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insipidtoast
Stranger


Registered: 01/17/06
Posts: 745
Last seen: 12 years, 2 months
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Why only perlite in shotgun?
#14266557 - 04/10/11 11:12 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Why don't we mix, say, 50/50 perlite and vermiculite instead of just 100% perlite?
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Damion5050
Mush Doctor


Registered: 05/01/08
Posts: 12,493
Loc: Lost In Translation !
Last seen: 3 years, 5 days
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Re: Why only perlite in shotgun? [Re: insipidtoast]
#14266696 - 04/10/11 11:47 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Cause IMO perlite allows the water to evaporate properly from its surface which in turn makes your Rh the proper level, where verm kinda holds on to the water.. Verm kinda sucks in the water where perlite doesn't the water just sits on the perlite surface and then evaporates..
Just my thoughts on the matter.. If your building a shotgun, just follow the tek to the T and you will be ok..
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insipidtoast
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Re: Why only perlite in shotgun? [Re: Damion5050]
#14266765 - 04/10/11 12:00 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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I'm just curious because I built a shotgun to the T a long time ago, and now I just use it to germinate palm tree seeds, burying them slightly in a verm/perlite 50/50 mix.
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DJYoshaBYD


Registered: 04/07/07
Posts: 2,405
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Re: Why only perlite in shotgun? [Re: insipidtoast]
#14266771 - 04/10/11 12:03 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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the perlite is not for planting anything in, when it comes to this..
the perlite just holds water to let it evaporate, creating humidity..
vermiculite is meant more to store water, than let it evaporate..
plants and fungi are different
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Damion5050
Mush Doctor


Registered: 05/01/08
Posts: 12,493
Loc: Lost In Translation !
Last seen: 3 years, 5 days
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Re: Why only perlite in shotgun? [Re: insipidtoast]
#14266772 - 04/10/11 12:03 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Think of it this way perlite holds water so to speak for a short time where verm holds the water for a longer period of time..
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insipidtoast
Stranger


Registered: 01/17/06
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Re: Why only perlite in shotgun? [Re: Damion5050]
#14266785 - 04/10/11 12:07 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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...which brings me to my next question, say relative humidity is 50% and I put the shotgun in this sort of environment with plenty of airflow (say outside on the north wall of a house). How long should the humidity stay above 95% in the shotgun before we have to soak the perlite again?
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DJYoshaBYD


Registered: 04/07/07
Posts: 2,405
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Re: Why only perlite in shotgun? [Re: insipidtoast]
#14266794 - 04/10/11 12:10 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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dont put it outside.. lol..
you shouldnt even need to soak your perlite again.. just in between grows..
shotguns are not monotubs, so if you are doing a shotgun, the holes on the tub are for a lil air flow, to help with evaporation of the perlite, to create high RH in a tub..
with a SG, and soaked perlite, it should take you through a whole grow..
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Mad River
Reverend, Churchof Todd


Registered: 04/29/08
Posts: 1,114
Loc: The Great Lakes Region, U...
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Re: Why only perlite in shotgun? [Re: DJYoshaBYD]
#14266832 - 04/10/11 12:23 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Vermiculite would clog up the flow of air/gas through the perlite. You're talking about PLANTING something vs. using the perlite for humidity purposes. They are two entirely different things.
There's no way to know how long a SGFC will maintain 95% humidity, or even if it would, if placed outside. No way to know the temperature, wind, etc.
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mathias
Ersatz Haderach



Registered: 05/01/10
Posts: 561
Last seen: 12 years, 1 month
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Re: Why only perlite in shotgun? [Re: Mad River]
#14266943 - 04/10/11 12:51 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Also, vermiculite has nutrients, albeit only tiny amounts. Still, enough to grow contams way faster than perlite alone. Set a bowl of wet verm out and a bowl of wet perlite and see which one stinks first.
Another reason perlite is for SGs, verm for cakes, casing, etc...
Starting seeds though, verm may be ok. Apples and oranges however; planting/starting seeds vs mushroom cultivation.
The biggest variable in a SG (provided it's made and set up BY THE BOOKS) is location, location, location. Raised up a good 6" off the drip pan, and away from strong air-currents. FAE and HR need to be adjusted to suit each FC, and temps are a factor too.
SGs are really made for indoor mush. cult. But hey, if it works for something else too, go for it. I have many smaller ones I don't use anymore, and have been pondering their use. You've given me something to think about.....
-------------------- intlslacker : "Why is it I always have the feeling that if RR weren't around it'd be like there were toddlers running around, bumping into walls and eating poisonous mushrooms?"
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insipidtoast
Stranger


Registered: 01/17/06
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Re: Why only perlite in shotgun? [Re: mathias]
#14266988 - 04/10/11 01:02 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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I'll let you know how my palm seeds turn out in a couple months then. I've only heard of palm growers using a standard storage tote only with drainage holes in the bottom. A SG is relatively unheard of outside the mushroom community I think.
Edited by insipidtoast (04/10/11 01:03 PM)
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