|
Some of these posts are very old and might contain outdated information. You may wish to search for newer posts instead.
|
BirdLaw
Meshuggah on LSD


Registered: 09/30/15
Posts: 44
Last seen: 1 year, 10 months
|
Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC 1
#22448536 - 10/29/15 09:56 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Hey guys! I started my first grow using the PF tek about a month ago. I inoculated six jars with Hualtla which were then left to conlonize for a little less than three weeks. At this point, the jars looked 100% colonized except for a small area at the bottom of the jar. I let these sit for another five days, after which time there seemed to be very little further growth occurring, with that small area at the bottom of the jar refusing to colonize. I should mention that up until this stage, all six jars colonized very aggressively and showed a ton of rhizomorphic growth.
After this five day period I decided to birth all six jars anyway, since I had already planned on doing a dunk and did not want to wait until I already saw primordia forming in vitro (a mistake, maybe?). I dunked them for about 14 hours in the fridge, then rolled in dry vermiculite and placed in my sgfc. Each cake was also double-end cased. It has been six days since the cakes were placed in the fc, and there do not appear to be any signs of pinning yet. I thought I saw some hyphal knotting yesterday, but it may just be the cakes colonizing the casing layer, which also seems to be happening rather aggressively.
My question is this, does the construction of my SGFC look okay? I mist 2-4 times per day until the cakes are glistening, and I only fan minimally to jumpstart evaporation. The moisture on the chamber walls/cakes seems to evaporate after only a few hours, so FAE appears to be in good shape. I occasionally (once every few days) re-moisten the perlite and apply a few drops of water to the top casing layers. Is it possible that the cakes were not fully consolidated or have not run out of food yet? Is there anything I could be doing better? Or am I just being impatient like every other noob?
Here are some pics of my setup, the tote is elevated on 4 1/2 pint jars and there is a good few inches of space between it and the wall. There is a space heater in the room but it is up on a loft so there are no air currents to speak of near the chamber.


|
rudeboi
Noob

Registered: 05/17/14
Posts: 107
Loc: North BC
Last seen: 5 months, 13 days
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: BirdLaw]
#22448565 - 10/29/15 10:04 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
looking good
|
MadSeasonStudent
Enjoying Life



Registered: 08/26/12
Posts: 758
Loc: Swinging on the spiral
Last seen: 8 days, 3 hours
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: rudeboi]
#22448768 - 10/29/15 11:12 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
For one quit calling yourself a noob. And second, it looks great! you're ahead of the game. Good job good luck
--------------------
|
spacechildo
proletarians rise up


Registered: 01/24/13
Posts: 19,243
Loc: Babylon
Last seen: 6 years, 4 months
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: MadSeasonStudent] 1
#22449029 - 10/29/15 12:29 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
move the sgfc away from the walls and get it elevated even further up from the surface. you wanna give it some space to do its thing.
|
YaMoonSun
The Double Standard


Registered: 10/23/14
Posts: 3,967
Loc: NY
Last seen: 5 months, 10 days
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: spacechildo]
#22449030 - 10/29/15 12:31 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
 Find yourself two egg-crates to elevate the fruiting chamber on, they allow plenty of air flow.
|
spacechildo
proletarians rise up


Registered: 01/24/13
Posts: 19,243
Loc: Babylon
Last seen: 6 years, 4 months
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: YaMoonSun]
#22449034 - 10/29/15 12:32 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
is that really what she said? 4 qt jars is perfect, 1 in each corner!
|
YaMoonSun
The Double Standard


Registered: 10/23/14
Posts: 3,967
Loc: NY
Last seen: 5 months, 10 days
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: spacechildo]
#22449038 - 10/29/15 12:34 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Didn't even read the sign; Probably been posting the wrong one this whole time.
|
YaMoonSun
The Double Standard


Registered: 10/23/14
Posts: 3,967
Loc: NY
Last seen: 5 months, 10 days
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: YaMoonSun] 1
#22449040 - 10/29/15 12:35 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
|
BirdLaw
Meshuggah on LSD


