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Tsukasa
sky high


Registered: 11/10/12
Posts: 599
Last seen: 7 years, 6 months
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I did 5 jars and they all got contam
#18867116 - 09/20/13 10:52 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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I steam sterilized my jars because I dont have access to a pressure cooker and all 5 jars got contam... I realized now that I started the timer be for the steam started coming out of the top but the timer ran for 2 hours. It all so almost boiled dry so I added more water which cooled it down significantly to where it quit boiling for a few minutes but I figured it would be fine.
I'm wondering if its because of my crappy steaming attempt or if its a fail on inoculation because I couldn't get the needle red hot no matter how long i held it there. I was using a bic lighter. It just got soot all over it.
I did achieve mycelium growth though it just got green and pink specs in a few places in each jar.
I noticed it every where in the jar but it seemed to being doing better where the mycelium was growing to. It didnt start exactly at inoculation point at least an inch or so away from it. Any advice would be awesome since I cant afford a cooker right now and since its raining I'd like to go hunting but im not sure if its gonna get humid enough for a few days for it to happen. All advice is welcome.
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dirty
super sketch



Registered: 08/18/13
Posts: 120
Loc: stateside
Last seen: 9 years, 9 months
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Re: I did 5 jars and they all got contam [Re: Tsukasa]
#18867127 - 09/20/13 10:55 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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If you are using grains they need to be pc'd
-------------------- "In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom" -J.G. Ballard "Why isn't there a strain yet called Rubix Cubensis?" -Fraggin
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omegafaust
mycofarmer



Registered: 05/29/12
Posts: 1,227
Last seen: 7 years, 8 months
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Re: I did 5 jars and they all got contam [Re: dirty]
#18867163 - 09/20/13 11:06 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Pf tek uses steam sterilization
-------------------- The Universe has an interesting sense of irony, in that you are the universe experiencing itself. All you are is a thought.
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Tsukasa
sky high


Registered: 11/10/12
Posts: 599
Last seen: 7 years, 6 months
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Re: I did 5 jars and they all got contam [Re: dirty]
#18867177 - 09/20/13 11:11 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
dirty said: If you are using grains they need to be pc'd
I was using BRF sorry I didnt mention. I just threw brown rice in the blender till it was as flowery as I could get it.
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Psilosopherr
A psilly goose



Registered: 02/15/12
Posts: 12,278
Last seen: 1 month, 10 days
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Re: I did 5 jars and they all got contam [Re: Tsukasa]
#18867223 - 09/20/13 11:23 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
TriGeoLight said:
Quote:
dirty said: If you are using grains they need to be pc'd
I was using BRF sorry I didnt mention. I just threw brown rice in the blender till it was as flowery as I could get it.
sterilizing without a PC is less effective. that's probably why you got contams. duh?
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Tsukasa
sky high


Registered: 11/10/12
Posts: 599
Last seen: 7 years, 6 months
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Re: I did 5 jars and they all got contam [Re: Psilosopherr]
#18867259 - 09/20/13 11:28 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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I'm aware of that but I cant afford to buy one right now... they cut my hours at work
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Psilosopherr
A psilly goose



Registered: 02/15/12
Posts: 12,278
Last seen: 1 month, 10 days
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Re: I did 5 jars and they all got contam [Re: Tsukasa]
#18867273 - 09/20/13 11:31 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
TriGeoLight said: I'm aware of that but I cant afford to buy one right now... they cut my hours at work 
well save up some money and get one. Mine is 20 quarts and cost 50 dollars. And i got it when i wasn't employed...you'll figure it out.
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omegafaust
mycofarmer



Registered: 05/29/12
Posts: 1,227
Last seen: 7 years, 8 months
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Re: I did 5 jars and they all got contam [Re: Psilosopherr]
#18867387 - 09/20/13 12:05 PM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Steam sterilization works for pf tek.. op, did you use a dry verm layer?
There are many successes with pf tek. a pressure cookrr isn't needed.
-------------------- The Universe has an interesting sense of irony, in that you are the universe experiencing itself. All you are is a thought.
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Tsukasa
sky high


Registered: 11/10/12
Posts: 599
Last seen: 7 years, 6 months
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Re: I did 5 jars and they all got contam [Re: omegafaust]
#18867518 - 09/20/13 12:37 PM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
omegafaust said: Steam sterilization works for pf tek.. op, did you use a dry verm layer?
There are many successes with pf tek. a pressure cookrr isn't needed.
Yea I did do a verm layer but it got messed up and some verm got on the lid and sub came to the top since the verm wasnt very thick. It was only a centimeter or two thick. I'm gonna make it thicker next time.
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Kizzle
Misanthrope


