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antmanmax
Padawan



Registered: 03/22/19
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Water bath or hot plate / spinner for agar?
#26482791 - 02/12/20 09:10 PM (4 years, 4 days ago) |
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Title is pretty self explanatory. I hate playing the waiting game where I have to watch my agar like a hawk before pouring so that it doesn't burn me, but doesn't solidify halfway through the pour.
What do you guys recommend? A water bath seems to be the professional option for agar, but they get pretty pricey. A hot plate on the other hand doesn't seem nearly as reliable, and a hot plate with a magnetic stirrer gets to be just as expensive as water baths.
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Smartattack
C'mon man



Registered: 12/21/18
Posts: 3,776
Loc: A thought
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Re: Water bath or hot plate / spinner for agar? [Re: antmanmax]
#26482825 - 02/12/20 09:34 PM (4 years, 4 days ago) |
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I feel your pain. I was personally considering getting one of those sous vide things and trying that out.
-------------------- * Smarts videos * Planet of the APES   I'm a fungal white supremacist.
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c10h12n2o
serial dilutor



Registered: 01/21/15
Posts: 3,200
Loc: the abyss
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Re: Water bath or hot plate / spinner for agar? [Re: Smartattack]
#26482846 - 02/12/20 09:54 PM (4 years, 4 days ago) |
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Neither is going to save you time, that's for sure. I have both and have tried both, both are slow af
Best solution is an infrared thermometer gun, just check the bottle until it hits 60c then start pouring. I can easily pour a liter before it starts to gel up
And for reheating , just use a microwave and the thermometer gun
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  C10's Agar Guide + Tips and Tricks | c10's Flow Hood Build Guide "Partial knowledge is more triumphant than complete knowledge; it takes things to be simpler than they are, and so makes its theory more popular and convincing." "Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies" ― Friedrich Nietzsche
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gizmo1



Registered: 06/15/11
Posts: 3,831
Loc: FREEDOM
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Re: Water bath or hot plate / spinner for agar? [Re: c10h12n2o] 1
#26482860 - 02/12/20 10:03 PM (4 years, 3 days ago) |
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Lol I tried reheating my agar in a boiling water bath a couple months ago. I swear thats the last time I'll ever try that shit. Took for fucking ever. Microwave is where its at for reheating. A sous vide would be awesome to have for cooking and im sure it would help keep the agar at temps if you get busy or whatever. I just use the infared thermometer like c10 said. Helps me pour at the right time. Works good enough as long as you dont get distracted which tends to happen with me lol, and I know its not necessary but I like having one and rrying to pour right around 117°F.
Edited by gizmo1 (02/12/20 10:06 PM)
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Smartattack
C'mon man



Registered: 12/21/18
Posts: 3,776
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Re: Water bath or hot plate / spinner for agar? [Re: gizmo1] 1
#26482882 - 02/12/20 10:15 PM (4 years, 3 days ago) |
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I used the IR thermo, but when pouring a few liters it would be nice to just store the next bottles at or near pouring temp.
-------------------- * Smarts videos * Planet of the APES   I'm a fungal white supremacist.
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antmanmax
Padawan



Registered: 03/22/19
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Re: Water bath or hot plate / spinner for agar? [Re: gizmo1]
#26482917 - 02/12/20 11:01 PM (4 years, 3 days ago) |
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Quote:
c10h12n2o said: Neither is going to save you time, that's for sure. I have both and have tried both, both are slow af
My issue isn't time, I understand it won't cool down any faster.
The idea is I'll be able to do something else instead of taking temperature readings every minute hoping it's at the right temperature.
Quote:
gizmo1 said: Lol I tried reheating my agar in a boiling water bath a couple months ago. I swear thats the last time I'll ever try that shit. Took for fucking ever. Microwave is where its at for reheating. A sous vide would be awesome to have for cooking and im sure it would help keep the agar at temps if you get busy or whatever. I just use the infared thermometer like c10 said. Helps me pour at the right time. Works good enough as long as you dont get distracted which tends to happen with me lol, and I know its not necessary but I like having one and rrying to pour right around 117°F.
Oh for sure, microwave is how I get it hot, but I'm talking about something where I can set it and forget it, and come back whenever I'm ready.
A precision cooker is a HILARIOUS idea, I might get that just for being able to say it's not a unitasker (praise Alton Brown)
I already have an infrared thermometer. I just hate the tediousness of testing it every few minutes. I want it to be at the perfect temperature.
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Parafaragaramus
Conquistador



Registered: 01/21/13
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Re: Water bath or hot plate / spinner for agar? [Re: antmanmax]
#26483195 - 02/13/20 07:14 AM (4 years, 3 days ago) |
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Just made some agar last weekend for the first time in a while. While it was pcing I heated up some water to around 130 or so and put in the agar after the PC. It seemed to work alright I was able to get set up and do a couple things before pouring.
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D3_Myc
Weeb Trash



Registered: 05/06/18
Posts: 4,399
Loc: Year Zero
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Re: Water bath or hot plate / spinner for agar? [Re: Parafaragaramus]
#26483202 - 02/13/20 07:21 AM (4 years, 3 days ago) |
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Quote:
Parafaragaramus said: Just made some agar last weekend for the first time in a while. While it was pcing I heated up some water to around 130 or so and put in the agar after the PC. It seemed to work alright I was able to get set up and do a couple things before pouring.
That’s what I do, heat up a pot of water to about 130f and set my media bottles in there while I prep.
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bodhisatta 
Smurf real estate agent


