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 the locked shroom
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 What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. 
#13521523 - 11/21/10 11:11 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Hey guys. This will be somewhat lengthy, but I'm going insane! So a bit of background: I have had a bunch of cakes colonize healthily. Then I put them in my SGFC. It has 3-4 inches of damp perlite, 1/4" holes every 2 inches or so (yes, on the bottom as well), and I have a 5000K lamp on it for about 12 hours a day. It is also elevated a few inches. I would also mist. I didn't do much FAE or fanning because I recall RR saying you didn't need to, that the holes would take care of that.
So I had my cakes that colonized very quickly in there. I let the cakes sit in their jars a full week after full surface colonization, like I was told to. I also dunked for 24 hours or so, and rolled. The RH was typically >90%, and the temp was usually 20-23C (not great, I know). Here are pictures of the FC (after a fresh misting):
(Sorry about the weird angles, the screen on my camera is broken but I can still take pictures with it.)
But here's the thing: None of them were pinning. And yes, I know, patience. But I waited a long time, up to 3 or 4 weeks, with no signs of pinning on any of them. The perfectly healthy cakes I had birthed would just dry out.
Here's something weird though. One or two of my cakes got contaminated, so I moved them to a small crappy SGFC I made out of a plastic jar. I had a few inches of perlite in there as well. But of the 3 or 4 I moved to there in total, 2 of them fruited, with enormous (at least for me) fruits!:
So I really have no idea what's going on...does anything look wrong with that setup?
However, I was getting sick of heating the room with the space heater I was using (it uses a shitton of energy and is kind of noisy). Also, I was not sure that my FC was actually at such a high RH as it was saying. I have a digital hygrometer that claims it is usually at 95%. I also have an analog one I ordered. I calibrated it using the water and salt method. It would usually show >95% RH...however, this also would happen:
So I'm not sure I can trust that one either...
Anyway, I had a humidifier in my closet, so I decided to rig it up to the SGFC as I had seen others do. My logic is that it will heat it for cheaper and quieter, and it will ensure that it is humid enough. So here's what I did:
My first question is if this is a bad idea for some reason or another. Right now the heat is at 25-27C, and I can only imagine the RH is fine because it is literally steaming inside there. I would also guess the FAE is somewhat better just because of the general gas exchange. And it may be coincidence, but in the 2 days since having it going, pins have appeared on cakes that have done nothing for weeks. So, is having the humidifier on constantly a bad idea?
Can anyone suggest any other reason why my original chamber may have given me such shitty results? It's infuriating...
Thanks everyone!!
Edited by the locked shroom (11/21/10 11:14 PM)
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 fungiguy
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Registered: 09/18/10
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: the locked shroom]
#13521532 - 11/21/10 11:12 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Pics aren't working for me at all umm
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Doc_T
Random Dude
 
Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado 
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: fungiguy]
#13521552 - 11/21/10 11:17 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
But I waited a long time, up to 3 or 4 weeks, with no signs of pinning on any of them. The perfectly healthy cakes I had birthed would just dry out.
Well, you need to let the cakes dry a bit, but you need to replace that.
Sounds like you were very, very close.
The humidifier is bumping you over the line, possibly. Or it's luck.
Don't run it all the time. Use a timer, get the lowest amount you can. Dunk any dry cakes.
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You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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the locked shroom
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: fungiguy]
#13521626 - 11/21/10 11:31 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
fungiguy said:
Pics aren't working for me at all umm
Fixed. Stupid imgur.
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the locked shroom
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: Doc_T]
#13521636 - 11/21/10 11:33 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
Doc_T said:
Quote:
But I waited a long time, up to 3 or 4 weeks, with no signs of pinning on any of them. The perfectly healthy cakes I had birthed would just dry out.
Well, you need to let the cakes dry a bit, but you need to replace that.
Sounds like you were very, very close.
The humidifier is bumping you over the line, possibly. Or it's luck.
Don't run it all the time. Use a timer, get the lowest amount you can. Dunk any dry cakes.
Hmmm, replace what?
Ok, I'll try and get a timer. Right now, there is so much condensation on the top of the FC that it is dripping down a lot, soaking the perlite and getting the cakes too wet I think. Is there any harm in that?
