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Mushrooms, Mycology and Psychedelics > Mushroom Cultivation
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Source for larger master slant tubes and possibility of using jars as master slants?
    #25566835 -

Before I start to acquire cultures (still a little whiles off), I want to make sure I can keep them viable long term and I've been looking into master slant teks.


My original question: RR has mentioned a few times that while he used 25mm X 125mm in the past he now prefers larger ones like 50mm X 175mm or 60mm x 250mm for long term (which apparently Aloha ships slants in).  I can't find any images of these larger slants and I can't find where to buy such large glass tubes.  The largest I can find are 38mm x 200mm and 41mm x 225mm.  So I was hoping someone could assist in what search term (I've tried various sizes and volumes with the word tube) I should be using and where can I get these?


A second question from a sidetrack of searching for the tubes: One image that came up while looking for tubes was a glass water bottle, I started searching to see if I could find one around that size (turns out, yes, a 16oz is pretty close).  That search led to looking for similar sized (and cheaper) containers, which got me thinking about mason jars since they get used for other parts of the cultivation process.
The test tubes have the following internal volumes (and would have the listed surface area of the agar/air interface):
38mm x 200mm = ~225ml
41mm x 225mm = ~300ml
50mm x 175mm = ~350ml (~4500mm^2 Surface area ±2000mm^2 depending on angle of tilt)
60mm x 250mm = ~700ml (~7500mm^2 Surface area ±3000mm^2 depending on angle of tilt)

A 16oz wide mouth mason should hold about ~450ml with a ~4500mm^2 surface area when un-tilted.  So assuming you could find a ~450ml test tube (which would take up the same amount of space as the mason jar, albeit in a different shape), if you were to pour the same amount of agar in each (thus agar volume and air volume would also be the same in both), and tilt both so they have the same surface area...  Why not just use a mason jar (or similarly sized jar/container) as a master slant?  Would it work as well?



Edited 2018/11/04:

Not to discredit those that replied to my questions, but here are the original posts that prompted my question and search for larger tubes: (for anyone who happens across this thread in the future...)

https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/10078015#10078015
2009/03/31
RogerRabbit said:
... I have a few hundred glass tubes that are 25mm X 125mm, but next time I order, will get larger ones.  I recently pulled out my original Shiitake 75 slant by alohamedicinals from 2005 and the original culture was still viable.  Slants I made from that one the next year in 2006 in the smaller tubes had already died.  The aloha tubes are 50mm X 200mm.



https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/12814529#12814529
2010/06/27
RogerRabbit said:
... lately I've been using the larger 50mm X 175mm slants that are non-threaded like the ones you posted.  They hold more agar, more air, a larger piece of wood, and will keep cultures alive longer. ...



https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/12859229#12859229
2010/07/06
RogerRabbit said:
... You won't get 9 years from a smaller slant.  It also benefited from being opened a few times over the years, allowing fresh filtered air to enter. ...



https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/18707897#18707897
2013/08/15
RogerRabbit said:
... Use test tubes with at least a 25mm opening or it's too hard to get the cultures out.  I use 25mm X 125mm for short term use and 60mm X 250mm for long term storage.



oh, and I came across this in relation to jars:

https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/8881567#8881567
2008/09/05
RogerRabbit said:
The extra width of a spice jar will tend to dry out your agar.  I'd stick to 20mm to 25mm glass test tubes.  ...




Here are the links to the tubes I referenced: (links will likely die after a few years though)

https://www.indigoinstruments.com/glassware/test_tubes/giant-tube-glass-test-tubes-38x200mm-55912R.html
(38x200mm Gigantic Test Tubes)

https://www.amazon.com/Glass-Test-TubesJumbo-225mm-Stoppers/dp/B009D01MD2/
(Glass Test Tubes Jumbo 41 X 225mm with Cork Stoppers, Pack of 5)

Edited by fireblaze (11/04/18 01:33 PM)

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Re: Source for larger master slant tubes and possibility of using jars as master slants? [Re: fireblaze]
    #25566945 -

Slants are small on purpose. Small opening to limit exposure, less volume of air in them, small surface area. Though big ones do work 50-60mm seems ridiculous to me, more of a jar than a tube at that point.

