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Mushrooms, Mycology and Psychedelics > Mushroom Cultivation
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Fully Automated Everything
    #13186840 -

Hello shroomery, its my first post. Anyway, i dont like complications, and i dont like to worry about things. For that reason, i intend to build a fully automated germination chamber. So heres my plan,i am going to use reptile climate regulation equipment. There is the Zoo Med laboratories Hygrotherm, a device which monitors the temperature/humidity of a terrarium with a probe. it has the ability to be linked to a heating pad (Zoo Med ReptiTherm® Under Tank Heater) and humidifier (Zoo Med Reptile Fogger Terrarium Humidifier) which it can substantially control. This would allow me to set the hydrotherm to the optimum conditions, and forget it. It would be great, fully automated, the mycelium would be under the perfect conditions in which to thrive and take over the substrate.

i do though have the concern of contamination of my germination tank, by the humidifier. If anyone has any experience with the Zoo Med Reptile Fogger Terrarium Humidifier, id love some feedback. Does the rising steam feed the humidity into the tank? or is there an air pump using air from the out side? and also, would it be required to use distilled water in the humidifier? or would the process of the water turning to steal kill everything? Also, if anyone knows of a humidifier which is guarantied not to contaminate the air in my chamber, could you let me know the name and where to find it? Please help, im very interested.

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: inquirer]
    #13186897 -

Have you grown before???

if not follow RR's PF tek

if so use a monotub and keep it simple.

use the search engine your making the fruiting too complicated. Its a lot easier than that man.


--------------------
myco-tek
The House That Shrooms Built...

Edited by ProfessorPinHead (09/12/10 08:49 PM)

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: ProfessorPinHead]
    #13186943 -

look throw my pics for my system


--------------------
Spore Whore
A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
How to: the heart to automation (clicky)
How to: jokefox's agar broth (replace your LC with something that works)
How to: jokefox's MMS
Indoor complete Outdoor in progress

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: inquirer]
    #13187099 -

inquirer said:
Anyway, i dont like complications, and i dont like to worry about things. For that reason, i intend to build a fully automated germination chamber.


You don't like to worry and you don't like complications, so you're going to build a complicated device with lots of stuff to get out of whack and/or break down and cause you to worry. :facepalm:
RR


--------------------
Download Let's Grow Mushrooms



semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat

"I've never had a failed experiment.  I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work."
Thomas Edison

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: RogerRabbit]
    #13187106 -

breakdowns, number one cause of stress,
stress leads to death

simple style that RR has redefined is the best way you can get

mist fan ,, thats easy


--------------------
Spore Whore
A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
How to: the heart to automation (clicky)
How to: jokefox's agar broth (replace your LC with something that works)
How to: jokefox's MMS
Indoor complete Outdoor in progress

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: RogerRabbit]
    #13187111 -

He is totally right. Everything at that stage of automation is custom, falls apart often, and takes serious time and experience to troubleshoot. Once you have experienced growing then you can start understanding the dynamics of a humidity and air delivery system and what it takes to build and maintain one.


--------------------
Don't soak your WBS dummy! There's an =>easy<= way.
For Your Health!

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: XiC_clone]
    #13187117 -

i highly doubt anyone can fluke out like i did with my system lol


--------------------
Spore Whore
A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
How to: the heart to automation (clicky)
How to: jokefox's agar broth (replace your LC with something that works)
How to: jokefox's MMS
Indoor complete Outdoor in progress

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: XiC_clone]
    #13187124 -

You don't need to automate anything. even for bulk growing.

This is a mini-monotub of PANS completely unautomated.



--------------------
myco-tek
The House That Shrooms Built...

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: ProfessorPinHead]
    #13187138 -

and those turned out perfect ,


--------------------
Spore Whore
A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
How to: the heart to automation (clicky)
How to: jokefox's agar broth (replace your LC with something that works)
How to: jokefox's MMS
Indoor complete Outdoor in progress

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: jokefox]
    #13187178 -

jokefox said:
and those turned out perfect ,


Thank you:cool:


--------------------
myco-tek
The House That Shrooms Built...

