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SB-2
Innovator




Registered: 10/18/10
Posts: 159
Loc: Between Here and There
Last seen: 6 years, 2 months
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Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. 1
#13677942 - 12/23/10 11:40 PM (14 years, 27 days ago) |
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I am posting this thread for my dog's former owner's pen pal in Russia. He pretended he lived in the US while he was writing this, so all of his price figures are pretty accurate for those living in the US. I'll be updating the thread for him since he doesn't know what the internet is. Our homes are linked via a quantum communication device, so as he updates me on the progress of the project I will update this thread for him in his words. 
This is my first attempt at a "Tek". I'm not a mushroom expert, in fact I am a beginner, but I have a head for building things, and decided I would do something more productive tonight than smoke and watch a movie. I've been around the shroomery for quite a while as a non-member, and it's helped me so much I want to give back. This thread will be part tek, part grow log as I attempt a fully automated grow after the cakes are birthed. I will modify the first post, which contains the "tek" continuously as I improve the design, and if someone else makes a modification that works well I will be happy to add it. I am not looking to make a name for myself or have a tek attributed to me, this project is "open source", anybody can add to it or post it anywhere they want as long as I am credited with the original design. I.e., don't steal the Tek and claim you came up with it.
I encourage constructive criticism and suggestions on design improvement. Saying this Tek is stupid because it involves the PK Tek or "casings r better newb" is not contrctive criticism. I realize bulk subs produce more shrooms, but the PF Tek is nearly foolproof, and this setup may help more people maximise the PF Tek's potential.
People who have influenced this "tek" significanty: RogerRabbit (General advice via his AWESOME video) Boheim (General advice in PM's) PF (For making the PF Tek) Others I'm forgetting



