no substrate method question

[Chuck]

I was wondering for the people who incubate using the no substrate method do you ever have problems with Ball eggs losing water with 100% moisture saturation of the air.



Chuck

[jonf]

it just depends on your egg chamber/box. If your only using an inch of perlite and have multiple holes in the box for air then your gonna lose what little humidity that you create. I'd just make sure that there is at the very least, 2-3 inches of perlite/water and little to no holes in the tub. For the past two years, I used about 2 1/2 inches and only one hole for the t-stat probe and had 100% hatch rate (I did end up having to add some water to the mix somewhere along the 60 days). So this year I think I'm gonna use more perlite/water....

[BChambers]

I use little three gallon plastic tubs, about a third filled with WET perlite or vermiculite. I place a platform of plastic eggcrate on top, with the clutch on top of that. There are 5 pinholes in the top. With this setup I generally don't need to add water during incubation.

Brad Chambers

[Chuck]

Brad

Do you use tubs of water on top of your heat source to create humidity or do you just create humidity with you substrait in he egg box. Maybe I can get some pics up to show what I am working with.


Chuck

[lord jackel]

I use 6QT completely sealed boxes (with about 1.5 inches of water and peralite)...have been using this for 2 seasons with 100% humidity and no issues.

There is no reason to have holes in the egg boxes.

Hope this helps.

[BChambers]

There's one reason-it makes me feel better.

I use an incubation room (thermostat set at 89.5 degrees), rather than an incubator-so the containers have to provide all the humidity. But with saturated vermiculite or perlite that is no problem.

Brad Chambers

[lord jackel]

I use an incubation room (thermostat set at 89.5 degrees), rather than an incubator-so the containers have to provide all the humidity. But with saturated vermiculite or perlite that is no problem.

Brad Chambers

So if the boxes have to produce all their own humidity why would you want holes so that it leaches out? In a sealed box all that good humidity stays in the box.

[Chuck]

but you get no gas exchange with fresh air.


Chuck

[MPenn]

Chuck,

I generally use 12 qt. or 6 qt. boxes depending on the size of the egg clutch. Since my incubator is a former refrigerator, I use a tub of water in the bottom to help keep the humidity I need inside the incubator. The fan blows across the top of the water tub so that as the water evaporates, it is blown around the inside. The egg tubs have no air holes in them. I use a really wet perilite on the bottom and put egg crate on top of that. The eggs go on top of the egg crate.
As far as gas exchange, you will get that about every other week or so when you open the tub to check in on the eggs.
Using the set-up that you have, I do not think you will need a tub of water. You should have enough in the egg chambers.

[BChambers]

So if the boxes have to produce all their own humidity why would you want holes so that it leaches out? In a sealed box all that good humidity stays in the box.

As Chuck said, gas exchange. Since the substrate is saturated, there is no danger of losing a substantial amount of water over the 57-day incubation period, and the air exchange assures no buildup of CO2, especially late in incubation.

Brad Chambers