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 jjb007
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Registered: 10/03/08
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 My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics 
#9211274 - 11/09/08 10:28 AM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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I inoculated these 4 half pint jars with 1cc each of spores from a sporeworks.com syringe about 4 days ago... Do they look OK? I kind of thought that they should have grown more by now.
Note: I am not holding the LC sideways... Whenever I save pictures from my phone to my computer they are sideways for some reason...
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denger
Mycelium keeper
 
Registered: 09/19/08
Posts: 712
Loc: MD, US
Last seen: 1 year, 7 months
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: jjb007]
#9211807 - 11/09/08 12:10 PM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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Looks fine. BTW, I'd be really surprized if it was a spore syringe. They sell LC syringes, I am not aware of any spore syringes being sold of any edibles.
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Dennis, in Love with Fungi
My improved magnetic stirrer
Breeding mushroom strains
Potato-Honey-Yeast-Agar Tek
Looking for Chantarelle and Armillaria cultures, have a huge collection of other edibles to trade.
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jjb007
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: denger]
#9212014 - 11/09/08 12:54 PM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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Oh sorry, I guess it is a LC syringe, my bad.
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Paresthesia
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Posts: 1,051
Loc: Texas
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: jjb007]
#9212222 - 11/09/08 01:44 PM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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What kind of lids did you use for your jars? Did you follow good cleanliness practices, like flaming the needle and wiping the inoculation site down with alcohol? I use plastic lids with filter patches and silicone injection ports, I always flame the needle and I wrap it with an alcohol swab when I inoculate jars, and I have yet to get a contaminated LC. I've used polyfill and gotten contams.
It isn't easy to tell if a liquid culture is contaminated. You should test each jar out using agar (messy) or something like a pf tek cake before inoculating spawn.
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"We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time."
- T. S. Eliot
I'm currently looking for cultures of the following species:
Calocybe indica, Chlorophyllum rachodes, Lentinula boryana, Polyporus umbellatus
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jjb007
Stranger
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Posts: 303
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: Paresthesia]
#9212697 - 11/09/08 03:12 PM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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For the lids, I put two holes in the top of the regular mouth metal canning jar lid. One of the holes was covered with RTV silicone (I realize that this was pointless because I left the other hole completely open). I left the other hole open so that it would not create a vacuum (although I am wondering if I could've gotten away with having only 1 hole covered w/ silicone). Anyhow, I covered the lid with tyvek and put a piece of micropore tape over the tyvek after inoculating.
I have a piece of glass in each jar to act as an agitator... I was planning on using my homemade magnetic stir plate but I have been having problems with finding a stir rod that doesn't rust. So each day (about twice per day), I swirl the jars around (making sure not to get the tyvek wet)... Also, with two of the jars I take off the tyvek and shake them vigorously inside of my glove box with an alcohol swabbed glove holding the non-silicone covered hole.
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 PitcherCrab
Crescent Fresh
Registered: 12/02/06
Posts: 1,196
Loc: The bottom of the sea.
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: jjb007]
#9213534 - 11/09/08 05:38 PM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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They look great. I've always used tyvek as filters for my LCs and have only had them contam on me after I open the jars to make syringes. I would be careful about shaking them, I don't like to get any of the liquid near the mouth of the jars as its the only place that contams can get in. In the past I never agitated my LCs and they worked every time. As for a rustproof stir rod, take some poly tubing that you buy at a brew store and stick a metal rod into it, then melt the ends with a lighter and squeeze shut.
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jjb007
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: jjb007]
#9213629 - 11/09/08 05:52 PM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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I actually tried something similar for the stir rod... I took a metal screw (that stirred perfectly by itself) and put a piece of rubber tubing over it, the tubing is actually the stuff that is used in gas lines for gas powered RC cars. I then covered the ends in RTV silicone. I then tried it after I let the silicone cure for 24 hours and the stir rod just wouldn't stir... I am guessing that the coating I added to it reduced the magetic attraction too much that it didnt want to spin...
Also, I am guessing that since you don't agitate your LC you have to use it right when it is like 50% colonized? Because I heard that if you let it un-agitated that it will grow in a thick ball and you can't suck it through the syringe. Also, are you able to store the unused LC in the refrigerator without running into this issue of not being able to suck it into the syringe?
