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partyboy420247
Tiny Shroom


Registered: 08/05/16
Posts: 102
Last seen: 6 years, 9 months
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Should I dunk my monotub substrate?
#23639697 - 09/12/16 08:04 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Hello. I have a monotub going, and I've harvested a couple hundred mushrooms and inserted vermiculite in the small holes that were formed when I removed the mushrooms, for moisture retention so the mycelium will be hydrated. The substrate is starting to pull away from the side of the tub as the mushrooms grow at this point. Here's a picture.

I got a gallon of distilled water today to dunk my monotub and rehydrate it. But after that, I'm clueless. Do I need to pick all the mushrooms and then let the mycelium recover for a while, or should I just pour some water in the space between the bin and the substrate? I've heard of people doing it both ways, but I want to make sure before I screw something up.
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bodhisatta 
Smurf real estate agent


Registered: 04/30/13
Posts: 61,889
Loc: Milky way
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If it seems dry hydrate it. Putting verm in the holes you made sounds like a terrible idea though
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rjstim
Stranger

Registered: 09/09/16
Posts: 103
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Re: Should I dunk my monotub substrate? [Re: bodhisatta]
#23639770 - 09/12/16 08:29 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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I have my first research monotub going right now, and I definitely plan on dunking after the first flush. I'm not gonna actually take it out though. I'm gonna pour the water directly in the tub, and insert 2 rods through the holes lengthwise, to keep it fully submerged during the procedure. It may get a little messy, but I'll play things by ear.
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bodhisatta 
Smurf real estate agent


Registered: 04/30/13
Posts: 61,889
Loc: Milky way
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Re: Should I dunk my monotub substrate? [Re: rjstim]
#23639778 - 09/12/16 08:33 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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I've never dunked a tub. Misting worked fine for me. After the second flush I toss anyway
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partyboy420247
Tiny Shroom


Registered: 08/05/16
Posts: 102
Last seen: 6 years, 9 months
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Re: Should I dunk my monotub substrate? [Re: bodhisatta]
#23639789 - 09/12/16 08:35 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Really? I read about it in a book. It isn't the first time that a mushroom growing book has screwed me over, though 
I like that idea though, rjstim. I'll do that. It sounds like the best way to hold the substrate down without smashing all the mycelium. I was just going to hold it down with my hand for an hour, but that sounds a lot easier.
If I dunk it, the vermiculite will rise to the top of the water, right? Or I could dig it out of the holes if that won't work. I could also just add enough water to the bin to slowly rehydrate the substrate. I'm not going to trust a book for the answer, because then I do something dumb and end up wondering why I didn't come ask the pros at The Shroomery in the first place.
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rjstim
Stranger

Registered: 09/09/16
Posts: 103
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Re: Should I dunk my monotub substrate? [Re: bodhisatta]
#23639790 - 09/12/16 08:36 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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I've honestly only grown once before with in-vitro bags, and I had such great results dunking after each flush (3 total), that I feel almost obliged to dunk the monotub sub.
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partyboy420247
Tiny Shroom


Registered: 08/05/16
Posts: 102
Last seen: 6 years, 9 months
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I'm going to do it right now. I figure it can't hurt since the substrate is drying out anyway, so I might as well do something to help it out. Thanks a lot for the help.
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spore-ty



Registered: 01/21/16
Posts: 1,028
Loc: In the bush
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Yes id harvest then be careful and cautious and dunk
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mushboy
modboy



Registered: 04/24/05
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Re: Should I dunk my monotub substrate? [Re: rjstim]
#23640300 - 09/12/16 11:33 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
rjstim said: I have my first research monotub going right now, and I definitely plan on dunking after the first flush. I'm not gonna actually take it out though. I'm gonna pour the water directly in the tub, and insert 2 rods through the holes lengthwise, to keep it fully submerged during the procedure. It may get a little messy, but I'll play things by ear.
dunking a bulk tub? where is the water going to go once completed?
id just slowly mist it over a few hours??
Quote:
rjstim said: I've honestly only grown once before with in-vitro bags, and I had such great results dunking after each flush (3 total), that I feel almost obliged to dunk the monotub sub.
only one grow and you want to dunk an entire tub?? just mist the fucker over a few hours.
PS. after one grow you are going to 'play it by ear'? eeehhhhhhh
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bodhisatta 
Smurf real estate agent


Registered: 04/30/13
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Loc: Milky way
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Re: Should I dunk my monotub substrate? [Re: mushboy] 1
#23640389 - 09/13/16 12:23 AM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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You could drill a small hole in the corner or siphon it out.
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herrenvolk


Registered: 05/14/16
Posts: 222
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Pastywhyte says to don't dunk your sub unless you got a very large first flush.
Quote:
Pastywhyte said: 4 oz off a 66 quart mono with 5 quarts spawn and 1 brick coir, 2 quarts verm does not require a dunk. That is at best a 60% BE yeild. There is still loads of water left at that point. I would just mist heavy for the second flush. Bulk draws in water very fast and it's easy to over saturate. If I pulled 10 oz dry I would then dunk. But if you got less than 8 oz dunking is unnecessary and possibly detrimental IMO.
source
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wtfcrazymofo
foil hater



Registered: 07/26/15
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-------------------- If you want to eat->https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/8553541 Bag sealers are to bulky (my hood isn't that big) https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/28622922
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partyboy420247
Tiny Shroom


