|
Some of these posts are very old and might contain outdated information. You may wish to search for newer posts instead.
|
haydenm92
Stranger

Registered: 12/17/10
Posts: 27
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
Crusty mycelium.. Is this normal?
#14066503 - 03/04/11 02:03 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
On the 22nd of February I inoculated the jars pictured below. I took every sterile precaution I could; cleaned jars, pc grain, inoculate in a glove box, flame sterilize needle, etc. I'm not sure if this is normal, I've done some searching, but I couldn't really find anything matching this. My mycelium looks sorta crusty or dry, although I'm pretty sure my WBS is properly hydrated. Take a look:

I should include that the pictures above are of only 1 jar. I inoculated 9 pint size jars. All of the jars have a little bit of the crusty mycellium pictured above, but this jar had the most. Also, all of the jars show sign of normal mycelium formation as well.
Any ideas about the crusties?
Edited by haydenm92 (03/04/11 02:12 PM)
|
k00laid
NEMO


Registered: 05/03/10
Posts: 19,636
Last seen: 6 months, 5 days
|
Re: Crust mycelium.. Is this normal? [Re: haydenm92]
#14066510 - 03/04/11 02:05 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
what filter are you using.
you shouldnt need the foil.
but it looks contamd to me
-------------------- AMU - AMU Q & A - MyVideo Teks!
|
haydenm92
Stranger

Registered: 12/17/10
Posts: 27
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
Re: Crust mycelium.. Is this normal? [Re: k00laid]
#14066531 - 03/04/11 02:10 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
damn.. i used poly fill with two layers of foil over it. i didn't have any silicone or i would've used tyvek/silicone as my filter.
|
TranscendingLife
I Don't Need a Life to Live



Registered: 06/09/10
Posts: 21,627
|
Re: Crust mycelium.. Is this normal? [Re: haydenm92]
#14066612 - 03/04/11 02:24 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
yeast.
-------------------- AMU: We Quickly Answer Questions Here "One must accept the probability of failure to experience the elation of success." - TranscendingLife “A man of genius makes no mistakes; his errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.” - James Joyce
      How I Do EVERYTHING      "Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart…. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes."- Carl Jung "Anything that can be done chemically can be done by other means."- William S. Burroughs "You are as dead now as you will ever be" - Seth
|
haydenm92
Stranger

Registered: 12/17/10
Posts: 27
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
|
i'm not up to par with my knowledge of contams. is there anything i could do my next go around to prevent yeast, or is there anything that generally leads to yeast contam?
|
TranscendingLife
I Don't Need a Life to Live



Registered: 06/09/10
Posts: 21,627
|
Re: Crust mycelium.. Is this normal? [Re: haydenm92]
#14066742 - 03/04/11 02:48 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Moisture content normally leads to yeast/bacteria...that is, too much moisture. Or you have a bunk syringe...Or your sterile tek wasn't good enough when you were inoculating...looks like from your description of all your jars having it that it was grain prep or in the syringe.
How long did you PC for? 90 minutes @ 15 PSI?
-------------------- AMU: We Quickly Answer Questions Here "One must accept the probability of failure to experience the elation of success." - TranscendingLife “A man of genius makes no mistakes; his errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.” - James Joyce
      How I Do EVERYTHING      "Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart…. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes."- Carl Jung "Anything that can be done chemically can be done by other means."- William S. Burroughs "You are as dead now as you will ever be" - Seth
|
haydenm92
Stranger

Registered: 12/17/10
Posts: 27
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
|
yea, 90 minutes exact at 15 psi. i wonder if it was the paper towel i used dabbed in disilled water (didn't have iso alcohol either) to cool the needle after flamer sterilization. that was the only thing i felt partially iffy about, but i didn't think it would matter.
other than that, i can't think of anything. hmmm..
|
biologys
Mycologist in Trainning




Registered: 12/21/09
Posts: 4,622
|
Re: Crust mycelium.. Is this normal? [Re: haydenm92]
#14066795 - 03/04/11 02:58 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
dont use paper towel soaked in water, just eject a tiny bit of spore solution and it'll cool the needle enough..
|
TranscendingLife
I Don't Need a Life to Live



Registered: 06/09/10
Posts: 21,627
|
Re: Crust mycelium.. Is this normal? [Re: haydenm92]
#14066799 - 03/04/11 02:59 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
haydenm92 said: yea, 90 minutes exact at 15 psi. i wonder if it was the paper towel i used dabbed in disilled water (didn't have iso alcohol either) to cool the needle after flamer sterilization. that was the only thing i felt partially iffy about, but i didn't think it would matter.
other than that, i can't think of anything. hmmm..
That's it. If you don't have Iso just shoot the syringe hot. The first tiny bit of solution will cool the needle for you.
You sterilized your needle then wrapped a contam ridden paper towel w/ contam ridden water around it...
-------------------- AMU: We Quickly Answer Questions Here "One must accept the probability of failure to experience the elation of success." - TranscendingLife “A man of genius makes no mistakes; his errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.” - James Joyce
      How I Do EVERYTHING      "Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart…. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes."- Carl Jung "Anything that can be done chemically can be done by other means."- William S. Burroughs "You are as dead now as you will ever be" - Seth
|
haydenm92
Stranger

