in the bigger container and let most of the springtails find their own way out of the starter container but I guess moving them manually kind of works too.

[@j3rs3yjak3FIU]

Good idea 🤔🙂

[@monkeytrident]

Thank you sir, I drilled 4 tiny air holes in the top of a plastic tub lid hopefully the colony will be awesome.

[@naimsalah06]

omg the video I needed my whole life

[@oedhelsetren]

You can source both charcoal and springtails from anyone with an old fashioned firepit. Just make sure the pit is used for untreated wood only.

[@imogenwren]

Are you able to explain why we shouldn't just add the starter culture to the medium if we are using bark and springtails in a soil culture? after struggling to find the best solution for this, I found out the reason. once they are in soil its actually really difficult to get them all out again. I now have a mixed tub with all my leftover moss on a bed of charcoal and sphagnum, and that seems to be keeping them happy, keeping my moss happy and I can feed on a peice of charcoal to seperate some out when I need them.

[@brooksplayzofficial]

Bro love your vids❤ you inspire me so much

[@k2a2l2]

thank u! 🙏i want to get a good amount of springtails going while i set up my terrarium

Chia sẻ rất hữu ích cho... bạn hướng dẫn rất hay và chi tiết

[@joshuateguhsusanto8775]

I want to know, where should i put the springtails culture? In a dark or bright place? Thank you

[@danezeen2116]

I have two. One is in the dark and the other is in the light. I taped paper to the container in the light so it’s not too bright. They’re both thriving

[@gk4204]

Excellent video, thank you.

[@Erazoth]

Thank you !

[@KaiVS22]

Very useful

[@TerrariumDesigns]

Great😃

[@MichelleMonstera]

Awesome! Thanks for the video!

[@campigomez]

Is the same for the red springtails??

[@JimCarr22880]

Hi there, Do you have a different way of culturing Isopods? We would love to watch that ❤️

[@Mr_C.Bacteria]

Do you have a garden or somewhere to find a couple of them? Just a few? I found literally about 5. I put them in an old fish tank (it's quite small) it's layered with gravel then a mix of the dirt/potting mix and a bit of the bark mulch from my garden. I put in oak leaves, and some different branches with bark on. Plus extra bark. I keep it moist but not wet. They like to eat fruit. Anyway they have just bred like crazy and I really don't do much. I'm not sure if that's what you're after but hope it helps none the less 😊 (BTW they're just garden variety New Zealand Slaters) they're doing really well I'm actually amazed considering how little I do 😂

[@Not_ur_average_turboprop]

Hi

[@TerrariumDesigns]

Hey!

[@noobofnoobville2167]

I have two questions, Can I use other types of charcoal instead of lump wood? When you put food on orchid bark to get the springtails out of the solid, can I substitute that for rice?

[@SADUTTAQUARIUM]

Nice video my friend 🙋🏻‍♂

[@rottveil6027]

They don't need vent holes?

[@RainingRain314]

can we just leave the springtails inside the original starter culture and use that for growing the population?

[@griffyt209]

Yes, but you may have to eventually add more substrate/food

[@EARN-750-DAILY_JOB_FOR_U]

Your innovation knows no bounds! 🚀 - "The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.."

[@uzzaborg7738]

What type of bark will be best? P. radiata, P. pinaster, P. merkusii

[@PedroGuzman-wh8fw]

I just got some springtails and isopods. Will they be able to live together?

[@memestealer7984]

Do the containers have to be translucent or otherwise clear? I tried to make a charcoal culture with orchid charcoal and it didn’t quite work out 😥

[@KarinaMendoza-xk2zi]

Can you add plant soil?

[@michaelbradley653]

Hi, quick question, do you keep them in well lighted sport or in shadow? or in complete darkness ?

[@rekidesma273]

Wanna ask some question: I had a terrarium project using springtail and isopod in a small jar. The plant is all withered, but the isopod and springtail population is booming as i keep feeding them. Do I need to separate them into each culture box? Or i just can place both of them in any project i made? thx

[@KC-mw9hg]

Can rain water work

[@griffyt209]

Yes, thats what I use.

