

UPDATE 04-04-11


So! I did some G2G Transfers last night. Took (1) half pint for each of the 4 strains and knocked up 20 jars...(3) pints, (16) halfies.
Not sure how it's going to go. It's kind of an experiment at this point with these new jars. I PC'd them a little over a week ago, and they sat in the PC for 4 days... I kinda forgot about them..haha
and when I took them out, a majority of them had bottoms with compounded WBS...AND, one of my pint jars - forgot to put a ring on. DUH. so that was wide open. Just with tinfoil and the flat lid on it.
So, I don't really have too much faith in these jars, and I won't be disappointed if they fail; a least I will know what the limits are...
So, when I did the G2G transfers last night, I tried some different things...little experiments to get my own technique down:
If the jar had compounded WBS at the bottom, I stuck a long spoon in it and tried to break it up...then transferred colonized grain over.
For each strain, I tried different ways to get the colonized grain in the new jars. Some, I would just placed the colonized grain on top, then shake a little. The others, I tried to gently push the colonized grain to different areas of the new jar with the spoon.
I didn't do super crazy sterilizing techniques. 
Like I said, my faith in these jars isn't high up there. So, I kinda wanted to see if my house is clean enough to be able to use the sterile techniques I used last night. I keep a pretty clean house...so I might not have to take all the extra steps I used to think I did.
Just used some antibacterial kitchen cleaner to wipe down my area really good, took a shower, wore clean clothes, brushed teeth/mouthwashed, and sprayed the jars/area with lysol throughout the G2G transfers. Cleaned my spoon with antibacterial dish soap between strains...and re-wiped counter and laid down a fresh papertowel sprayed with lysol to work on.
I didn't wipe each individual jar down with alcohol. That's probably the only step I skipped.
Now I've got the new jars incubating in a bin upstairs in a closet. I want to see how much faster/slower these conditions will result in.
IN OTHER NEWS!
Ordered some Zoo manure "Composted elephant, rhinoceros, zebra, and hippopotamus dung mixed with premium bulk substrates"...off ebay...
I know it's not from our sponsors...DON'T HATE! It was cheaper per lb with shipping and everything. It came out to $3.20 per lb with shipping. If it sucks and my shit gets fucked, I will have learned my lesson.
It should be here today, and I will be pasteurizing my coir/verm this evening while preparing my bins...annnnd after it cools down I will be spawning!
I will be using Prof_P's Bulk Poo Tek
NEED ADVICE***I think for the slower colonizing strains (Brazilian and BHT), Im going to put a cover layer of substrate mixture over the spawn...and with the faster ones, I'm just going to leave it uncovered.
I figured, because they take longer, they will need that added protection/moisture of a top casing layer...
This is me assuming. Please stop me if I'm wrong!!
OK! I will post pics tonight or tomorrow morning to log my progress. Any and all advice would be great!! Thank you mucho.
ORIGINAL POST BELOWHeylo!
So...I've got some imaginary WBS jars going right now...4 different
strains, 2 different sized jars. All in my head. =)
I'm using 1/2 pints and pint jars...because that's what I had from a
previous grow. Each strain has 2 pint jars and 1 or 2 1/2 pints. I'm
planning on using a couple 1/2 pints for G2G transfers. I know it's not much for a bulk grow...but my bins/monotub aren't super big. I plan on upgrading once I get things going...but anyways!
The colonization time is different for each...I may as well make a
note of this for reference:
All inoculated on 3/20/11:
Z - 80-90% (Shaken @ 20-30% on 3/26/11)
African Transkei - 70-80% (Shaken @ 20% on 3/26/11)
Ban Hua Thanon - 40-50% (Shaken @ 15% on 3/27/11)
Brazilian - 20% (Rolled gently @ 10% on 3/27 - because they were
pissing me off

)

(Top row, Z Strain (left 4), African (right 4, Bottom row, BHT (left 3), Braz ( right 4)
Pictures don't do justice. I promise they aren't contaminated. I just couldn't get the flash and lighting right for closeups...and the jars are still a little hazy on the outside from the PC.
They've been incubating at 75-80 F.
So, I'm almost ready. But I'm doing things way different than I planned to. I *planned* to go pick up some hpoo and do exactly what I did the last time (5 years ago...yikes)...
But, time's running out, haven't gotten the hpoo like I planned on. And, I kind of made a last minute decision to do things different after looking back at pictures and being a little disappointed in my last grow...I told myself "I can do better..."
Just because I know you freaks love pictures...here's my last grow from 2006:





uneven pinset...small flush...I'm ready to do better.
look how nice my nails were. ahhh FOCUS!
I recently got a sweet hookup on supplies...my best friend started working at a hydroponic grow store. (shawing!) baby girl gets me 25% discount on coir/verm/tank heaters/etc.
SO! This is what I plan to do....

Spawn my grain to a bulk substrate consisting of coir/verm via monotub(maybe some other ingredients, but I will get to that in a min)

I think I'm going to have to do the Tub-In-Tub set up for the substrate colonization period AND fruiting. (this is all going down in my 60-65 degree F basement) ***Need advice on this

I have some 24" grow lights that I want to replace the bulbs, and apparently I'm retarded when it comes to electricity and I have absolutely no idea which bulbs would work best.

I suck and my bins are opaque- so I'm going to have some of that clear plastic you put over windows in the winter over the top of the bins. They will be on a huge shelf with the lights right above. I know people say they don't need much light, but where they're going to be located, there is absolutely no sunlight exposure.

Case? or not?
So, here's what I'm working with btw...
5kg Block of CocoCoir

Hydrated Lime

Perlite? Not sure if I can use this with anything...any suggestions are welcome...

Big ass bag of verm...

Used coffee grounds!

aaaaaaaannnd last but not least...a big lizard in my backyard. for sale. can't afford to feed him anymore.

hahaha all this serious stuff...had to throw the t-rex in there.
OK! So!
What are your wonderful suggestions to how I should go about my setup...
My main concerns are:

substrate ingredients:

coir/verm...of course. Coffee?? Hydrated lime? what should I use?!?! Ratios!!!?? I've looked up posts/teks/ etc on the site, but my findings were aged, and conflicting. So, I'm unsure. I'm also worried about this bale of coir and how the hell I'm going to figure out the equivalent to a "brick" or "block" that's used in all the teks. I've never worked with Coir before, so ANY AND ALL advice on that would be great

temp control/monotub:

for one: I need to have a monotub. I am not available to fan/mist 6x a day...I wish I was.
For 2: I need to heat these guys somehow. I was thinking about using space heaters on a timer. But I don't think they would work good enough.
Is doing a tub-in-tub incubator type deal a bad idea?
I was thinking of using the bare minimum of water, with lots of bleach...
then, I could tape down plastic wrap to the bottom tub (above the water)
situate the monotub ON TOP of the plastic, THEN add all my goodies once the water is securely prevented from spillage, leakage, etc.
good? bad? been done before? lemme know.
lil' concerns....

Should I case?

24" bulbs - what kind should I buy! (I have the fixtures, need bulbs)

can I use that perlite for anything?? I want to utilize everything I have. if i can.

pasteurizing the substrate...i've got a crock pot. It will work, right? That coir shit isn't going to like, make my porcelain bowl stink forever, will it? I gotta make meatballs in that thing.
oooooooooooooooh kay then! I think that's about it! Thanks in advance for all the help. You guys are absolutely amazing.

