Vantastic Planet

I decided to try a different medium after my last cleaning. I was traveling and couldn't get my hands on coco coir, so I picked up a bag of cedar shavings from Walmart.  They don't make the best medium as cedar doesn't compost well, but I was in a pinch and it smelled nice through the package so hey, why not give it a go? It worked alright so I thought, maybe I'll try this for a while and see if the bugs come back...I have been using cedar shavings for about 2 months, no mites.

It seems to me that the medium is indeed the source of the mites. Most coir is likely riddled with eggs just waiting for the right conditions to hatch. I do prefer the "texture" of the coir medium to the cedar. Next time I get my hands on coir I'll be sealing the brick off in plastic ziplock bags and boiling or pressure cooking it before hydrating it...hopefully that will fry them before they have a fighting chance.

I am also having a recurring mite problem with my Air head, every 3-4 months. In my experience the highest concentration of mites are on the OUTSIDE of the toilet, mostly on top of the lid, and up in any rubber piece. They seem to love the rubber lid seals the most. They do patrol the whole outside surface, and I see them inside as well but not so concentrated (as far as i can tell).

I have had the most luck keeping them at bay by cleaning the toilet completely and hosing it down with lots of water, using a high pressure spray (thumb over the hose :p) making sure to blast all the rubbers and corners well. Then l leave it in the sun to dry completely for a few hours. I come back and spray a DIY permethrin solution (concentrated insecticide/repellent) and let it dry on. I might even do it twice. I have added a small amount into the coco before as well. It seems to be the only thing ive tried that keeps them from coming back almost immediately. This works at least for a couple months, longest I've gone without them coming back is maybe 6 months. The repellent effects must wear off after a while because they always come back eventually.

Other steps I take are drying my coco in the sun after breaking it down to prevent excess moisture build up in the toilet,  and adding some diatomaceous earth to it too.

I'm not convinced the mites are coming in on the coir itself as the DE should kill any eggs and I've tried several brands. I've had the most luck using loose coir intended for reptile bedding opposed to brick,  but its more expensive.

I think it's possible the mites can get inside of the hollow rubber tubing used for the seals and lay eggs that survive the extermination, then remain dormant until the time is right for them...or the eggs are dormant somewhere around where the toilet is located. I'm even considering replacing my toilet after 3 years to see if that helps. But who knows, maybe it IS the coir, I've even gone as crazy to think the eggs are possibly originating from something I'm eating....

Seems this the only forum talking about the issue, hopefully someone posts a permanent solution someday!