Registered: 09/30/15
Posts: 44
Last seen: 1 year, 10 months
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: YaMoonSun]
#22459105 - 10/31/15 07:45 PM (8 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Thanks for the replies everybody! I actually don't have any quart jars lying around, but was able to find a milk crate, so I've got the chamber sitting on that now. I moved it further away from the wall and moved the cakes closer to each other too. It's been 8 days since they went in the chamber and still no pinning
A new concern that I have is that the space heater that I have running up on a loft is drying out the air in the room. It's very small and isn't pointed directly at the FC. Since everyone seems to say that the SGFC should have no problem maintaining humidity when built correctly I'm not sure if I should be concerned. Some of the cakes have started to blue slightly and I'm afraid drying out could become an issue. Would it be better to turn the heater off and have the room be a few degrees cooler?
|
spacechildo
proletarians rise up


Registered: 01/24/13
Posts: 19,243
Loc: Babylon
Last seen: 6 years, 4 months
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: BirdLaw]
#22459657 - 10/31/15 10:20 PM (8 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
dont have a heater that blows out hot air, especially not in a room with a sgfc, get one of those oil radiator things.
|
BirdLaw
Meshuggah on LSD


Registered: 09/30/15
Posts: 44
Last seen: 1 year, 10 months
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: spacechildo]
#22459719 - 10/31/15 10:35 PM (8 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Thanks for the info spacechildo, that was what I was worried about. That is the kind of heater I have. I have it down to the lowest setting for now because it's currently a pretty cold night where I live, and I want to keep the room at a reasonable temp. How chilly do you think things can get without drastically affecting growth? I'll look into a different heater asap.
But it would seem that I spoke a bit too soon because I actually did see my first pins tonight!! I guess I wasn't looking hard enough earlier, or they sprang up just in the past few hours. I'll update with pics tomorrow.
|
YaMoonSun
The Double Standard


Registered: 10/23/14
Posts: 3,967
Loc: NY
Last seen: 5 months, 10 days
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: BirdLaw]
#22459727 - 10/31/15 10:37 PM (8 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Increase your misting and the bluing should disappear; With a casing layer, a heavy misting twice a day, or a intermediate misting three times a day. Or just mist as you see fit, everyone's environment is different.
Congrats on the pins
Edited by YaMoonSun (10/31/15 10:38 PM)
|
spacechildo
proletarians rise up


Registered: 01/24/13
Posts: 19,243
Loc: Babylon
Last seen: 6 years, 4 months
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: YaMoonSun]
#22459749 - 10/31/15 10:45 PM (8 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
62-65F is about the lowest I'd go. pins?
|
Mycologist217
Frank's Disciple



Registered: 02/13/13
Posts: 2,425
Loc: Man of the Moon
Last seen: 23 hours, 15 minutes
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: YaMoonSun]
#22459764 - 10/31/15 10:47 PM (8 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
You don't need to remoisten your perlite. If you rinsed it thouroughly as directed in the PF TEK it should be sufficiently hydrated to maintain humidity in your SGFC for upwards of a month...longer.
Congrats on the pins. I hope lots more are to follow, don't feel discouraged if your cakes take a couple weeks or more to pin the SGFC.
-------------------- My LC Manual (With custom LC lid Tek) ~~ Required Mycology Supplies ~~ Agar Work Videos ~~ L G M AMU Q&A-NO SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL! KEEP THAT IN MIND! BUY THE TICKET: TAKE THE RIDE Check out my Retail Gourmet Mushroom Farm! Mycologist217 is a fictitious entity that uses images supplied by Google to mask his/her inability to develop normal social habits.
|
micro
bunbun has a gungun



