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Doc_T
Random Dude




Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars 12
#16590981 - 07/26/12 07:06 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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This thread documents how I make no-pour agar jars. I'm not the only person that does it like this, there are other teks out there. Search engine can find several versions. This thread just shows how I do it, I'm not claiming that this is the best way or I invented the tek or anything.
I like widemouth pf jars. Some people use the fancy square ones, others like 1/4 pint jars. Any lid will work but I prefer the one-piece plastic lids, undrilled. (Although an injection port is handy now and then.)
There's a million agar recipes. I like malt extract agar. Older recipes tend to be richer than is common for modern home mycology. FastFred's Media Cookbook calls for 30 grams malt and 20 grams agar to a liter of water. For this thread I made a third of a batch. But just 6g of malt and 5g of agar to 340mL water, so a leaner mix.
Stir dry ingredients into cold water. Heat gently with frequent stirring until it comes to a boil. Turn down or off and simmer while stirring for a minute. (Don't let it boil over!)

Now fill your jars. I got 15 jars from 1/3 liter of solution. Make them a little deeper for longterm storage so they don't dry out. Put on lids, cover with foil, load into the PC. (Don't spill agar solution on yourself!)
Sterilization is straightforward. Preheat on high, vent steam for a few minutes then close the pressure toggle. Once pressure is stable at 15psi, set the timer. I give agar jars 30 minutes at pressure. When the PC cools to room temp open it up and get your agar jars out. Eleven fit back into the flat the jars come in.

A flowhood is nice but a still air box works fine. Here's mine in action, I put some spores into each of three jars. I'll post pics when the times comes, probably within a week.

Updates: 04 Aug 2012 First transfer 06 Aug 2012 Clones started 10 Aug 2012 Contams and clones 12 Aug 2012 Transfers
-------------------- You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
Edited by Doc_T (08/20/12 08:55 AM)
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Siddhartha
Stranger


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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: Doc_T]
#16591079 - 07/26/12 07:41 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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Very nice tek! I am going to try this.
I used to PC PD\agar in glass plates. It worked pretty well but you had to make sure the plates were at least 3 inches above the PC water level. Also PCing the plates for longer than 25 or 30 minutes apparently denatured a glycoprotein or glycopeptide in the agar and caused the plates not to gel.
As standard practice, I was PCing everything for at least 60 minutes.
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SimpleFarmer



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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: Siddhartha]
#16591109 - 07/26/12 07:53 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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x CiVil x

Registered: 07/05/12
Posts: 634
Loc: Flying With Mother Nature
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: Siddhartha]
#16591132 - 07/26/12 08:02 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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Thats how I make mine too.

It does work very well! I just picked up plastic lids last week.
-------------------- “Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” Bruce Lee myco-tek.org
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tripdawg420
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: x CiVil x]
#16591151 - 07/26/12 08:09 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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nice
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Doc_T
Random Dude




Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: x CiVil x]
#16591160 - 07/26/12 08:12 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
x CiVil x said: Thats how I make mine too.
It does work very well! I just picked up plastic lids last week.
Comments? Variations? Recipe tweaks?
For people with metal lids, a little bit of masking tape will attach the lid to the ring.
-------------------- You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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x CiVil x

Registered: 07/05/12
Posts: 634
Loc: Flying With Mother Nature
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: Doc_T]
#16591216 - 07/26/12 08:28 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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Yeah, it works really well!
I make 20 at a time. I use 25 grams of DME, 22 grams of agar and 1250ml of water. Fill the plates up to about 55ml, place foil over the lids, and sterilize. After I inoculate them I wrap parafilm around the lid and place in a baggie.
Whats your take on parafilm with jars? Is it necessary? I use it but it's not cheap...
-------------------- “Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” Bruce Lee myco-tek.org
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Doc_T
Random Dude




Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: x CiVil x]
#16591224 - 07/26/12 08:32 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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I don't use parafilm with the jars. I'll put them in a baggie if I plan to store them a while. With 55mL in a jar I bet yours don't dry out very fast.
-------------------- You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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x CiVil x

