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Mycosperiment
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polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes
#25021223 - 02/25/18 03:53 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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I have recently found some nice little polypropylene containers with attached hinged lids that seem to be working real good and can be sterilized in a pressure cooker or autoclave.
https://freundcontainer.com/pp-plastic-hinged-lid-containers/
There are various sizes and colors available. I got the 0.2 oz (6 ml) clear ones. I got samples of slightly larger/deeper ones but liked the cheaper and shorter ones better. It was a little easier to get the agar wedges into them and easier to cut wedges back out or remove the whole disc of media.
These are not very big but they take very little media to fill them and the whole disc of mycelium can be cut out and used to inoculate grain or sawdust or you can squirt some sterile water or liquid culture media into them and use the dislodged mycelium for growing more liquid culture or to directly inoculate jars or bags.
Shipping was not real cheap so you need to buy a bunch of them at once to make it worth the cost but they should be reusable many times if you are careful not to cut or melt them cooling off tools in them.
They are probably not the best for starting from spores or anything needing more room but work good for multiplying clean cultures or experimenting with different media recipes.
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sromes1

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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Mycosperiment]
#25021281 - 02/25/18 04:23 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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sounds good how big are they
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sromes1

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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Mycosperiment]
#25021293 - 02/25/18 04:28 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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nevermind found the info on the site. with the flip caps do fill easy or do the open caps make them tilt?
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: sromes1]
#25021324 - 02/25/18 04:41 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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The ones I got that I like the most are 0.2 oz or 6 ml capacity.
The size is 1.6 inch (40.64 mm) diameter and 0.4 inch (10.16 mm) deep.
They are not as clear as normal petri dishes but good enough to see inside.
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sromes1

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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Mycosperiment]
#25021349 - 02/25/18 04:58 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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with the snap close lids they must keep contams out and prevent agar from drying out?
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: sromes1]
#25021390 - 02/25/18 05:16 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
sromes1 said: with the flip caps do fill easy or do the open caps make them tilt?
I sterilized them inside a polypropylene food storage container with the caps open. When I fill them, I carefully pick them up trying not to touch any inside surface. I usually fill them while holding onto them and then close them and place of a level surface to cool and solidify.
The caps are lighter than the bottom so they don't tilt over if the lid is either fully open or half or less open. Over half way open they will tip over when empty. When filled the cap can be in any position without tipping over.
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: sromes1]
#25021407 - 02/25/18 05:20 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
sromes1 said: with the snap close lids they must keep contams out and prevent agar from drying out?
Yes, they close tight and I haven't had any trouble with contamination or the agar drying out yet. I was a little worried about them sealing too tight but the mycelium grows fast enough that running out of air hasn't been a problem.
One nice benefit is they don't need Parafilm or anything to keep them closed.
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sromes1

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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Mycosperiment]
#25021428 - 02/25/18 05:27 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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cool, I see they send samples , how much is shipping for samples
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: sromes1]
#25021472 - 02/25/18 05:43 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
sromes1 said: cool, I see they send samples , how much is shipping for samples
Shipping for samples is normally a flat rate of $7. They have lots of other stuff so you might want to search the site. I think they will send up to 5 different samples with a total value of less than $10 for that flat rate fee.
I ordered 200 of them and I picked the cheapest shipping method which added a little over $20 to the cost. Shipping basically doubled the cost of them so you might want to play around with quantities and shipping methods to get the best total price if you order any.
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sromes1

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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Mycosperiment]
#25021486 - 02/25/18 05:48 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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so it would cost me $7 to get a few petri plate samples?
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: sromes1]
#25021531 - 02/25/18 06:01 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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The site says You are required to pay a flat rate shipping fee of $7.00.
They didn't charge me because I was only getting very small items but it came FedEx in a rather large box with a lot of paper packing. It probably cost them a fair amount to ship a few pieces. I figured they might just stick them in a padded envelope and ship them regular mail but they didn't.
That was why I suggested looking for other items you might be interested in to get close to the $10 limit on the value of the 5 sample items to make it worth the $7 it is likely to cost you. $10 worth of stuff for $7 isn't a bad deal. $7 shipping for less than $1 worth of items wouldn't really be worth it.
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sromes1

