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ShroomGrower420
I am a fun guy

Registered: 05/15/11
Posts: 31
Loc: Location, Location, Locat...
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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Some Basic Noob Questions
#14460019 - 05/15/11 11:59 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Hello, everyone. This is my first post here on Shroomery. I have done some research and decided to give shroom growing a try. I have read a few FAQ's and watched an instructional video, but I have a few questions before I start acquiring the supplies I need to get started.
First and foremost , I want to thank RR for teaching me what I know so far, without the video clips he posted I would have no clue what to do. I have gathered a basic idea of the concept of growing mushies but I want to clear a few things up.
#1 My first question/concern is about deciding what method I will use to start.
I would like to avoid having to be sterile right now, because I have a limited space and budget (cannot afford lamandar flow hood, or pressure cooker at the moment) so I have been looking at shroomery sponsors websites trying to look over what products will work for me best on a budget.
At the moment, since I cannot afford a lamanar flow hood, or pressure cooker. So, I am thinking it would be a good idea to order pre-sterilized products, from what I have seen from PF TEK most people start out with cakes made from the 1/2 pint wide mouth jars. I would like to avoid using the jars and use something like Fungi bags. Seems like the substrate being pre-sterilized would make things easier for me , and hopefully have larger yields.
Another question is: I have seen pre-sterilized bags ranging in size from 1 to 12 lbs. What is a good size to use? Also do you adjust amount of CC's injected into spore syringe for larger/smaller bags?
My final questions: as a new shroom grower, what do you recommend? Disregarding my preference for pre-sterilized spawn bags, is this a good way to get started? Are there differences in the results of larger/smaller bags? say 1lb vs 12lb bags? Should I just stick with the PF tek bite the bullet and deal with clunky jars (ordering them pre-sterlized?) Im trying to decide at this point.
Also I see many methods that people are using for fruiting. Some are using fruiting chambers with perlite, I see a kit for sale from one of the sponsors that includes compost? What is the difference?
Can penis envy be grown in PF TEK other than the penis envy, PF ? 12 cakes of each would fill a good sized FC nicely... Any other recommendations or advice are welcome even if it's about something I didn't ask. I am new to all of this so trying to absorb information like a sponge. Sorry for the long post I am not good at typing out my questions.
Edited by ShroomGrower420 (05/16/11 02:18 AM)
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13shrooms
Lightning Shaman



Registered: 01/01/09
Posts: 26,719
Loc: IN ETHERS TORSION FIELD
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k, first you are going to have issues getting spores of any active mushroom species because your in California. Cali has laws sayin you cant have any. 
2nd, try oyster mushrooms with the PF tek first http://www.mushroomvideos.com/BRF-Pf-Tek watch all 4 parts over and over and over till your eyes bleed. 
then watch these 4 parts http://www.mushroomvideos.com/Terrarium-Tek and you should have all aspect of the PF tek down. 
OR (need pressure cooker for this) if you dont like that you can do this (pressure cooker highly recommended for this hobby if you want results) http://www.mushroomvideos.com/Grain-Preparation
and once you inject your spores into those and they colonize you can spawn them to this tek for easy bulk growing. Damion5050s easy coir/verm bulk monotubs
I even combined the 2 w/my 1st grow and used 24 pf tek cakes (crumbled finely) to spawn to that monotub tek. it worked great. 
since you dont have a pressure cooker I would try a couple pf cakes as practice then make a couple dozen cakes once you got the hang of it all and spawn cakes to coir/verm in monotubs or trays in a shotgun fruiting chamber. 
hope this gets you goin, and sorry for not answering all your questions because ordering active spores and substrates (especially in Cali) will get you in big trouble.  

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A M U Click here ^ for the AMU forum VVV AMUs Free Active/Edible/Exotic Spore Print or Syringe or Edible Culture Trade Thread VVV "Man is the sex organ of the machine world" ~ Marshall McLuhan
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13shrooms
Lightning Shaman



Registered: 01/01/09
Posts: 26,719
Loc: IN ETHERS TORSION FIELD
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Re: Some Basic Noob Questions [Re: 13shrooms]
#14460354 - 05/16/11 01:47 AM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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A M U Click here ^ for the AMU forum VVV AMUs Free Active/Edible/Exotic Spore Print or Syringe or Edible Culture Trade Thread VVV "Man is the sex organ of the machine world" ~ Marshall McLuhan
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Carl Sagan
Time Dilation Analyst


