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FrankHorrigan
The Inquisition
Registered: 01/04/11
Posts: 10,573
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UPDATED FOR 2022! Frank's 12 Steps to Shrooms (a spore-to-shroom bulk tek for everyone) 67
#19792837 - 04/04/14 01:52 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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IGNORE THAT OLD POST WARNING! Updated for 2022! With a couple exceptions, it is the same
For all the new cultivators who don't want to spend a bunch of time and resources using agar and making multiple tubs, here's a basic, in-depth resource from me to you. This tek will give you a short and easy route to making two very productive monotubs.
If you would like to do just one tub instead of two, cut everything in half and carry on.
PROMISE I WILL ADD PICTURES...eventually (could still eventually??)
You are going to need:
One long-sleeve shirt (maybe you have one already) Latex or nitrile disposable gloves Two rubber bands One bottle of 70% isopropyl alcohol One butane torch One roll of paper towels One roll of duct tape One small pressure cooker (make sure it can hold at least a few quart-sized jars, 7 or more is preferable) One roll of foil One cubensis spore syringe One 18 gauge or larger needle (sharp is preferable) Two 5-gallon buckets with lid Two 650g bricks of coir (hydroponic or reptile, doesn't matter) One small bag of fine vermiculite One small bag of garden gypsum (optional) One twenty pound bag of cheap WBS Two large strainers A small roll of window screen One 12 pack of quart-sized glass mason jars One 3/4" or 1" drill bit or hole saw One 1.5" drill bit or hole saw One 4-6" hole saw (for the arm holes in your still-air box) A drill (if you don't have one) One large stockpot (if you don't have one) Two 60-90qt clear plastic tubs with locking lid (66qt is preferable and the lid does not need to be clear) One large clear plastic tub that is wider than your shoulders (for a still air box, larger/taller is better) One 6500k daylight spectrum CFL bulb + lamp, or a shoplight with same temp bulb One bag of polyester fiber One small stand fan One shoplight with 6500k daylight spectrum bulb(s) One evaporative humidifer (optional) One dehydrator (yes, with heat)
Step One: Construct a still-air box Take a tall, translucent plastic tub with a locking lid that is wider than your shoulders.
Use a 4-6" hole saw and carefully drill two holes that are shoulder-length apart.
You have made a still air box.
Step Two: Make your lids Using a 1/4 inch drill bit or hole saw, carefully drill a hole in the lid of each quart jar.
Stuff the lid with polyfill VERY TIGHTLY. You should stuff it as tight as possible, no exceptions.
To test for good polyfill density, stick your needle through it. You should feel some resistance as you press it through. More resistance is better in all cases.
Step Three: Grains Measure the grains: Take your bag of WBS and measure out 18 cups or so into your stockpot (use two stockpots if you need to). Once hydrated this should give you at least 12 quarts of grain.
Rinse the grains: Fill the pot with water, stir vigorously, remove any floaters (they will likely clog your sink), then dump carefully so as not to lose a lot of grain. Repeat until the water runs clear.
Soak the grains: Fill the pot with hot water, throw in a handful of garden gypsum, you can also add 6 cups of brewed coffee (liquid, not grounds) to the soak as well. Let this sit for at least 6 hours.
Heat the grains: (if your WBS has no cracked corn in it) Put the stockpot on the stove and heat the water on medium-high until at a soft boil. Let this go for 2-5 minutes, then dump into a strainer (you will probably need two large strainers for the whole batch)
(if your WBS has cracked corn in it) Put the stockpot on the stove and heat on medium-high only to a simmer, then dump it right away into the strainer. Don't let it boil, it will release a lot of starch from the corn and make sticky clumps.
While the grains are steaming in the strainer, toss them around once or twice over an hour until they are dry on the outside.
Load the grains: Fill each quart jar 3/4 full with hydrated WBS. Close the lid somewhat tightly but do not make it an extra tight seal with the ring. Cover this with a square of foil.
