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Trich
Mushroom addict



Registered: 01/03/19
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The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK 5
#26066566 - 06/21/19 09:32 PM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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The Best No Pour Agar Plates To start off, I would like to say that, for your situation, you may have a superior product (I would like to share what I believe are the best, and most cost efficient dishes around). Using agar is an integral part of successful mushroom cultivation. If you didn't already know that, I'm sure this thread won't be of much interest to you. I am here to share with you, what I believe to be the very best option for no pour agar containers. I do realize that plenty of people pour their agar, and I would like to say good for you. This is honestly the easiest most effective way for many of us to produce agar plates. A lot of people use small ziplock containers, or glad mini rounds. If not those two, something of the like from the dollar store or what-have-you. They all are very similar and follow the same concept. Most of these plates follow the same dimensions, or similar. 1.5"-1 3/4" in height x 2" in diameter. The plates I use are 8Oz. deli cups. These cups are around 4.5" in diameter by 1 3/4" in height. Advantages- Cultures need some room to grow. The more the culture grows, (the larger in size the culture is) the more jars/bags you can inoculate using said culture
- If you perform tiger drops with your agar like I do, the jars colonize much faster because of the amount of mycelium placed on the grains (face it a 2" diameter plate versus a 4 1/2" plate, is simply no competition)
- These plates are re-usable up to 20 times, depending on how high you run your PSI
- The cost is unbeatable as far as I'm concerned- at $18.50 CAD equals out to roughly 13 cents a container (minus shipping, which I am not factoring, simply because it varies so widely)
- If you place your ventilation hole on the side of the cup, underneath the lip of the container- you do not need to wrap the containers with tinfoil, nor do you need to cover your filter tape with paper towel (which for efficiency's sake, is massive in my opinion) I find that it works well with these containers because the lip of the cup is more pronounced than most.
Disadvantages - If you run your pressure higher than 17PSI, I have found these containers to warp.
- If the lowest ring of plates touches the water at 17PSI for some reason, it will pop the lids off.
I can fit 28 of these containers into my 23qt presto pressure cooker with ease. I can easily prepare 150 plates in a single day if need be. I just wanted to share these wonderful dishes with everyone, because they work so great for me. I don't ever plan on switching over to pouring agar. I have poured before, and just truly appreciate the simplicity of no pour using these cups. If you think there is a better container out there, I would love to see it!  Here is a link where you can buy these containers.https://www.webstaurantstore.com/choice-8-oz-microwavable-contact-clear-round-deli-container-and-lid-combo-pack-case/127RD8COMBO.htmlI can't take credit for discovering these beauties, they were discovered by @willymycosnemesis who introduced me to them! All credit where credit is due.
Edited by Trich (06/21/19 10:38 PM)
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Tstone
St.of Circumstance



Registered: 10/16/18
Posts: 944
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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: Trich] 1
#26066654 - 06/21/19 10:26 PM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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How many plates you getting per 500ml? Might be cool for the 3-4th transfers before final drop, but a lot of agar for initial innocs and transfers, isn't it? Are the dishes squeezeable to drop the agar? Does squeezing crack them?
-------------------- Wake now, discover that you are the song that morning brings, but the heart has it's seasons, it's evenings and songs of it's own"
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Trich
Mushroom addict



Registered: 01/03/19
Posts: 492
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 9 days, 1 hour
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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: Tstone]
#26066669 - 06/21/19 10:37 PM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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I pour reasonably thin personally
I usually get 25 to 30 plates per 500 ml; however, if you use them for nocc as I do, I pour plates specifically for that reason.
What i mean is, I pour them extra light- I wont even cover the bottom surface, and when i take them out to cool, I cool them on an angle, so the agar pools in to one side, making a smaller patch of agar.
Also, yes they are squeezable and do not crack!
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noluckdude
El Duderino


Registered: 05/10/19
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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: Trich]
#26066692 - 06/21/19 10:57 PM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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Does it really come with 250 for $19? Or am I reading that link wrong?
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Tstone
St.of Circumstance