The theory behind my setup is simple, and suited to my needs, but it should work for almost anybody. I have been trying to fruit in-jar for a while now with no results following the "Quart jar way revisited" tek. Finally, I gave up on it and decided on a semi-large scale PF Tek attempt. The goal of this project is to create a fruiting environment that will automatically or mostly automatically create an environment that constantly exchanges air and maintains 99% or above humidity for at least 7 days straight, making this setup ideal for those who cannot be home to mist/fan every day or are sick of misting/fanning 10x a day.
Most of the "research" has already been done...the environment maintained 99% humidity with a minimum of 10 complete fresh air exchanges per day, probably more, without any intervention on my parts. The tests were run with one bin empty, and the other had some old PF style rice cakes I had made. Didn't expect anything out of them other than being dummies, I'm doing the PF Tek by the book this time so in the grow log I expect some good results.
I am using 2 clear plastic tubs converted to SGFC (Shotgun Fruiting Chamber) with lids purchased from Wal-Mart for around 9$ each. You can see them in the few pics I've posted in the thread. You will also have to purchase an ultrasonic humidifier. This only requires a couple things you wouldn't need for a SGFC anyway.
MATERIALS NEEDED
2 Plastic Tubs for SGFC's. See Sec. 1 for info. About 9$ Each.
Drill and small drill bit. See Sec. 1 for info. About 17$ for both.
Perlite. 1 small bag of Miracle-Gro is good for 1 bin. The Miracle-Gro is around 3.50$ per bag.
Vicks V5100N Humidifier. Use others at your own risk. No, you cannot use a Coolmist, you're going to have to drop 40-60$ on a nice ultrasonic like the V5100N. Sorry, but it will be worth it in the end.
Your preferred method for making PF cakes and the materials to make them. I like Roger Rabbit's "Let's Grow Mushrooms". Please buy it, people, don't pirate it. It's worth it if you want to learn how to grow shrooms.
A length of 1 1/2" PVC. Get at least 8', it's CHEAP. Like, 2.29 for 8' cheap, and it's nice to have extra. Can't ever have enough PVC, really.
2 1 1/2" 90 degree PVC elbows
1 1 1/2" PVC T-Fitting to split 1 pipe into 2. All the PVC stuff comes out to less than 10$.
2 timers. I use 2 Marineland Mechanical Aquarium Timers. Basically, the timer needs to be able to run in 15 minute intervals every 2 hours. My timers were 13$ each on eBay.
Small fluorescent light to run on 12 hours, off 12 hours on a timer. Doesn't need to be that big at all.
Hacksaw if you don't already have one or anything else to cut the PVC. Your kitchen knife ain't gonna do it, so if you don't have a bandsaw or a hacksaw, buy a hacksaw. They're around 5$.
1. Make your Shotgun Fruiting Chambers
Most people here know how to make an SGFC, so I won't go into that too much. Basically, find a clear storage tub with a lid at Walmart that is about as large as the ones in my pics. Many kinds will work, just make sure it has at least 1 foot depth. 16-18 inch depth is preferable IMO.
Once you have your tubs, you'll need an electric drill and a drill bit. I bought both at Menard's for about 15$. I like AC drills (Plug into the wall) for making SGFC's and working with plastic since they have a MUCH higher drill RPM rating, and they are cheaper. The drill bit is only about 1$, you can use a variety of sizes bit I like 1/8".
Using the electric drill, drill holes in ALL 6 SIDES of the plastic tub, including the lid. Space them so that you cannot measure 2" in 1 direction without hitting another hole. In other words...drill a shitload of holes. We're not worried about too much air getting in and ruining the humidity with this setup, and more holes = more FAE (fresh air exchange) which = better everything when it comes to fruiting.
After all your holes are drilled, pour your perlite into a strainer and shake as much dust off as you can WITHOUT RINSING. Be careful, the dust can irritate your lungs. We WILL in fact be using the perlite dry, you'll see why later. Once the perlite is "dusted", and the whole bag (Or enough to cover 3" from the bottom of the tub if buying Perlite in bulk), your SGFC is nearly done.
You now need to make a hole in the very center of the lid big enough for a 1 1/2" PVC pipe to fit through. I use my AC drill with the same drill bit I use to make the small holes to cut the whole. This requires very steady and strong hands with an AC drill, but if you're artful and careful, you can do it. Make the hole another way if you want. Circle saw attachments for drills are cheap. Don't break your lid trying to use something that wasn't designed for cutting through plastic if you don't know what you're doing, these plastic bins are brittle.
2. Make your PVC humidity delivery system
This is where some more custom work comes in. My rough measurements for your PVC lengths are:
Pipe coming out of Humidifier into T-Joint - 12"
Pipes coming out of T-Joint and into elbows: 8" This length is important. You'll need to make sure it is at least 8" so both bins fit near the humidifier. A longer length will give you more room to play with the humidifer settings with the humidifier in the middle of the bins, but anything over 8" or so is increasing the size of this contraption.
Pipes coming out of elbows and going down into SGFC lid holes - 5" Not that important, just make sure it goes about an inch into the SGFC and no more. a T-Joint on the bottom would more evenly disperse mist, but it also makes removing the lids a pain in the ass, so just make a straight pipe going into the lid hole, it works well as illustrated in the pics.
Look at the pictures for reference on a shape that works well. The way I run my PVC is very simple, effective, and easy to make. I just slide the PVC right into the humidifier (The V5100N is perfect here). No sealers, custom pipes, or hoses, the 1 1/2" works GREAT with the V5100N without modification. Once your PVC piping is done, slide the middle piece (The longest section on mine at around 12") into the humidifer, attach the T, fitting to the top, slide the 8" sections into both opposing sides of the T-Fitting, attach your elbows to the other ends of those, and end with the 5" pieces coming out of the elbows. It's easy, just look at the picture for reference.
3. Creating the perfect environment
Plug your humidifier into the timer, and run it for 15 minutes every couple hours. You can do 15 minutes every 1 to 3 hours, but I've found every 2 hours works best. Bottom line, once everything is put together, you'll have to play with the settings to make it work perfect. I would start with 15 minutes every 2 hours.
I turn the humidifier exactly halfway to maximum capacity, and that is more than enough for 2 bins. With a 1 into 4 fitting, I think the V5100N could actually handle 4 different SGFC's at once, but I KNOW it will handle 2 that have 2x as many holes in them as RogerRabbit recommends EASILY.
Now that our humidity is handled, we need to get our lighting set up. Using a fluorescent light, run it on a 12/12 out of 24 hours schedule. Easy. Or just turn it on and off yourself, but the goal here is automation and success with minimal human intervention, so why not use a timer?
My cakes are colonizing right now, once they do you'll start to see some real results in here. I will be doing 1 tub with NO human intervention, and 1 tub that I will fan 3x a day to add FAE on top of the humidifier's forced induction and the natural SGFC FAE. Using colored gas, I found that the humidifier will make a complete air exchange within 10 minutes of running, and we run it for 15 minutes each cycle, so figure at least 10 fresh air exchanges per day on top of the natural FAE provided by the SGFC without ever taking the lid off.
Improvement plans:
On the bin that will have no human intervention, I may rig up a small computer case fan attached to the bottom of the bin to suck air down through the perlite floor and out of the bin. The reason for this placement is to target CO2, which resides mostly in the bottom of the bin. This fan would run on a 15 minute cycle at the opposite pole of the humidifier...the schedule would look something like this.
1:00 - Humidifier Turns on for 15 minutes 1:15 - Humidifier shuts down until 3:00 2:00 - FAE fan engages for 15 minutes 2:15 - FAE fan disengages until 4:00 ...and so on. See the pattern? This should provide 20+ complete fresh air exchanges per day, and adjusting the humidity if needed is as easy as turning a knob. The dry perlite sucks up extra moisture, and also acts as a minor filter for contamination while air is being pulled through it and out the bottom of the bin. Thoughts on adding the fan?
Edited by SB-2 (12/24/10 12:53 AM)
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Disgruntled


Registered: 10/24/10
Posts: 444
Last seen: 12 years, 7 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SB-2]
#13677999 - 12/23/10 11:59 PM (14 years, 27 days ago) |
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only input i have so far, is,
you know you wont be able to run the US all the time right? otherwise every things going to be way way to wet,.
IMO you'd be better off using a coolmist on a timer, you'd get alot better FAE with it, and it wont soak your cakes,
also you ll want the tubs to be elevated, you bottom of the tubs cant sit on a table, otherwise the SGFC dont work as it should,
the SGFC are pretty much set and forget, besides the mist every now and then. the addition of a coolmist would be pretty cool i guess,
and for you poll,. IMO the dust wont hurt anything, besides the fact i wouldn't want to inhale it while it was dry, nor would i really care to ingest it either
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Harley.Hammerhead
Informed Passenger.


