|
ahick
Stranger

Registered: 08/26/19
Posts: 46
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
Contaminated agar plates?
#26444972 - 01/21/20 06:59 PM (4 years, 8 days ago) |
|
|
So I’m new to to trying to grow shrooms. I completed the PF Tek a couple months ago and got several flushes with little to no issues. I am now running my second attempt at a mono and not seeing any pins. I’ve been trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong when I noticed the underside of some of my agar dishes seems to be an orangish color (I used green food coloring to make them). Is this a contam issue? Has anyone else experienced this before? I paid very close attention to the plates as the myc was growing and tossed a couple plates where I saw an obvious contam, but didn’t see anything on these. Could it be a mold or something that I’ve just been transferring from plate to plate? To note is that it has happened with multiple strains and on more than one kind of agar.
|
iwh678
Budget Mycologist



Registered: 01/22/14
Posts: 396
Loc: USA
Last seen: 1 year, 6 months
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: ahick]
#26445012 - 01/21/20 07:14 PM (4 years, 8 days ago) |
|
|
Those look fine. That's just color distortion from the agar.
How long has the mono been in fruiting conditions? Post some pictures of it, you problem is likely there.
|
ahick
Stranger

Registered: 08/26/19
Posts: 46
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: iwh678]
#26445070 - 01/21/20 07:40 PM (4 years, 8 days ago) |
|
|
Today:

Yesterday:

2 days ago:

I spawned to bulk 1-5 and put into fruiting conditions on 1/15. Seems that an opaque covering has kind covered the entire tub.
|
Sockadin



Registered: 01/03/10
Posts: 7,244
Last seen: 2 months, 20 days
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: ahick]
#26445091 - 01/21/20 07:46 PM (4 years, 8 days ago) |
|
|
Nothing is wrong, you are so close to seeing an explosion in PIns!!!!
Nice job mate
|
SynKyd
ctrl-alt-delite



Registered: 09/27/13
Posts: 1,554
Loc: ૐ
Last seen: 2 years, 9 months
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: Sockadin]
#26445095 - 01/21/20 07:47 PM (4 years, 8 days ago) |
|
|
-------------------- New inclusive poop emojis from Apple!
   
|
ahick
Stranger

Registered: 08/26/19
Posts: 46
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: Sockadin]
#26445111 - 01/21/20 07:54 PM (4 years, 8 days ago) |
|
|
Quote:
Sockadin said: Nothing is wrong, you are so close to seeing an explosion in PIns!!!!
Nice job mate
Wow, you think so? I'm ready for the explosion lol...
|
Sockadin



Registered: 01/03/10
Posts: 7,244
Last seen: 2 months, 20 days
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: ahick] 1
#26445167 - 01/21/20 08:17 PM (4 years, 8 days ago) |
|
|
Yeah see all the pimples in todays pic? Shit looks good man. Go to sleep and you will wake up with Pins!
|
ahick
Stranger

Registered: 08/26/19
Posts: 46
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: ahick]
#26446979 - 01/22/20 06:53 PM (4 years, 7 days ago) |
|
|
Today’s pic:

Still no sign of pinning. The entire top of the tub has taken on more of a greyish appearance. Is this normal. Still look ok? I just feel like from other’s results that I have seen on here that I should’ve been seeing something resembling pins by now.
|
ahick
Stranger

Registered: 08/26/19
Posts: 46
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: ahick]
#26449061 - 01/23/20 09:50 PM (4 years, 6 days ago) |
|
|

So here is today’s pic. Still no signs of pinning and we are 18 days post spawn and been in fruiting conditions for 9. Where to go from here? Should I just give it more time. Should I toss it? Maybe a dunk or something. Any thoughts/suggestions appreciated?
|
Mr Solo Dolo


Registered: 02/24/19
Posts: 243
Loc: U.S
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: ahick]
#26449102 - 01/23/20 10:15 PM (4 years, 6 days ago) |
|
|
How does the surface look up close? I usually see small beads of water cover the surface once it fully colonizes like that.. also the sides of the tub in general looks pretty dry(usually has a bit of condensation from the moisture coming from the whole cake)
My first tub took a long time too.. I think longer than your situation but it eventually happened..
--------------------
  LIFE'S A TRIP..  
|
ahick
Stranger

Registered: 08/26/19
Posts: 46
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
|
Quote:
ZombieVibes said: How does the surface look up close? I usually see small beads of water cover the surface once it fully colonizes like that.. also the sides of the tub in general looks pretty dry(usually has a bit of condensation from the moisture coming from the whole cake)
My first tub took a long time too.. I think longer than your situation but it eventually happened..