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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: sromes1]
#25021532 - 02/25/18 06:02 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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seems not worth the price to get any sample plates
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sromes1

Registered: 07/21/08
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: sromes1]
#25021534 - 02/25/18 06:03 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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must have missed your response...free is good
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sromes1

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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: sromes1]
#25021541 - 02/25/18 06:06 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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the reason I'm interested is I use millipore 47mm plates..nice but would rather use reusable ones. I agree the smaller plates are good for storing but not cleaning a culture...nice to ship in though...pretty sturdy
Edited by sromes1 (02/25/18 06:07 PM)
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: sromes1]
#25021565 - 02/25/18 06:19 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
sromes1 said: the reason I'm interested is I use millipore 47mm plates..nice but would rather use reusable ones. I agree the smaller plates are good for storing but not cleaning a culture...nice to ship in though...pretty sturdy
I use the same plates but am getting low on them and wanted to find something reusable. I had bought 2 cases of the Millipore 47mm plates and thought they would last me a long time. They didn't last as long as I expected.
I did get some 100mm plates from ebay and have some glass ones for jobs needing a larger surface area but I really prefer the smaller size.
I also tried real tiny 35mm plates and they worked but dried up real fast and were very thin and easily broken. I think these polypropylene containers I just got are the smallest size I would want to go.
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: sromes1]
#25021605 - 02/25/18 06:38 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Did you ever try reusing the 47mm plates? They are much thicker than normal plates so could be washed up without breaking them. Just need a way to re-sterilize them.
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sromes1

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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Mycosperiment]
#25021639 - 02/25/18 06:50 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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I do reuse them , soak in bleach then rinse in sterile water and wipe the inside lid with oh
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99.99
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: sromes1]
#25022265 - 02/26/18 12:22 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: 99.99]
#25022681 - 02/26/18 07:13 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
99.99 said: Two options ive found https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F142485192370
And these from big lots that I'm currently using

Thanks for the link. I ordered some of the 1 oz ones. Bigger than the tiny ones I recently started using but a better price especially with free shipping.
I have been using food storage containers from the Dollar store mostly to put things in for pressure cooking but they seem to work for grain spawn too with a filter glued onto the lids.
I also have some thin Deli containers in a couple sizes. The smallest ones have polypropylene bottoms but the lids are a different plastic so the lids have to be cleaned in bleach and not sterilized in the pressure cooker.
I check every plastic container I see for the recycle code. Most are not #5 but many are. Even some disposable drinking cups are #5 although I never tried pressure cooking them yet. I assume with a foil covering they might be useful for sterilizing bulk substrate and maybe even grain/sawdust spawn if you can keep them from drying out while colonizing.
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Spindlymass
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Mycosperiment]
#25022834 - 02/26/18 08:59 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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I found some myself a few weeks ago.
The ones I found were at a surplus store but here is the link to them on the makers website.
And a photo of them in use:

I cut the hinges off mine. I found pressure cooking and working with flopping lids a real PITA. For example, you can't pick up a stack and pour agar one after the other as usual.
Also, I stack them (with lids resting but not snapped on) in a large mouth mason to sterilize in PC. Then invert jar in SAB which leaves then in nice stack and pour the agar.
I've found they won't crush in the PC if you snap the lids closed but (again with the PITA) I don't like having to snap open each one individually when pouring agar.
As you can see in the photo they aren't perfectly clear, as you well know, but work well enough. Especially for expanding clean samples.
You still can't beat the clear polystyrene for seeing contams, or the wispy mycelium of lion's mane though.
But I do like the advantages mentioned in previous posts and I hate buying cases of polystyrene to throw away, and I don't like trying to reuse them.
Just thought I would share my experience (at great length apparently )
-------------------- enough knowledge to get into trouble. Not nearly enough to get out again.
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99.99
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Spindlymass]
#25023707 - 02/26/18 01:04 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Spindlymass said: I found some myself a few weeks ago.
The ones I found were at a surplus store but here is the link to them on the makers website.
And a photo of them in use:

