|
Some of these posts are very old and might contain outdated information. You may wish to search for newer posts instead.
|
rams
MushTafa
Registered: 07/16/15
Posts: 423
Loc: Mt. Everest Base camp
|
sediments in the agar solution
#25757546 - 01/20/19 10:28 PM (5 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
How to get rid of these sediments in my agar .. initially i felt that the dextrose must be impure but now i believe its in the agar or something else.
i was making PDA till now
this time tried with MEA..
but the sediments are still there. I use Bottled drinking water for AGAR work and lab grade agar (at least the label said so). i am very sure that it is the agar that has these impurities. my first few plates comes clean but when the bottle becomes half and the sediments are disturbed the remaining plates the plates are filled with these. I have the end up throwing away some agar worth 4-5 plates every time because of these sediments in the bottom.
Did you guys ever met with this kind of agar problem ?
I know that the sediments wont impact the mycelium anyway but still the plates should look clean..
|
Spindlymass
wafer thin.
Registered: 09/25/17
Posts: 957
Loc:
Last seen: 1 month, 2 days
|
Re: sediments in the agar solution [Re: rams]
#25757663 - 01/21/19 12:16 AM (5 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
I use grain soak, corn meal and dog food agar. I always have some sediment. It doesn't bother me to have a few plates with sediment, they colonize fine, I wouldn't throw them away...
Perhaps your water, bottled or not, is causing sediment?
-------------------- enough knowledge to get into trouble. Not nearly enough to get out again.
|
ScotTony
Stranger
Registered: 03/13/18
Posts: 156
Loc: Europe
Last seen: 3 years, 6 months
|
Re: sediments in the agar solution [Re: Spindlymass]
#25757688 - 01/21/19 12:52 AM (5 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
This happens to me when pouring before sterilization. When the water is just hot enough for the agar to solidify, it tends to layer and the top layer is thin enough to go in the dishes but the agar left near the bottom is more viscous and makes these clumps. I found that by keeping the agar hot and mixing before pouring helps. It makes clumps when I agitate it when it gets cold near the solidifying temperature. Don't know if we are experiencing the same thing though and if this was helpfull...
|
rams
MushTafa
Registered: 07/16/15
Posts: 423
Loc: Mt. Everest Base camp
|
Re: sediments in the agar solution [Re: Spindlymass]
#25758174 - 01/21/19 09:13 AM (5 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
i throw a it away when the sediment:agar ratio reaches approximately 90:10 or 80:20 and that's massive .. may be next time i will save those plates for some kinda experiment
actually so far i was also in an impression that the water must be the problem, but when i added the agar and Malt extract with the warm water and dissolved it by shaking for some time i realized that the agar had still not dissolved properly and witnessed some transparent sediment kinda thing.
does the agar dissolves completely in warm water? if it does, then my agar is the problem because as i said mine doesn't dissolve completely, and if it doesn't then i have to change my water.
Quote:
Spindlymass said: I use grain soak, corn meal and dog food agar. I always have some sediment. It doesn't bother me to have a few plates with sediment, they colonize fine, I wouldn't throw them away...
Perhaps your water, bottled or not, is causing sediment?
|
Quadman
Challenged
Registered: 04/23/16
Posts: 2,529
Loc: IL
Last seen: 1 month, 19 days
|
Re: sediments in the agar solution [Re: rams]
#25758227 - 01/21/19 09:53 AM (5 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Agar doesn't dissolve in warm water. Bring it up to almost a boil to dissolve before PC . I just microwave it.
If pouring plates,agitate while you pour.
--------------------
Edited by Quadman (01/21/19 09:54 AM)
|
drake89
Mushroom Magnate
Registered: 06/26/11
Posts: 4,168
Loc: TN
Last seen: 5 years, 27 days
|
Re: sediments in the agar solution [Re: Quadman]
#25758381 - 01/21/19 11:29 AM (5 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
There is no problem with sediments
|
drake89
Mushroom Magnate
Registered: 06/26/11
Posts: 4,168
Loc: TN
Last seen: 5 years, 27 days
|
Re: sediments in the agar solution [Re: drake89]
#25758386 - 01/21/19 11:30 AM (5 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Bacteriological grade agar is more refined and about $100/lb if you're that picky
|
rams
MushTafa
Registered: 07/16/15
Posts: 423
Loc: Mt. Everest Base camp
|
Re: sediments in the agar solution [Re: drake89]
#25759753 - 01/21/19 11:04 PM (5 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
yeah .. it is better for me to stick with regular agar coz $100/lb is hell lot of money
Quote:
drake89 said: There is no problem with sediments
|
Inocybe
Stranger
Registered: 01/16/17
Posts: 328
Loc: Spain
|
Re: sediments in the agar solution [Re: Quadman]
#25760125 - 01/22/19 06:17 AM (5 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
Quadman said: Agar doesn't dissolve in warm water. Bring it up to almost a boil to dissolve before PC . I just microwave it.
If pouring plates,agitate while you pour.
As drake89 said, there is no problem with sediments. Sometimes I don't like them (on LC neither on slants), so I sterilize the medium first 15 min at 15 psi, let it cool to decant and filter the sediments, and then add agar (if making slants) and sterilize again.
|
drake89
Mushroom Magnate
Registered: 06/26/11
Posts: 4,168
Loc: TN
Last seen: 5 years, 27 days
|
Re: sediments in the agar solution [Re: rams]
#25760308 - 01/22/19 08:29 AM (5 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
rams said: yeah .. it is better for me to stick with regular agar coz $100/lb is hell lot of money
Quote:
drake89 said: There is no problem with sediments
I looked again on sigma aldrich and its $350/lb
|
rams
MushTafa
Registered: 07/16/15
Posts: 423
Loc: Mt. Everest Base camp
|
Re: sediments in the agar solution [Re: drake89]
#25760323 - 01/22/19 08:41 AM (5 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
I looked again on sigma aldrich and its $350/lb
its getting out of reach for me
|
|