Also, this should be increasing FAE, right?
Thanks for the feedback!
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xChaosMonkeyx
some dude
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: the locked shroom]
#13521646 - 11/21/10 11:35 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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looks to me like you need a thicker layer of perlite.
Pooling / standing water is bad (it breeds contaminates) but small droplets are okay.
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alex9009
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: xChaosMonkeyx]
#13521696 - 11/21/10 11:44 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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The fact that your cakes never pinned with your original setup says to me that you didn't have quite enough FAE. Did you have a fan moving air around your room? I'm thinking the humidifier blowing mist into the chamber provided gas exchange and that's why you saw better pinning.
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the locked shroom
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: alex9009]
#13521714 - 11/21/10 11:46 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
alex9009 said:
The fact that your cakes never pinned with your original setup says to me that you didn't have quite enough FAE. Did you have a fan moving air around your room? I'm thinking the humidifier blowing mist into the chamber provided gas exchange and that's why you saw better pinning.
Well, the space heater was really just a fan with heating elements in front of it, so yeah, kinda.
So what's the consensus, is the humidifier a good idea?
Oh yeah, and there is no pooling water.
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Doc_T
Random Dude
Registered: 03/06/09
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: the locked shroom]
#13521750 - 11/21/10 11:54 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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If you're getting pins, and don't have problems, then the humidifier was the right thing. Let the mushrooms be your guide.
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You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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tajmahal420
Stranger than some....
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: alex9009]
#13521753 - 11/21/10 11:54 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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I'm thinking that the space heater he was using had a fan, because he said it was noisy. Also, he's placing entirely too much confidence in his digital hygrometer, and his improperly calibrated analog hygrometer. A properly built SGFC will provide ample humidity and FAE, with minimal attention.
For heat, it's best to heat the entire room, and you should use a space heater that doesn't use a fan to blow hot air over a heating element or coil. I believe the best space heater to use is an oil filled radiator type. It doesn't dry the air out near as much.
Wrap your analog hygrometer in a damp towel for a half-hour, then calibrate it as quickly as possible to 99%. And get the digital out of there. If one drop of condensation gets on the sensor in that thing, it's going to give a false reading.
Once you properly calibrate your analog, and place it back inside your SGFC, you'll see that the humidity is correct, then you can take it out of there, because you'll realize that you don't need it to tell you there's enough humidity. There just is.
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alex9009
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: the locked shroom]
#13521797 - 11/22/10 12:04 AM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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You're sentence about how you think the humidifier will heat the chamber for cheaper and quieter makes me think the humidifier you're using is not a cool mist humidifier... From what I've read this is typically a little risky- introducing warm moisture into any closed space is a contaminant risk. But I'm not going to tell you that I think you're setup is a bad idea, I can see it working wonderfully. I would let your results indicate the success of your rig.
But here's a less ambiguous response: If it were me, I wouldn't use the humidifier. I would stick with the perlite and just make sure to get plenty of FAE. FAE is a seriously important pinning trigger.
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xChaosMonkeyx
some dude
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: Doc_T]
#13522161 - 11/22/10 01:41 AM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
Doc_T said:
If you're getting pins, and don't have problems, then the humidifier was the right thing. Let the mushrooms be your guide.
If you're not having pooling water, then just let it be as is. There's no need to mess with something that is working.
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the locked shroom
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: xChaosMonkeyx]
#13523507 - 11/22/10 12:22 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Hey guys, one more question. Is there a better or worse place to have that tube, the one that supplies the steam? Maybe below the perlite level? Or from above?
Thanks!
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RogerRabbit
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: the locked shroom]
#13523652 - 11/22/10 12:49 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
the locked shroom said:
Right now, there is so much condensation on the top of the FC that it is dripping down a lot, soaking the perlite and getting the cakes too wet I think. Is there any harm in that?
I've posted at least a hundred times to never pipe in a humidifier to a shotgun terrarium. You've saturated your cakes, which prevents them from pinning. Remember, if moisture is not evaporating from the substrates, they will not pin. You took what wasn't broken and broke it with that humidifier.