Registered: 12/17/10
Posts: 27
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
|
haha, well shit. at least i found the source of the problem so i can avoid it next time. bummer though, oh well, thanks a lot everyone!
ha, todlow, this is my second contamination thread you've responded to. wish me luck on my next one, i guess third time's a charm, right?
p.s.- with yeast, is there any chance the mycelium could overcome it and still go on to produce mushrooms?
|
biologys
Mycologist in Trainning




Registered: 12/21/09
Posts: 4,622
|
Re: Crust mycelium.. Is this normal? [Re: haydenm92]
#14066816 - 03/04/11 03:04 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
haydenm92 said: haha, well shit. at least i found the source of the problem so i can avoid it next time. bummer though, oh well, thanks a lot everyone!
ha, todlow, this is my second contamination thread you've responded to. wish me luck on my next one, i guess third time's a charm, right?
p.s.- with yeast, is there any chance the mycelium could overcome it and still go on to produce mushrooms?
i've seen a few people talk about it, i myself wouldn't chance it...i'd go ahead and start up a new batch and be more careful this time.
|
haydenm92
Stranger

Registered: 12/17/10
Posts: 27
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
Re: Crust mycelium.. Is this normal? [Re: haydenm92]
#14066822 - 03/04/11 03:05 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
oh yea, i forgot, on the first jar i did shoot the needle hot, but b/c i had poly fill in the hole it melted the poly fill and clogged the needle (so i had to reheat it to melt off the dried polyfill).
what sort of filter would work better for inoculating with a hot needle? thanks!
|
TranscendingLife
I Don't Need a Life to Live



Registered: 06/09/10
Posts: 21,627
|
Re: Crust mycelium.. Is this normal? [Re: haydenm92]
#14066828 - 03/04/11 03:07 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
haydenm92 said: haha, well shit. at least i found the source of the problem so i can avoid it next time. bummer though, oh well, thanks a lot everyone!
ha, todlow, this is my second contamination thread you've responded to. wish me luck on my next one, i guess third time's a charm, right?
I hit my third attempt on the nose...see 
That's hilarious this is the second contam you've gotten & I've responded to both.
Quote:
haydenm92 said:
p.s.- with yeast, is there any chance the mycelium could overcome it and still go on to produce mushrooms?
It won't be nearly as good as viable spawn, but it may work. yeast won't jump from jar to jar like mold so you can leave them & see what they do. i'd just say "fuck 'em" & toss them though.
Lid set up:  
1/4" inoculation hole & 3/8"-1/2" hole covered w/ a Synthetic Filter Disk (SFD) cut to size. Red RTV silicone is what I use for my inoculation points. You can use clear silicone too. Just make sure it's rated @ or above 400 degrees F
-------------------- AMU: We Quickly Answer Questions Here "One must accept the probability of failure to experience the elation of success." - TranscendingLife “A man of genius makes no mistakes; his errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.” - James Joyce
      How I Do EVERYTHING      "Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart…. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes."- Carl Jung "Anything that can be done chemically can be done by other means."- William S. Burroughs "You are as dead now as you will ever be" - Seth
|
biologys
Mycologist in Trainning




Registered: 12/21/09
Posts: 4,622
|
|
same lids i use, except i normally use polyfil or tyvek...was too cheap to go out and buy filter disc's, but i did a trade with a member and got some so i'll be making lids with filter disc now..
i myself make smaller holes then normal ppl, and i've had trouble hitting the hole with the needle with red silicon, so i use the clear so i know where to go lol, nothing more frustrated then trying to keep your needle sterile and have to jab it in rtv 4-5 times trying to get it in the hole...not to mention it tears your homemade selfhealing port all to shit!
|
haydenm92
Stranger

Registered: 12/17/10
Posts: 27
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
Re: Crust mycelium.. Is this normal? [Re: biologys]
#14066942 - 03/04/11 03:33 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
i like your lid design todlow, i'll be using that from now on thanks again for your help guys/gals!
|
TranscendingLife
I Don't Need a Life to Live



Registered: 06/09/10
Posts: 21,627
|
Re: Crust mycelium.. Is this normal? [Re: haydenm92]
#14066969 - 03/04/11 03:39 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|

I guess I could make a tek up real quick like this weekend on it, but I don't have time really.
I get 5-6 GE covers from the 100mm SFD lids @ everythingmushrooms.com...Just trace a circle w/ a sharpy & cut...I'd recommend doing all the circles on one SFD first then cutting them all...Also, try & find some Forstner bits. They work wonders on drilling lids...
-------------------- AMU: We Quickly Answer Questions Here "One must accept the probability of failure to experience the elation of success." - TranscendingLife “A man of genius makes no mistakes; his errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.” - James Joyce
      How I Do EVERYTHING      "Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart…. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes."- Carl Jung "Anything that can be done chemically can be done by other means."- William S. Burroughs "You are as dead now as you will ever be" - Seth
|
|