|
Some of these posts are very old and might contain outdated information. You may wish to search for newer posts instead.
|
glitche
Genetic Engineer


Registered: 04/07/11
Posts: 241
Last seen: 9 years, 2 months
|
EcoEarth Coir Problem
#15172596 - 10/03/11 04:33 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
I was following Dameion5050's coir tek and I followed the measurements as instructed but when I added the boiling water and waited 45 minutes to stir it there were some big chunks that were in there. I tried to break them up but they are pretty hard, Some are still in there. Should I add more boiling water?
|
fissionchips


Registered: 09/05/06
Posts: 974
|
Re: EcoEarth Coir Problem [Re: glitche]
#15172709 - 10/03/11 04:56 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Had the same problem, I would add more boiling water and squeeze out extra moisture later.
|
glitche
Genetic Engineer


Registered: 04/07/11
Posts: 241
Last seen: 9 years, 2 months
|
|
Thanks man!
I was right about to add more boiling water to the coir but it looked as if most of it crumbled. I just decided to stir it again. There were small fragments left but I don't think that is going to make a huge difference. If I am wrong someone please correct me lol
Thanks again
|
fissionchips


Registered: 09/05/06
Posts: 974
|
Re: EcoEarth Coir Problem [Re: glitche]
#15172777 - 10/03/11 05:13 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
If there are not a lot of hard chunks left and the moisture content is otherwise right you can just take out the chunks before you spawn.
Generally though, you can always squeeze the water out of coir later, so if you find the middle didn't get as mush water as the outside, you can add more and squeeze it back to field capacity.
|
glitche
Genetic Engineer


Registered: 04/07/11
Posts: 241
Last seen: 9 years, 2 months
|
|
Alright man, Thanks! Ill definitely remember that!
|
Masticore
Perpetually Curious



Registered: 12/16/09
Posts: 1,159
Last seen: 7 years, 9 months
|
|
It's easier to wait a little longer, stir real well, and break the leftover chunks apart by hand. That's a lot of substrate to "squeeze back to field capacity", and I'm not sure how you plan on going about it but it sounds like a pain in the ass. I use EcoEarth also, add a gallon of water & 2 quarts of Vermiculite each time, and never had a problem with hydration. The only reason I stopped using the tek was repeated contamination, now I do real pasteurization with the same recipe + Gypsum and haven't had a problem
-------------------- Treat my posts like the Bible. I am fallible, subject to human limitation, and usually open to interpretation.
|
glitche
Genetic Engineer


Registered: 04/07/11
Posts: 241
Last seen: 9 years, 2 months
|
Re: EcoEarth Coir Problem [Re: Masticore]
#15172900 - 10/03/11 05:36 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
When you say "real pasteurization" are you referring to pressure cooking the coir?
|
pickeroo
Mycological Journeyman

Registered: 06/01/11
Posts: 377
|
Re: EcoEarth Coir Problem [Re: Masticore]
#15172941 - 10/03/11 05:43 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
Masticore said: It's easier to wait a little longer, stir real well, and break the leftover chunks apart by hand.
This is what I did. I had some fairly large hard chunks in mine when I did it, but I broke them up as much as possible and then mixed them well. They broke apart 20 minutes later when I stirred again, then I left it to cool for two hours after all the pieces were broken up.
|
Masticore
Perpetually Curious



Registered: 12/16/09
Posts: 1,159
Last seen: 7 years, 9 months
|
Re: EcoEarth Coir Problem [Re: glitche]
#15173140 - 10/03/11 06:28 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
glitche said: When you say "real pasteurization" are you referring to pressure cooking the coir?
No, that's sterilizing. Pasteurizing is quite different. You need to heat the substrate to between 140-160 for two hours. It kills off the nasty stuff but not some of the stuff living in the substrate that's beneficial to what you're trying to accomplish. There are a few ways to do it, I use RR's method.
I used Dameion5050's tek for a long time with pretty good success, but one day I got a bad trich infection, and every tub I made after that went south no matter how clean I tried to be. Many people don't have that problem, but I've run into a few others who did. After I switched methods I didn't have a problem. It's not as simple, and requires more attention, but I haven't had any problems since I switched.
-------------------- Treat my posts like the Bible. I am fallible, subject to human limitation, and usually open to interpretation.
|
glitche
Genetic Engineer


Registered: 04/07/11
Posts: 241
Last seen: 9 years, 2 months
|
Re: EcoEarth Coir Problem [Re: Masticore]
#15173283 - 10/03/11 06:51 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
I'm scared now that I'm going to get a contam lol. I tried to be as sterile as I can. I broke up the pieces with my hands but I was wearing gloves that were washed with alcohol and I was wearing protective sleeves with a surgical mask. I also added 6 quarts of spawn instead of 5 because I lost count I hope this won't effect it that much either.
|
prismism



