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bateyes88
Professional Amateur



Registered: 09/15/10
Posts: 901
Loc: Anytown, USA 12345
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Verm Substitute
#14363619 - 04/27/11 09:10 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Question for you my brothas... Im making up some PF Cakes. Problem is, I ran out of Verm. I do have a bag of seed starter, which is 50% Verm and 50% either peat or sphagnum moss. Think I can tweak it to work? I am not actually totally out of verm, I just know I dont have enough. I have enouh to make it a 50/50 mix- which would ending up being in the neighborhood of 75/25 Verm/moss. If youve never seen it, It looks just like verm- just a lil browner. Consistency is pretty much the same.
If I do use it, ya think I should cut back on the BRF? Like maybe 1:2.5:1 or 1:3:1 (Brf: Verm mix:h2o)
Thanks for yer help!
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ukshroomer
Law Abider


Registered: 11/08/09
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Re: Verm Substitute [Re: bateyes88]
#14363651 - 04/27/11 09:16 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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pick up some bird seed or rye grain and ditch the pf tek.
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shroomybgood
Almost Novice



Registered: 04/14/11
Posts: 147
Loc: Stuck in my HEAD
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Re: Verm Substitute [Re: bateyes88]
#14363661 - 04/27/11 09:17 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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I would think that would work OK. A lot of people use the peat in casings so theoretically it should work. I've never used any peat in anything so don't take my word.
P.S. I like your sig. I just picked up a 1yr old American Pit named Barney. He's a beaut. Sweetest dog ever!
-------------------- "GET IT TOGETHER ONE MORE TIME"
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BargainBab
Hey Dere Ho Dere



Registered: 04/04/11
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Re: Verm Substitute [Re: bateyes88]
#14363664 - 04/27/11 09:18 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Peat moss is often added to raise the pH of your sub or casing layer. I would just use the 50/50 premade stuff you have 
-------------------- Oh wow, GOOD Nyborg!
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Itheus
Tsigolocym emos



Registered: 09/13/08
Posts: 121
Loc: Maine
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It could work, but would probably require pH adjustment. Sphagnum peat moss is too acidic, and without the addition of some calcium hydroxide/calcium carbonate you're destined for failure. And with that recipe, you might be screwed either way, although if the pH is right it =could= work out. Don't forget that the vermiculite is part of the PF tek recipe for a very specific reason, and for that purpose peat moss will not substitute (bit too soggy, not enough aeration, I 'magine). Seriously, just buy some WBS, follow RR's grain prep video, and spend the colonization time preparing yourself for the rest of your mycological life.
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veda_sticks
Cultivator




Registered: 07/29/07
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Re: Verm Substitute [Re: Itheus]
#14363848 - 04/27/11 09:50 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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wait till yoiu have more verm. Like said, peat moss will likely make the mixture too soggy and be hard to colinise. verm is there to give the substrate a light mix and also to hold water.
-------------------- 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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afrosheen
9Lives the cat



Registered: 03/06/10
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I think some people here are forgetting that verm is used regardless of the substrate tek. If you're doing BRF cakes it's a much higher percentage, but if you're using WBS to bulk (hpoo/coir) you still use a quart or two of straight verm.
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Itheus
Tsigolocym emos



Registered: 09/13/08
Posts: 121
Loc: Maine
Last seen: 3 years, 11 months
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Re: Verm Substitute [Re: afrosheen]
#14364206 - 04/27/11 10:45 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
afrosheen said: I think some people here are forgetting that verm is used regardless of the substrate tek. If you're doing BRF cakes it's a much higher percentage, but if you're using WBS to bulk (hpoo/coir) you still use a quart or two of straight verm.
True enough, but don't assume everyone does what you do. While I always use a bit of verm in my bulk, I've had great success without, and I know of many mycologists who don't add verm to bulk. Just a thought.
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RogerRabbit
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Re: Verm Substitute [Re: bateyes88]
#14364243 - 04/27/11 10:50 PM (12 years, 9 months ago) |
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75/25 verm/peat should get you through in a pinch. Don't alter the recipe except perhaps to use less water if necessary. Don't adjust the pH with lime. It will be fine. Mushroom mycelium prefers an acidic substrate. In fact, I adjust my water to pH 5 with vinegar when making bulk substrates. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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bateyes88
Professional Amateur



Registered: 09/15/10
Posts: 901
Loc: Anytown, USA 12345
Last seen: 6 years, 11 months
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Awesome. Thanks, guys. As many of you know, Ive been having PC dramas... 1 exploded, got ripped off on another- I fully intend on going back to grain, but I want to use up my stockpile of brown rice that I accumulated while w/o a PC. Many thanks to aintgotnojob for hooking me up w a new PC. What an awesome community we're a part of!!!!!
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