Posted 12 February 2005 - 10:51 PM
Ditch the cool mist and use the perlite for humidification. 1/2 an inch of perlite, with no standing water, is all you need for a tub. Use a spray bottle and mist the sides of the tub after you give it a good fanning, a few times a day. This will replenish the evaporated H20 and bring the humidity back up after the fanning. You can spray a fine mist, 1 or 2 shots, a couple of feet above your casings if you think the vermiculite layer is drying out. Bacteria certainly could be the sweet apple smell you've got. I know your casings are already jam packed with moisture, but it might not be a bad idea to give them a dunk in a bleach solution to render the bacteria.