Important: How to use EE/FB

Post by **JediMasterThrash** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:48 pm

I've been seeing several threads lately about flooded tanks with EE (eco-earth/forest bedding/bed-a-beast).I think the problem is incorrect preparation of the EE.Here's my How To:1. Get a ice-cream bucket sized bucket for each brick you have (1 brick makes 10g tank, 4 bricks makes 55g). I actually suggest buckets larger than 1-gallon ice cream buckets if you can, such as the buckets you get with cat litter, or 5 gallon garden buckets.2. Fill the bucket with dechlor water water (salt water if you wish, but I've never had mold using regular dechlor water either). Put the brick in. Let it sit for 30min to an hour, or at least until the brick has expanded to about the width or depth of the bucket (it should expand to about 10 inches long when done). The longer it sets, the more it will turn into muddy water. Sometimes a part of the brick will stay floating above the water level, and will stay dry. You can dunk it and help it get wet.3. Now you have an engorged brick in a lake of water. Or possibly a bucket of mud. Do not dump the bucket into the tank, and do not just dump the brickas as is into the tank. You need to grab handfulls of the brick (it's really usually too mucky to just pick the whole thing up anyway), and squeeze them good to squeeze as much water out as you can, and then sprinkle the brick into the tank. Repeat until the brick is gone. This is the key though. You need to squeeze each pile of brick in your hands to wring the water out before putting it in the tank.4. You'll have mud at the bottom. I find you can just rake your fingers through it and collect a few mor handfulls of brick (still squeeze).

avic · Post by **avic** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 3:27 am

I put my brick in a garden bucket with 1 gallon water. It expanded but some stayed dry i broke it up and mixed it in. Mine is also light and fluffy and only damp not wet.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 3:36 am

I've always squeezed mine out. Unless last weekend, I had always used the little circular discs. I could never find the bricks. They had some water left at the end, but only a few tablespoons full.My first experience with the bricks left several CUPS full of water in the bottom of the bucket after squeezing. I was really surprised how much water was left behind.

tnyfootprntz · Post by **tnyfootprntz** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 4:48 am

For Bed-A-Beast, the directions say:"Place block in a pail, sink or large pot. Add 4 quarts of hot water. Allow block to expand 20-30 minutes. Fluff out material by hand. Wring out excess moisture if desired."So I like to use my large stock pot, add water with a few drops of chlor out, 2 Tbsp. Doc Wellfish, bring to a boil, add brick fiber, and soak, pushing it down every few minutes. By the time it's cool enough to handle, it's ready to fluff. I then transfer it to a big Rubbermaid bin to mix with dry playsand. If it's still too moist, I set it out in the sun.

Post by **JediMasterThrash** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 2:17 am

You'll probably need to buy the bricks on-line. I've been having trouble finding the 3-packs in stores lately. And a single brick in a store will cost you 7$, but you can buy a 3-pack on-line for 7$.Another option to wringing or squeezing is to poor out excess water and then let it sun-dry for a bit. Possibly baking it at low temperature might work too. But it will probably take longer that way.Interesting though. I've never prepared it with hot water before. I might try that next time to see how it differs.The fluffy-ness is good, as it makes it easier for the crabs to dig.

Willow · Post by **Willow** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 11:37 am

That's how I always prepared EE, too. I use a 5 gallon bucket (only $2.50 at Wal-Mart!) and I also use hot water, as it seems to work faster.I stir it with a dowel, because I don't like to get my hands dirty until I actually put it in the tank, and then I let the EE sit in the bucket for a few days, because I can't stand the way fresh-made EE smells (kind of like....turpentine? or maybe kerosene). I never have any water left in the bucket, but that's probably from letting it sit.

KittyCaller · Post by **KittyCaller** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 2:20 am

I have a big plastic bucket I bought at the hardware store that I use. I usually mix up two bricks at a time...three takes too long. I throw in some sea salt, then add a couple of pitchers of hot water. I let that soak in, then I'm able to split the bricks in a half. So then I add more hot water and let it soak in. Then I've got chunks that come apart pretty easily and I just add water as necessary. Less mess, and much easier to control how much moisture is going in. No swamping.