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denger
Mycelium keeper
Registered: 09/19/08
Posts: 712
Loc: MD, US
Last seen: 1 year, 7 months
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: jjb007]
#9214064 - 11/09/08 06:57 PM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
jjb007 said:
I actually tried something similar for the stir rod... I took a metal screw (that stirred perfectly by itself) and put a piece of rubber tubing over it, the tubing is actually the stuff that is used in gas lines for gas powered RC cars. I then covered the ends in RTV silicone. I then tried it after I let the silicone cure for 24 hours and the stir rod just wouldn't stir... I am guessing that the coating I added to it reduced the magetic attraction too much that it didnt want to spin...
Actually, what probably happened is two things: the thickness of the tube reduced the magnetic force merely be putting the metal farther from the magnet. In addition, rubber or the plastic of the tube created additional friction.
I would recommend painting the same screw with several good coats of enamel (the stinky kind, not the water-based) or alkyd oil paint. That should protect it sufficiently and be resistant enough for the heat of the pressure cooker. Make sure paint dries really well before using.
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Dennis, in Love with Fungi
My improved magnetic stirrer
Breeding mushroom strains
Potato-Honey-Yeast-Agar Tek
Looking for Chantarelle and Armillaria cultures, have a huge collection of other edibles to trade.
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jjb007
Stranger
Registered: 10/03/08
Posts: 303
Last seen: 2 years, 2 months
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: denger]
#9214195 - 11/09/08 07:15 PM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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Thanks denger, I will give that a try sometime in the future...
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denger
Mycelium keeper
Registered: 09/19/08
Posts: 712
Loc: MD, US
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: jjb007]
#9214519 - 11/09/08 08:05 PM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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You'r welcome.
Also, to increase the forces you can use a small magnet instead of a screw. My local small hardware store (not the Home Depot kind, but the basement clutter kind) carries small magnets in several different shapes, including small cylinders (my pick).
Another source of magnets is an old hard drive. They can be quite strong in there, but unfortunately they are flat and oddly shaped - not a prime candidate for a stirrer bit, but can be good for the stirrer drive.
If the paint is not going to survive the pressure cooker (it should, but some kinds are more resistant then others), you should be able to pick up in any hardware store a "high heat enamel" spray paint can. That one is a sure thing, but costs a few $$.
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Dennis, in Love with Fungi
My improved magnetic stirrer
Breeding mushroom strains
Potato-Honey-Yeast-Agar Tek
Looking for Chantarelle and Armillaria cultures, have a huge collection of other edibles to trade.
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Paresthesia
Stranger
Registered: 07/02/08
Posts: 1,051
Loc: Texas
Last seen: 3 months, 4 days
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: denger]
#9216423 - 11/10/08 04:19 AM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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Have you considered using vinyl heat shrink tubing? You could put a segment of wire made with a ferrous metal in a section of the tube, and then melt it on with a heat gun. I'm not sure if that would survive autoclaving, but it may be worth a shot.
Once you've expanded your LC, I think you'll find it goes a long way. Oysters are a lot of fun to grow, mostly because they grow fast, and they're pretty forgiving of mistakes! (Not to mention the whole deliciousness thing.)
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"We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time."
- T. S. Eliot
I'm currently looking for cultures of the following species:
Calocybe indica, Chlorophyllum rachodes, Lentinula boryana, Polyporus umbellatus
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denger
Mycelium keeper
Registered: 09/19/08
Posts: 712
Loc: MD, US
Last seen: 1 year, 7 months
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: Paresthesia]
#9216524 - 11/10/08 05:26 AM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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Heat sink plastic has a pretty high friction.
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Dennis, in Love with Fungi
My improved magnetic stirrer
Breeding mushroom strains
Potato-Honey-Yeast-Agar Tek
Looking for Chantarelle and Armillaria cultures, have a huge collection of other edibles to trade.
|
Paresthesia
Stranger
Registered: 07/02/08
Posts: 1,051
Loc: Texas
Last seen: 3 months, 4 days
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: denger]
#9216956 - 11/10/08 08:08 AM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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Not heat sink, heat shrink! It's used to connect wires securely, rather than using bulky wire nuts or solder. Wires are joined inside a 'sleeve' of heat shrink tubing, and the whole thing is heated with one of those guns they use for removing paint. Or making ghetto vaporizers. 
There are a few types of heat shrink tubing that are used for medical purposes like implant devices that are autoclavable. Don't know where to find that, though. Stir bars would probably be cheaper.
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"We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time."