Sterilize the grains: Put a canning rack in the bottom of your pressure cooker and fill with about 2-3 inches of water. Load your jars into the pressure cooker and seal the lid. Do not put the weight on quite yet.
Heat the PC on high and once the steam has been escaping from the vent for 5 minutes or so, put the 15psi weight on. When it begins to rattle (indicating 15psi), turn the heat down to medium or so and start a timer for 90 minutes. Try to minimize the number of rattles per minute to 3-4, but if that isn't possible then just keep it rocking steadily at medium heat.
When the time is up, turn the heat off and let the PC cool naturally. Do not mess with it until it is cool to the touch.
Step Four: Inoculation Do not cut corners with this step. It is the most important part of your grow.
Prepare your space: Work in a room with as few drafts as possible: turn off your central air, close all the windows, turn off any fans. Make sure you have your still-air box set up on a desk or table and that it is comfortable to work inside of. Set up your area with two paper towels soaked in 70% isopropyl, a pair of gloves, your flame source, your spore syringe, and make sure your sterilized jars of grain are nearby (if you must, on the floor is fine).
Prepare yourself: Take a shower, brush your teeth, wear clean clothes. Put on gloves, apply rubber bands around the wrists of your sleeves to prevent any unnecessary drafts. Close the door to your work room and make sure no pets are present to make a mess of things.
Do it: Work quickly and carefully. You want to minimize the amount of air you stir up while you work in your still-air box.
Put as many jars in the SAB as you can comfortably fit. I prefer 3-5 at a time. Wipe down each jar with an alcohol-soaked paper towel before putting it into the SAB.
Wipe your gloves down with a 70% isopropyl alcohol soaked paper towel. Inside the SAB, remove the foil from each jar and discard. Shake your spore syringe vigorously, try to break up the spore clumps as much as possible.
Inside the SAB, attach the needle to your syringe and remove the cap. Outside of your still-air box, flame the needle tip until it is red-hot then move it back into your SAB.
Squirt a couple drops of spore solution on to the floor of your SAB to cool the needle. You should hear a "hiss" and then a few drops will fall out.
Carefully insert the needle into the polyfill on the first jar (again, you should feel some resistance if it was stuffed tight enough). Squirt 3-8 drops of spore solution on to the grains and remove the needle from the jar. Repeat for the rest of the jars in your SAB.
Odds are you will not be able to inoculate all 12 jars in your SAB at once. Repeat the above steps for the remaining jars you need to inoculate.
Do not shake the jars at this point, the spores need to germinate first. Place the inoculated jars into your plastic tubs that are intended for the monos. They will colonize fine in there.
Step Five: Colonize the grains After 5-7 days you should see some growth. Keep waiting.
After 15-25% of the jar is colonized, smack the jar on a phone book (or similar surface) until all the grains are broken up. Shake it vigorously for 30 seconds and put it back in the box to finish colonizing. Repeat for each jar. Wait for full colonization on all jars. It is very likely and very much ok that some jars will finish sooner than others. Wait until they are all ready.
Step Six: Prepare the substrate Get the five gallon buckets out. Poke a hole no larger than 1/4" in the lid of each, then throw in one brick of coir and two quarts of vermiculite.
Each brick of coir and two quarts verm will need 4.5 to 5 quarts of boiling water. Heat five quarts of water in your large stockpot. Put the lid on and wait until it is boiling rapidly.
Carefully pour the boiling water into the bucket. Put the lid on and let it sit for 1-3 hours.
Remove the lid and mix the coir and verm up. Then throw in a handful of gypsum and mix it again. Doing it like this ensures that you won't end up with a huge mess of gypsum at the bottom of your bucket.
Put the lid back on and let it cool for 12 hours or so.
Step Seven: Make your monotubs You can drill the holes in your mono at any time while the jars are colonizing. Just take the jars out, follow the steps, and then put them back in with the lid on until 100% colonization.