I cut the hinges off mine. I found pressure cooking and working with flopping lids a real PITA. For example, you can't pick up a stack and pour agar one after the other as usual.
Also, I stack them (with lids resting but not snapped on) in a large mouth mason to sterilize in PC. Then invert jar in SAB which leaves then in nice stack and pour the agar.
I've found they won't crush in the PC if you snap the lids closed but (again with the PITA) I don't like having to snap open each one individually when pouring agar.
As you can see in the photo they aren't perfectly clear, as you well know, but work well enough. Especially for expanding clean samples.
You still can't beat the clear polystyrene for seeing contams, or the wispy mycelium of lion's mane though.
But I do like the advantages mentioned in previous posts and I hate buying cases of polystyrene to throw away, and I don't like trying to reuse them.
Just thought I would share my experience (at great length apparently )
Shit these are perfect .. But way to expensive
EDIT... I didnt see you can buy smaller qualities from this ... Im buying me 100
http://www.esdplasticcontainers.com/Lacons-250675-Hinged-Lid-Container_p_43.html
Edited by 99.99 (02/26/18 01:25 PM)
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Spindlymass
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: 99.99]
#25024056 - 02/26/18 02:30 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Right on!
-------------------- enough knowledge to get into trouble. Not nearly enough to get out again.
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99.99
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Spindlymass]
#25024538 - 02/26/18 05:50 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Spindlymass
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: 99.99]
#25024585 - 02/26/18 06:11 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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I lucked out and got all I need from the surplus store. But those do look good.
I think they might not last as long though. They look thinner wall thickness. But for the price...
-------------------- enough knowledge to get into trouble. Not nearly enough to get out again.
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99.99
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Spindlymass]
#25024613 - 02/26/18 06:23 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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The website you listed will send you samples of their product I requested two different sizes if they are good and then ones from China are crappy I know where to buy new ones
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bodhisatta 
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes (moved) [Re: Mycosperiment] 1
#25024937 - 02/26/18 08:58 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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This thread was moved from Advanced Mycology.
Reason: People have been using polypropylene containers for agar for years
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JHOVA
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes (moved) [Re: bodhisatta]
#25025141 - 02/26/18 10:56 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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I love the big lots containers for the clarity and the fact you can properly grow out cultures.
3 plates got green mold without opening them after a pc cycle. I think the seal can go bad and warp.
Usually i locked all 4 seals but i think 2 or 3 would work and then tighten them up right after the pc cycle.
I ordered 24 of the cornell loew kerr 1/2 pints nonquilted for $18 shipped from walmart. Can’t wait to use em.
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99.99
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes (moved) [Re: JHOVA]
#25025149 - 02/26/18 11:02 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
JHOVA said: I love the big lots containers for the clarity and the fact you can properly grow out cultures.
3 plates got green mold without opening them after a pc cycle. I think the seal can go bad and warp.
Usually i locked all 4 seals but i think 2 or 3 would work and then tighten them up right after the pc cycle.
I ordered 24 of the cornell loew kerr 1/2 pints nonquilted for $18 shipped from walmart. Can’t wait to use em.
The biglot containers aren't perfect but they're pretty sweet you get three of them for a 1.80, what I like doing with them is to put them in a Ziploc bag after inoculation not only does this keep any contaminant from going in the dish but it also keeps the dish sterile,when I decide to put the Culture to the grain I don't have to worry about contaminants from the dish
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JHOVA
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes (moved) [Re: 99.99]
#25025211 - 02/26/18 11:47 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Good idea
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Spindlymass]
#25025613 - 02/27/18 06:51 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Thanks for the detailed information. Those look like what I got.
I hadn't tried pressure cooking mine with the lids closed because I figured they would just pop open or deform from the heat and vacuum.
The attached lids do make them a little harder to use and makes them take up more space if sterilized open.
I'll cut the hinges on some of mine and try your idea of stacking them.
Edited by Mycosperiment (02/27/18 06:58 AM)
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Mycosperiment]
#25025644 - 02/27/18 07:29 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Here's some more cheap containers I have been using. These were from the Dollar store and I think I got 3 or 4 for a dollar. The square one has some open PP containers inside and is how I have been sterilizing mine. The round one on the right has some inoculated plastic containers in them just to keep them clean. The one on the left is some birdseed spawn. I didn't put any holes in that one but it is still growing. I expect it to stall out when it runs out of oxygen or builds up too much CO2 but so far it is working without any holes.
On some Deli container lids, I drilled a hole and stuffed polyfill fiber in them or used PVC cement to glue a piece of synthetic craft felt over the hole. They were covered with foil while being sterilized but both methods have worked to keep contamination out while still allowing them to breathe.