- T. S. Eliot
I'm currently looking for cultures of the following species:
Calocybe indica, Chlorophyllum rachodes, Lentinula boryana, Polyporus umbellatus
Edited by Paresthesia (11/10/08 08:21 AM)
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denger
Mycelium keeper
Registered: 09/19/08
Posts: 712
Loc: MD, US
Last seen: 1 year, 7 months
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: Paresthesia]
#9217031 - 11/10/08 08:24 AM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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I understand what you are talking about, I just mistyped it in my reply. I use heat shrink tubing all the time. It has a rubbery surface that has a high friction.
By the way, whats the big deal about the stirrer bars? They are available online for under $5 for the professionally made piece:
http://www.google.com/products?q=magnetic+stirrer+bar&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title
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Dennis, in Love with Fungi
My improved magnetic stirrer
Breeding mushroom strains
Potato-Honey-Yeast-Agar Tek
Looking for Chantarelle and Armillaria cultures, have a huge collection of other edibles to trade.
|
jjb007
Stranger
Registered: 10/03/08
Posts: 303
Last seen: 2 years, 2 months
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: denger]
#9217127 - 11/10/08 08:45 AM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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Yea they are about $4 but then most places add about $5 for shipping, so it ends up being about $10 for 1 stir bar... I usually wouldn't mind spending that, but right now I am in college so I kind of have to conserve my money the best I can. Luckily I graduate this year so I will be able to spend regularly in 2009 when I begin working and putting my actuarial science degree to use...
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jjb007
Stranger
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: jjb007]
#9217212 - 11/10/08 09:02 AM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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Also, any idea how long I should expect it to take for my LC to colonize fully? It doesn't seem to be growing very quickly... I keep it in a styrafoam cooler with a heating pad (That I boil in water to heat up about 2 or 3 times a day), so it is at temperatures ranging from 70 degrees to 90 degrees I would guess...
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Paresthesia
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: jjb007]
#9217269 - 11/10/08 09:21 AM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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Depends. Sugar content of the liquid, temperature, oxygen levels in the liquid... I'll check GGMM. Someone here posted awhile back about using a bubbler or something to oxygenate the liquid culture he was growing. Shiitake I think. Growth picked up considerably!
I found medical grade heat shrink tubing on Google for something like $7. I'd try cutting some segments of a wire made from a ferrous metal and apply the tubing, which will retain its form up to 280+ degrees. A piece of coat hanger might work. You might be able to get away with putting the tube and wire in the jar before PCing, to see if it will seal propery in boiling liquid. Probably not. 
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"We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time."
- T. S. Eliot
I'm currently looking for cultures of the following species:
Calocybe indica, Chlorophyllum rachodes, Lentinula boryana, Polyporus umbellatus
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denger
Mycelium keeper
Registered: 09/19/08
Posts: 712
Loc: MD, US
Last seen: 1 year, 7 months
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: Paresthesia]
#9217673 - 11/10/08 10:33 AM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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I imagine you would need to close up the ends somehow. So, I'd say my paint method is probably somewhat better
Cheaper for me anyway, since I already had paint.
--------------------
Dennis, in Love with Fungi
My improved magnetic stirrer
Breeding mushroom strains
Potato-Honey-Yeast-Agar Tek
Looking for Chantarelle and Armillaria cultures, have a huge collection of other edibles to trade.
|
denger
Mycelium keeper
Registered: 09/19/08
Posts: 712
Loc: MD, US
Last seen: 1 year, 7 months
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: denger]
#9217788 - 11/10/08 11:01 AM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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While we'r on the subject of stirrers, I found this simple voltage regulator circuit to adjust the speed of the fan on the home-built stirrer:
http://www.seattlerobotics.org/encoder/200112/variable.html
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Dennis, in Love with Fungi
My improved magnetic stirrer
Breeding mushroom strains
Potato-Honey-Yeast-Agar Tek
Looking for Chantarelle and Armillaria cultures, have a huge collection of other edibles to trade.
|
jjb007
Stranger
Registered: 10/03/08
Posts: 303
Last seen: 2 years, 2 months
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Re: My Oyster LC... does it look OK? Pics [Re: Paresthesia]
#9219067 - 11/10/08 03:31 PM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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Wish I knew how to work with circuit boards... I have no idea how to interpret that diagram.
On a side note, I went out to K-mart and purchased some high temperature krylon spray paint... I am going to apply a few coats to some screws and other metal objects as rust-protector. I will let you guys know how it works out.
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