RR
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the locked shroom
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: RogerRabbit]
#13523808 - 11/22/10 01:22 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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I know you've said that it shouldn't need a heater, shouldn't need a humidifier, and shouldn't need fanning to get FAE. But I tried that for longer than a month with very healthy cakes, and they did nothing but dry out and not pin at all.
Here is one of the cakes that had done nothing for weeks, after a few days with the humidifier:
I trust your judgment over mine of course, but what do you suggest was happening before? I gave them tons of time, and they just got lighter and smaller, and did nothing.
Do you think a humidifier is alright if it's just pointing to the outside of it?
Edited by the locked shroom (11/22/10 07:24 PM)
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k00laid
NEMO
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: the locked shroom]
#13523848 - 11/22/10 01:30 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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do what works mane.
if you couldnt figure out the misting/fanning properly and your getting fruits doin it this way do it this way.
but everyones advice is gonna be dont do it that way.
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AMU - AMU Q & A - MyVideo Teks!
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the locked shroom
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: k00laid]
#13523891 - 11/22/10 01:39 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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I'm willing to do it any way that works, and I'd honestly love it if it was the right way. But that simply hasn't been working, and I have no idea why.
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Fungal growth
Lootinint
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: the locked shroom]
#13524140 - 11/22/10 02:25 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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i found my ultrasonic humidifier was too much for 1 64qt sg, ok for 2 and perfect for 3.
my current setup uses 2 105qt sg's using te same us.
point being, your cakes are probably loving the humidifier for now, but i expect you'll soak everything in a day or 3 if you keep running it 24/7. like Doc sed, get yourself a timer. the sweet spot for an ultra seems to be 15 minutes OF every 2 hours. but your using a cool mist, so it may be different, but you should still invest in a timer.
Edited by Fungal growth (11/23/10 12:10 PM)
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RogerRabbit
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: the locked shroom]
#13524201 - 11/22/10 02:38 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
the locked shroom said:
I know you've said that it shouldn't need a heater, shouldn't need a humidifier, and shouldn't need fanning to get FAE.
Apparently you didn't read the part about misting to make up for the water lost to evaporation. Cakes should never be allowed to dry out in a terrarium.
RR
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Download Let's Grow Mushrooms
semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat
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tajmahal420
Stranger than some....
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: RogerRabbit]
#13525455 - 11/22/10 06:57 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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I just realized by the pictures that you don't have enough perlite in that FC. You said you have 3-4 inches of perlite in there, but I can tell that you maybe have 3-4 centimeters of perlite. If you compare the 2" gap between holes to the perlite amount, you have 2" of perlite in there. We all shoot for 4-5 inches.
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theconduit
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: k00laid]
#13525484 - 11/22/10 07:03 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
k00laid said:
do what works mane.
If it works, do it.
Nothing beats results.
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the locked shroom
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: tajmahal420]
#13525642 - 11/22/10 07:31 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Hmmm, you're right! I'll have to get more.
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the locked shroom
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: RogerRabbit]
#13525665 - 11/22/10 07:35 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
RogerRabbit said:
Quote:
the locked shroom said:
I know you've said that it shouldn't need a heater, shouldn't need a humidifier, and shouldn't need fanning to get FAE.
Apparently you didn't read the part about misting to make up for the water lost to evaporation. Cakes should never be allowed to dry out in a terrarium.
RR
Quote:
the locked shroom said:I would also mist.
Sorry, I don't mean to be annoying, but I really was misting pretty regularly, a handful of times a day. And I never misted that smaller FC, the one that contaminated cakes went to and flourished.
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the locked shroom
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: the locked shroom]
#13530610 - 11/23/10 05:44 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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So I got a timer, and it is set to be on for 15 minutes every 2 hours. By the way, it is a steam humidifier, not a cool mist one.
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Doc_T
Random Dude
Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: the locked shroom]
#13530659 - 11/23/10 05:52 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Well shit. That's not going to help matters.
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You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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Fungal growth
Lootinint
Registered: 03/21/10
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Loc: under a rock in your yard
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: the locked shroom]
#13531845 - 11/23/10 09:06 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
the locked shroom said:By the way, it is a steam humidifier, not a cool mist one.
since you'll be buying a new one, i suggest an ultrasonic.
steam humidifiers arent ideal for this application.