Registered: 12/09/10
Posts: 403
Loc: The cold north.
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: Disgruntled]
#13678016 - 12/24/10 12:04 AM (14 years, 27 days ago) |
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the only reason the perlite is in the fruiting chamber is this: it has a HUGE surface area, and thus holds lots of moisture. without rincing the perlite you dont cover the area with water, this is why you wash one strainer multiple times, to make it retain water..... not because of dust.
other than that, this is f***ing sweet man, its giving me GREAT ideas for the future..... except im currently working on making this How Myco-Curious Builds A Bulk Humidifier... after xmas im getting the Fogger, maybe i can hook it up to 4 SGFC's and see how she runs.
Edit: Quote:
you know you wont be able to run the US all the time right? otherwise every things going to be way way to wet,.
this is true you cant run it ALL the time, but you can go down and get a crappy power timer like such $6 timer... and make it run for 15 mins every 4 hours or so and make it perfect in there......and eliminate fanning, misting and general maintenance.... making a SGFC that can run for days on end with no one around...
--------------------

Edited by Harley.Hammerhead (12/24/10 12:10 AM)
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Amphiprion



Registered: 04/16/10
Posts: 154
Loc: Mindeapoarctica
Last seen: 11 years, 9 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: Harley.Hammerhead]
#13678028 - 12/24/10 12:08 AM (14 years, 27 days ago) |
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You are overcomplicating an SGFC, adding the humidifier is counterproductive to the functionality of the chamber.
Do this to a monotub by all means, but imo, not to a SGFC.
-------------------- Amphi
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Disgruntled


Registered: 10/24/10
Posts: 444
Last seen: 12 years, 7 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: Harley.Hammerhead]
#13678048 - 12/24/10 12:14 AM (14 years, 27 days ago) |
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yeah, no doubt youd want the perlite wet or as Harley stated it wouldnt do you much good,. but i think hes asking about how some people say they wash the perlite to remove the fine dust, not just wetting it down, but physically sloshing it around with thier hands and stuff,.
but i see no need to really wash the perilite to the extent, just thoroughly wet it as harley stated and your good to go,
i was talking about breathing it while it was dry, i hate when you open a big bag of it and its got alot of fine perlite powder in it and it puffs everywhere,. thats what i dont like to inhale
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Disgruntled


Registered: 10/24/10
Posts: 444
Last seen: 12 years, 7 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: Disgruntled]
#13678053 - 12/24/10 12:17 AM (14 years, 27 days ago) |
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even the monotubs wouldnt need it,. if properly done, the monotub MSG and SGFC are all great as they are,. think hes just wanting to play with them a little,
if you still do it, which would be cool,. id switch from US to cool mist though,. US is overkill on most everything, alot of the people that even use them on thier greenhouse dont really need them,
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SB-2
Innovator




Registered: 10/18/10
Posts: 159
Loc: Between Here and There
Last seen: 6 years, 2 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: Disgruntled]
#13678103 - 12/24/10 12:34 AM (14 years, 26 days ago) |
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Lots of replies, let me address a few concerns...
The US does not soak anything. It very efficiently vaporizes water and delivers it to the SGFC's in vaporized form. The V5100N also holds enough water to last 12 days or so running on 50% capacity 15 minutes out for every 2 hours. If I run it on 75%, water beads develop on the cakes and on the walls. At 50%, it keeps 99% humidity without actually saturating anything. During pinning and fruiting VERY small water deposits may actually be helpful. Remember, shrooms are about 90% water.
That brings me to my next point, the US does NOT run all the time, and I'm not sure how you got the idea that it was from my post. I agree running it full-time would be a BAD idea! It runs 15 minutes of every 2 hours.
The perlite is there just because. It makes it easy to get the cakes off the bottom of the bin, adds a layer below the cakes that can absorb CO2, which is heavier than other parts of air and causes slow/stunted growth. It also absorbs any excess moisture created by the US and puts it back into the air as extra humidity. There's no reason not to have it there dry, it is still beneficial. I realize rinsing it is mostly to add water and that it does not literally absorb water. I am not putting it there to absorb water, I am putting it there for the aforementioned reasons. You do have to get rid of the dust somehow, though. It will make you cough like chronic if you don't, and it ain't the good kind of coughing.
The bins are not sitting on the surface, they are lifted about 1" by standard jar lid rings.
I am not trying to complicate things, I am trying to simplify them. According to my results, I will be able to put 12 cakes in one of these tubs, and not even walk into the room again for a week if I so chose while still maintaining an optimal and uniform environment. I think the cakes will like getting misted/fanned on mechanical intervals...almost every kind of vegetation responds very positively to a set schedule of care, and I think shrooms are similar. The goal of this project is to make a semi-low cost solution for people who want to grow shrooms but can't spend tons of time doting on them. My schedule is hectic, and I can't be home to mist/fan very often. If I misted/fanned like everyone else, the schedule would be erratic at best, neglectful at worst, and would definitely not work as well as this is.
I'm not a mycologist, an expert, or a guy trying to take the art out of growing mushrooms. I'm just a guy who built a machine to do what he couldn't feasibly do on his own, and figured others could benefit from a writeup. We all know nothign will ever be as good as human interaction with your cakes, but we also know that human interaction adds a lot of contams to the equation, it requires a lot of time invested on a regular schedule, and it can be monotonous. My setup eliminates many problems with fruiting PF cakes, and adds none I've found so far. Nobody can build a machine that can be as artful and skilled as a human at a task, but I think I've come close enough that it will work well. 
Time to go smoke an accomplishment bowl...might not be able to answer many questions for the next few hours.
-------------------- Let the poor not tear down the fortune of the rich, but fervently build fortune of their own.
Tired of fruiting chambers, glove boxes, and flow hoods?
Tired of getting a few shrooms after all your hard work?
Tired of war, poverty, world hunger, and the government?
...Then check out my lazy grower's guide!
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/15123541
Edited by SB-2 (12/24/10 01:19 AM)
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SB-2
Innovator