I’ve been having to spray the sides as they have been drying out. I have a small fan about 3 feet from the tub pointing away. When it was first fully colonized, it did have those beads of water, but they eventually dried out. I’ve been misting a couple of times a day since.
|
Mr Solo Dolo


Registered: 02/24/19
Posts: 243
Loc: U.S
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: ahick]
#26449115 - 01/23/20 10:29 PM (4 years, 6 days ago) |
|
|
Yeah that sounds kinda dry .. Don't mist the sides of the tub, mist above it so that the mist falls gently to the surface. I would mist til there's a decent layer covering the cake and let it soak in.. keep doing every so often til there's little beads of water staying around on the top of the surface it should be ok.. just be careful of pooling water .. also fan if necessary
--------------------
  LIFE'S A TRIP..  
|
Mr Solo Dolo


Registered: 02/24/19
Posts: 243
Loc: U.S
|
|
Proper surface conditions are where it's at.. this tek helped me understand alot
https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/23999053
--------------------
  LIFE'S A TRIP..  
|
ahick
Stranger

Registered: 08/26/19
Posts: 46
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
|
Quote:
ZombieVibes said: Proper surface conditions are where it's at.. this tek helped me understand alot
https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/23999053

Thanks for the replies. I had read this and I did ha e proper surface conditions when I first put into fruiting conditions. I expected pins but they just never happened. And as the days have gone by it has just gotten more and more dry even though I’ve misted sides and surface. Maybe next time no fan. Or maybe I just try one of those I modified tubs with no holes. This is proving more difficult than I had thought. I just want some shrooms damnit lol...
|
Mr Solo Dolo


Registered: 02/24/19
Posts: 243
Loc: U.S
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: ahick]
#26449156 - 01/23/20 11:25 PM (4 years, 5 days ago) |
|
|
Yeah I don't think a fan is necessary that could be it.. unless your having really bad fae problems or growing in a place with really stagnant air.. I would personally leave that out
Also just a tip When I mist heavily to rehydrate a tub usually quite alot of water runs down the side and pools at the bottom so be sure to dump the extra water that builds up .. (sometimes if I have a liner and it's a small tub I just take the whole cake out to give it a good misting.. I like to try to shake the condensation from the tub when ever I do that.. just a preference)
A good microclimate on the surface of the cake is basically what your aiming for and trying to keep it at
Edited by Mr Solo Dolo (01/23/20 11:34 PM)
|
ahick
Stranger

Registered: 08/26/19
Posts: 46
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
|
Well, nothing as of today so I decided to try a little experiment. I dunked it for a few hours, did a light scratch yo the surface, and put a very thin case layer on top. Guess we’ll see what happens
|
numnum59
Pro-Am Mycologist


Registered: 12/07/11
Posts: 1,189
Last seen: 5 months, 21 days
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: ahick]
#26451021 - 01/25/20 12:06 AM (4 years, 4 days ago) |
|
|
i think you may be opening it too often, causing the c02 to escape thus causing it not to pin. this is a hobby of patience... just wait until you stumble upon growing sclerotia
|
ahick
Stranger

Registered: 08/26/19
Posts: 46
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: ahick]
#26457785 - 01/28/20 11:18 PM (4 years, 23 hours ago) |
|
|
Quote:
ahick said: Well, nothing as of today so I decided to try a little experiment. I dunked it for a few hours, did a light scratch yo the surface, and put a very thin case layer on top. Guess we’ll see what happens
Amazingly, I have a few pins forming around the edges and a couple in the middle. Guess it wasn’t completely toast. I’m totally guessing here, but I think my issue has been too much FAE. since scratching the surface and casing, I have had the top magnets as shown and the ironed polyfil covering the bottom holes. I noticed that in this set up, there were circles around the polyfil holes where it’d dry out, but the rest of the tub hasn’t dried out...including the surface of cased layer. Anyway, a small bit of excitement. Hopefully I come home from work tomorrow and it’s booming in pins!

|
jbgtaa
extraterrestrial



Registered: 06/09/19
Posts: 1,785
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: ahick]
#26457850 - 01/29/20 01:01 AM (4 years, 21 hours ago) |
|
|
Man dude you’re fucking with it way too much. As long as your grain is properly hydrated and your substrate was at field capacity then you’ll get mushrooms. The rest is left up to time. That’s it.
-------------------- If the thunder don't get ya, the lightning will. In another time's forgotten space, your eyes looked through your mother's face. Trade List Forever giving away prints. PM at anytime for a free print.
|
numnum59
Pro-Am Mycologist


Registered: 12/07/11
Posts: 1,189
Last seen: 5 months, 21 days
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: jbgtaa]
#26460877 - 01/30/20 07:25 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
jbgtaa said: Man dude you’re fucking with it way too much. As long as your grain is properly hydrated and your substrate was at field capacity then you’ll get mushrooms. The rest is left up to time. That’s it.
|
Sockadin



Registered: 01/03/10
Posts: 7,244
Last seen: 2 months, 20 days
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: numnum59]
#26460886 - 01/30/20 07:29 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
|
|
So adding a casing layer created an added layer of mositure. You could have done the same thing with a plastic bag or plastic wrap to trap some moisture in and then removing it as the pins develop.
Cool that you got so mushies forming! BUt yeah dont mess with it.
|
ahick
Stranger

