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equil
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dunking a bulk substrate - holes/water in the bottom of the tray
#12517202 - 05/06/10 02:30 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Hi. I'm growing p. cubensis from bulk substrates. I colonize the bulk in a transparent plastic box, inside covered with black plastic from a garbage bag. I use the same box when fruiting (so I don't remove it from the box at all). After I dunk the substrate (without removing it from the box) I turn the box upside down to let the excess water escape and keep the substrate in place with my other hand. Then I put it back in the FC, but later there seems to be some water in the bottom of the box. I think my last substrate drowned, it only provided one flush and I found some water in the bottom of the box.
I don't think I can drill any holes to the bottom of the box, because then I can't use it to colonize bulks (not airtight), and there's still the black plastic preventing the water to come out. What should I do to fix this problem?
Edit: Also, should I change the black plastic between flushes? Thanks already!
Edited by equil (05/06/10 02:33 PM)
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tajmahal420
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Registered: 05/23/09
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Re: dunking a bulk substrate - holes/water in the bottom of the tray [Re: equil]
#12517272 - 05/06/10 02:43 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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If you turn it upside down to drain, put it on a bit of an angle, you might have water pooling on the bottom (top as you're draining).
Make sure you let it drain for a good amount of time, you shouldn't just dump out the water and then put it back into the FC, give it time to make sure all the excess water has drained.
You don't have to change the liner, but it is recommended. At least clean it well.
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equil
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Re: dunking a bulk substrate - holes/water in the bottom of the tray [Re: tajmahal420]
#12517441 - 05/06/10 03:07 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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tajmahal, thanks for answering.
How long should I drain it, average?
Ok, I think I'm going to change the liner from now on. And when I'm doing that, I might as well take the substrate out of the box and let it drain in open space, not in a box.
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tajmahal420
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Re: dunking a bulk substrate - holes/water in the bottom of the tray [Re: equil]
#12517647 - 05/06/10 03:40 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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It varies, depending on who you talk to. I let it drain until I don't see anymore water dripping off, then give it an hour.
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RogerRabbit
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Re: dunking a bulk substrate - holes/water in the bottom of the tray [Re: tajmahal420]
#12517961 - 05/06/10 04:53 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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If it continues to drain water for more than a minute or two, you need to reduce soak time. Generally, less than an hour is plenty for bulk substrates after first flush. Don't soak before first flush the way you should with cakes. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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Drew Tyler
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Registered: 04/21/08
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Re: dunking a bulk substrate - holes/water in the bottom of the tray [Re: RogerRabbit]
#12519659 - 05/06/10 10:05 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Roger... did I hear you sometimes dunk your bulk subs before the first flush? I thought you posted that somewhere, but I can't find it now. If not, why? If the sub is unusually dry will it hurt?
-------------------- I'm a terrible, no good, very bad person.
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RogerRabbit
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Re: dunking a bulk substrate - holes/water in the bottom of the tray [Re: Drew Tyler]
#12519682 - 05/06/10 10:11 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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If it needs to be dunked, do so. However, there's usually enough moisture available for first flush. If you get a substrate too wet, performance is poor at best, and it's more likely to grow mold. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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equil
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Re: dunking a bulk substrate - holes/water in the bottom of the tray [Re: RogerRabbit]
#12520726 - 05/07/10 03:09 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
RogerRabbit said: If it continues to drain water for more than a minute or two, you need to reduce soak time. Generally, less than an hour is plenty for bulk substrates after first flush. Don't soak before first flush the way you should with cakes. RR
Thank you RR! So, I should soak the bulk substrate for an hour or even less. :O Now that's new! Everyone seems to talk about 2 or 4 or 6 or even 12 hours.
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ManningFace
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Re: dunking a bulk substrate - holes/water in the bottom of the tray [Re: equil]
#23049036 - 03/26/16 06:11 PM (8 years, 4 days ago) |
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understood!
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