Registered: 10/18/10
Posts: 159
Loc: Between Here and There
Last seen: 6 years, 2 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: Amphiprion]
#13678158 - 12/24/10 12:57 AM (14 years, 26 days ago) |
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Quote:
Amphiprion said: You are overcomplicating an SGFC, adding the humidifier is counterproductive to the functionality of the chamber.
Do this to a monotub by all means, but imo, not to a SGFC.
Can you explain how it is counterproductive? It's extra FAE, stable and high humidity, and costs ~5$ a month to run it with distilled water. If it has downsides, I honestly want to hear them, maybe your criticism could lead to a design improvement or a fix for an issue causing "counterproductivity".
-------------------- Let the poor not tear down the fortune of the rich, but fervently build fortune of their own.
Tired of fruiting chambers, glove boxes, and flow hoods?
Tired of getting a few shrooms after all your hard work?
Tired of war, poverty, world hunger, and the government?
...Then check out my lazy grower's guide!
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/15123541
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k00laid
NEMO


Registered: 05/03/10
Posts: 19,636
Last seen: 1 year, 5 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SB-2]
#13678202 - 12/24/10 01:17 AM (14 years, 26 days ago) |
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Quote:
SB-2 said:
Quote:
Amphiprion said: You are overcomplicating an SGFC, adding the humidifier is counterproductive to the functionality of the chamber.
Do this to a monotub by all means, but imo, not to a SGFC.
Can you explain how it is counterproductive? It's extra FAE, stable and high humidity, and costs ~5$ a month to run it with distilled water. If it has downsides, I honestly want to hear them, maybe your criticism could lead to a design improvement or a fix for an issue causing "counterproductivity".
its just that its not a SGFC its a tub with some perlite and a humidifier.
does it even have holes on all six sides?
-------------------- AMU - AMU Q & A - MyVideo Teks!
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SB-2
Innovator




Registered: 10/18/10
Posts: 159
Loc: Between Here and There
Last seen: 6 years, 2 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: k00laid]
#13678214 - 12/24/10 01:21 AM (14 years, 26 days ago) |
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does it even have holes on all six sides?
Yep, holes on all 6 sides. It's just like a normal SGFC, except that you use dry Perlite instead of wet and drill about 2x as many holes. If you read the post, I say very specifically and even emphasize drilling on all 6 sides...
The fact is, the ultrasonic humidifier maintains 99% humidity better than wet perlite and misting does, and it does it on a set and predictable schedule. It also has the extra benefit of at least 1 complete fresh air exchange every 2 hours.
-------------------- Let the poor not tear down the fortune of the rich, but fervently build fortune of their own.
Tired of fruiting chambers, glove boxes, and flow hoods?
Tired of getting a few shrooms after all your hard work?
Tired of war, poverty, world hunger, and the government?
...Then check out my lazy grower's guide!
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/15123541
Edited by SB-2 (12/24/10 01:27 AM)
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k00laid
NEMO


Registered: 05/03/10
Posts: 19,636
Last seen: 1 year, 5 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SB-2]
#13678220 - 12/24/10 01:24 AM (14 years, 26 days ago) |
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so wheres the fruits?
-------------------- AMU - AMU Q & A - MyVideo Teks!
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SB-2
Innovator




Registered: 10/18/10
Posts: 159
Loc: Between Here and There
Last seen: 6 years, 2 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: k00laid]
#13678244 - 12/24/10 01:34 AM (14 years, 26 days ago) |
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Quote:
k00laid said: so wheres the fruits?

On the way. Again, if you read the post, this is a combination grow log/"Tek". The tub on the right will not be opened until the first harvest to compare results between no human intervention and normal misting/fanning.
Thanks for the input, though. If there's something wrong with this setup, I want to know about it. So far I have heard no criticism that was really valid, and all of my tests indicate that this setup performs phenomenally, but there may be a fatal flaw I am overlooking. Telling me it won't work because it's not a "real" SGFC is like telling me my car isn't as fast as a bicycle because it's not a bicycle.
The real proof of success or failure will be in the fruits as you say. My hygrometers, thermometers, and colored gas to test FAE efficiency are only tests and simulations, not real-world results. We should start seeing some real-world results as fast as 12 1/2 pint jars will colonize using an LC.
-------------------- Let the poor not tear down the fortune of the rich, but fervently build fortune of their own.
Tired of fruiting chambers, glove boxes, and flow hoods?
Tired of getting a few shrooms after all your hard work?
Tired of war, poverty, world hunger, and the government?
...Then check out my lazy grower's guide!
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/15123541
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PinheadX
Stranger thanyou