Registered: 08/26/19
Posts: 46
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: Sockadin]
#26460996 - 01/30/20 08:29 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
Sockadin said: So adding a casing layer created an added layer of mositure. You could have done the same thing with a plastic bag or plastic wrap to trap some moisture in and then removing it as the pins develop.
Cool that you got so mushies forming! BUt yeah dont mess with it.
Thanks for the informational reply. That makes sense. As per the other two replies, I appreciate your response; however, I wasn't "fucking with it too much." The sub fully colonized after about 8 days and then I put it into fruiting conditions as per the tek i was following. Apparently, there was too much FAE or something because it kept drying out. I was on here looking for advice and didn't really get any except that it looked too dry. I waited several more days (15 days in fruiting conditions to be exact) and nothing, so THEN, I started "fucking with it" if you call fucking with it scratching the surface and adding a casing layer. No one else had any suggestions except that it looked too dry so I ran an experiment. I figured at this point what the hell, it's not doing anything now anyway. If i knew what I know now, I would've just cased it or maybe tried the plastic thing you were talking. Nonetheless, I will have a few shroomies soon anyway. Live and learn I guess. Better luck next time me...
|
numnum59
Pro-Am Mycologist


Registered: 12/07/11
Posts: 1,189
Last seen: 5 months, 21 days
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: ahick]
#26462717 - 01/31/20 07:29 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
ahick said:
Quote:
Sockadin said: So adding a casing layer created an added layer of mositure. You could have done the same thing with a plastic bag or plastic wrap to trap some moisture in and then removing it as the pins develop.
Cool that you got so mushies forming! BUt yeah dont mess with it.
Thanks for the informational reply. That makes sense. As per the other two replies, I appreciate your response; however, I wasn't "fucking with it too much." The sub fully colonized after about 8 days and then I put it into fruiting conditions as per the tek i was following. Apparently, there was too much FAE or something because it kept drying out. I was on here looking for advice and didn't really get any except that it looked too dry. I waited several more days (15 days in fruiting conditions to be exact) and nothing, so THEN, I started "fucking with it" if you call fucking with it scratching the surface and adding a casing layer. No one else had any suggestions except that it looked too dry so I ran an experiment. I figured at this point what the hell, it's not doing anything now anyway. If i knew what I know now, I would've just cased it or maybe tried the plastic thing you were talking. Nonetheless, I will have a few shroomies soon anyway. Live and learn I guess. Better luck next time me...

i went back and re read through the post. by your pictures you literally opened the lid for 5 days in a row to take pictures. again i will say you are allowing the CO2 to escape thus causing the sub to not pin... AKA not having patience and fucking with it too much as we originally stated... again this is a hobby of patience
|
numnum59
Pro-Am Mycologist


Registered: 12/07/11
Posts: 1,189
Last seen: 5 months, 21 days
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: numnum59]
#26462721 - 01/31/20 07:31 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
|
|
also opening the lid too much would cause the humidity to escape, thus drying the substrate out... i know i personally wait till my sub is 100% colonized then i will mist/ fan every other day (not necessary) .. hope you learn something from this...
my biggest tip is to do multiple grows at a time so youre not putting all your eggs in one basket
|
Mr Solo Dolo


Registered: 02/24/19
Posts: 243
Loc: U.S
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: numnum59]
#26462825 - 01/31/20 09:07 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
|
|
IME I don't really think co2 build up is ever a problem.. mostly maintaining proper surface conditions and proper FAE.. I mean people fruit in open air and not worry about trying to build up co2..
Also decided to check the search engine.. and found this discussion about co2..
https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/6624722#6624722
Pretty sure I can find more with the same type of info (actually did, just don't want to post all the links) do with that what you will..
Nothing wrong with opening the lid to check up on things or take pictures
--------------------
  LIFE'S A TRIP..  
Edited by Mr Solo Dolo (02/01/20 03:32 AM)
|
ahick
Stranger

Registered: 08/26/19
Posts: 46
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
|
|

So I’ve read that this white base is caused by humidity and/or not enough FAE. I know it happened on my first PF tek grow at just the bases; however, in this tub it seems to be overtaking the cubes. It’s almost as if it is growing instead of the shroom. I know it has actives, it was just curious if I should continue as is or change something up (increase FAE, etc.)?
|
Sockadin



Registered: 01/03/10
Posts: 7,244
Last seen: 2 months, 20 days
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: ahick]
#26465781 - 02/02/20 06:29 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
|
|
More FAE in my opinion.
|
Prietenul
Friend

Registered: 11/22/19
Posts: 379
Loc: Germination
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
|
Re: Contaminated agar plates? [Re: ahick]
#26465789 - 02/02/20 06:30 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
ahick said: So I’ve read that this white base is caused by humidity and/or not enough FAE. I know it happened on my first PF tek grow at just the bases; however, in this tub it seems to be overtaking the cubes. It’s almost as if it is growing instead of the shroom. I know it has actives, it was just curious if I should continue as is or change something up (increase FAE, etc.)?
So you answered your own question there. If it happens due to not enough FAE, yes, then you should increase FAE 
See: Fuzzy Feet
Edited by Prietenul (02/02/20 06:31 PM)
|
|