Registered: 07/05/12
Posts: 634
Loc: Flying With Mother Nature
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: Doc_T]
#16591255 - 07/26/12 08:43 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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Yeah, parafilm didn't seem to make a difference. I made 10 with and 10 without and they all did the same thing. After readying your tek I'll start using less agar and dme. I'm making slants so it's pointless for me to be waisting all this agar and DME.
Thanks for the tip Doc! You saved me a good amount of money by posting this tek.
What's the best way, you've found to clean them out? I haven't needed to clean any yet. But I have about 4 that have bacteria contam from a cloning fuck up on my part.
-------------------- “Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” Bruce Lee myco-tek.org
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billb
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: Doc_T]
#16591273 - 07/26/12 08:51 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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My next go around I'm trying it your way. I just need the lids. Excellent write up.
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Doc_T
Random Dude




Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: x CiVil x]
#16591303 - 07/26/12 09:00 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
x CiVil x said: What's the best way, you've found to clean them out?
Unless there's sporulating mold, you don't need to do anything special. I use a fork to pull the agar patty out of the jar and into the trash, then rinse the jars or put them through the dishwasher. Even with mold in the jar it's about the same, just try to clean it out early on.
-------------------- You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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x CiVil x

Registered: 07/05/12
Posts: 634
Loc: Flying With Mother Nature
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: Doc_T]
#16591309 - 07/26/12 09:03 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Doc_T said:
Quote:
x CiVil x said: What's the best way, you've found to clean them out?
Unless there's sporulating mold, you don't need to do anything special. I use a fork to pull the agar patty out of the jar and into the trash, then rinse the jars or put them through the dishwasher. Even with mold in the jar it's about the same, just try to clean it out early on.
Thanks, Doc! +5
-------------------- “Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” Bruce Lee myco-tek.org
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Doc_T
Random Dude




Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: x CiVil x]
#16591319 - 07/26/12 09:05 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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You're welcome!
-------------------- You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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dball
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: Doc_T]
#16591531 - 07/26/12 09:55 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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in
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cloudpersona
I don't even...
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: dball]
#16591608 - 07/26/12 10:12 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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-------------------- “The shaman is not merely a sick man, or a madman; he is a sick man who has healed himself.” – Terence McKenna “If the words ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’ don’t include the right to experiment with your own consciousness, then the Declaration of Independence isn’t worth the hemp it was written on.” -Terence McKenna
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caesar
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: cloudpersona]
#16598524 - 07/27/12 09:08 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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I follow your tek almost exactly. The only difference is that I now make agar in the microwave. I got tired of burning malt or babysitting a pot on the stove for 20 minutes.
I pour water, agar and malt extract into a microwave-safe plastic dish with a lid and stir. For a 1 L batch, I zap for 3 minutes. Take it out and stir again. I then zap for 2 minutes. If, when I take it out and stir, it begins to bubble and froth--it's done. If not, in for another 2 minutes.
I try not to zap longer than 2 minutes unattended because I did allow it to boil over once--once. If you will just keep pulling it out and stirring between those 2 minute intervals, you will avoid that. It may look calm on the surface, but if it froths like crazy when you stir, pull it out--it is ready to pour (or ladle, which is what I do).
This has made making a batch of agar MUCH less of a chore than it was before. My quality is better, more consistent, and I will never go back to the pot on the stove. After I pour and PC, I stack all my little 1/4 pint jars and baby food jars as high as is safely possible and put a jar of hot water on top of each stack to help against condensation. I have stacks sitting against my wall now which have sat for a couple of weeks or more. I KNOW they are sterile! No hiding contams.
Great write-up Doc. You are magister verus!
Pax et bonum
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Pup Tentacle
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: caesar]
#16598730 - 07/27/12 09:58 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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Thanks! You removed any remaining apprehension about going the agar route after my LC is kaput.
-------------------- I don't know.
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Doc_T
Random Dude




Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: Pup Tentacle]
#16598761 - 07/27/12 10:06 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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Awesome, glad to help.
Caesar, I like the microwave idea. With a tall container like an erlenmeyer flask you probably could just run it on high until you see bubbles, swirls it around, then fill the jars.
-------------------- You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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Longshanx
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: Doc_T]
#16598842 - 07/27/12 10:29 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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Thank you for sharing!
For some reason, I always assumed that working with agar was a pain in the ass... But damn, you make it seem super easy. I will definitely be doing this.
-------------------- Just a guy in the world doin' the best I can
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Doc_T
Random Dude




Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: How Doc T makes no-pour agar jars [Re: Longshanx]
#16598898 - 07/27/12 10:43 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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I know, I keep saying over and over that it's cheaper and easier than it seems.
Did you have to evacuate from the fires?
-------------------- You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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