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zacmasters7 said:
hi teknix

Thanks so much for the reply,  Im very happy for the help.  Regarding the clean space.  Ive been setting up a make shift SAB in my kitchen, however it is an open plan drafty area of the house.  I could possibly set up a small desk area in the spare bedroom, however it is carpeted and has a bed in there, even if I did spray lysol everywhere not sure if it would actually help.  Laundry area and the bathroom don't seem like a comfortable work space.  What would you pick be?  Kitchen, bathroom or bedroom?

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Your still air box should be fine wherever you like it. The problem with a SAB is that it is a PITA to try to put your colonized grains (Spawn) into the substrate (Bulk) inside a SAB. SAB is great for your agar work, and grain inoculations, or making cakes and whatnot. But if you are Spawning monotubs or big 5 pounds bag like you said, you will need a pretty big SAB to do that in.I don't have that So I personally just clean a room for plenty of room to work, and it goes a lot faster that way too. I'm not sure what I would pick in your situation, I've used a closet, my bathroom, my kitchen, and now I just use my dining room. Seems like you are favoring your kitchen though

The Room you use for spawning to bulk will depend, like if you have a lot of traffic in your house, you will want a place you won't be interrupted.

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zacmasters7 said:
And if you dont mind me asking, how many agar plates, jars and 5lb bags should I be preparing? Whats too much?  whats too little?

Checklist is also a great idea.  Thanks.

Hope to hear more of your input

thanks again.

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It depends on your PC, Here is what I do when I do a PC run. This is with a 23 Quart Presto it holds 7 Quart jars around the bottom, Always get wide mouth jars if you can, they are far more versatile and easier to work with (They are upside down just because being lazy :P):



Then you still have room on the top for half pint jars, with half pint jars you can make no pour agar dishes or LC's, or add some of your bags of substrate on top of them, or your petri dishes you are sterilizing, among other things;



Then don't forget your aluminum foil tool wallet on top of it all (Usually trifolded, so you can leave some covered and access a couple at a time) :



If I was doing a run of entire bags, I can fit 8 bags each with 3 quarts of substrate, (it's 23 quart but it fits when I squeeze the air out of the bags, because it's a loose 24 quarts in the bags) Or 6 bags with 4 quarts of substrate. Lets just say I did a run making my 7 quarts of spawn, some no-pour agar jars and LC's, and they all colonized and were successful, and let's say I'm just working on growing one species of mushroom. I have 7 Quarts of spawn and 6 bags and I need 1 to inoculate the next run of grains, so I put 1 quart per each bag. If I got some contams, I might have to use less spawn. Or just start from agar or LC.

You can keep cultures in the fridge for a long time, I have some that are about 3 years old that still seem fine. I put them in a mini fridge:



Or double bag them (Sandwich bags inside a freezer bag, for syringes and plates) Or if you are put an LC or Agar Jar in a food fridge for storage, just don't have holes in the lid, or if you do just bag it.

Crisper drawer mess :P