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TheWiz
Happy Little Shroom



Registered: 11/21/11
Posts: 191
Loc: Southern IL
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Take some hassle out of using perlite, a thought for cakes.
#18758922 - 08/26/13 09:13 AM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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So I'm brand spanking new to this, but I've been lurking here long enough to finally get the confidence to do some cakes myself. I intend to make an SGFC when it's time to fruit these bad boys (they're colonizing beautifully now). The only part of the process that I'm really not looking forward to is working with perlite. Don't want to deal with the mess, and I don't want to inhale the dust. I was ruminating on it when I had an idea. Why not stick the perlite in a breathable sack/container? One that is heat resistant, so that when you want to dry the stuff out, you can simply pull out the container, and bake it in the oven. Couldn't that be reused indefinitely? I made a little mock up drawing to show what I'm talking about...

My thought now is, what material to make it of. I'm thinking chicken wire or window screen, but I'm here fishing for other thoughts on the matter too. Got any?
-------------------- I'd hit it.
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Nabuca
Stranger



Registered: 03/21/13
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Loc: Pennsylvania
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Re: Take some hassle out of using perlite, a thought for cakes. [Re: TheWiz]
#18758956 - 08/26/13 09:24 AM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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I'm not exactly an expert, but I can't think of any material to make this from that wouldn't cause more issues than it solves. Chicken wire wouldn't stop perlite chunks and dust from coming out. And it would rust. Maybe fiberglass screening would work, but you'd likely have water build in the holes, which might cause bacteria to flourish? You could make a sack from maybe a microfiber cloth, but getting wet would promote mold growth, I would think.
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grainbrain
Tribalistic

Registered: 05/11/11
Posts: 2,626
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Re: Take some hassle out of using perlite, a thought for cakes. [Re: Nabuca]
#18758969 - 08/26/13 09:29 AM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Try a paint strainer that fits a 5-gallon bucket. Might work, might not.
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TheWiz
Happy Little Shroom



Registered: 11/21/11
Posts: 191
Loc: Southern IL
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Re: Take some hassle out of using perlite, a thought for cakes. [Re: Nabuca]
#18759001 - 08/26/13 09:40 AM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
Nabuca said: I'm not exactly an expert, but I can't think of any material to make this from that wouldn't cause more issues than it solves. Chicken wire wouldn't stop perlite chunks and dust from coming out. And it would rust. Maybe fiberglass screening would work, but you'd likely have water build in the holes, which might cause bacteria to flourish? You could make a sack from maybe a microfiber cloth, but getting wet would promote mold growth, I would think.
Hmm, after a google search, it seems the wire mesh I was thinking of isn't actually chicken wire, I just called it that. If I can find a mesh of aluminum though, should be no rust problem.
-------------------- I'd hit it.
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Sparchitect
Mr.



Registered: 01/07/13
Posts: 142
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Re: Take some hassle out of using perlite, a thought for cakes. [Re: TheWiz]
#18762201 - 08/27/13 12:45 AM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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My guess is that whatever you contained the perlite in wouldn't release enough moisture and you would have a lot of trouble keeping your SGFC in the 90% humidity range.
But if you get a chance to experiment with something like this please post results because you are right sir, it is a pain in the ass working with perlite. Took me 2 hours of soaking and straining perlite to fill my SGFC's today.
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Stromrider
This must be the place



Registered: 06/02/13
Posts: 7,326
Loc: Dept of know what I'm say...
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Re: Take some hassle out of using perlite, a thought for cakes. [Re: Sparchitect]
#18762216 - 08/27/13 12:57 AM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Don't put perlite in a colander and wet it and let it drain. That is why it took you 2 hours. Set your sgfc in the bath tub on some cups or jars so it is lifted up. Then put your perlite in there and turn on the shower head. Wet the perlite thoroughly and then go smoke a bowl and mess around on the shroomery for a couple hours so it can drain. The sgfc will act like a huge colander :-)
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Kizzle
Misanthrope


Registered: 08/30/11
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Re: Take some hassle out of using perlite, a thought for cakes. [Re: Stromrider]
#18762252 - 08/27/13 01:19 AM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
Don't want to deal with the mess, and I don't want to inhale the dust.
Not really an issue IME
Quote:
Why not stick the perlite in a breathable sack/container?
It's not necessary. The substrates should already be semi-isolated from it. Most people use foil for that.
Quote:
One that is heat resistant, so that when you want to dry the stuff out, you can simply pull out the container, and bake it in the oven
Not sure why you would want to dry it out but if you stop misting it, it will dry out on it's own. Perlite can be used indefinitely.
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Campari
Stranger

