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GreyThumb
Lurker


Registered: 08/13/05
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Humidity without perlite-I hate perlite
#14333229 - 04/22/11 12:56 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Hi all,
Ok so the last few grow attempts of mine have been utter failures. The reason is because my FC is too dry. Now please don't go giving me advice on perlite and how to use it.
Perlite to me, is messy, inconsistent, and doesn't provide a stable environment... Not for me anyway.
So what I am left with is a huge tote with holes drilled everywhere in it (a failed shotgun terrarium)
I need to put some kind of system in this to get me consistent RH and beautiful flushes.
I am thinking of putting a tub of water in the FC then maybe an airstone for air + an ultrasonic on a timer for RH.
I also remember seeing a grow log where the guy used a submersible fish tank heater in water to create the humidity then he used a bathroom vent fan to provide FAE. My only problem with this idea is temperature and I think I would use an airline instead of the bathroom vent.
I don’t know, what do you think? Please help! Thanks.
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twboss
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Re: Humidity without perlite-I hate perlite [Re: GreyThumb]
#14333241 - 04/22/11 01:00 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Lots of things you can do...
1.) Humidifier 2.) Something ike you mentioned 3.) For me I just use a spray bottle, with a VERY FINE mist. Once a day when there in the FC
But you might be having problems with your substarte moisture content/casing as well if your seeing that much faliure. Also any light will suck up the moisture and dry out the chamber so make sure it's not to close to the FC. Did you fill your holes with polyfill?
-------------------- I would turn on the tv, but its so embarrassing to see all the other people, i dont know what they mean it was magic at first, when they spoke without sound but now this world is gonna hurt, you better turn that thing down turn it around you cant blame me, sure the killer was my son but i didnt teach him to pull the trigger of the gun its the killing on his tv screen you cant blame me, its those images he seen
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Microppose
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Re: Humidity without perlite-I hate perlite [Re: twboss]
#14333252 - 04/22/11 01:01 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Hydroponic clay pellets have worked well in the replacement of perlite. They can also easily be washed with bleach water.
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Anarchyfest
Dead Skin Mask



Registered: 04/18/10
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Re: Humidity without perlite-I hate perlite [Re: Microppose]
#14333542 - 04/22/11 01:54 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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here are some options http://www.shroomery.org/11338/Fruiting-Chambers
poor man pods pretty cool. no perlite. i had success with it with perlite.
or just retry the shotgun method w/perlite and use an impeller humidifier with a hose input on the side of the chamber w/time idk how big this tote is so ....
-------------------- If you must live by the sword, then you will die by the sword.
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Sillicybin
Registered: 02/14/05
Posts: 2,134
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Re: Humidity without perlite-I hate perlite [Re: Microppose]
#14333644 - 04/22/11 02:11 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
Azurascender said: Hydroponic clay pellets have worked well in the replacement of perlite. They can also easily be washed with bleach water.
This stuff also goes by "LECA" (light expanded clay aggregate) and the brand name Hydroton. It can also be slightly messy, but not nearly as bad as perlite.
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Dr.Boomstik
Late Night Shroomery Shopper



Registered: 10/11/10
Posts: 128
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Re: Humidity without perlite-I hate perlite [Re: Sillicybin]
#14336967 - 04/23/11 03:09 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Hey brotherman, I feel ya, I too hated perlite. Indeed, what a mess with all those little pebbles over the floor and your everything haha.
BUT, it does work beautifully, although it's not needed if you use your SGFC for small bulk trays - so that may be an option I recommend highly. The moisture from the substrate (and casing if you choose) evaporating is more than enough rH provided you keep up with misting (but you should do that anyway : ).
I'm guessing you use PF tek ? If so, you're already half way there - just break up your cake at full colonization into a properly moisturized pasteurized bulk like horse manure or coir and off you go! I've even saved some cakes with (slight) bacteria contamination this way since bacteria (in small amounts on grain) doesn't wreak as much havoc in bulk as it does with grains. <- That's no excuse to skip on sterile technique though ; ) The bacteria is actually why we pasteurize instead of sterilize - to save some of that beneficial bacteria to help fend off contaminates and aid in fruiting.
OR, you can go to the hydroponics store near you and get the LARGE and COARSE perlite like I did which isn't nearly as messy once you get it in there. Yeah, it's still dusty at the beginning but we can handle 15 minutes of mess for the greater good can't we? haha I usually work with rye/manure where it's not needed but have been isolating lately and the PFTek is the fastest way to test the strains so I got the perlite for safe measure- Worth it! Good Luck my friend and keep us posted! : )
-------------------- Expect poison from standing water. The best wine is the oldest. The best water, the newest.
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Dr.Boomstik
Late Night Shroomery Shopper



