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OfflineDiminishing
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110qt Monotub Cubensis - First Grow!
    #12564814 - 05/14/10 10:35 PM (14 years, 8 months ago)

Hi, Shroomery



I'm currently in the process of fruiting my first grow, a task that's evolved significantly over the past few months. This isn't so much a log, as most of my procedure was undocumented. These are merely the fruits of my labors, thus far; a few questions as well.


I began a few months ago, by preparing some rather sub-par grains. I'm still unable to find horticultural gypsum in my area, and hadn't taken advantage of drywall smashing at the time, so it did not make it into my jars. My WBS ended up rather damp, though not so much "pooling water" damp as "toilet paper test failed miserably" damp. My main dilemma was in drying these grains. If there's any advice I'm missing, I'd appreciate the tips.

The 7 jars were then placed in my beauty of a pressure cooker, as posted here (New (Ancient) Pressure Cooker: Jackpot or WMD?).



The jars were then inoculated with 1-2cc's of spore solution, next. My LC seemed to have worked fine, but I don't have any more spare syringes laying about, so I decided to use the last of my spores. The jars were stored in a clean linen closet at room temperature for quite a while. Colonization was very slow, taking at least several weeks to a month. I did not mark the date, as I should have. My heart was only half in it at the time. I experimented somewhat by shaking 3 of the 7 jars. Those 3 finished colonizing much faster, though they lacked the beautiful web-like patterns that the solid mycelium had produced. It looked much healthier, as well.

Once all the jars were finally colonized, I chose a 110qt clear Sterlite storage bin for my monotub. This may have been overly ambitious for my first growing attempt, as I was tempted to follow the "Don't put all of your eggs into one basket" adage, but I suppose ambition won out. I prepared a bulk substrate consisting of 3 bricks of coir, 6-7 quarts of vermiculite, and a mostly eyeballed yet similar amount of spent coffee grounds. Somewhere around 5% eyeballed gypsum was added as well (It was about all I could take. The process was making a mess, and breaking drywall with a mallet isn't quite as fun as one would think).

An appropriate amount of boiling water was added to the two 5-gallon buckets, they were sealed and pasteurized for almost 24 hours. I added the bulk sub to the tub, mixing in the 7 quarts of spawn as I went. A frosting layer was added, followed by a final light layer of field-capacity substrate. I then let the tub colonize in a dark closet, wrapped in a thick blanket for 10 days (No peeking!).

Disaster occurred about a week into colonization. My apartment was flooded a few days into colonizing, though leaving the closet unaffected. This was described in greater detail in this thread (Apartment Flooded... Should I relocate my monotub? ). After reading the replies, I decided leaving the tub would be my best bet.

When I decided begin the fruiting stage, a beautiful sea of white was covering the entire bin. I added a 5500k daylight bulb (highest I could find at the time), and a small fan blowing towards an adjacent wall. The closet was mostly emptied, sterilized, and blocked off as much as possible around the door way.

After 3-4 days, I saw my first pins. They've slowly grown since then. These pictures were all taken throughout the course of today:









(Same Cluster!)











There's a few concerns that I have:

1. How do I identify aborts? Are these ones which have extended caps, yet remain rather tiny? Like this little guy?


2. Is there a reason why some of these mushrooms are growing almost horizontally or bending downward?

3. Do these appear to be slightly gaunt looking? Is this a sign of a negative condition?

4. I'm still slightly unclear about when to harvest. When one says "veil splitting", does that mean the thin membrane that tears when the cap begins to expand outward?

5. As far as pinsets go, how'd I manage?


That's all for now. I'll keep this updated as harvest time approaches. How about a little audience interaction, as well? Anyone care to play "Guess That Strain"?

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Invisibleconoshoto
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Re: 110qt Monotub Cubensis - First Grow! [Re: Diminishing]
    #12564909 - 05/14/10 10:53 PM (14 years, 8 months ago)

I would say that the only thing is they look like they need more fae :shrug: and I usually pick a day or two after the veil breaks. It's all a matter of preference really. :thumbup:


--------------------
"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!'" - Hunter S. Thompson

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OfflineDefkawn
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Re: 110qt Monotub Cubensis - First Grow! [Re: Diminishing]
    #12564958 - 05/14/10 11:03 PM (14 years, 8 months ago)

Interesting grow! But I would probably agree with that guy... A little more FAE mite be dandy.  But still great grow none the less.  Any results are good enough for me lol!