Registered: 08/05/16
Posts: 102
Last seen: 6 years, 9 months
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Re: Should I dunk my monotub substrate? [Re: wtfcrazymofo]
#23640814 - 09/13/16 07:45 AM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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The first flush was pretty big. It took a lot of the water out of the substrate. Misting wouldn't cut it at this point, I tried. I've been dunking my tub for around 10 hours now, and I'm going to keep it under for another 14 hours. I saw some advice that RR gave, and I'm going to do as the guy says.
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NDStepp84
Stellar nuclear waste


Registered: 04/23/15
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24 hours is way too long for a bulk sub, these aren't cakes. Be very careful going to tilt that to pour the water out or its going to fall apart. If I have a large 1st flush I'll dunk for an hour or less, then pour off the water, either that or a heavy mist depends how I feel.
--------------------
"I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do. -Robert A. Heinlein
Links and teks ND's grow log and discussion Plant thread
Edited by NDStepp84 (09/13/16 08:53 AM)
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mushboy
modboy



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Re: Should I dunk my monotub substrate? [Re: NDStepp84]
#23642004 - 09/13/16 03:48 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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post some pics duder. i would like to see the first flush and the second if your dunking is successful
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just_curious
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Re: Should I dunk my monotub substrate? [Re: mushboy]
#23642105 - 09/13/16 04:20 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Pasty gave me some advice once. He let me know that there should be water retained after the first flush, and that dunking would be more beneficial after the second flush. He also told me that it could depend on how big your first flush was. If you pulled like 3-4 ounces then it should still have plenty of water. If you pulled like 6-8, maybe you need to dunk. But, ultimately, the decision is up to you. If the sub looks and feels dry, then dunk it. When I dunked, I would only do so for exactly 1 hour, and I would do it right in the tub. Your sub may be pulling away from the side of the tub, but is the liner still clinging to it? It's gonna shrink no matter what. The liner is what matters IMO. I don't open up the trash bag all the way. I leave it so the bag is fully spread out, but not opened in a way that you could actually put something inside of it. Doing it this way is ensuring that you have 2 liners. That way when the sub starts shrinking and pulling away from the tub, hopefully one side of the liner is still stuck to the sub while the liner still sticks on the sub (if that makes sense). Just do what you think is right man.
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Donald Trump
Stranger



Registered: 09/13/16
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Re: Should I dunk my monotub substrate? [Re: just_curious] 1
#23642266 - 09/13/16 05:04 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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If your sub is shrunken then go ahead and dunk it. I put it in the bathtub and fill the monotub up with water. You need to weight down the sub because it will float. Then drain it or dump it out. You are probably gonna break the sub in the process but no big deal.
-------------------- MAKE THE SHROOMERY GREAT AGAIN!!!
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partyboy420247
Tiny Shroom


Registered: 08/05/16
Posts: 102
Last seen: 6 years, 9 months
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Re: Should I dunk my monotub substrate? [Re: Donald Trump]
#23643185 - 09/13/16 09:55 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Thanks for all the replies to my question. I decided to do what Roger Rabbit said on the forums to other people and dunked it for 24 hours. The substrate appears to have taken up some water, but not quite enough to fill the gap between the bin and the substrate. It's definitely more wet than before. I was able to do this with zero damage to my substrate, since the colonization is so solid that everything stays together perfectly. The mycelium looks more healthy since I dunked, too. I poked a hole in the bottom of the tub, drained the water out, and it was yellow like urine. I taped the hole with Gorilla Tape and put the bin back on a 12/12 schedule. I'll post a picture tomorrow, it's in the dark right now
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NDStepp84
Stellar nuclear waste


Registered: 04/23/15
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Show me where RR said to dunk a bulk substrate for 24 hours, like I said I'm sure he was talking about cakes, it's probably way over saturated and lucky it didn't just fall completely apart.
Quote:
RogerRabbit said: More like dunk for fifteen minutes. You don't want to saturate the substrate.
Place a sheet of plywood or similar under the tub as you tilt it to dump out the water so you don't crack the substrate by bending. RR
Quote:
RogerRabbit said: Don't dunk a monotub until at least after first flush if even then. They often break.
Simply pour a glass or two of water over it to rehydrate the substrate as needed. I've never bought into 'set and forget'. You can also pour water around the edges if they've pulled away from the sides. Just put as much water as can be totally absorbed in a few hours. RR
--------------------
"I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do. -Robert A. Heinlein
Links and teks ND's grow log and discussion Plant thread
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partyboy420247
Tiny Shroom


Registered: 08/05/16
Posts: 102
Last seen: 6 years, 9 months
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Re: Should I dunk my monotub substrate? [Re: NDStepp84]
#23644055 - 09/14/16 08:33 AM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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I could have sworn that Roger Rabbit said to do the dunk. I wouldn't have done it if he had a better idea. Maybe I read someone else's post and thought it was one of his. It's hard to see everything on the forums using my smartphone, which I am. Anyway, I must have gotten lucky, because my substrate held together great, and the mycelium looks so much better than it did before. It looked visibly dried out. Now, it looks more healthy to me. I'll try a different way next time, but the 24 hour dunk worked great for me this time.
Here's an after picture. I took the picture through cling wrap, so it's a little bit blurry.
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