|
Some of these posts are very old and might contain outdated information. You may wish to search for newer posts instead.
|
Benny Mackay
Stranger
Registered: 06/28/16
Posts: 11
Last seen: 7 years, 4 months
|
Newbie colonization -- 3 challenges
#23390764 - 06/28/16 10:50 AM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Hey amazing people --
We're first time growers and would love any advice you pros can offer on our progress so far! Thanks so much. Our basic set up:
- PF-Tec method with rice flour and vermiculite substrate in 4oz mason Jars - Followed all recipes & protocols to a T in terms of substrate, inoculation and sterilization - Keeping them at around 77-80 with the help of a window AC and heating pad.
QUESTIONS:
1) Speed/Consistency -- It's been 24 days since we inoculated and are seeing extremely varied progress. Our furthest along looks maybe 3/4 complete. Our least active has 1 quarter-sized mycelium spot. (See pics)
![]()


- Should we wait for full colonization in all jars before moving to fruiting phase? Or should we pull them out one at a time to fruit as each finishes? - What's the sign that the jar is fully colonized and ready to move to fruiting? Do we wait for pins? - Any ways to kickstart/speed up the slow movers?
2) Moisture -- we're getting some water droplets on the inside of half of the jars (see pic). Is this a concern? Anything we should be doing about this?


3) Mold -- at least 3 of our jars have some blackish discoloration in the rice flour & vermiculite substrate (see pic). Are these contaminated do you think? We've pulled them out of the incubator. Should we dispose of them or worth seeing what happens?

|
spacechildo
proletarians rise up


Registered: 01/24/13
Posts: 19,243
Loc: Babylon
Last seen: 6 years, 4 months
|
Re: Newbie colonization -- 3 challenges [Re: Benny Mackay]
#23390836 - 06/28/16 11:25 AM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
remove the heat pad and follow the entire TEK to a T, not just the sub mix ratios
|
HybridprX
Biodegrader of coir



Registered: 01/29/08 
Posts: 2,588
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 6 years, 4 months
|
Re: Newbie colonization -- 3 challenges [Re: Benny Mackay]
#23390841 - 06/28/16 11:27 AM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
The jar in that first picture is ready for birthing.
Water droplets are normal...they're caused by a difference in the inside/outside air temperature.
The other jars are cobweb (grayish fuzz) and black mold.
--------------------
|
Sporkvirus
Melted Cheese


Registered: 08/02/11
Posts: 148
Loc: Southwest US
Last seen: 7 years, 5 months
|
Re: Newbie colonization -- 3 challenges [Re: Benny Mackay]
#23390846 - 06/28/16 11:28 AM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
You can wait till they are all done or one at a time it is up to you.
You want to wait a full week after the outside is fully colonized to move to a fruiting chamber. you do not need to see pins to fruit.
There might be ways to speed up jars but they are debatable and I would not recommend any. I would just let them do there thing. Different spores colonize at different speeds and some jars may have more than others.
I would not worry about moisture on the inside of your jars. I get moisture all the time and the jars are fine.
The last two pics of jars do not look good. I think they might be contaminated.
--------------------

|
blackout


Registered: 07/16/00
Posts: 5,266
Last seen: 2 months, 25 days
|
Re: Newbie colonization -- 3 challenges [Re: spacechildo]
#23390900 - 06/28/16 11:53 AM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
spacechildo said: remove the heat pad
Off the heat pad as said, you say they are at 77-80, not sure how you are measuring that but they could be way higher sitting on that pad, which will only encourage contamination.
Most say never to use heat pads, I do actually use one in winter but use it like a room heater, I have it away from jars so it is heating an area. If your room temp is below 65F you can use a heat pad, though most recommend heating the entire room. If you do need it warm you use the heat pad on top of the jars, not below. Its a more gentle even heat and will not dry them out as much.
|
Benny Mackay
Stranger
Registered: 06/28/16
Posts: 11
Last seen: 7 years, 4 months
|
Re: Newbie colonization -- 3 challenges [Re: blackout]
#23392246 - 06/28/16 08:57 PM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Thanks super helpful -- I stuck the heating pad on the underside of the rubber tub (outside). I positioned the jars so they sat off to the side (no direct contact). But I totally see how that could still heat them from below more than what I'm measuring elsewhere in the tub.
I'll remove -- it's hot here so it was really only going on at night and definitely not getting below the 65F that you mentioned.
Much appreciated!
|
Benny Mackay
Stranger
Registered: 06/28/16
Posts: 11
Last seen: 7 years, 4 months
|
Re: Newbie colonization -- 3 challenges [Re: HybridprX]
#23392253 - 06/28/16 08:58 PM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Great to know that the moisture is alright, thanks!
I'll get rid of the contaminated jars asap then -- RIP 
Really appreciate the fast response.
So helpful.
|
|
|
You cannot start new topics / You cannot reply to topics HTML is disabled / BBCode is enabled
Moderator: Shroomism, george castanza, RogerRabbit, veggie, mushboy, fahtster, LogicaL Chaos, 13shrooms, Stipe-n Cap, Pastywhyte, bodhisatta, Tormato, Land Trout, A.k.a 280 topic views. 26 members, 215 guests and 35 web crawlers are browsing this forum.
[ Show Images Only | Sort by Score | Print Topic ] |
|