Without a filter of some kind the thin deli containers will warp unless the lids are left open and can't accidentally seal back up.
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sromes1

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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Mycosperiment]
#25025685 - 02/27/18 07:54 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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I just make the agar and pour them in the plates then pc them but just found this great deal on ebay 1000 plates for cheap 51 probably less if you make a offer.. I like these as well https://www.ebay.com/itm/1000-Millipore-Petri-Microbiological-Dishes-47mm-Sterilized-Cultures-PD1004705/222857766245?hash=item33e35ba565:g:6j4AAOSwzaJYAkPk
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Spindlymass
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: sromes1]
#25025735 - 02/27/18 08:20 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Wow, nice deal sromes!
Mycosperiment,
The thing I like about cutting the hinges off is the added security when you take them out of the container they were PC'd in the lids are all resting on the bases.
Each time you go in to grab a petri, there is a chance of something falling off your hands onto the petris below.
-------------------- enough knowledge to get into trouble. Not nearly enough to get out again.
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sromes1

Registered: 07/21/08
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: 99.99]
#25026612 - 02/27/18 03:50 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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chraper here and get a discount coupon if you sign uo for emails
https://freundcontainer.com/pp-plastic-hinged-lid-containers/
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: sromes1]
#25027959 - 02/28/18 05:16 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
sromes1 said: I just make the agar and pour them in the plates then pc them ...
If the containers can be closed while pressure cooking without popping the lids off or warping the plastic from the vacuum, that sounds like a much easier way to avoid the chance of contamination during pouring.
Could fill them in the open and let them cool before pressure cooking them. If left to fully cool and solidify in the pressure cooker, there wouldn't be any worry about getting media splashed on the lids from moving them before they were solid.
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Spindlymass]
#25027970 - 02/28/18 05:30 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Spindlymass said: Wow, nice deal sromes!
Mycosperiment,
The thing I like about cutting the hinges off is the added security when you take them out of the container they were PC'd in the lids are all resting on the bases.
Each time you go in to grab a petri, there is a chance of something falling off your hands onto the petris below.
I cut the hinges on a couple of my containers and the lids don't easily sit level on the bases so a stack of them will likely fall over.
Do the lids get a little looser fitting once pressure cooked a few times?
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: sromes1]
#25027980 - 02/28/18 05:39 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
sromes1 said: chraper here and get a discount coupon if you sign uo for emails
https://freundcontainer.com/pp-plastic-hinged-lid-containers/
That's where I got mine. I signed up for emails and did get a 10% discount code. Just after I ordered them, they had a special email sale discount code of 20% off so it might be worth signing up for their emails and watching for the best deal before ordering if you are going to order a lot of them and don't mind waiting for a sale.
The discount was only on the products and not the shipping charges. The containers are pretty cheap. Shipping was not cheap but they did arrive pretty fast.
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Mycosperiment]
#25027987 - 02/28/18 05:47 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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The other problem I found with cutting the hinges off is that they can be closed with the little extensions on the sides not lined up which makes opening them harder. It still takes two hands to get them open but it's a little easier if they are closed in the same position they would be with the hinge in place.
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Spindlymass
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Mycosperiment]
#25028221 - 02/28/18 08:25 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Mycosperiment said: I cut the hinges on a couple of my containers and the lids don't easily sit level on the bases so a stack of them will likely fall over.
Do the lids get a little looser fitting once pressure cooked a few times?