Registered: 04/25/07
Posts: 1,414
Loc: TX Gulf Coast
Last seen: 7 years, 1 month
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SB-2]
#13678883 - 12/24/10 10:11 AM (14 years, 26 days ago) |
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I've been thinking of doing something similar. I already have an SCFC, but I'm doing buckets at the moment. I might find some small bins/trays that will fit in the shotgun and rig up an ultrasonic setup like yours. Instead of PVC, you can get large clear tubing at hardware stores, which is flexible and easy to jack around with without having to get exact with your measurements and such.
What do you think of putting the pvc into the tub on the side near the top instead of in the lid? That way, it's not interfering with removing the lid, and you have less chance of dripping from the pipe onto the substrate/cakes/what have you...
Also, you can get a "saw bit" which allows you to carve out a hole. They're brass colored with a standard spiral cutting bit tip and little teeth all down the shaft. Good bit to buy for this kind of thing, as they also drill a 1/4" hole, so you can use it to do every hole in the shotgun, plus the wallowed out hole for the PVC.
Target carries these "kid friendly" ultrasonics that look like penguins and dragons and such. The hole in the top of them under the head of the character is just about perfect for connecting a hose or PVC to them. They have a dial adjustment for regulating the amount of humidity and have a very large reservoir for water. They're about $45. I'm getting a dragon. LOL (already have a penguin one for the kids)
Good stuff man.
-------------------- If you want to find psilocybin in species that are not yet known to be psychoactive, you should do chemical tests. That way you won't get sick and die all the time.
- Alan Rockefeller
Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away."
- Philip K. Dick
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SB-2
Innovator




Registered: 10/18/10
Posts: 159
Loc: Between Here and There
Last seen: 6 years, 2 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: PinheadX]
#13679329 - 12/24/10 01:06 PM (14 years, 26 days ago) |
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Good suggestion on going into the sides. It would have been harder to use PVC that way and would require more pieces. I leave the space directly below the pipe open, but there's little to no drippage anyway. Using hose might be easier, but I can break my setup down and get it into the closet after about 20 seconds because the whole PVC assembly pulls out as one piece. Helps a lot when refilling/removing lids. I just pull it up a couple inches and rotate the assembly 90 degrees.
-------------------- Let the poor not tear down the fortune of the rich, but fervently build fortune of their own.
Tired of fruiting chambers, glove boxes, and flow hoods?
Tired of getting a few shrooms after all your hard work?
Tired of war, poverty, world hunger, and the government?
...Then check out my lazy grower's guide!
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/15123541
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Disgruntled


Registered: 10/24/10
Posts: 444
Last seen: 12 years, 7 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SB-2]
#13679396 - 12/24/10 01:20 PM (14 years, 26 days ago) |
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didt figure you planned on running the US all the time, but figured id say something just to be sure, if you got it timed it should be perfectly fine as you said,
on having the tubs raised, just wanted to make sure ya did,
sounds like you got things thought out pretty well, will be watching to see how ya do with this thing,
best of luck
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fngbronco
Monkey Man



Registered: 09/26/10
Posts: 2,877
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: Disgruntled]
#13701622 - 12/29/10 03:40 PM (14 years, 21 days ago) |
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gonna watch
-------------------- I challenge you to challenge yourself more! When you feel complacent and ready to hang it up, challenge yourself to get over it! If you fail, don't look at it as you didn't succeed, look at it as you would a rock face you're trying to climb. Stand back, wayyyy back, and look at it and plot another path. If you can't find one, shuffle down the way a little, a little change of scenery or a view from a different angle may give you the insight you need.
Anything I state is relayed information from a friend of a friend and should be viewed as completely fictitious. I do not partake in any illegal or grey-area-of-the-law activities, but do have lots of friends who may or may not. -fngbronco
Pill Divider Agar Tek
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SB-2
Innovator




Registered: 10/18/10
Posts: 159
Loc: Between Here and There
Last seen: 6 years, 2 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: fngbronco]
#13729164 - 01/04/11 12:20 PM (14 years, 15 days ago) |
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There have been 4 rye pints cased with coir/verm in there for 5 days. I have not fanned once and the casing layers are almost completely colonized. Pics coming soon.
-------------------- Let the poor not tear down the fortune of the rich, but fervently build fortune of their own.
Tired of fruiting chambers, glove boxes, and flow hoods?
Tired of getting a few shrooms after all your hard work?
Tired of war, poverty, world hunger, and the government?
...Then check out my lazy grower's guide!
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/15123541
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k00laid
NEMO


Registered: 05/03/10
Posts: 19,636
Last seen: 1 year, 5 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SB-2]
#13729180 - 01/04/11 12:24 PM (14 years, 15 days ago) |
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why do you have a casing layer if you let it fully colonize?
-------------------- AMU - AMU Q & A - MyVideo Teks!
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SB-2
Innovator