[@minnettevermaas5589]

Ugh... I baught instant light charcoal by accident. And all my springtails died. Can I wash it and try again? Or is it a fail.

[@GreatNorth.]

Do you have any suggestions on building a terrarium for, let's say, tarantula?

[@bleachlover1Hatako]

I wish I would have seent this sooner. I have two springtail cultures and I did reptile soil instead of your options and didn't clean them. (It's what the person I bought them from said was fine) The springtails are fine but the soil brought in these tiny clear worms, tiny little mites, and Nats :*( I don't know how to safely transfer them to something like you have

[@EARN-750-DAILY_JOB_FOR_U]

You're a source of inspiration! 🌟 - "The only way to do great work is to love what you do.."

[@X_TV2]

Omg thx for doing what I asked

[@rfgnmf-nmesofuehsdjfnrmeowfsdz]

Can they escape their culture tho? Like get out the box and start crawling my house? One time 3-4 years ago a lot of ants showed up in our house out of nowhere and it was a nightmare to get rid of them

[@kavindudilshan7108]

Make large vivarium

[@TheSasaak]

Is there a way to catch springtails from the nature, as I can't find them in the local market?

[@FKG83]

super interesting video! I have a couple questions: would drilling a couple of holes in the lids take care of the aeration issue? Do springtails need light or can they be kept in a closed drawer?

[@fishyerik]

If you have holes you can get mites, I've had predatory mites wipe out a big springtail culture. You can make holes and put something like aquarium filter floss or pieces of cleaning sponges in the holes to reduce risk, but as you're supposed to feed them, or at least check if they have food every few days, if you feed them fish food or anything else that goes bad quickly, open the lids to exchange some air is not that much extra "work". Some light is generally considered beneficial, but not necessary.

[@starr_ship]

My experience aligns with fishyerik's, but I'd add that you can get around opening it as often if you run an air stone into the container. A combo of that and rice make for a low-effort upkeep, though I still like to pop it open few days to check in and toss them a choice slice from kitchen scraps on occasion. Don't cut corners on that filter material; I lost a whole colony learning the lesson that a single layer of cotton shirt material is not a sufficient barrier to mites.

[@youtubestars654]

yo cool

[@ivyeverlastreon8512]

how do you make the de-chlorinated water?

[@Darkholeguy]

It's VERY hard Step 1: Get a container Step 2: Open the tap Step 3: Fill container with tap water

[@ivyeverlastreon8512]

@@Darkholeguy that isn't what I meant I mean like where do we get like, a filter for it or how do we filter it without a bought filter I know how to get water I'm not that stupid some peoples tap water has chlorine in it so it does nothing to the chlorine if its just moved

[@Darkholeguy]

@@ivyeverlastreon8512 De chlorinated water is water that doesn't have chlorine. Google "Chlorine filter" and you might get some results

[@Darkholeguy]

@@ivyeverlastreon8512 other than that I don't know how. I live near a hospital so the water I get is clean even though in my country patients get CO2 instead of O2 in hospitals. Sri Lanka is in a mess

[@stephenmackay6423]

What if I don’t have fish food ?

[@yarrasadventures7239]

Raw grains of rice

[@Little-Jungle1]

Or just buy fish food

[@chriss6787]

Just use a little bit of yeast

[@1lapmagic]

Wait...I thought you were always saying Tub...Do you actually call them "Tups"?

[@hoold01]

Incomplete: temperature? Lighting? There are many vids like this.

[@griffyt209]

It varies species to species. I keep orange springtails and they do fine in my culture without any heating or anything. Since theyre tropical, if i gave them a little extra heat and humidity, they will multiply like crazy, so I only do that when I need more.

[@KC-mw9hg]

Can rain water work

[@thejuanderful]

That's what I use. Started a culture of orange springtails about a month ago and they seem pretty happy with rainwater.

[@KC-mw9hg]

@@thejuanderful ok, thank you for the information and clarification.