True, they are a little off kilter but I can stack them... 7 high? Can't exactly remember. Sure, not as high as regular petris but works for me.
* edit, I remember now, I can stack them high enough to palm in my hand for pouring one after the other in the stack.
I haven't found the lids to get looser but they are fairly new to me and I've only PC'd them a couple times.
-------------------- enough knowledge to get into trouble. Not nearly enough to get out again.
Edited by Spindlymass (02/28/18 03:07 PM)
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Spindlymass
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Spindlymass]
#25031191 - 03/01/18 08:36 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Remember to add vinegar to the PC water or the containers get a film and are even harder to see into.
-------------------- enough knowledge to get into trouble. Not nearly enough to get out again.
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Spindlymass]
#25031562 - 03/01/18 11:58 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Spindlymass said:
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Mycosperiment said: I cut the hinges on a couple of my containers and the lids don't easily sit level on the bases so a stack of them will likely fall over.
Do the lids get a little looser fitting once pressure cooked a few times?
True, they are a little off kilter but I can stack them... 7 high? Can't exactly remember. Sure, not as high as regular petris but works for me.
* edit, I remember now, I can stack them high enough to palm in my hand for pouring one after the other in the stack.
I haven't found the lids to get looser but they are fairly new to me and I've only PC'd them a couple times.
I just finished pressure cooking and filling some of these plates. I closed them and put them in a food storage container. A lot of the caps did pop open during PCing but didn't hurt them and more fit in the little food container at once.
I fit 20 closed plates in at once. I made 50 ml of media and got 18 of them filled with it. I'm loving these plates.
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Spindlymass]
#25031568 - 03/01/18 11:59 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Spindlymass said: Remember to add vinegar to the PC water or the containers get a film and are even harder to see into.
Thanks for the tip. How much vinegar should I add?
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Spindlymass
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Mycosperiment]
#25031656 - 03/01/18 12:47 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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It's an old canning trick (if you want to google).
I usually put in a 'glug' or two from the bottle... Maybe a couple tablespoons, 30ml? In my 23 quart presto.
-------------------- enough knowledge to get into trouble. Not nearly enough to get out again.
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Spindlymass]
#25031867 - 03/01/18 02:18 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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Spindlymass said: It's an old canning trick (if you want to google).
I usually put in a 'glug' or two from the bottle... Maybe a couple tablespoons, 30ml? In my 23 quart presto.
Thanks. That's close enough. Just wanted to know if it took a lot or just a little bit.
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sromes1

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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Mycosperiment]
#25038567 - 03/04/18 03:51 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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good point. I use a small strip of aluminum between both tabs and twist to open seems to work good for the next size up
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: sromes1]
#25038599 - 03/04/18 04:04 PM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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sromes1 said: good point. I use a small strip of aluminum between both tabs and twist to open seems to work good for the next size up
These ones became easier to open and close after a time through the pressure cooker but that might be easier than using fingernails to pry them open. This idea make me wonder if a thin strip of foil could be closed in between the base and lid to let them vent a little bit and prevent the caps from popping open or bulging out/sucking in from the pressure or vacuum. Probably not worth the effort but would allow more to fit in a small container to sterilize if they could be closed.
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: 99.99]
#25058057 - 03/12/18 10:27 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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99.99 said: Two options ive found https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F142485192370
And these from big lots that I'm currently using