Registered: 10/16/18
Posts: 944
Loc: This Planet
Last seen: 24 days, 6 hours
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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: Trich]
#26066693 - 06/21/19 10:58 PM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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Right on. At times, I do wish the mini rounds were a tad bigger, but I do like them for initial inoculation. Because of my eye sight at a certain short range distance", it's tough for me to see a drop from the syringe through the SAB. So for me, I put SHIPS on top of mini rounds for initial spores, and I do them open air , without problems while putting them 3-4" from my face after needle has pierced the ship, so I can actually see a drop,lol. It's what I need to do for precise injections. Wonder if those lids are drilleable for a SHIP? Trying to get a precise drop out, with an open plate lid and poor eye sight looking through a SAB, quickly and efficiently isn't happening for me.
I have been doing dozens of petris recently, really just for size, but I hate pacing around until it cools for limited condensation for pouring, which is close to an hour. I do like pulling no-pours out of PC and being done with them. Mini rounds don't stack nicely. Minis are tough to photograph as well. How's the visibility in the deli dishes?
-------------------- Wake now, discover that you are the song that morning brings, but the heart has it's seasons, it's evenings and songs of it's own"
Edited by Tstone (06/21/19 11:08 PM)
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Trich
Mushroom addict



Registered: 01/03/19
Posts: 492
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 9 days, 1 hour
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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: noluckdude]
#26067160 - 06/22/19 07:55 AM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
noluckdude said: Does it really come with 250 for $19? Or am I reading that link wrong?
It really does!
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Trich
Mushroom addict



Registered: 01/03/19
Posts: 492
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 9 days, 1 hour
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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: Tstone]
#26067163 - 06/22/19 07:59 AM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
Tstone said: Right on. At times, I do wish the mini rounds were a tad bigger, but I do like them for initial inoculation. Because of my eye sight at a certain short range distance", it's tough for me to see a drop from the syringe through the SAB. So for me, I put SHIPS on top of mini rounds for initial spores, and I do them open air , without problems while putting them 3-4" from my face after needle has pierced the ship, so I can actually see a drop,lol. It's what I need to do for precise injections. Wonder if those lids are drilleable for a SHIP? Trying to get a precise drop out, with an open plate lid and poor eye sight looking through a SAB, quickly and efficiently isn't happening for me.
I have been doing dozens of petris recently, really just for size, but I hate pacing around until it cools for limited condensation for pouring, which is close to an hour. I do like pulling no-pours out of PC and being done with them. Mini rounds don't stack nicely. Minis are tough to photograph as well. How's the visibility in the deli dishes?
These containers are easily drillable. They are strong plastic, but weak enough to bend, and drill holes in easily.
These stack great

And the visibility can't be beat. It is comparable to petris. Which i find a huge advantage.
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Tstone
St.of Circumstance



Registered: 10/16/18
Posts: 944
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Last seen: 24 days, 6 hours
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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: Trich]
#26067167 - 06/22/19 08:01 AM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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Sold,lol
-------------------- Wake now, discover that you are the song that morning brings, but the heart has it's seasons, it's evenings and songs of it's own"
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Trich
Mushroom addict



Registered: 01/03/19
Posts: 492
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 9 days, 1 hour
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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: Tstone]
#26067173 - 06/22/19 08:06 AM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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I wish I had connections with the web-restaurant store 
I feel like I should make commission- These are definitely going to be more widely used depending on how many people see the thread.
The price point is unbeatable.
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Tstone
St.of Circumstance



Registered: 10/16/18
Posts: 944
Loc: This Planet
Last seen: 24 days, 6 hours
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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: Trich]
#26067187 - 06/22/19 08:13 AM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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250 count and reuseable ( about 20 times you said), a box gonna last a life time, 5000 uses. Restaurant Store gonna say " damn, these things flying off the shelf." That's a solid return on $18.
-------------------- Wake now, discover that you are the song that morning brings, but the heart has it's seasons, it's evenings and songs of it's own"
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Trich
Mushroom addict



Registered: 01/03/19
Posts: 492
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 9 days, 1 hour
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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: Tstone]
#26067189 - 06/22/19 08:17 AM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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That's my thing man.
This is literally something that I don't think has a comparable counterpart.
Now, don't get me wrong, once and a while one will warp. Every 5 cycles I lose a few because I run my P.C. at 17 PSI. I only run at 17 PSI because I use a gas stovetop, and getting the heat to sit properly to maintain 15 PSI is too dicey and there is too high of a chance of the PSI dropping below 15 and fucking everything up.
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micelio
Song of Silence


Registered: 04/22/14
Posts: 1,547
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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: Trich]
#26067219 - 06/22/19 08:39 AM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
Trich said: That's my thing man.
This is literally something that I don't think has a comparable counterpart.
Now, don't get me wrong, once and a while one will warp. Every 5 cycles I lose a few because I run my P.C. at 17 PSI. I only run at 17 PSI because I use a gas stovetop, and getting the heat to sit properly to maintain 15 PSI is too dicey and there is too high of a chance of the PSI dropping below 15 and fucking everything up.
I don't see that there's a problem going under 15psi.. Just add a little more pc time.
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bw86
Doesn't play well with others