Registered: 08/08/13
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Re: Take some hassle out of using perlite, a thought for cakes. [Re: Kizzle]
#18762269 - 08/27/13 01:28 AM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Consider using cheesecloth as a liner for the container. I can't comment on if its a good idea or not though.
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PussyFart
Retired Cultivation Extrodinaire



Registered: 04/08/12
Posts: 22,502
Loc: Orbiting Earth
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Re: Take some hassle out of using perlite, a thought for cakes. [Re: Campari]
#18762315 - 08/27/13 01:57 AM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
Campari said: Consider using cheesecloth as a liner for the container. I can't comment on if its a good idea or not though.
So why would anyone consider it?
Have you ever heard of this being done before?
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THIS HOBBY IS NOT FOR THE IMPATIENT! PLEASE BE PATIENT, DON'T BE A PATIENT! A Tale of 10 Isolates, GT Cluster Clone Monotubs, RR's Let's Grow Mushrooms DVD, SGFC(Shotgun Fruiting Chamber), Monotub Tek, Damion5050's Coir Tek, TL's Tek List, Frank's Tek List, EvilMushroom666's Pasteurization Tek, How It Should & Shouldn't Look - NEW CULTIVATORS GUIDE *** *** AFGHAN KUSH GROW LOG *** ***
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Stromrider
This must be the place



Registered: 06/02/13
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Re: Take some hassle out of using perlite, a thought for cakes. [Re: PussyFart]
#18762318 - 08/27/13 02:01 AM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Yeah this just seems like a Psilly idea :-)
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krypto2000
Unknown


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Re: Take some hassle out of using perlite, a thought for cakes. [Re: Campari]
#18762351 - 08/27/13 02:16 AM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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I don't think it's actually very feasible because anything that is porous enough to allow moisture exchange the mycilium will eventually eat which would quickly change the size of the mesh. Mycilium can rather rapidly oxidize and metabolize aluminum in particular (for a metal at least). This is why it's often recommended not to use aluminum trays to fruit in, it works, but while you're fruiting the mycilium is still trying to consolidate on the bottom as it wants to eat that aluminum and if you take too long to initiate fruiting it will actually start to rust it and eventually bore holes in it.
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Campari
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Registered: 08/08/13
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Re: Take some hassle out of using perlite, a thought for cakes. [Re: PussyFart]
#18762366 - 08/27/13 02:24 AM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
Notahacker420 said: So why would anyone consider it?
Have you ever heard of this being done before?
I have used it for silica beads in other humidity applications. I suppose a nylon mesh bag might work better for the goal he has in mind. If he wants to experiment I don't see a reason to discourage him. May as well recommend different materials for his consideration. He can draw his own conclusion on what to try and report back on what works if he chooses to pursue this idea.
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Stromrider
This must be the place



Registered: 06/02/13
Posts: 7,326
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Re: Take some hassle out of using perlite, a thought for cakes. [Re: Campari]
#18762467 - 08/27/13 03:25 AM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
Campari said:
Quote:
Notahacker420 said: So why would anyone consider it?
Have you ever heard of this being done before?
I have used it for silica beads in other humidity applications. I suppose a nylon mesh bag might work better for the goal he has in mind. If he wants to experiment I don't see a reason to discourage him. May as well recommend different materials for his consideration. He can draw his own conclusion on what to try and report back on what works if he chooses to pursue this idea.
Very true. No need to discourage creativity :-)
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TheWiz
Happy Little Shroom



Registered: 11/21/11
Posts: 191
Loc: Southern IL
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Re: Take some hassle out of using perlite, a thought for cakes. [Re: Kizzle]
#18763095 - 08/27/13 09:44 AM (10 years, 5 months ago) |
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Cheesecloth is a no go. It's made of cotton, so it will mold.
Really like the shower idea, good thinking.
I was under the impression that the stuff would turn kinda smelly/nasty if just left to sit, but if that isn't the case, then yeah, this extra step is frivolous.
-------------------- I'd hit it.
Edited by TheWiz (08/27/13 09:47 AM)
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