Registered: 08/30/11
Posts: 9,855
Last seen: 13 hours, 44 minutes
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Re: I did 5 jars and they all got contam [Re: Tsukasa]
#18868132 - 09/20/13 03:03 PM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Steaming BRF jars is well proven method of sterilization. In any case steam sterilizing will effectively kill all mold so if you're getting mold and not bacteria it's not going to be because you didn't use a pressure cooker. And green and pink specks sounds like mold.
What could cause it is your inoculation, like using contaminated spores or a contaminated needle to inject the spores. Another possibility would be your filter, which in a standard BRF jar is the dry vermiculite layer on top. If that's not made properly with fine vermiculite or if it gets wet it can allow mold through.
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Psilosopherr
A psilly goose



Registered: 02/15/12
Posts: 12,278
Last seen: 1 month, 10 days
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Re: I did 5 jars and they all got contam [Re: omegafaust]
#18871903 - 09/21/13 12:20 PM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
omegafaust said: Steam sterilization works for pf tek.. op, did you use a dry verm layer?
There are many successes with pf tek. a pressure cookrr isn't needed.
yes it CAN work. but are there any numbers for success rates? There has to be a reason people say PC is better.
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Rauhfasertapete
The Final Cauliflower of Doom!



Registered: 02/22/13
Posts: 214
Loc: Upper Franconia
Last seen: 7 years, 11 months
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Re: I did 5 jars and they all got contam [Re: Psilosopherr]
#18872002 - 09/21/13 12:44 PM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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there a many possible problems. If you cant guarantee sterility, then better use a minimum nutrient medium. I recommend to use glasses full of moist cut hay for the germination of the spores. Buy it in the pet shop, let it soak in water for an hour, and squeeze out as much water as possible. Even if it is not 100% sterile, it still works out, because the spores germinate and the hyphae grow faster on hay than most contaminants, probably because of the good air supply (so dont cut it too small and dont stuff too much into the glass). Imnot quite sure if straw or coir also work.
Unfortunately, vermiculite doesn´t work with that method, but at the time when I started, I used vacuum cleaner bags as filters and it worked out in most cases.
As hay is low in nutrients, you should later spawn to a steamed coir / used coffee grinds mixture, maybe with some hay or straw in it. Or just use even more hay for spawning. No need sterility then, just work quickly and keep everything as clean as possible. Thats all a bit more work, but the safest method to cope with contaminations.
-------------------- Ich will Eins werden mit dem Gewürm auf dem Felde! if mutual gift exchange is desired, follow this link
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Kizzle
Misanthrope


Registered: 08/30/11
Posts: 9,855
Last seen: 13 hours, 44 minutes
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Re: I did 5 jars and they all got contam [Re: Psilosopherr]
#18872583 - 09/21/13 02:56 PM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
rbalzer said:
Quote:
omegafaust said: Steam sterilization works for pf tek.. op, did you use a dry verm layer?
There are many successes with pf tek. a pressure cookrr isn't needed.
yes it CAN work. but are there any numbers for success rates? There has to be a reason people say PC is better.
The success rate is the same (nearly 100%) Most people get a pressure cooker because they want to move on to whole grains which are more difficult to sterilize.
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omegafaust
mycofarmer



Registered: 05/29/12
Posts: 1,227
Last seen: 7 years, 8 months
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Re: I did 5 jars and they all got contam [Re: Kizzle]
#18872735 - 09/21/13 03:46 PM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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People use pc's to sterilize grain out of necessity. And most use these grains for bulk.
the success rate for pf tek is high. it serves its purpose just as well as a pc does for grains.
-------------------- The Universe has an interesting sense of irony, in that you are the universe experiencing itself. All you are is a thought.
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Psilosopherr
A psilly goose



Registered: 02/15/12
Posts: 12,278
Last seen: 1 month, 10 days
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Re: I did 5 jars and they all got contam [Re: Kizzle]
#18872752 - 09/21/13 03:51 PM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
Kizzle said:
Quote:
rbalzer said:
Quote:
omegafaust said: Steam sterilization works for pf tek.. op, did you use a dry verm layer?
There are many successes with pf tek. a pressure cookrr isn't needed.
yes it CAN work. but are there any numbers for success rates? There has to be a reason people say PC is better.
The success rate is the same (nearly 100%) Most people get a pressure cooker because they want to move on to whole grains which are more difficult to sterilize.
oohh. Well now I know.
PC is probably faster at least though.
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