At the point of using a big jar for culture storage you would just store the petri dishes themselves.

Don't worry about size so much. Get what tubes you can get cheap and easily. There's many sizes that will work.


--------------------
Everything you need in one spot.

My Q&A thread. Ask me questions here rather than in Private Message
Bod's chat thread

5g a day keeps the 5g away

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Re: Source for larger master slant tubes and possibility of using jars as master slants? [Re: bodhisatta]
    #25566955 -

bodhisatta said:
Don't worry about size so much. Get what tubes you can get cheap and easily. There's many sizes that will work.


I wouldn't go less than 20mm. Smaller than that and getting your scalpel in there is a bitch.


--------------------
Pat The Bunny said:
A punk rock song won't ever change the world, but I can tell you about a couple that changed me.

bodhisatta said:
i recommend common sense and figuring it out.

These are the TEKs I use. They're all as cheap and easy as possible, just like your mom.

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Re: Source for larger master slant tubes and possibility of using jars as master slants? [Re: 36fuckin5] * 1
    #25566968 -

Inoculation loop





--------------------
Everything you need in one spot.

My Q&A thread. Ask me questions here rather than in Private Message
Bod's chat thread

5g a day keeps the 5g away

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Re: Source for larger master slant tubes and possibility of using jars as master slants? [Re: bodhisatta]
    #25567377 -

Ok then. Never thought to use a loop for transfers like that. I always just used them for spores

Do you shove it into the agar? I twist up my own loops like you showed (I had actually been using them without a handle until I just got a real handle for the first time ever) and IDK if it would penetrate very well.


--------------------
Pat The Bunny said:
A punk rock song won't ever change the world, but I can tell you about a couple that changed me.

bodhisatta said:
i recommend common sense and figuring it out.

These are the TEKs I use. They're all as cheap and easy as possible, just like your mom.

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Re: Source for larger master slant tubes and possibility of using jars as master slants? [Re: 36fuckin5]
    #25567491 -

Make it long enough to go into the agar and fill the slant tube up more.

And yes dig into the agar. Might be useful stuff to grab down the road


--------------------
Everything you need in one spot.

My Q&A thread. Ask me questions here rather than in Private Message
Bod's chat thread

5g a day keeps the 5g away

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Re: Source for larger master slant tubes and possibility of using jars as master slants? [Re: bodhisatta]
    #25567504 -

I guess I can use a thicker gauge wire. I think I have some 24 awg stainless. I know I have some 24 awg Kanthal A1. Should work. I've been using 28 awg stainless.


--------------------
Pat The Bunny said:
A punk rock song won't ever change the world, but I can tell you about a couple that changed me.

bodhisatta said:
i recommend common sense and figuring it out.

These are the TEKs I use. They're all as cheap and easy as possible, just like your mom.

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Re: Source for larger master slant tubes and possibility of using jars as master slants? [Re: bodhisatta]
    #25574349 -

bodhisatta said:
Slants are small on purpose. Small opening to limit exposure, less volume of air in them, small surface area. Though big ones do work 50-60mm seems ridiculous to me, more of a jar than a tube at that point.

At the point of using a big jar for culture storage you would just store the petri dishes themselves.

Don't worry about size so much. Get what tubes you can get cheap and easily. There's many sizes that will work.


Thanks for the input.  My original plan was to go for 25mm Tubes but after running across a few threads that mentioned potentially larger tubes could increase longevity (larger/deeper agar mass not drying out as fast), I started to wonder.  I can see smaller tubes being great for having many cultures and limited space, but since cold storage space isn't an issue for me I figured go big...

Any idea why some have gone larger?

Also, what size slants do you use and how long do your cultures stay viable without re-slanting?

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