--------------------
"It was the most meaningful experience in my life."

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OfflineStainBlue
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Re: 110qt Monotub Cubensis - First Grow! [Re: Diminishing]
    #12566121 - 05/15/10 06:18 AM (14 years, 8 months ago)

Those little guys need FRESH AIR. They're suffocating in there.

I would suggest modifying your monotub by putting more holes (the same size and stuffed with polyfill) directly above your existing holes. The whole purpose of a monotub is a set and forget type setup. When you have the appropriate holes, as mentioned in every monotub tek I've seen, fresh air exchange happens as a natural process.

When the heavier dense CO2 builds up and falls out the lower holes toward the less dense air outside the tub, then fresh air rushes in the upper holes providing a constant automated exchange of fresh air inside the tub, and thus limiting the amount of CO2 buildup.

That's why your fruits are looking a little long and skinny without much substance to them. They are continually growing up looking for less CO2 instead of growing out and bulking up. Take this advice and your future flushes/grows will improve dramatically.

With that said, Congrats! Keep up the good work :thumbup:

Now to answer your questions:

1. Aborts will be tiny undeveloped mushrooms whose caps are turning black. The caps turn black because the fruit has died is in the beginning stages of rotting. You don't want rotting flesh in your tub so pick them when you see them. The mushroom you questioned about is NOT an abort. It has matured and the cap has spread. It's tiny most likely because of the fresh air exchange issue. And just because a pin doesn't show signs of growth doesn't mean that is has aborted, it may simply be a pin for the second flush. The key to identifying aborts is the black cap.

2./3. Both these questions I believe to be attributed to the lack of fresh air exchange. Correct that and you should begin to see positive changes.

4. Yes the veil is the thin membrane that attaches the edge of the cap to the stem. As the fruit matures and it's cap spreads it will stretch this membrane. Once it breaks you can harvest. How long after it breaks is up to you. If your looking to make prints, harvest it as soon as the whole veil has broken.

5. Pinset wasn't bad. More Fresh air exchange will help that in the future too. FAE is the number one pinning trigger.


--------------------
Peace,
StainBlue

Edited by StainBlue (05/15/10 06:34 AM)

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OfflineDiminishing
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Re: 110qt Monotub Cubensis - First Grow! [Re: StainBlue]
    #12567451 - 05/15/10 01:48 PM (14 years, 8 months ago)

Thanks for the replies!

I'll definitely modify the tub before my next grow. Until then, I've cracked the lid a tiny bit and started fanning. Hopefully the next time, things will be a bit more automatic.

I've already begun to see some positive changes in fruit size. I'll be sure to post additional pictures as the changes start to appear more dramatic.

This has definitely been a learning experience in quite an enjoyable hobby.


Side note:

I have a dehumidifier with a setting from 1-5. It has some metal coils underneath that heat up when plugged in. I obtained this from the same thrift store my pressure cooker came from, with no instructions. Is there a specific amount of time or specific heat setting that I need to be using?

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OfflineStainBlue
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Re: 110qt Monotub Cubensis - First Grow! [Re: Diminishing]
    #12567479 - 05/15/10 01:54 PM (14 years, 8 months ago)

What are you using the dehumidifier for?


--------------------
Peace,
StainBlue

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OfflineDiminishing
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Re: 110qt Monotub Cubensis - First Grow! [Re: StainBlue]
    #12567504 - 05/15/10 02:02 PM (14 years, 8 months ago)

Err, dehydrator, I mean. Apologies, was in a bit of a rush.

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InvisibleDoc_T
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Re: 110qt Monotub Cubensis - First Grow! [Re: StainBlue]
    #12567507 - 05/15/10 02:02 PM (14 years, 8 months ago)

Use it on medium until they are dry.


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You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?

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OfflineStainBlue
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Re: 110qt Monotub Cubensis - First Grow! [Re: Doc_T]
    #12567512 - 05/15/10 02:03 PM (14 years, 8 months ago)

Quote:

Doc_T said:
Use it on medium until they are dry.




Ditto


--------------------
Peace,
StainBlue

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