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hauser
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Registered: 05/22/11
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Incubation and GE
#14494364 - 05/22/11 02:37 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Hi everyone,
I've been lurking around this forum for a while, and I started my first grow about a week ago. I immediately made a somewhat stupid mistake by purchasing my spores from spores101 because I guess I was excited so I just used the first site I found. I realize that in the future I should use a Shroomery sponsor.
I ordered cambodians and they sent me a B+ syringe too. I looked up a lot of different versions of the PF tek and tried to synthesize the information. I didn't have a pressure cooker, but I steamed the jars in a big pot for well over an hour. I let them cool to room temperature and inoculated the jars.
I have four injection sites with no tape over them, but there is aluminum foil over all of the jars. I've had them in my closet in a bin with a heating fan set up, but after a week I haven't seen any evidence of colonization. I'm wondering if having them in my closet and the aluminum foil is restricting their GE and making it harder for them to colonize? I was considering doing the Tub in Tub method and pulling it out into my room - would that help me see better results?
I've done a lot of searches but I haven't found much information specifically about GE during incubation. I also started a LC with the little liquid I had left in one of the syringes, and it seems to have some growth at the bottom of the jar. Is the only way to find out if this is mushrooms or contam by inoculating a new jar with the LC?
Thanks for all of your help
hauser
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mabachko
Just Strange



Registered: 02/11/11
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Re: Incubation and GE [Re: hauser]
#14494416 - 05/22/11 02:54 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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When I 1st started I used masking tape over my holes and waited til they got to approx. 20% colonized B4 poking a small hole in the tape. So GE is not your problem. But I would get rid of the foil. Whats the temp in ur closet. 68-74F is ideal I've been reading alot about spores 101 lately & none of it is good. You need to do a test cake to find out if ur LC is good or not.
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hauser
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Re: Incubation and GE [Re: mabachko]
#14494424 - 05/22/11 02:57 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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The temperature is ~78-80. I thought 80 was ideal so that it's about 82-83 in the jars as they colonize?
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mabachko
Just Strange



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Re: Incubation and GE [Re: hauser]
#14494434 - 05/22/11 03:00 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Thats old school. My room temp stays a constant 74. Any higher temps slows growth down, way down.
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Primal Call
Earth Mage



Registered: 09/05/10
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Re: Incubation and GE [Re: hauser]
#14494507 - 05/22/11 03:17 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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If you have a dry verm layer above your BRF/verm mix, the foil is supposedly unnecessary, and 4 holes is plenty for GE. 
Don't make a tub in tub. Higher temps increase colonization, but the risk posed from thermophilic contaminates is not worth it. I consider 72F the perfect colonization temp, have read of someone storing as low as 58F, and some who actually prefer 60-65F. Colder temps slow it all down, but contaminates won't thrive in the race.
One week to wait on spores is nothing... patience is huge with this hobby. I know it's exciting when you start out and that first bit of mycelium in your jars will get you wet, but let them do their thing. Spores can take 2 weeks just to germinate and this is a microscopic task. It might be 2.5, 3 or even 4 weeks before you see growth. This is why most people favor some form of LC, agar, cloning, or grain to grain. These procedures greatly increase the spawning cycles of your projects. I highly recommend grain LC's. I'll copy and paste from another post encouraging a new grower to use grain LC also...
Quote:
Ryath said:
Just wanted to add that I really enjoy making 1/2 pint jars of grain with anything that is unproven. I'll use 10mL (LC, home-made syringes, etc) for 10x 1/2 pints. Once I see they are clean, I'll grain LC them and get syringes chock-full of mycelium that I know is good to go. Any jars not needed right away can go into the fridge until I have more spawning room/fruiting space. 80% full qt jars to 100% colonized in a week if I use enough grain LC (~3mL usually does it). Full consolidation in ~2 weeks = 
try it out if you haven't yet. it kicks ass
Grain LC
hope this helps
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hauser
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Thanks for all of your suggestions. I didn't realize it'd be better to just keep them at room temperature. How long until I should worry that there is no evidence of myc?
Also the Grain LC looks pretty cool - but wouldn't it take a long time for the myc to colonize on the grain anyways? Is the benefit that you can take that myc and noc up a lot more jars very quickly?
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mabachko
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Re: Incubation and GE [Re: hauser]
#14494832 - 05/22/11 04:31 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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LC is a live culture that doesn't require germination, so it colonizes faster.
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hauser
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Re: Incubation and GE [Re: mabachko]
#14496691 - 05/22/11 10:41 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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But why grow it on grain rather than just in liquid?
Also - since taking off the aluminum foil I've been able to find a few spots that look like they could be the early stage of colonization. Just little spots, but it's exciting!
I tried to noc up another jar with the sketch LC I had, so we'll see what happens with that!
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HorizonSpawn
Gettin' my grow on :)