Registered: 10/18/10
Posts: 159
Loc: Between Here and There
Last seen: 6 years, 2 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: k00laid]
#13730219 - 01/04/11 04:00 PM (14 years, 15 days ago) |
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Better yield? I make said "casings" (Not really casings at all, I suppose, more like a cross between bulk sub and casing), and put them directly into fruiting conditions. No contams yet doing it this way. Hopefully I'll see some fruits soon...
As I've said before, I'm somewhat of a noob when it comes to Mycology. I'm not a noob when it comes to building things, though. My yields should increase with my experience. If someone more experienced had the parts lying around to build this and test it, they might have better results, but it seems as though things are going well enough for now.
-------------------- Let the poor not tear down the fortune of the rich, but fervently build fortune of their own.
Tired of fruiting chambers, glove boxes, and flow hoods?
Tired of getting a few shrooms after all your hard work?
Tired of war, poverty, world hunger, and the government?
...Then check out my lazy grower's guide!
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/15123541
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thetechnician


Registered: 11/24/09
Posts: 1,525
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SB-2]
#13730322 - 01/04/11 04:23 PM (14 years, 15 days ago) |
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It might be a cool setup if you could change a few variables.
An ultrasonic running all the time will saturate your cakes.
Perlite on the bottom is going to blow any humidity it creates into your room, and has no purpose.
That ultrasonic looks like it would be a pain to change the tank.. you'll probably need to change the tank pretty often.
Good try, and I'd love to see how it works for you with a few mods..
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thetechnician


Registered: 11/24/09
Posts: 1,525
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. *DELETED* [Re: thetechnician]
#13730343 - 01/04/11 04:26 PM (14 years, 15 days ago) |
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Post deleted by thetechnician
Reason for deletion: .
Edited by thetechnician (01/04/11 04:45 PM)
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SB-2
Innovator




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Posts: 159
Loc: Between Here and There
Last seen: 6 years, 2 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: thetechnician]
#13730634 - 01/04/11 05:09 PM (14 years, 15 days ago) |
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C02 doesn't sink to the bottom of the SGFC's? My C02 PPM is substantially higher near the floor than at chest height. Why is that if C02 does not sink in an open air environment? The perlite is just there to make sure no water collects on the bottom to become stagnant, mostly. if you ran this with no perlite on the bottom it would accumulate a lot more moisture than you would want on the walls of the enclosure...the dry perlite makes sure that doesn't happen.
I'm not looking to grow a lot of shrooms, this should suffice just fine for my purposes. 
It's funny you mentioned the drying thing. I actually tweaked the setup to run 15 minutes every 3 hours instead of every 2...usually drops the humidity to 93-95% before going back up to 99%. I also fluctuate temps from 68f-74f for fruiting, although this happens naturally since the room gets colder at night 
There is no dripping from the pipes onto the cakes/casings, I don't put things directly under the pipe.
Here is a pic of the progress.
The bowl on the bottom right was put in 5 days ago, the one on the bottom left was put in 4 days ago, and the one on the top right was put in 3 days ago. They went straight in after the coir-verm was applied, no incubation. You can see the mycelium on the bottom two very clearly, especially the one that has been in for 5 days. Hard to tell in the pic, but the mycelium has permeated most of the coir-verm on top.
-------------------- Let the poor not tear down the fortune of the rich, but fervently build fortune of their own.
Tired of fruiting chambers, glove boxes, and flow hoods?
Tired of getting a few shrooms after all your hard work?
Tired of war, poverty, world hunger, and the government?
...Then check out my lazy grower's guide!
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/15123541
Edited by SB-2 (01/04/11 05:12 PM)
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Alby



Registered: 08/31/10
Posts: 189
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SB-2]
#13730683 - 01/04/11 05:19 PM (14 years, 15 days ago) |
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Quote:
SB-2 said: C02 doesn't sink to the bottom of the SGFC's? My C02 PPM is substantially higher near the floor than at chest height. Why is that if C02 does not sink in an open air environment? The perlite is just there to make sure no water collects on the bottom to become stagnant, mostly. if you ran this with no perlite on the bottom it would accumulate a lot more moisture than you would want on the walls of the enclosure...the dry perlite makes sure that doesn't happen. [/url]
How are you measuring that?
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SB-2
Innovator




Registered: 10/18/10
Posts: 159
Loc: Between Here and There
Last seen: 6 years, 2 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: Alby]
#13730799 - 01/04/11 05:37 PM (14 years, 15 days ago) |
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Quote:
Alby said:
How are you measuring that?
http://www.co2meter.com/collections/portable/products/tim10-co2-temperature-humidity-monitor
Great product, btw. It does everythign I need it to do and it was a lot cheaper than other C02 meters. I bought it for a different purpose, but it works well here too, I imagine. I don't keep it in the SGFC's because of the high humidity in case it could cause a short (Probably senseless paranoia)
-------------------- Let the poor not tear down the fortune of the rich, but fervently build fortune of their own.
Tired of fruiting chambers, glove boxes, and flow hoods?
Tired of getting a few shrooms after all your hard work?
Tired of war, poverty, world hunger, and the government?
...Then check out my lazy grower's guide!
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/15123541
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thetechnician