Registered: 10/11/10
Posts: 128
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Re: Humidity without perlite-I hate perlite [Re: Dr.Boomstik]
#14336997 - 04/23/11 03:23 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Sorry, forgot to mention that the air stone with water is a bad option IMO - would it would/ probably but in all honesty it'd be more of a pain in the ass and it would mess up your natural air currents anyway (provided you still use the SGFC as an FC). The same with the Ultrasonic humidifier - it's not needed. 86 the bathroom vent idea too. In my experience, and I've tried all that stuff with various success, it's best to keep it simple (KISS) and just get the FC off the ground in an open room with adequate light for 12 hours a day (6500k and/or diffused sunlight from a window). The SGFC is awesome in both it's reliability and it's easy ness. Plus, you don't have to keep it sterile like teks I've used in the past where it's all closed up and a PITA to get everything in there, watch it like it's an untouchable alien artifact through panes of glass, and pray you were clean enough which, sometimes you didn't know until 2 weeks later. Glad those days are over. With the SGFC you can have more of a relationship with your fungi by opening it up, checking things out, talking to them, have them in the room during the game, sharing a drink ...etc. haha. : )
-------------------- Expect poison from standing water. The best wine is the oldest. The best water, the newest.
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ampakine
Stranger

Registered: 04/23/11
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Re: Humidity without perlite-I hate perlite [Re: Dr.Boomstik]
#14337046 - 04/23/11 04:14 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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I wonder how well zeolites work as a substitute for perlite.
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Mathna
Stranger



Registered: 01/07/10
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Re: Humidity without perlite-I hate perlite [Re: ampakine]
#14337204 - 04/23/11 06:17 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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I personally had issues with the air stone. I went from a system that included an air stone and a tub of water to the shotgun method with great improvements. I personally think (I may be wrong but I am no expert) that misting and fanning is unique to each shotgun terrarium, with that being said I have to mist 6-7 times a day because of the dryer climate I live in.
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treewood69
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Re: Humidity without perlite-I hate perlite [Re: Mathna]
#14337210 - 04/23/11 06:19 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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geolite works .. I just cant find it that easy.
-------------------- I have enough cents to know I dont have any sense
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veda_sticks
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Registered: 07/29/07
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Re: Humidity without perlite-I hate perlite [Re: treewood69]
#14337270 - 04/23/11 07:16 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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i dont see how a shotgun fruiting chamber can fail if its built as per the tek.
So what were you using to tell you it was too dry? a properly calibrated meter (an anologue one that can be adjusted)
www.mushroomvideos.com shows everything from start to finish.
If you want an easy method that doesnt use perlite, you should try mini double tubs. ive used them with cakes spawned to hpoo and they worked great.


this ones actually isnt hpoo it was an experiment with brown rice spawned to newspaper, but you get the idea
-------------------- PF TEK - writeup by EvilMushroom666 Lets Grow Mushrooms - RogerRabbit & RoadKills website with sample videos plus the full PF TEK video series. Alot of great information - BUY THE DVD Cakes can and will pin! - So you think cakes suck for pins. Your wrong Franks Simple Coir/Verm Tek Franks Proper Pasturisation Tek Franks Spawning To Bulk - Monotub Professor Pinheads RTV Injection Port Tek Foo Mans No Soak WBS Prep Tek
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Doc_T
Random Dude




Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: Humidity without perlite-I hate perlite [Re: veda_sticks]
#14337295 - 04/23/11 07:28 AM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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RP, you mist too often and too lightly. You spray gently above the FC, letting a fine mist drizzle down. And that's why your SGFC is dry. Like veda says, a correct shotgun will work.
Spray it like you mean it.
-------------------- You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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