Registered: 04/19/11
Posts: 922
Loc: Myco-tek.org
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Dont by anything pre-anything... if you can follow thatl. If you follow this tek you will have a good chance of success. Go here http://www.mushroomvideos.com/BRF-Pf-Tek and all you will need to buy is:
half pint jars;10 vermiculite;7 brown rice flour;4 perlite;10 syringe;20 SGFC;8
Total=$59

OH you live in Cali do what he says ^
-------------------- “Sacred cows make the best hamburger” Mark Twain Independant Research Foundation
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ShroomGrower420
I am a fun guy


Registered: 05/15/11
Posts: 31
Loc: Location, Location, Locat...
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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Re: Some Basic Noob Questions [Re: Carl Sagan]
#14460412 - 05/16/11 02:05 AM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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hey, carl, 13shrooms thanks for replying , i've been refreshing to see if anything new popped up im pretty eager to get started.
as far as spores are concerned I have already found a way around that ,someone i met, might know other people in other states who could have spores shipped to them and just have them re label it to an address most spore sites wouldn't deliver to. (If this is against the rules of the site to say, consider it a lie/joke, and just consider i am talking about legal edible species- sorry im new here )
i will take your advice and I will stick with the pf tek just do a cake run and see how things go, then upgrade to a higher yielding method (if i even feel the need to) i've seen people on this site yeild 7-12 dry grams per cake and that is very impressive to me.
also ill check out those videos you linked.
-------------------- "For Mycology Microscopy, Identification, Research and Taxonomy Purposes Only" ┌∩┐(◣_◢)┌∩┐
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Apple core
Television Man


Registered: 03/21/09
Posts: 191
Last seen: 2 years, 5 months
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I personally think that if you're going to go down the pre-sterilised route, then you could afford to do the alternative, which is buy everything separate (as CarlSagan's post) and a pressure cooker and sterilise things yourself.
I know that a pressure cooker seems like a high initial investment but if you do a few grows with home-made, home-sterilised substrates (eg PF tek)it pays for itself pretty quickly.
And the PF tek is great. The yield is great if you get it right, and especially if you're short of time it's my preferred method 
Good luck!
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ShroomGrower420
I am a fun guy


Registered: 05/15/11
Posts: 31
Loc: Location, Location, Locat...
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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Ok, I'll get the pressure cooker. The one on amazon is quite affordable.
What else do I need to stay contam-free besides a pressure cooker?
I have seen RR's Video where he wears the surgical mask, arm protectors, and gloves , alcohols everything, burns the syringe needle hot red before all inoculations, oust's the lab room, uses the laminar flow hood, is all that necassary? can I get a cheap laminar flow hood somewhere? is there as sponsored source for a good inexpensive laminar flow hood? Is it necessary at this point? I saw one of the sponsors sells a disposable glove box, perhaps i could use that.
Also, Can 2 (or more) types of mushrooms be fruited in the same shotgun fruiting chamber? for example if i had a fruiting chamber that held 24 cakes and I do 12 of 2 different variety (for example penis envy grown in the same fruiting chamber as a PF) will their spores conflict with each other?
Thank you for the information everyone this has been a very educational day for me, I appreciate the responses.
-------------------- "For Mycology Microscopy, Identification, Research and Taxonomy Purposes Only" ┌∩┐(◣_◢)┌∩┐
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Apple core
Television Man


Registered: 03/21/09
Posts: 191
Last seen: 2 years, 5 months
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2 strains won't be a problem at all.
I use a dust mask, and just put on some freshly washed clothes. I don't use gloves as I find they get in the way of flaming the needle, I just wash my hands well (the happy birthday method) then use alcohol gel to get any left-over nasties. If you have long hair, tie it back or get a hair cut, hippy! 
As for the place you inoculate, there's a few ideas. I would say a laminar flow hood is an unnecessary expense for the PF tek. Before I made a glove box, I used to inoculate in my bathroom. You have to give the place a good wipe down with 10% bleach solution then mist the air with it like crazy, but I never got a contamination that way. I've done this over 10 times and never had a contamination issue.
If you're not going to make a glove box (search the forum if you are) then for antiseptic inoculation you'll need: - Dust mask - Alcohol hand sanitiser - A spray bottle with 10% bleach, 90% water in it - A lighter (flaming the needle is essential) * You'll need this (minus the mask) for a glove box too, as well as additional stuff.
This is what I do, I'm a biologist so I might have skipped a few things that I do without thinking, but if anyone wants to add to this feel free! 
Oh yeah, and props to RR's video. If you have that just watch the relevant bits a few times and take notes, so you're certain what you're doing. It may sound stupid but the first few times I wrote down a check list of items and steps to inoculation, and imagined doing it in my head. There's nothing worse than to shut yourself in your sterilised room, start working and realise you've forgotten a lighter or something, and have to start over
Edited by Apple core (05/16/11 06:44 AM)
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Doc_T
Random Dude




Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: Some Basic Noob Questions [Re: 13shrooms]
#14460863 - 05/16/11 06:42 AM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
13shrooms said: http://www.amazon.com/Presto-23-Quart-Aluminum-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305531970&sr=8-1
same PC I use/have. ^^^ works great. 
I used one of those, it was fine. Also check thrift stores for smaller PCs.
Flowhood is nice but not required, lots of people use a glove box. Inoculation of jars is ok in room air if you have good technique.
-------------------- You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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ShroomGrower420
I am a fun guy


Registered: 05/15/11
Posts: 31
Loc: Location, Location, Locat...
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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Re: Some Basic Noob Questions [Re: Doc_T]
#14460877 - 05/16/11 06:54 AM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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After reading on here all night, I have decided to use organic rye berries over pf tek because I will be investing in a pressure cooker. I found out most people only use pf tek bc they don't have a pressure cooker to sterlie the rye berry... or i could even use the pre-sterlized rye berry spawn bags right? After spawning what is the best way to fruit them?
-------------------- "For Mycology Microscopy, Identification, Research and Taxonomy Purposes Only" ┌∩┐(◣_◢)┌∩┐
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Doc_T
Random Dude




Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Cakes kick ass. And they are the fastest method from needle to harvest. And support a broad range of species. Cakes aren't "noob stuff".
But lots of people start with rye, I did and you can too if you get a PC. Lots of great teks, browse around and see what suits your style.
-------------------- You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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wygram
Myconaut

Registered: 01/28/07
Posts: 573
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Quote:
ShroomGrower420 said: I have seen RR's Video where he wears the surgical mask, arm protectors, and gloves , alcohols everything, burns the syringe needle hot red before all inoculations, oust's the lab room, uses the laminar flow hood, is all that necassary?
At your stage a flow hood is not necessary. They start at a couple hundred bucks, even when you build them yourself.
Sterile technique is not the part you want to cut corners on. A simple glovebox will do nicely for now and increase your success rate over doing things in the open air. Everything, but the flow hood, in RR's method should be a basic requirement. Gloves are essential because we can not clean every nook and cranny on our hands. The only thing not shown in the video's is taking a shower and putting on clean clothes before you start, but who would want to see the Rabbit doing that?
-------------------- Changing your mind is one of the best ways of finding out whether or not you still have one.
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tasmanianian
Stranger
Registered: 11/27/10
Posts: 34
Last seen: 12 years, 23 days
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Re: Some Basic Noob Questions [Re: wygram]
#14461005 - 05/16/11 07:56 AM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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i wouldn't say a pressure cooker is overkill... but it's really not necessary for your first grow imo.
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3n1gm4
3N!9M4T!C



Registered: 01/13/11
Posts: 2,727
Loc: The Downside of Up
Last seen: 12 years, 7 months
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Quote:
ShroomGrower420 said: After reading on here all night, I have decided to use organic rye berries over pf tek because I will be investing in a pressure cooker. I found out most people only use pf tek bc they don't have a pressure cooker to sterlie the rye berry... or i could even use the pre-sterlized rye berry spawn bags right? After spawning what is the best way to fruit them?
A mono tub spawned with 5-6 quarts of fully colonized rye per batch of Damion5050's elementary coir tek is where you should start on bulk IMHO, no pesky pasteurizing of poo, and no need to case.
-------------------- http://www.shroomery.org/6257/Magic-Mushroom-Dosage-CalculatorLOL when you zoom in to try to read my sig pics you will get lost in the crystal forrest of ghanni!
   
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YHWH
Fuck, I'm drunk



Registered: 09/30/07
Posts: 189
Loc: downstairs
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Re: Some Basic Noob Questions [Re: 3n1gm4]
#14462125 - 05/16/11 01:29 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
3n1gm4 said: A mono tub spawned with 5-6 quarts of fully colonized rye per batch of Damion5050's elementary coir tek is where you should start on bulk IMHO, no pesky pasteurizing of poo, and no need to case.
This^ - easiest way to start bulk IMO.
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I never felt as empty as I feel today...
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Doc_T
Random Dude




Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: Some Basic Noob Questions [Re: YHWH]
#14462492 - 05/16/11 02:43 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Agreed, except use an MSG tub.
-------------------- You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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