Registered: 11/24/09
Posts: 1,525
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SB-2]
#13730819 - 01/04/11 05:42 PM (14 years, 15 days ago) |
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Sorry, here's a better link to the CO2 theory.
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/13133566
Wow! That's a neat little device! Expensive, but very cool. If I were you, I'd definitely only let it sit in the FC for a few minutes a day. Seems like you're already doing that though.. Not paranoia.. electronics, and moisture don't mix!
Edited by thetechnician (01/04/11 05:47 PM)
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SB-2
Innovator




Registered: 10/18/10
Posts: 159
Loc: Between Here and There
Last seen: 6 years, 2 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SB-2]
#13731016 - 01/04/11 06:19 PM (14 years, 15 days ago) |
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Oh boy...after putting that into the search and seeing how redundant this argument is, let's just leave it alone and chalk it up to colder air near the floor (Very true in this particular room) or something like that.
Back to my cased rye...being that the mycelium is colonizing the casing layer, should I just leave it in fruiting conditions? That is what I planned to do. If so, how soon should I expect pinning once the casing layer completely colonizes?
-------------------- Let the poor not tear down the fortune of the rich, but fervently build fortune of their own.
Tired of fruiting chambers, glove boxes, and flow hoods?
Tired of getting a few shrooms after all your hard work?
Tired of war, poverty, world hunger, and the government?
...Then check out my lazy grower's guide!
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/15123541
Edited by SB-2 (01/04/11 06:59 PM)
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k00laid
NEMO


Registered: 05/03/10
Posts: 19,636
Last seen: 1 year, 5 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SB-2]
#13734378 - 01/05/11 09:54 AM (14 years, 14 days ago) |
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casing layers should not be fully colonized.
you might as well have just spawned your rye to a bulk substrate
-------------------- AMU - AMU Q & A - MyVideo Teks!
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roaddog
turnip


Registered: 09/29/09
Posts: 2,288
Loc: third rock from the sun
Last seen: 4 years, 8 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: k00laid]
#13734448 - 01/05/11 10:22 AM (14 years, 14 days ago) |
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I see no good reason for automating a shotgun. I do build Martha's that are automated, But thats for the more experienced growers. I am a ferm believer, that a noobie should start with a basic SGFC. I believe one should experience manually taking care of their SGFC, before attempting something like that. I am not saying it wont work. If that set up was at my house, I can guarantee I could get it to work, with manimal tweaking. The main tweaking I would do, Is put the Humidifier on a light timer. I would probably start with 15 minutes on, and 4 to 6 hours off. I do something similar on my SGFC, I run a humidifier in the same room as my SGFC. I usually do this in the winter, because it gets so dry. So my answer is yes it will work, with some tweaking, but not a good idea for noobies.
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Fungal growth
Lootinint


Registered: 03/21/10
Posts: 3,641
Loc: under a rock in your yard
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: roaddog]
#13734928 - 01/05/11 12:15 PM (14 years, 14 days ago) |
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sweet setup! i run an autogun myself. you didnt mention the following links so i assume you werent aware of them. this has been done before, but theres always room for improvement.
wattballasts setup
Automated shelf shotgun project
heres some pics of the one i'm running-
    here's my writeup of mine.
nice system, they can work, you just have to dial it in.
Edited by Fungal growth (01/05/11 12:16 PM)
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SB-2
Innovator




Registered: 10/18/10
Posts: 159
Loc: Between Here and There
Last seen: 6 years, 2 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: Fungal growth]
#13734972 - 01/05/11 12:24 PM (14 years, 14 days ago) |
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As stated and discussed several times before, the ultrasonic humidifier does run on a timer. I'm now at 15 minutes every 3 hours, and still maintaining 100% humidity.
I'd like to do a regular SGFC for experience, but I'm not able to devote the time needed.
Some interesting ideas at those links...
On the colonized casing question, should I just let it fruit now?
-------------------- Let the poor not tear down the fortune of the rich, but fervently build fortune of their own.
Tired of fruiting chambers, glove boxes, and flow hoods?
Tired of getting a few shrooms after all your hard work?
Tired of war, poverty, world hunger, and the government?
...Then check out my lazy grower's guide!
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/15123541
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Fungal growth
Lootinint


Registered: 03/21/10
Posts: 3,641
Loc: under a rock in your yard
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SB-2]
#13735031 - 01/05/11 12:37 PM (14 years, 14 days ago) |
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the only casing i do is with straight verm at birth. i do know a casing should'nt have enough nutes to colonize, so i would probably fruit it. a fully colonized casing cant do its job, i wouldnt think. as to timing, i run mine 15m on 1h45m off. seems to be the sweet spot.
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k00laid
NEMO


Registered: 05/03/10
Posts: 19,636
Last seen: 1 year, 5 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: Fungal growth]
#13735042 - 01/05/11 12:41 PM (14 years, 14 days ago) |
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SGFC do not need time devoted.
-------------------- AMU - AMU Q & A - MyVideo Teks!
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roaddog
turnip


Registered: 09/29/09
Posts: 2,288
Loc: third rock from the sun
Last seen: 4 years, 8 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: Fungal growth]
#13735053 - 01/05/11 12:43 PM (14 years, 14 days ago) |
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any fruiting chamber is subject to ambient conditions. Meaning If its really dry outside, You will have to compensate, by adding more humidity, and the opposite, on the latter.
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Fungal growth
Lootinint


