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folder52
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: DezGWest7]
#26593587 - 04/11/20 01:55 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Hi everyone! So I got my first 4 cakes recently. There are those green-blue spots everywhere (including pins). It was here since colonization process. Is that contamination? Should I burn my entire house now?
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RyeHumor
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: folder52]
#26593700 - 04/11/20 03:01 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
folder52 said: Hi everyone! So I got my first 4 cakes recently. There are those green-blue spots everywhere (including pins). It was here since colonization process. Is that contamination? Should I burn my entire house now?
I'm sure someone more experienced will chime in. But to me it appears like bruising, which is not something to worry about.
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Crackatoa
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: RyeHumor]
#26594188 - 04/11/20 08:16 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Big_Dub
I'm just some guy
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: Crackatoa]
#26596648 - 04/12/20 08:34 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Yeah. Looks like bruising from where you have been handling it
-------------------- split_by_nine said: click me you fuck do the right thing
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coAsTal
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: Big_Dub]
#26599833 - 04/14/20 08:45 AM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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So a question fellas--- (sorry for the long post, but I'm really stumped.)
I've had some limited results with a 50/50 blend of hydrated straw pellet matter and fine verm in half-pint jars with both SAT cubes and ATL#7 colonizing well with no evident contams. I also have a Zapotecorum pint WBS that appears not contammed that has colonized 100%.
BUT-- I've had contam issues in all other pints of straw mix, WBS, and barley I've done (a dozen at least), and 100% contamination in all quart-sized jars of straw mix, Barley, and also WBS.
It's been driving me crazy to figure out what the hell is going on, because I have been using a SAB and making sure my agar wedges were good-- but I've had over a dozen-- probably closer to 20 jars actually-- contam with trich in the past 2 months.
I PC'd these jars for no less than 90 minutes after full-heat pre-steaming for 10 to 15 minutes prior to putting the weight on my pressure cooker to get all the dry air out. There are no leaks from the lid.
Initially I thought I must be introducing bacteria into the jars when nocking up, but something just wasn't right, because I have been going nuts to keep things clean w/liberal alcohol and proper SAB methods.
So I decided to PC some jars of the straw and verm mix, and some barley, and just keep them sealed straight out of the PC (with foil on still) set aside to see if somehow I wasn't getting full sterilization.
Well, the results are in: Every jar has contaminated within 2 weeks despite being PC'd and never opened.
How the fuck could this happen?!
I'm using a very small PC-- it'll only fit 2 quarts in it angled on their sides-- and I had a quarter taped to the weight to help weigh it down some. I wait until it has cooled to open and remove the lid. I have the lid holes covered with micropore tape. But somehow, despite the weight shaking a bit indicating full inside pressure, I'm clearly not sterilizing these quarts even with 2 hours under pressure.
I can only surmise that the temps/pressures aren't getting to the levels they need to be at to sterilize the quarts.
So now that I've wasted 10 weeks watching all my efforts fail, can you please help me figure out why I'm failing-- I should have been sitting on ounces of dried shrooms by now, and instead I have 4 half-pint straw jars colonized with mycelium, and one pint of Zap.
I'm making some more straw mix now, and will put two additional quarters on the weight to further increase pressure and will try to make sure I hit 120 minutes at full pressure as a start-- but otherwise I'm not sure what to do...
-------------------- I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the Heart's affections and the truth of Imagination-- John Keats Spore Trading List
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coAsTal
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: coAsTal]
#26602939 - 04/15/20 01:01 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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I added the extra quarters and PC's for 1:45 hr yesterday-- will nock up with existing SAT half-pint that's 100% colonized on Friday-- I'm hoping the addition of the weight will have increased pressure and heat to fully sterilize the two qurts of pellet straw/verm.
Will update
-------------------- I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the Heart's affections and the truth of Imagination-- John Keats Spore Trading List
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RyeHumor
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: coAsTal]
#26603006 - 04/15/20 01:26 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Just a thought. You might benefit from buying some of those autoclave indicators.
I believe the sponsors (mushroomsupply) have both polymer pellets in glass and the autoclave tape.
It indicates when sterilization temperatures have been reached.
Not sure if they take into account the amount of time spent at temp but if it does that could be really useful.