Using your 1.5" hole saw, drill two holes on each long side. These should be 4-6" in from the sides and 4" from the bottom.
Using the same 1.5" hole saw, drill one hole on each short side. This hole should be high up near the latch for the lid.
Put duct tape over each hole and place your jars back inside to finish colonizing.
Step Eight: Make a liner for each mono Make a liner from your painter's plastic. Each side should be at least a few inches higher than the substrate will be, this is so you can mix the substrate easily without spilling it over the edge of the liner. For example, I cut a 30"x26" piece of plastic for my 66qt tubs pictured in each of my grows. You will have to find a size that works for your tubs, larger is better since you will cut it down to size shortly.
I press the liner flat against the bottom edges and then push it against the duct tape that covers the holes of the tub. This holds it in place while mixing.
Step Nine: Dunk the grains (optional) I don't personally dunk grains to save time, but the concept is similar to dunking your PF cakes before fruiting Make sure your jars are 100% colonized and do not show any signs of mold or bacteria.
If you are concerned about potential "hidden" contams, break up the grains at 100% by smacking the jars on a phone book or similar surface. Let them sit in the jar and if they are clean, the grains should start recovering evenly within 24-48 hours.
To start spawning, break up the grains by hitting each jar off of a phone book or similar surface. Open each jar and smell, it should smell like fresh mushrooms, cubes have a sort of musty mushroom smell to them. If they smell ok, dump each jar into your large stockpot.
Fill the stockpot with cold tap water and let it soak for 10-15 minutes. This will rehydrate the grains and decrease colonization times. Drain it carefully, I like to use window screen attached to the pot with a rubber band to drain mine.
Step Ten: Spawn the tubs Pour 3/4 of your substrate from the bucket into the tub and even it out. Pour the pot of grains into the tub and even it out. Mix this together thoroughly, especially around the edges. You want an even mix of substrate and spawn. Even it out as best you can on top, it does not have to be perfect.
Save the last 1/4 of the coir and verm for your casing layer. Put the lid back on the bucket and keep it until it is needed.
Trim the liner down. Keep at least 1/2" of liner above the top of the substrate for the casing layer. Cut it lower around the monotub's holes if you need to though, it will not hurt.
Put the lid on and place it in a room until it is 100% colonized on top. The less air movement around the tub, the better. If it is under 75F in the room, you can place a blanket over the tubs to keep GE to a minimum.
At 100% colonization, it is time to case.
Step Eleven: Case the tub, fruit it shortly after At 100% colonization, it is time to apply a casing layer. Use the rest of the coir/verm mix from the bucket. You should apply a 1/2" casing layer as evenly as possible over the whole substrate.
Try not to compact it down too much. Leave the edges a little higher than the rest and leave a small amount in your bucket for patching (optional).
Put the lid back on and let it be until 25-30% of the casing layer is colonized.
Step Twelve: Fruiting and harvesting Once the casing layer is partially colonized, put it into fruiting conditions. If you have any coir left, cover any colonized areas that are around the edges or larger than the majority of the colonized areas. This will help provide an even pinset.
Remove the duct tape from all the holes and stuff them with polyfill. Stuff the bottom holes as tightly as possible (like your jars) and stuff the top holes very loosely.
Turn a fan on in the room and point it towards the wall next to the tubs, but never directly at them. You do not want direct airflow from the fan hitting the tub. Do not oscillate the fan. Leave it on 24/7.
Take a look at dialing in your mono for more details on fruiting.
Once the veils break on the majority of your fruits, you will want to harvest them. Large spore drops will cause contamination before the next flush so better to harvest earlier rather than later.
If some caps are opening early, decapitate them and wait for the rest to start opening up.
Load your harvest into your dehydrator and dry with heat until cracker dry.
As for the tub, mist the surface and place it back into fruiting conditions. The next flush should come within a couple weeks.