Registered: 05/11/09
Posts: 5,570
|
Re: EcoEarth Coir Problem [Re: glitche]
#15173354 - 10/03/11 06:58 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
This is why damion's tek isn't favorable in my opinion. It gives you no room to play around with the moisture or edit anything after you've dumped the boiling water on there. That's supposed to be the point at which you're 'pasteurizing'. So in theory, adding anything or touching your substrate at that point would be adding potential contamination. It's always better to pasteurize the correct way.
-------------------- ephemeral anomalous
|
glitche
Genetic Engineer


Registered: 04/07/11
Posts: 241
Last seen: 9 years, 2 months
|
Re: EcoEarth Coir Problem [Re: prismism]
#15173435 - 10/03/11 07:06 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Why did everyone tell me to go with Damion's then. I should have known myself it was too easy. I guess I just learned a valuable lesson. I'm hopeful they still turn out okay. Could someone direct me to a more sterile and thorough tek please?
|
prismism



Registered: 05/11/09
Posts: 5,570
|
Re: EcoEarth Coir Problem [Re: glitche]
#15173519 - 10/03/11 07:18 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Mix everything and then get it to proper field capacity. Then put the substrate in bags or jars. Place the bags/jars in a pot of boiling water. Using a kitchen thermometer, periodically check the middle of the substrate until it has reached 140F or higher. Keep the temperature between 140F and 170F for at least an hour. If you go any hotter you risk sterilizing.
-------------------- ephemeral anomalous
Edited by prismism (10/03/11 07:28 PM)
|
Masticore
Perpetually Curious



Registered: 12/16/09
Posts: 1,159
Last seen: 7 years, 9 months
|
Re: EcoEarth Coir Problem [Re: prismism]
#15173558 - 10/03/11 07:24 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Like I said, I used the same coir tek for a long time with no problems. You should be fine.
-------------------- Treat my posts like the Bible. I am fallible, subject to human limitation, and usually open to interpretation.
|
glitche
Genetic Engineer


Registered: 04/07/11
Posts: 241
Last seen: 9 years, 2 months
|
Re: EcoEarth Coir Problem [Re: Masticore]
#15173919 - 10/03/11 08:27 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
haha okay, Thanks guys.
So don't pressure cook because it will kill the beneficial stuff
and
I shouldn't worry because it will probably be fine anyway.
Thanks guys =D
|
dtowntoker
gimme a spliff
Registered: 08/06/11
Posts: 2,368
|
Re: EcoEarth Coir Problem [Re: glitche]
#15174118 - 10/03/11 09:06 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
glitche said:
Why did everyone tell me to go with Damion's then. I should have known myself it was too easy. I guess I just learned a valuable lesson. I'm hopeful they still turn out okay. Could someone direct me to a more sterile and thorough tek please?
Coir is awesome. I've never seen good spawn go into coir lead to a contamination.
--------------------
|
tripdawg420
low life with no life



Registered: 02/02/09
Posts: 7,653
Loc: illinois
Last seen: 17 hours, 47 minutes
|
Re: EcoEarth Coir Problem [Re: dtowntoker]
#15174145 - 10/03/11 09:12 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
some tips i learned by doing it alot is break the coir up with a butter knife and pour the water over the coir slowly
|
glitche
Genetic Engineer


Registered: 04/07/11
Posts: 241
Last seen: 9 years, 2 months
|
|
Thanks for the reassurance toker and I'll make sure to break it up next time that sounds like a good idea. Thanks you guys.
|
tripdawg420
low life with no life



Registered: 02/02/09
Posts: 7,653
Loc: illinois
Last seen: 17 hours, 47 minutes
|
Re: EcoEarth Coir Problem [Re: glitche]
#15175621 - 10/04/11 08:17 AM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
ya i was having the same problems with dry spots when i mixed it up still worked but i just could been lucky them times so i just break it up into a few shards so the water can soak in deeper and pouring it slower so the coir dont suck in all the water at once
|
HorizonSpawn
Gettin' my grow on :)


Registered: 05/14/11
Posts: 1,739
Loc: Myco-Tek.org
|
|
I started buying 4.5cuft blocks through a local vendor of Down to Earth Distributors:

It all gets broken up into small bits that I crush by hand...
It ends up being about half the price as buying them in the 600~650g blocks (1/3cuft)
-------------------- 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
|
|