As I've seen mentioned before, venting your pc for ~10min to make sure you have nothing but steam in there is also important.
If you have a mixture of air and water you will not be reaching 121C even if you're up to pressure.
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coAsTal
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: RyeHumor]
#26603278 - 04/15/20 03:20 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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I don't put the lid on until it's already at full boil, then I always vent at full heat and full steam (after the lid lock has popped up) for 10 to 15 minutes with the lid on before putting the primary weight on the valve--
-------------------- I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the Heart's affections and the truth of Imagination-- John Keats Spore Trading List
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RyeHumor
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: coAsTal]
#26603304 - 04/15/20 03:37 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Given that you were seeing contamination inside the pc without opening the lid...
I would guess that either it wasn't reaching the pressure you thought it was.
In which case you can just add weight the way you described (but at a certain point you don't want to exceed the limitations of your pc)
Alternatively you can try and confirm with one of those indicators.
and third, it would be nice to have a pressure gauge... but on second thought modifying a pressure vessel is not the safest of ideas. So I can't actually recommend it.
Is $80 for a 23qt Presto PC with a pressure gauge outside of the budget?
I know it's on the more expensive side for this hobby, but I just picked one up and it's been great so far.
----------------
Another thought, what are you using to filter the gas exchange?
Edited by RyeHumor (04/15/20 03:37 PM)
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coAsTal
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: RyeHumor]
#26603353 - 04/15/20 04:02 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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I've been laid off because of this stupid fucking virus bullshit, and have no spare money to use on this hobby (without my wife castrating me)-- so upgrading equipment is a 0% chance for the foreseeable future I'm afraid.
The three quarters on the weight didn't pop the overpressure valve on the lid, so I think it's OK-- still astonished that I was contamming straight from the PC-- I'm looking forward to these two to see if they perform better with the weights on.
-------------------- I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the Heart's affections and the truth of Imagination-- John Keats Spore Trading List
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RyeHumor
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: coAsTal]
#26603399 - 04/15/20 04:27 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Roger that. And sorry to hear it man.
One more exp you could try is to make a no pour and put something obviously contaminated in it to see if it still grows after.
But that's not necessarily that great due to the fact that spores and bacteria can be more or less resistant.
If it fails, it would tell you that something was up for sure though.
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coAsTal
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: RyeHumor]
#26603450 - 04/15/20 04:47 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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No worries-- I appreciate the advice. REEEEALLLY hoping I can get this shit figured out so I can get some shit growing
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RyeHumor
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Posts: 210
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: coAsTal]
#26603505 - 04/15/20 05:17 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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yeah I know the feeling.
dealing with contamination aint no fun.
Hang in there man,
if at first you fail, try again.
if you fail again, go office space on the son of a
Just kidding. You'll get there
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folder52
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: RyeHumor]
#26604993 - 04/16/20 06:56 AM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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An update for my previous post: green-blue something is still here, also some mutants How are we doing?
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poisoned
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: folder52]
#26605246 - 04/16/20 08:54 AM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Looks dry
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folder52
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: poisoned]
#26605512 - 04/16/20 10:43 AM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
poisoned said: Looks dry
Is it OK to eat?
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poisoned
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Re: [STICKY] Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: folder52]
#26605657 - 04/16/20 11:31 AM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Most definitely!
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mxmushroom
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Re: Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: poisoned]
#26605728 - 04/16/20 12:08 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Hey deadheads! Just harvested a batch of p. cubensis, and sadly my batch has a bad case of cottonweb mildew. Are these still edible? There are no unusual smells or colors, and none of the mushies have been altered in any way except some small amounts of the mildew on the stems. Probably going to eat one and see what happens. I'd love some advice though! I'm a first time grower! Cheers all
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coAsTal
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Re: Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: mxmushroom]
#26605746 - 04/16/20 12:19 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Welcome to the Shroomery-- I'd just take a toothbrush to it to scrub off the funk, but I can't imagine it would be a problem
-------------------- I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the Heart's affections and the truth of Imagination-- John Keats Spore Trading List
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poisoned
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Re: Recognizing and dealing with contamination [Re: coAsTal]
#26605896 - 04/16/20 01:41 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Can you show us some pics? Sounds like myc to me
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