Registered: 03/21/10
Posts: 3,641
Loc: under a rock in your yard
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: k00laid]
#13735076 - 01/05/11 12:50 PM (14 years, 14 days ago) |
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Quote:
k00laid said: SGFC do not need time devoted.
i devote less time to my automated system than i did with my regular shotty, but nothing is completely automated. i check on it at least once a day simply because i'm interested. but i can leave it for days without checking it and with better results than a manual sg. in hindsight, i dunno if i would have spent the cash on a system like this. monotubs are much cheaper and need even less attention than an auto sg. but i DO have an automated system, and it works great, i might as well use it.
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k00laid
NEMO


Registered: 05/03/10
Posts: 19,636
Last seen: 1 year, 5 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: Fungal growth]
#13735177 - 01/05/11 01:12 PM (14 years, 14 days ago) |
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monos / msg ftw
-------------------- AMU - AMU Q & A - MyVideo Teks!
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SB-2
Innovator




Registered: 10/18/10
Posts: 159
Loc: Between Here and There
Last seen: 6 years, 2 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: k00laid]
#13736669 - 01/05/11 05:53 PM (14 years, 14 days ago) |
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You COULD just never touch a normal SGFC, but one of those gets WAY less fresh air exchange than one of mine, which has more than 2x as many holes drilled in it on top of the humidifier pumping air in. The nice thing is, you can drill as many holes as you want to a point and just compensate with the ultrasonic...running it on the absolute lowest setting 15 minutes out of every 4 hours right now, and still maintaining 95-99% humidity. maintained constant 99% 15 minutes out of every 2 hours.
Anyway, a SGFC could be considered automated, it just wouldn't work as well as this if you were comparing the results when little/no effort is put into maintaining proper conditions.
Remember people, I'm not claiming to have invented some kind of miracle device...there are better ways to grow mushrooms, but this is mine, and I think it works very well in my situation (Very little time and a hectic/unpredictable schedule).
-------------------- Let the poor not tear down the fortune of the rich, but fervently build fortune of their own.
Tired of fruiting chambers, glove boxes, and flow hoods?
Tired of getting a few shrooms after all your hard work?
Tired of war, poverty, world hunger, and the government?
...Then check out my lazy grower's guide!
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/15123541
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3n1gm4
3N!9M4T!C



Registered: 01/13/11
Posts: 2,727
Loc: The Downside of Up
Last seen: 13 years, 7 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SB-2]
#13933117 - 02/09/11 11:31 AM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
SB-2 said: You COULD just never touch a normal SGFC, but one of those gets WAY less fresh air exchange than one of mine, which has more than 2x as many holes drilled in it on top of the humidifier pumping air in. The nice thing is, you can drill as many holes as you want to a point and just compensate with the ultrasonic...running it on the absolute lowest setting 15 minutes out of every 4 hours right now, and still maintaining 95-99% humidity. maintained constant 99% 15 minutes out of every 2 hours.
Anyway, a SGFC could be considered automated, it just wouldn't work as well as this if you were comparing the results when little/no effort is put into maintaining proper conditions.
Remember people, I'm not claiming to have invented some kind of miracle device...there are better ways to grow mushrooms, but this is mine, and I think it works very well in my situation (Very little time and a hectic/unpredictable schedule).
I want to see pics of the results.
-------------------- http://www.shroomery.org/6257/Magic-Mushroom-Dosage-CalculatorLOL when you zoom in to try to read my sig pics you will get lost in the crystal forrest of ghanni!
   
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ekulmaharg6969
Stranger
Registered: 03/07/12
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SB-2]
#15986855 - 03/23/12 05:56 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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how did this idea work out for you? i recently bought a vicks warm steam vapourizer, i realised it gives off too much heat over time, but was thinking of maybe running it on a similar schedule as you have. Does your US create a lot of heat from the vapour? have you any pictures of a successful yield?
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F4113N
Stranger
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SB-2]
#16196257 - 05/07/12 06:27 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Same here
I drilled a lot of holes, and I use an ultrasonic to keep humidity. No perlite, and a lot of fresh air. This is what I should have done from the beginning.
Yeah and btw, I don't even have to dunk and roll....I keep the humidity so saturated at the beginning, the cakes have plenty of water. I don't see any difference with the cakes I've dunkNrolled before.
Edited by F4113N (05/07/12 06:35 PM)
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SimpleFarmer



Registered: 04/04/12
Posts: 3,973
Loc: gumby land
Last seen: 6 years, 10 months
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: F4113N]
#16196312 - 05/07/12 06:41 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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This is an old thread and there is a reason he never posted pics of his fruits bc it didn't work and also that's why this thread died over a year ago
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george castanza
Lord Of The Idiots!


Registered: 10/21/02
Posts: 8,777
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SimpleFarmer]
#16197094 - 05/07/12 09:15 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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This tek is a prime example of over complicating your grow.
-------------------- KRAMER CAKES


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george castanza
Lord Of The Idiots!

Registered: 10/21/02
Posts: 8,777
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Re: Cheap Automatic SGFC for Newbs...and maybe for advanced growers. [Re: SB-2]
#16197099 - 05/07/12 09:15 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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This thread has been closed.
Reason: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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