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Breadnbutterfly86
Religion limits human potential

Registered: 02/06/10
Posts: 870
Loc: Wonderland
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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coir
#12021296 - 02/13/10 11:58 AM (14 years, 10 months ago) |
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is 60/40 verm/coir a good mixture? how important is a bottom layer and how thick should each layer be? i've read a few different things, the bottom layer seems debatable.
-------------------- "Don't just do something, stand there!" -Mr. Rabbit-
Breadnbutterfly
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Mycjunky
Stranger


Registered: 07/25/09
Posts: 1,837
Last seen: 4 years, 7 months
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I'd suggest against using a bottom layer it's really just not necessary and will just add another way for your grow to get contamed. A lot of people will argue using coir in general as a casing layer isn't as good as others but I've had a lot of good success with the 60/40 mixture. Most the time I don't even pay that close of attention when I'm making my casings I just roughly estimate 60/40 and always get great flushes. In my opinion you should keep your casing layer very light though, just sprinkle enough casing to cover your substrate real lightly if I had to put a number on it I'd say around 1/8 of an inch to a 1/4 at most.
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prismism



Registered: 05/11/09
Posts: 5,570
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you don't have to layer. i see no difference when just mixing compared to layering. do more coir than verm or equal parts. it doesn't have to be exact measurements. i never measure anymore just eye everything and make unique mixtures each time using coir, manure, and verm.
-------------------- ephemeral anomalous
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Breadnbutterfly86
Religion limits human potential

Registered: 02/06/10
Posts: 870
Loc: Wonderland
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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would a bottom layer of just verm be a very good idea?
-------------------- "Don't just do something, stand there!" -Mr. Rabbit-
Breadnbutterfly
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Breadnbutterfly86
Religion limits human potential

Registered: 02/06/10
Posts: 870
Loc: Wonderland
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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mixed or layered does it need verm on top?
-------------------- "Don't just do something, stand there!" -Mr. Rabbit-
Breadnbutterfly
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Tangich



Registered: 10/28/09
Posts: 8,723
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Quote:
prismism said: you don't have to layer. i see no difference when just mixing compared to layering. do more coir than verm or equal parts. it doesn't have to be exact measurements. i never measure anymore just eye everything and make unique mixtures each time using coir, manure, and verm.
I think he means using coir in casing. Coir is not the best thing for a casing layer, if you have it than use it it to spawn grains to it, like Prismism said. For casing it's better to use verm/peat or straight verm.
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Breadnbutterfly86
Religion limits human potential

Registered: 02/06/10
Posts: 870
Loc: Wonderland
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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doesnt peat have higher chance of contams?
-------------------- "Don't just do something, stand there!" -Mr. Rabbit-
Breadnbutterfly
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biologys
Mycologist in Trainning



Registered: 12/21/09
Posts: 4,622
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it will help retain moisture, its completely your choice..are you talking about spawning to coir,, or are you talking about casing? alot of ppl get the two mixed up...
if you are spawning to coir i would just mix your spawn (grain, brf cakes crumbled, etc..) with a mixture of coir/verm..I myself use 1 quart of vermiculite to 1 brick of coir...
then do whatever ratio you want to use, 1:1-1:4
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Breadnbutterfly86
Religion limits human potential

Registered: 02/06/10
Posts: 870
Loc: Wonderland
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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yes i would like to spawn it... does this colonize faster? or couldnt you spawn it to more BRF?
-------------------- "Don't just do something, stand there!" -Mr. Rabbit-
Breadnbutterfly
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Tangich



Registered: 10/28/09
Posts: 8,723
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Quote:
Breadnbutterfly86 said: doesnt peat have higher chance of contams?
I don't think so, coir has a greater chance of contamination because it's nutritious. Do a search on coir as a bulk substrate, people have gotten great flushes from it. That way, mycelium colonizes it, there are much less chances of contam, and you don't have to use a casing layer.
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prismism



Registered: 05/11/09
Posts: 5,570
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yeah if you're talking about a casing don't use coir. and don't use a bottom layer.
-------------------- ephemeral anomalous
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Breadnbutterfly86
Religion limits human potential

Registered: 02/06/10
Posts: 870
Loc: Wonderland
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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i searched up some coir stuff but i just wanted some more insight is all... would it be smarter to use a PC or just microwave?
-------------------- "Don't just do something, stand there!" -Mr. Rabbit-
Breadnbutterfly
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Tangich



Registered: 10/28/09
Posts: 8,723
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Quote:
Breadnbutterfly86 said: i searched up some coir stuff but i just wanted some more insight is all... would it be smarter to use a PC or just microwave?
Neither. If using it as a bulk substrate, you want to pasteurize it with water 140-160*F. Sterilization is not the best option in this case. You just put your brick in a bucket and pour hot water over it, and let it sit till it cools down.
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biologys
Mycologist in Trainning



Registered: 12/21/09
Posts: 4,622
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pasteurize it dont sterilize it, follow the link in my signature for Shea's simple pasturizing method...
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prismism



Registered: 05/11/09
Posts: 5,570
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you are supposed to pasteurize bulk materials and casing materials. there are many different ways to accomplish this. but using a microwave is not a way to pasteurize. some people get away with sterilizing but it has a higher chance of contaminating. personally i mix all my materials together then get them to field capacity them bag them up and place them in a boiling pot of water then get the bags to 150 degrees then let then turn off the stove and let them sit for an hour. some people just pour boiling hot water over the coir then cover it up for an hour. its whatever.
-------------------- ephemeral anomalous
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Breadnbutterfly86
Religion limits human potential

Registered: 02/06/10
Posts: 870
Loc: Wonderland
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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cool. i've read about metal trays.... just use plastic eh?
-------------------- "Don't just do something, stand there!" -Mr. Rabbit-
Breadnbutterfly
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Breadnbutterfly86
Religion limits human potential

Registered: 02/06/10
Posts: 870
Loc: Wonderland
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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if a cake seems to stall before even 50% you can take out most of what is white and spawn it right? or just wait and use it as a cake if it does fully colonize?
-------------------- "Don't just do something, stand there!" -Mr. Rabbit-
Breadnbutterfly
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myceleus_rex
seeker



Registered: 07/01/09
Posts: 1,581
Loc: alized
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Just a trivial little question: I've never actually heard anyone say the word How do you pronounce it? Is it "kwar"?
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Breadnbutterfly86
Religion limits human potential

Registered: 02/06/10
Posts: 870
Loc: Wonderland
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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all i've seen is EcoEarth compressed coconut fiber expandable substrate... is this good?
-------------------- "Don't just do something, stand there!" -Mr. Rabbit-
Breadnbutterfly
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biologys
Mycologist in Trainning



Registered: 12/21/09
Posts: 4,622
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i always say it like..core lol not sure if its right or not..
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