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the locked shroom
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: Doc_T]
#13533699 - 11/24/10 04:39 AM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
Doc_T said:
Well shit. That's not going to help matters.
Sorry, I'm still pretty confused about a couple things:
If this isn't the right thing to do, then why has it been giving me good results quickly?
If I'm supposed to mist several times a day anyway, what is the harm in having a humidifier going for 15 minute spurts every few hours?
Why is a steam humidifier worse than a cool mist one? Wouldn't the heat be better (because my ambient temperature is far too low)?
I don't mean to be a pain in the ass, but I just want to learn the reasoning behind this stuff so I can do it right, but also get results.
Thanks guys!
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blueshroprachaun
Student Of The Spore 2y2l
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: the locked shroom]
#13533792 - 11/24/10 05:40 AM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Those are some nicely snapped pictures - photog skill! ++
Re-Read RR's symposium on the modification of SGFC's before you mangle another perfectly good humidifier.
Keep bloomin TLS - you're almost there! 
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"All things are poison and nothing is without poison, only the dose permits something not to be poisonous." - Paracelsus, the father of toxicology
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Fungal growth
Lootinint
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Loc: under a rock in your yard
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: the locked shroom]
#13534655 - 11/24/10 12:37 PM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
the locked shroom said:
Quote:
Doc_T said:
Well shit. That's not going to help matters.
Sorry, I'm still pretty confused about a couple things:
If this isn't the right thing to do, then why has it been giving me good results quickly?
If I'm supposed to mist several times a day anyway, what is the harm in having a humidifier going for 15 minute spurts every few hours?
Why is a steam humidifier worse than a cool mist one? Wouldn't the heat be better (because my ambient temperature is far too low)?
I don't mean to be a pain in the ass, but I just want to learn the reasoning behind this stuff so I can do it right, but also get results.
Thanks guys!
those are good points. in the end, results are the bottom line.
i'm interested to see how it works out.
but, i really think this method will over-correct the problem and in a week it wont be working so well anymore.
keep us posted!
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the locked shroom
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: blueshroprachaun]
#13538545 - 11/25/10 05:06 AM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
blueshroprachaun said:
Those are some nicely snapped pictures - photog skill! ++
Re-Read RR's symposium on the modification of SGFC's before you mangle another perfectly good humidifier.
Keep bloomin TLS - you're almost there!
Hey, thanks. They would be a bit better if I could actually see the shot while I was taking the pictures...
Anyway, where is the thing on modifying SGFC's? I watched the original in the mushroom videos but that's all.
I have already grown some mushrooms, but I want those huge batches from cakes that I always see pictures of! Right now I'm just getting dinky results. Any advice?
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blurt
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: the locked shroom]
#13538593 - 11/25/10 05:32 AM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Completely off-topic and I do apoligise.
In regards to the OP, have you got a link for your analogue hygrometer as I did have a link and cant find it now and need a reliable hygrometer and I know that your brand is just that.
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the locked shroom
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: blurt]
#13539148 - 11/25/10 11:23 AM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
blurt said:
Completely off-topic and I do apoligise.
In regards to the OP, have you got a link for your analogue hygrometer as I did have a link and cant find it now and need a reliable hygrometer and I know that your brand is just that.
3rd result when I search Amazon for hygrometer.
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blurt
The New Guy
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: the locked shroom] 1
#13542919 - 11/26/10 07:18 AM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Have you got an ebay link or different web link? Because they don'tpost to the UK.
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blurt
The New Guy
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: blurt]
#13542922 - 11/26/10 07:24 AM (2 years, 6 months ago) |
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Nevermind I just found one. Thank you as I wouldn't of found it without the Amazon one.
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Jweber72
Nunya
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: blurt]
#13652314 - 12/18/10 05:02 PM (2 years, 5 months ago) |
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What is the progress?
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Azure Essence
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Re: What the hell is wrong with my SGFC/is this a bad idea? Pics. [Re: Jweber72]
#13698533 - 12/29/10 12:25 AM (2 years, 5 months ago) |
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I had a humidifier in the closet my FC was in and I thought that was the best... Until I forgot to add more water to the humidifier all night and day and my shrooms turned into massive meaty bastards over that period. I think the humidifying like that doesnt let them get a chance to evaporate some of that water.
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