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: ProfessorPinHead]
    #13187501 -

all your comments are very interesting. but they're more comments than actual answers to my question. First of all, this is not only fruiting chamber, this is going to be what i use to automate both the incubation and fruiting chambers. Why wouldnt i? it will work for both. And to defend my ideas against the opinions of anonymous strangers, who think the way they came up with is better, ill say this. Automation is not necessary, its its better. You dont need kool-aid, but its better than water. Also, im not jerry rigging anything, the items im using are designed to run 24-7,and control temp and humidity, im just acting like my iguana or gecko or some other lizar that needs a hot humid environment, is actually mold and mushrooms. This device is not complicated, its simply a black box, that has a probe running off it. You put the probe in a storage contianer. Then you plug the humidifier and heating mat into the black box, put the container on top of the heating pad, and have the humidifier sitting next to it pumping into it. Its really very simple. I had, also, a very simple question. Do you have any experience with the kind of humidifier i intend to use or one that would meet my expectations. So far no one has given me any information i need, they just took a piss on my ideas. Well thats well and good. But, anyone have anything constructive to say? Oh and, yes i have grown successfully with the PF tech once before. And then once again unsuccessfully. So, i ask again.

1)has anyone out there ever owned a "Zoo Med Reptile Fogger Terrarium Humidifier" and can you tell me if it requires/ has a built in air pump or if it is self contained and powered by the upward motion of the hot steam.

2)had anyone owned a humidifier other than the frogger, but that seems like it would still help me.

3) steams sterile right? its so damn hot, i don't see how it couldn't be.

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: inquirer]
    #13187557 -

the spores will clog your hydrometer thats why that doesent work

if you dont believe me then waste the money and you will see

if you really want some automation,, go get a vicks cool mist , run that 24/7
and get a timer for an ultrasonic and put taht inside the cool mist
then get some lights
and some timers

and some totes or a greenhouse

and you dont need an incubator ,unless its cold where you are


--------------------
Spore Whore
A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
How to: the heart to automation (clicky)
How to: jokefox's agar broth (replace your LC with something that works)
How to: jokefox's MMS
Indoor complete Outdoor in progress

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: jokefox]
    #13187884 -

To answer your questions:  I'm a noob but I can answer those objectively.

I have owned the zoomed fogger.  You drop it in about 5cm of water, and it spews mist out without a fan.  It just 'wafts' out.

I've owned an ebay cheap-ass ultrasonic column heater.  It broke within a week.

It does not produce hot steam, but cool mist/fog.  Unsure if it's sterile. 

My only tip:  Listen to the guys who have been doing this for years, they know their stuff and will save you from wasting time and money.

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: inquirer]
    #13187979 -

Problems I see:

Temperature probe in the air:

- Unreliable at high ambient humidities. They tend to break down (this is personal experience and I am talking even about 300$ sensors that are used in commercial farms). This could lead to overheating depending on your what your safety system is (i.e. error = turn off heating or error = keep doing whatever it was doing)

- An air probe also has a delay between the substrate heating and the air being heated up, which will tend to overheating the substrate. This will require a lot of fine tuning to get right.

- Using say a psychrometer to measure substrate temperature separately means extra hastle and more complication.

In any case, ambient temperature indoors is more than warm enough for germination/colonization and fruiting. A search on pros/cons of incubation will explain in detail why.

- Humidity probes:

Double Psychrometers for humidity measurement, which are the most effective and accurate probes with digital capabilities do not do well at extremely high RHs unless they are high precision and specially made for this range (stupidly expensive, too) Any other digital hygrometer is going to be even less accurate. At any reasonable price range analog beat digital every time. It is only when you get to the many hundreds or even thousands of dollars range that digital can beat analog in the hygrometer world.

So, intending to get ideal conditions using automating is pretty impossible without spending huge amounts of money. With plants, for example, it is much much easier to do. If you were talking about rigging a dehumidifier/humidifier and ac/heater to an indoor plant grow to keep conditions ideal I'd say go ahead, it will work great. But at the extreme humidities mushroom growing works at, digital probes tend to go crazy.

Workload:

Germination/Colonization: Requires no work at all. Jut put in a box and forget about for two weeks basically. So no work saved there, just work gained.

Fruiting: A Shotgun terrarium requires 2/3 mistings + fanning a day AT MOST. That is 5 minutes a day of work maximum, plus you use the time to check that everything is going ok.

An automated setup will require filling the humidifier every so often, cleaning it out, constant checking at least at first that sensors are working and conditions are correct.

Risk:

A shotgun has no moving parts, nothing to go wrong. If misting is done regularly then you don't even have to rewet the perlite unless you live in a very dry climate.
Nothing can really go wrong, if the setup is indoors.