I got the 1 oz containers and they look pretty good for the money. The lids are a little bit brittle and a couple were cracked when I got them. I didn't expect polypropylene to be brittle like that but they are marked PP on the bottoms and they did handle the pressure cooking temperatures.
The PVC cement does turn white after pressure cooking but I've used it many times on jar lids and other stuff. One advantage of adding the filter is that they can be filled and sterilized with the lid closed. Without any vents they either pop open or deform from the heat and pressure.
I probably won't use these as petri dishes because I have other ones I like better for that but plan to use some for miniature plant tissue culture containers. I just drilled a small hole in the lids of 10 of them and glued some synthetic craft felt filters on them using PVC cement. They won't have much space inside but should work ok for starting seeds or small pieces of plants in vitro.
Edited by Mycosperiment (03/12/18 10:42 AM)
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sromes1

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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Mycosperiment]
#25058092 - 03/12/18 10:46 AM (6 years, 10 months ago) |
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let us know how they work
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Spindlymass
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: sromes1]
#25153710 - 04/20/18 03:40 PM (6 years, 8 months ago) |
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I thought I would update with my experience using my pp5 petris.
1. Using a translucent agar helps a lot with visibility of any growth. i.e., being able to look from underneath or shining light from underneath etc.
2. You can write and erase on them with permanent marker but remember to erase old plates before you PC them or they will stain permanently
3. Do not close them by pressing in the centre. The flexibility of the plastic creates a vacuum and I have had a number of petris suck contams in around the edges.* now I press around the perimeter to close.
*I haven't tested this with virgin petris, just a hypothesis from the contam growth patterns I found.
-------------------- enough knowledge to get into trouble. Not nearly enough to get out again.
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Mycosperiment
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Spindlymass]
#25153808 - 04/20/18 04:38 PM (6 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Spindlymass said: I thought I would update with my experience using my pp5 petris.
1. Using a translucent agar helps a lot with visibility of any growth. i.e., being able to look from underneath or shining light from underneath etc.
2. You can write and erase on them with permanent marker but remember to erase old plates before you PC them or they will stain permanently
3. Do not close them by pressing in the centre. The flexibility of the plastic creates a vacuum and I have had a number of petris suck contams in around the edges.* now I press around the perimeter to close.
*I haven't tested this with virgin petris, just a hypothesis from the contam growth patterns I found.
I also like the translucent agar for the same reason. I sometimes add some brewers yeast which doesn't all dissolve and makes it a little harder to see through. I don't know if it really makes any difference in the growth but many recipes I have seen use a little bit of it. The only time I use any food coloring in the agar is when I need to keep different media experiments separate but prefer nice clear media.
I did notice the permanent marker becoming more permanent (on other plastic containers) if pressure cooked. 91% rubbing alcohol removes it pretty easy BEFORE they are pressure cooked. 70% can be used if you add a bunch of salt to a little jar or tube of the weaker alcohol. The salt will soak up some of the water and sink to the bottom. The top layer of alcohol is then strong enough to remove the ink.
The PP containers are harder to see inside so not as nice as real plates but being reusable is very nice. The 1 ounce containers I got from ebay have worked pretty good so far. I glued on some filters and have done mini experiments with grain cultures. They are real nice for testing LC's or just to get a little bit of colonized grain which can be used for grain to grain transfers. I haven't tried them yet for agar work because the smaller containers are easier to work with but I'm sure they would work.
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Spindlymass
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Re: polypropylene containers for use as petri dishes [Re: Mycosperiment]
#25153853 - 04/20/18 05:11 PM (6 years, 8 months ago) |
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Yeah dude, I'm with you on all accounts. 
I've found that even a dry cloth or fingernail removes the permanent marker on my petris.
Cool trick with the salt and iso!
-------------------- enough knowledge to get into trouble. Not nearly enough to get out again.
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