Registered: 05/14/11
Posts: 1,739
Loc: Myco-Tek.org
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Re: Incubation and GE [Re: hauser]
#14496733 - 05/22/11 10:52 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Here's to wishing you success with your first grow! :-)
-------------------- Please assume any and all prints exchanged are "WILD" in nature; and thus, should NOT be considered ASEPTIC... NOTE: Please excuse my brevity, as it is a bitch 'n' a half and slow as hell to type on this here phone
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Primal Call
Earth Mage



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Re: Incubation and GE [Re: hauser]
#14498590 - 05/23/11 11:32 AM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
hauser said: But why grow it on grain rather than just in liquid?
Also - since taking off the aluminum foil I've been able to find a few spots that look like they could be the early stage of colonization. Just little spots, but it's exciting!
I tried to noc up another jar with the sketch LC I had, so we'll see what happens with that!
Growing it on grain further expands the mycelia and provides some vital nutrients to the organism. Also, expanding to bulk substrates with grain is much easier than with LC. Sounds like you have a bit more reading to do Check the link in my signature if you are considering bulk projects.
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hauser
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Registered: 05/22/11
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Last seen: 12 years, 8 months
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Thanks for all of your information!
After taking off the aluminum foil I've immediately seen some pretty fast colonization. It's only about a quarter size in the jars I've found, but it's quickly grown from when I first saw it a couple of days ago. I'll make sure to take pictures and document my first grow!
I've kept incubating at ~80 degrees, mostly because that's what I've read everywhere... I don't want it to take a long time for colonization. is that a bad idea?
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Primal Call
Earth Mage



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Re: Incubation and GE [Re: hauser]
#14507725 - 05/24/11 11:53 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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it can be...
As you increase the temperature, you increase the risk of promoting thermophilic contaminates to reproduce faster than your mycelium.
Most people recommend 65-75F. It slows down the rate of mycelial expansion, but it is well worth the wait in favor of discouraging contamination.
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hauser
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Last seen: 12 years, 8 months
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If I notice any signs of contamination, would taking the jars out of incubation help discourage it and possibly stop it?
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Primal Call
Earth Mage



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Re: Incubation and GE [Re: hauser]
#14508658 - 05/25/11 07:13 AM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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how about you just take them out of incubation now, get rid of the incubator, and stop worrying about it?
do it naow! RAWR
to answer your question, though, no... once they are contaminated, they stay contaminated. Although, I have used contaminated spawn and gotten it to flush after spawning to pasteurized bulk. not something to get in the habit of, but ... yeah.
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hauser
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Last seen: 12 years, 8 months
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Fair enough. It is much easier taking it out of the incubator anyways. I moved it into a drawer in my room and put a towel over it. I think it'll also stop me from looking at it so much!
I think after these cakes fruit I'm going to make some spore prints and/or clone the mushrooms so I can try grain! Is brown rice still a good noob tek for grain?
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HorizonSpawn
Gettin' my grow on :)


Registered: 05/14/11
Posts: 1,739
Loc: Myco-Tek.org
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Re: Incubation and GE [Re: hauser]
#14512015 - 05/25/11 09:13 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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FYI: mid-height of the room typically has the least fluctuating temperature. Generally; this falls between one's waist and shoulders. Use a thermometer in this height range to find a good spot. Keep in mind where your drafts are in your room: door, entryway, windows that get opened, high traffic areas. These all effect the ambient temperature in that area; as well as increase the circulation of unsterile air (a potential concern with fruiting)...
Anyone disagree? Please feel free to put the smack down on me, if I'm mistaken
-------------------- Please assume any and all prints exchanged are "WILD" in nature; and thus, should NOT be considered ASEPTIC... NOTE: Please excuse my brevity, as it is a bitch 'n' a half and slow as hell to type on this here phone
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