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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: micelio]
#26067222 - 06/22/19 08:43 AM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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I run my pc at 14 psi so that way i hardly ever hear it.
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Tstone
St.of Circumstance



Registered: 10/16/18
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Last seen: 24 days, 6 hours
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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: bw86]
#26067237 - 06/22/19 08:51 AM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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At high altitude, max I can get 13 psi. Here's trying to manage 40 some mini rounds, definitely don't stack too well, been converting to plates, now gonna convert to deli dishes.
-------------------- Wake now, discover that you are the song that morning brings, but the heart has it's seasons, it's evenings and songs of it's own"
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J. Jack Flash
stranger than ever.

Registered: 11/20/13
Posts: 1,500
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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: Tstone]
#26067269 - 06/22/19 09:11 AM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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good stuff. how difficult is it to get the lid off with one hand?
my thinking is, squeez/flexibility isn't a good thing to me unless they seal tightly. and if they seal tightly, it's hard to one-hand the lids.
here's my no-pour solution.
everything has it's pros and cons. yours looks good enough to give a try. thank you for posting.
--------------------
the j stands for jesus.2020 new years grow along
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bw86
Doesn't play well with others


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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: J. Jack Flash]
#26067274 - 06/22/19 09:16 AM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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j jack that is exactly what i used before i started pouring plates. They are the BEST for shipping cultures because they wont crack.But the clarity does suck, especially after being used a few times. Also i PC'd them inside the flat Chinese food containers and i would stack them in the PC like that.
Edited by bw86 (06/22/19 09:20 AM)
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J. Jack Flash
stranger than ever.

Registered: 11/20/13
Posts: 1,500
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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: bw86]
#26067305 - 06/22/19 09:32 AM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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agreed, the visibility isn't great. and they're expensive. and fairly a bitch to clean and dry. and the cooking process usually causes a few unusable ones.
and the process i've developed around them is rad for me. and i don't throw piles of non-recycleable plates away. and 10ml is more than enough to cover the bottom. and they behave as legit petri dishes, because the are.
nevertheless, these cups are neat.
--------------------
the j stands for jesus.2020 new years grow along
Edited by J. Jack Flash (06/22/19 09:33 AM)
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Trich
Mushroom addict



Registered: 01/03/19
Posts: 492
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 9 days, 1 hour
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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: J. Jack Flash]
#26067334 - 06/22/19 09:52 AM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
J. Jack Flash said: good stuff. how difficult is it to get the lid off with one hand?
my thinking is, squeez/flexibility isn't a good thing to me unless they seal tightly. and if they seal tightly, it's hard to one-hand the lids.
here's my no-pour solution.
everything has it's pros and cons. yours looks good enough to give a try. thank you for posting.
One handing these lids is feasible, but not preferred by me.
I typically loosen the lid, then flame, then do my work. They get a nice seal, but not so much that they are hard to get off. They are much easier than mini rounds to remove the lid. That's my personal opinion.
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Trich
Mushroom addict



Registered: 01/03/19
Posts: 492
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 9 days, 1 hour
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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: micelio]
#26067340 - 06/22/19 09:56 AM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
micelio said:
Quote:
Trich said: That's my thing man.
This is literally something that I don't think has a comparable counterpart.
Now, don't get me wrong, once and a while one will warp. Every 5 cycles I lose a few because I run my P.C. at 17 PSI. I only run at 17 PSI because I use a gas stovetop, and getting the heat to sit properly to maintain 15 PSI is too dicey and there is too high of a chance of the PSI dropping below 15 and fucking everything up.
I don't see that there's a problem going under 15psi.. Just add a little more pc time.
I am huge on efficiency, so I hate losing time when in production mode.
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Grimsweeper
don't fear the sweeper


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Re: The BEST agar plates for no pour TEK [Re: Trich]
#26067360 - 06/22/19 10:15 AM (4 years, 7 months ago) |
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Nice find trich. Thing I used to dislike about no pour in ziplocks is the high wall and small diameter for maneuverability with a blade. These look wide enough to work with. Stacking looks great too. If I were still doing no pours I'd be all over it.
-------------------- When you clean a vacuum cleaner you are a vacuum cleaner Build yourself a Flow Hood in these 99 simple steps
 
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