Registered: 05/09/03
Posts: 7,532
Loc: Brick City
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: Mycologist217]
#22459849 - 10/31/15 11:07 PM (8 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
That's going to differ between people depending on ambient temperature and RH outside of the unit. Since there is plenty of room for water vapor to escape it is probably good to make sure it's humid enough, since cakes need a lot more than a casing. Misting more often will add excess water in there, anyway. I also don't see any condensation, which would probably be there if there was a lot of water vapor in the air.
To OP - you might want to get a humidity gauge. They are relatively inexpensive and it wouldn't leave you guessing. Also, is that spray bottle what you are using for them? If so, you might want to look into getting an actual garden mister since it is much easier on the cakes, especially when they are pinning. For example, see http://www.sportchalet.com/misty-mate-16-oz-mister-classic/11575000010.html?
-------------------- Any research paper or book for free (Avatar is Maxxy, a character by Mizzyam, RIP)
|
BirdLaw
Meshuggah on LSD


Registered: 09/30/15
Posts: 44
Last seen: 1 year, 10 months
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: micro]
#22459959 - 10/31/15 11:35 PM (8 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
I guess my fear wasn't so much that the humidity inside the chamber isn't high enough, but that the dry air of the room might be drying out the cakes/perlite faster than normal. When I did re-moisten it most of the water simply dripped out through the holes in the bottom, so I agree that it was probably unnecessary.
That is the spray bottle I use. I spray from pretty high up and the mist is actually rather fine, but I will definitely go for something gentler once finances permit (I think this may be the cause of the bruising). Same goes for a humidity gauge, for now I have faith in the SGFC since fruits are finally forming. Thank you shroomery for getting me this far!
|
spacechildo
proletarians rise up


Registered: 01/24/13
Posts: 19,243
Loc: Babylon
Last seen: 6 years, 4 months
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: BirdLaw]
#22459990 - 10/31/15 11:47 PM (8 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
I just use my eyes as a humidity gauge, if the cakes glisten with moisture, perfect, if they dont, well then give them a mist!
you wanna let the mist hit the perlite as well, try sticking a finger an inch or so deep and see if its moist.
|
Machiavelliavore
Vermiculite Hater



Registered: 12/08/14
Posts: 3,038
Loc: The Sporetorn States
Last seen: 3 months, 19 days
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: BirdLaw]
#22460069 - 11/01/15 12:19 AM (8 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Regarding the colonization of your cakes: Sounds like you had some bacterial growth at thebottom that failed to colonize. Most likely the source of this was your syringe, as the bottom of the jars gets the hottest the quickest since it's in the water. Rye flour especially may be prone to going a bit bacterial. Bacteria tends to also cause invitro pinning.
If you didn't, it would be best to cut out any uncolonized areas, as the bacterial areas are highly prone to getting moldy.
--------------------
I spawned some popcorn casings and had double-overlay cause I didn't put enough hydrogen peroxide in my automated aquarium mister. I only got one mushroom so I cut off the head part where the seeds fall from and put it in a jar of LC and sprayed it all over a tin of PF cakes I made with gravel, cardboard, and bisquick in my microwave. I think it will be good cause B+ is so potent. Triggered yet? Only a square would say "a cube is a cube."
No, this does not look right...
Edited by Machiavelliavore (11/01/15 12:21 AM)
|
Inocuole
Scalpel of Evil's Bane



Registered: 11/21/11
Posts: 24,863
Loc: ★
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: Mycologist217]
#22460183 - 11/01/15 01:14 AM (8 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
Mycologist217 said: If you rinsed it thouroughly as directed in the PF TEK it should be sufficiently hydrated to maintain humidity in your SGFC for upwards of a month...longer.
You don't know his conditions so you can't say that for sure. I think including assumptions as part of your advice is a little irresponsible. Maybe he does need to rehydrate his perlite every 10 days or so.
|
bodhisatta 
Smurf real estate agent


Registered: 04/30/13
Posts: 61,889
Loc: Milky way
|
Re: Bad technique or just impatient? Critique my SGFC [Re: Inocuole]
#22460656 - 11/01/15 06:32 AM (8 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Spray perlite when you mist and rehydrate it at least every two weeks. I put the whole thing in the shower. It's good to rinse the perlite real good now and then anyway.
The last thing you want to do is put a humidity gauge in the SGFC and then make decisions based on it. The RH can be 30% in your SGFC what should you do? Nothing.... Don't worry about it worry about the cakes and what your eyes say
|
|