Automated system:

If the temp sistem goes haywire: Fail
If the humidity system goes hayire: Fail


Unless you are growing in some special circumstance I really don't think automated is easier.


--------------------
Newcomers guide-----> For all things shroomy

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: Nibin]
    #13188189 -

I use the ZooMed hygrotherm in my greenhouse.  Works great. :thumbup:

But there's no way a first time grower will be able to use that to grow mushrooms, it just ain't happenin'.


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

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: Doc_T]
    #13188332 -

Doc_T said:
there's no way a first time grower will be able to use that to grow mushrooms, it just ain't happenin'.



Yea, first timers are funny. You can always tell when a noob thinks they are smart because they think they are going to revolutionize mycology and invent all kinds of new Teks and shit.

Dialogue->

noob: "why can't you just eat hay for a few days and spawn to your own shit. I mean I live in the city and there isn't any horses here".



Prof: "Just follow the mounted officer in the park w/ a trash bag and collect it when the horse stop to shit. If he asks what your doing tell him you grow roses"..... Its much better on your digestive track that way. Just make sure to wear a tie-dye while doing so; you don't want to look suspicious to the cop".


--------------------
myco-tek
The House That Shrooms Built...

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: ProfessorPinHead]
    #13188427 -

automating your fruiting chamber is fun, but very complicated.

if you want simplicity and ease make a monotub.


--------------------

Whistle your favorite tune when it's all said and done,
if your maker don't approve at least you know you've had your fun

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: inquirer]
    #13188589 -

inquirer said:
But, anyone have anything constructive to say?


Yea:

I have used that same zoomed hygrotherm, i use it to auto turn on/off my water heater in my TiT for keeping spawn run temps at ~80'F.  I have also used the hygrotherm to control RH and temp in a martha (using Rh inside via cool mist humidifiers and a space heater outside martha).  And you know what, i don't use the zoomed for the martha anymore, its not accurate enough (even tho zoomed told me it has a +/- 2% RH accuracy; which I don't believe for one minute); nor is it reliable enough.

I agree with what others have tried to tell you: step back, take a deep breath, and don't try to reinvent the wheel your first bulk grow.  The zoomed hygrotherm is not a win IMO.  if you want to not worry and not have to be a slave to your grow than try monotub or some people have been using a hybrid monotub and shotgun tub with success, but mono FTW in terms of ease, no complication and few worries.

inquirer said:
But, anyone have anything constructive to say?


Yes: learn to accept constructive criticism; you may not agree with the criticism, but at least consider it and don't get upset when people try to help you with constructive criticisms.


--------------------
What does a ninja drink?  WHA-TAH!

"The important thing is not to stop questioning..." Albert Einstein

"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal"  Albert Pike

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: pinophile]
    #13188647 -

I've been wondering about a hot water heater thermostat for TiT use.
Not sure if they go quite low enough, I'll investigate.

Before the rabble becomes roused:
some of us live where it's cold, and we can't afford to heat our old, poorly insulated apartments to subtropical temps.


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

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Re: Fully Automated Everything [Re: Doc_T]
    #13188691 -

Hey doc,

Yea where i live my house (built in the 50's) temps say around and below 70'F in the day and cooler at night (very poor insulation and single pane windows); so use of TiT for higher temps really helps.  And I don't buy into the claim that increased temps around 80'F increases chance of contamination; total BS IMO.  Contamination is just as likely at 70'F as 80'F.  From my expedience 80'F is not more likely to contam than 70'F or 75'F; if it's gonna contam it's gonna contam regardless is it's 70'F or 80'F (this has to due with mesophilic organisms and their preferred temp ranges).

The heater I have has auto-shut off @ 85'F, it's a 20 or 30 gallon fish tank heater.  But even if I had a heater that didn't auto shut off at 85'F my use of the hygrotherm allows me to set the heater to turn off at any temp I wish.  I think 85'F is too hot so that is why I use the hygrotherm with my heater so the heater turns off at 80'F.  Sometimes I set it to 82'F if im colonizing smaller subs due to lower spawn run temps from reduced substrate size.


--------------------
What does a ninja drink?  WHA-TAH!

"The important thing is not to stop questioning..." Albert Einstein

"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal"  Albert Pike

Edited by pinophile (09/13/10 11:29 AM)

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