Edited by FrankHorrigan (03/23/22 11:29 PM)
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hap
StrangerThanFusion
Registered: 03/29/14
Posts: 37
Last seen: 8 years, 5 months
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: FrankHorrigan] 1
#19793014 - 04/04/14 04:06 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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Frank I've read so many of your teks over the past month, you're a legend mate thanks for all this! I've recently finished my first mono, next one I think I'll follow this tek to the T.
Also, I never knew coir/verm was an acceptable casing layer..for some reason I thought you had to use peat. Def gonna try casing my next one!
Edited by hap (04/04/14 04:27 AM)
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sillehcybeh
Stranger
Registered: 01/04/14
Posts: 136
Loc: United States of England
Last seen: 8 years, 4 months
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: hap]
#19793068 - 04/04/14 04:53 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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Good write up, but for the novice grower like me it seems using PFTEK and spawning to bulk is perhaps easier? Having said that, I've never grown as you've suggested, but what I'm doing requires quite a lot less bits and bobs to do.
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MikeC
Stranger
Registered: 12/24/13
Posts: 24
Last seen: 9 years, 9 months
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: sillehcybeh]
#19793098 - 04/04/14 05:15 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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Awesome write up as usual Frank
Just to make it straight, I'm not sure if I understand this properly. The main reason we use casing layer is to provide moisture retention and perfect microclimate just above the top of the substrate. Then you may or may not let it colonize some part of it (up to 30% as some suggest) and then again you may or may not patch it. The only difference between peat and coir is that the coir has more nutritions. So therefore you can use coir as casing layer when it's providing two things stated above, ie. moisture retention and microclimate. Am I saying this right??
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hap
StrangerThanFusion
Registered: 03/29/14
Posts: 37
Last seen: 8 years, 5 months
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: sillehcybeh] 1
#19793101 - 04/04/14 05:18 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
sillehcybeh said: Good write up, but for the novice grower like me it seems using PFTEK and spawning to bulk is perhaps easier? Having said that, I've never grown as you've suggested, but what I'm doing requires quite a lot less bits and bobs to do.
Hey man, I recently made the jump from PF to WBS/Bulk, and although at first I was like "woah so much to learn" it really wasn't so hard once I got my head around it. It's definitely worth trying, you'll love it!
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Stromrider
This must be the place
Registered: 06/02/13
Posts: 7,341
Loc: Dept of know what I'm say...
Last seen: 2 days, 11 hours
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: hap]
#19793121 - 04/04/14 05:31 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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Cool. This has been needed
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TheBeardedNerd
Registered: 08/18/13
Posts: 230
Last seen: 1 year, 3 months
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: Stromrider]
#19793191 - 04/04/14 06:30 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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Great stuff! I'm glad you got this up and running! It eliminated a lot of the questions I had for my first tub.
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maddchef
Vaginal escape artist
Registered: 09/04/09
Posts: 5,602
Loc: Your mom's vag
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: TheBeardedNerd]
#19793204 - 04/04/14 06:35 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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Frank, what made you come around to advocating the bucket tek?
-------------------- In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king. All mushrooms are edible, but some only once..... Easier than cakes I do science and shit.
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gizmo1
Registered: 06/15/11
Posts: 3,831
Loc: FREEDOM
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: maddchef]
#19793294 - 04/04/14 07:21 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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You use a 1" hole in your jar lids?
-------------------- Trade List 🖕🖕🖕 6 hole Mini Monos
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ChillbroSwaggins
Registered: 04/01/13
Posts: 175
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: maddchef]
#19793305 - 04/04/14 07:25 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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Bookmarked. Thanks man
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bodhisatta
Smurf real estate agent
Registered: 04/30/13
Posts: 61,890
Loc: Milky way
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: ChillbroSwaggins]
#19793377 - 04/04/14 08:10 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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Link getting added to my beginners guide.
