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AK1000
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Registered: 06/06/16
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Should I add a layer of verm to these PE jars that won't pin? (Update: Added verm w/ pics)
#23667663 - 09/22/16 10:51 AM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Started with the Pods Tek, inoculated Rye Grass Seed (RGS) with clean agar growth. I let the thing colonize and get consolidated and it's been about 3 weeks since I cracked the lid open and there's shitloads of aerial mycelium but no pins at all still:

There's no casing and I hear PE does well with a casing. Should I add a thin layer of vermiculite? If yes, then do I need to sterilize it in the oven before hand or could I simply just add it on top? Do I need to add a thin enough layer to just level it? Should I close the jar to let it colonize it or keep the lid twisted open?
Or should I do something else? Should I open the lids and fan them? I was thinking of putting them into a fruiting chamber (FC) of some sort with the lids off (a la mudafuka bottle tek or v-tek), but I don't have enough jars to keep the humidity up in the large tote that I have.
Or should I just keep waiting. Thanks.
Edited by AK1000 (09/23/16 12:04 AM)
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Tira



Registered: 11/20/10
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Re: Should I add a layer of verm to these PE jars that won't pin? [Re: AK1000]
#23667673 - 09/22/16 10:57 AM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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3 weeks is a long time, you sure it's not contaminated?
If not, I'd case them since casing helps with pins but as I said, 3 weeks is a long time.
-------------------- Useful Links for Beginners The Basics AMU Teks Frank''s Teks Agar Noob Forum Reccomended Teks Agar for guaranteed spawn, Proper pasteurization for guaranteed substrate.
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AK1000
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Re: Should I add a layer of verm to these PE jars that won't pin? [Re: Tira]
#23667699 - 09/22/16 11:07 AM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
Tira said: 3 weeks is a long time, you sure it's not contaminated?
If not, I'd case them since casing helps with pins but as I said, 3 weeks is a long time.
I throw away anything that shows the slightest signs of contamination with no sentimental value to me whatsoever, and these don't smell or look contaminated and smells faintly like mushrooms. 
Found some answers from MudaFuka's Bottle Tek:
Quote:
Once your substrates are fully colonised. They are ready for fruiting conditions. I like to add a simple vermiculite casing layer at fruiting. Other materials like coir and jiffy mix will work too but vermiculite is the quickest and has given me the best results. I have found that vermiculite is perfectly safe to use straight from the bag. If you are paranoid you can bake it in the oven to kill any molds that may be present. Take the lid off each bottle and spoon on 1/4 to 1/2 inch of vermiculite.
So now I know how to add some casing. But, I still need to grow it in-vitro. Or maybe I should just fan them? I don't wanna do too many things at once so I could know what helped make it work. Seems like casing would be my best bet though.
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Tira



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Re: Should I add a layer of verm to these PE jars that won't pin? [Re: AK1000]
#23667720 - 09/22/16 11:13 AM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Fanning does not really help with FAE, just triggers evaporation if you do it right after misting.
I'd case them, put them into a SGFC and make sure the SGFC is properly built (aka has enough holes to provide FAE) and mist as needed. Just choose a tek and follow it and you'll be fine .)
-------------------- Useful Links for Beginners The Basics AMU Teks Frank''s Teks Agar Noob Forum Reccomended Teks Agar for guaranteed spawn, Proper pasteurization for guaranteed substrate.
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AK1000
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Re: Should I add a layer of verm to these PE jars that won't pin? [Re: Tira]
#23667801 - 09/22/16 11:36 AM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Good to know. Thanks. I don't have a SGFC. I have a clear 55qt tub though with a few holes that I used as a traditional monotub before (with the single hole up high on the short-sides and the double holes on the long-side). I don't know much about SGFC's and how they are superior to monotubs though.
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Wienerwoods
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Re: Should I add a layer of verm to these PE jars that won't pin? [Re: AK1000]
#23668130 - 09/22/16 01:36 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Not gonna tout what I don't know for sure as truth but what I think is I think that stuff is similar to spawn in the sense that it needs to be broken up (now that it's grown a lot of aerial myc) and cased to fruit, unlike, say, bulk substrate. If by PE you mean penis envy, that is. I really don't believe it to be some magical strain, not as far as fruiting conditions are concerned, anyway.
In addition to moisture evaporation you could try providing direct sunlight for short periods of time each day (10 mins or so). That has served me well so far in somewhat similar efforts.
Then again, I'm a total newbie to mushroom cultivation so if a grain of salt could take anything with a grain of salt, I'd suggest you follow its lead.
And I do not think that an SGFC is totally self-sufficient in terms of FAE.
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AK1000
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Re: Should I add a layer of verm to these PE jars that won't pin? [Re: Wienerwoods]
#23668135 - 09/22/16 01:40 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Yeah I'll try casing today.
But,I would never put my mushies in direct sunlight. I've seen what UV light does to microorganisms on plates (it kills them pretty well and I'm guessing the mycelium would be vulnerable to this as well). They are under a 12/12 cycle of lights with 6500k CFL's though.
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Tira



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Re: Should I add a layer of verm to these PE jars that won't pin? [Re: AK1000]
#23668510 - 09/22/16 03:36 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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Don't put your substrates under direct sunlight.
btw that kinda UV is mostly filtered by ozone layer, but it will still be harmful to your substrate as it will raise its temperature and cause it to dry.
And SGFC is not superior to monotub, monotub is far more self-sufficient. You can also use a monotub as fruiting chamber. Just make sure you have enough FAE.
-------------------- Useful Links for Beginners The Basics AMU Teks Frank''s Teks Agar Noob Forum Reccomended Teks Agar for guaranteed spawn, Proper pasteurization for guaranteed substrate.
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AK1000
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Registered: 06/06/16
Posts: 488
Last seen: 2 years, 5 months
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Re: Should I add a layer of verm to these PE jars that won't pin? [Re: Tira]
#23669772 - 09/22/16 11:15 PM (7 years, 4 months ago) |
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All right, so...I cased a few jars... Take a look, what do u guys think of them?
The first two photos are jars that were inoculated on 8/16 and after they were not only colonized 100% but also consolidated an extra 3 days, the lids were loosened and it's been 3 weeks with no pins so now... they got a layer of vermiculite.


This one has lots of water drops on the surface.. but then again, it was a pint jar filled way too much.
This was my latest jar... It was inoculated on 9/14 with agar (tiger drop) and it was shaken immediately and it colonized much more rapidly than the other ones that I did that day (I didn't shake the other ones until after a few days had passed, so I will shake it immediately from now on.)
I put only enough vermiculite (verm) to even out the white-lumpy nature of the mycelium surface. Just a quarter to half inch thick at most and misted them with about 12-15 sprays of water per jar. Did I do good? Does the mycelium look healthy?
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