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Stromrider
This must be the place
Registered: 06/02/13
Posts: 7,341
Loc: Dept of know what I'm say...
Last seen: 2 days, 11 hours
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: maddchef]
#19793396 - 04/04/14 08:18 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
maddchef said: Frank, what made you come around to advocating the bucket tek?
Probably cause it works for coir and verm would be my guess
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maddchef
Vaginal escape artist
Registered: 09/04/09
Posts: 5,602
Loc: Your mom's vag
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: Stromrider]
#19793423 - 04/04/14 08:28 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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Yeah I know but I've had many arguments about such. Just wondering what made him change his mind.
-------------------- In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king. All mushrooms are edible, but some only once..... Easier than cakes I do science and shit.
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SwampEyes
Registered: 10/22/13
Posts: 257
Loc: Hogtown
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: maddchef]
#19793438 - 04/04/14 08:34 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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yea i've only done proper pasteurization with coir and verm because of all the arguments i've read. i guess most people attributed failed bucket tek to bad spawn. i'm interested to hear what Frank has to say. Awesome resource nonetheless!
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MudaFuka
Poppin bottles
Registered: 12/14/13
Posts: 18,648
Loc: Canada
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: Stromrider] 1
#19793457 - 04/04/14 08:43 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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Great write up. I wish this was around when I started my first grow. My only question is why such a big GE hole in the jar lids?
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alabamamushie
Tmoney
Registered: 01/04/13
Posts: 522
Loc: Alabama
Last seen: 3 years, 6 months
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: MudaFuka] 1
#19793471 - 04/04/14 08:48 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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They really do need a bigger hole for Gas Exchange, As says RR but unsure if this is the reason frank used 1" holes
Great Write up Frannk!
congratulations on AMU <^_^>
Edited by alabamamushie (04/04/14 08:49 AM)
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gizmo1
Registered: 06/15/11
Posts: 3,831
Loc: FREEDOM
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: alabamamushie]
#19793483 - 04/04/14 08:54 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
alabamamushie said: They really do need a bigger hole for Gas Exchange, As says RR but unsure if this is the reason frank used 1" holes
Great Write up Frannk!
congratulations on AMU <^_^>
What was he referring to when he said this can you post a link or the quote where he said this?
-------------------- Trade List 🖕🖕🖕 6 hole Mini Monos
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lessismore
Registered: 02/10/13
Posts: 6,268
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: gizmo1]
#19793493 - 04/04/14 08:59 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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nice tek
cased coir(verm/coir casing) vs uncased is it worth it? most people don't case their coir, they just add coir on top of the spawn before letting colonize (if I remember the tek correctly)
straw is never cased either usually
I have had great success once with a verm casing though, really helped the flush - 2nd flush was just crap(no 2nd flush!), but 1st flush was great (but was with pfcakes no coir, just spawn)
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Ras Rising
Friend of Nature
Registered: 07/13/13
Posts: 4,442
Loc: Once Under, Always Over (...
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: FrankHorrigan]
#19793523 - 04/04/14 09:07 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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Beautiful write up as always Frank! really funny timing im actually in the middle of doing exactly that! (all from your teks too) Anyways, thank you for compiling it all into one place! how convenient from 3-4 tabs to one!
-------------------- To be altruistic and humble, to spread love and positivity where ever I go.* *Does not include the Romp Test Kits? SurRealitys gocchu'!
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alabamamushie
Tmoney
Registered: 01/04/13
Posts: 522
Loc: Alabama
Last seen: 3 years, 6 months
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Re: Frank's 12 steps to shrooms (a mono tek for beginners) [Re: gizmo1]
#19793620 - 04/04/14 09:38 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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i looked i couldn't find it, it was from like a week or so ago
it was on a topic of SFD and he was referring to using the whole sfd as the mycelium needs far more gas exchange
it was along those lines and i was taking a guess as to why such a big hole, that is all
maybe he can chime in or frank
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