Registered: 04/30/13
Posts: 61,890
Loc: Milky way
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Re: Water bath or hot plate / spinner for agar? [Re: gizmo1] 2
#26483242 - 02/13/20 08:10 AM (4 years, 3 days ago) |
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Quote:
gizmo1 said: Lol I tried reheating my agar in a boiling water bath a couple months ago. I swear thats the last time I'll ever try that shit. Took for fucking ever. Microwave is where its at for reheating. A sous vide would be awesome to have for cooking and im sure it would help keep the agar at temps if you get busy or whatever. I just use the infared thermometer like c10 said. Helps me pour at the right time. Works good enough as long as you dont get distracted which tends to happen with me lol, and I know its not necessary but I like having one and rrying to pour right around 117°F.
The water bath isn't ever for reheating. You can put a bottle of solidified agar into boiling water and it will take forever.
The water bath does two things
Freshly sterilized agar that's 200 something degrees will cool down to pouring temperature way faster in 120F water than it will in 68F air. Because water is something like a few thousand times better at heat transfer.
And it keeps it from getting too cold and solidifying if you accidentally take a dab nap
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c10h12n2o
serial dilutor



Registered: 01/21/15
Posts: 3,200
Loc: the abyss
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Re: Water bath or hot plate / spinner for agar? [Re: bodhisatta]
#26483465 - 02/13/20 10:44 AM (4 years, 3 days ago) |
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Exactly. I was saying It wouldnt heat up faster, rather, much slower
Like bod said, it actually WILL cool down faster in a water bath, but at least it will maintain the temp where you want it
I guess I'm always in agar mode when I'm doing agar, so never had an issue of missing the pour window
You could probably use a slow cooker to achieve the same ends (the way I pasteurize hpoo), just dont trust the dial and make sure you check the real temps
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  C10's Agar Guide + Tips and Tricks | c10's Flow Hood Build Guide "Partial knowledge is more triumphant than complete knowledge; it takes things to be simpler than they are, and so makes its theory more popular and convincing." "Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies" ― Friedrich Nietzsche
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WeavieWonder
Time Travel Sucks



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Re: Water bath or hot plate / spinner for agar? [Re: Smartattack]
#26483524 - 02/13/20 11:23 AM (4 years, 3 days ago) |
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Quote:
Smartattack said: I feel your pain. I was personally considering getting one of those sous vide things and trying that out.
Me too. When pouring multiple bottles, I take each bottle out of the pc in ten minute intervals so they don't all reach pouring temp at the same time. Kind of a pain. It would be nice to take them all out at once, stick them in a watet bath, and then go to bed. This way I can get to it when I get to it. When I'm ready, the agar will be ready. No waiting after a reheat.
Totally unnessecary, but having some flexability is worth the investment (for me at least). Time is a scarce resource sometimes.
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antmanmax
Padawan



Registered: 03/22/19
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Re: Water bath or hot plate / spinner for agar? [Re: WeavieWonder]
#26484068 - 02/13/20 05:02 PM (4 years, 3 days ago) |
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Quote:
WeavieWonder said:
Quote:
Smartattack said: I feel your pain. I was personally considering getting one of those sous vide things and trying that out.
Me too. When pouring multiple bottles, I take each bottle out of the pc in ten minute intervals so they don't all reach pouring temp at the same time. Kind of a pain. It would be nice to take them all out at once, stick them in a watet bath, and then go to bed. This way I can get to it when I get to it. When I'm ready, the agar will be ready. No waiting after a reheat.
Totally unnessecary, but having some flexability is worth the investment (for me at least). Time is a scarce resource sometimes.
This 100%. I might do the immersion precision cooker method. Also is an excuse for me to get a vacuum sealer as well.
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Smartattack
C'mon man



Registered: 12/21/18
Posts: 3,776
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Re: Water bath or hot plate / spinner for agar? [Re: antmanmax]
#26484106 - 02/13/20 05:21 PM (4 years, 3 days ago) |
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Do the smart thing. Buy both items as Valentine's gifts for the Mrs.
-------------------- * Smarts videos * Planet of the APES   I'm a fungal white supremacist.
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gizmo1



Registered: 06/15/11
Posts: 3,831
Loc: FREEDOM
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Re: Water bath or hot plate / spinner for agar? [Re: bodhisatta]
#26484110 - 02/13/20 05:22 PM (4 years, 3 days ago) |
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Quote:
bodhisatta said:
Quote:
gizmo1 said: Lol I tried reheating my agar in a boiling water bath a couple months ago. I swear thats the last time I'll ever try that shit. Took for fucking ever. Microwave is where its at for reheating. A sous vide would be awesome to have for cooking and im sure it would help keep the agar at temps if you get busy or whatever. I just use the infared thermometer like c10 said. Helps me pour at the right time. Works good enough as long as you dont get distracted which tends to happen with me lol, and I know its not necessary but I like having one and rrying to pour right around 117°F.
The water bath isn't ever for reheating. You can put a bottle of solidified agar into boiling water and it will take forever.
The water bath does two things
Freshly sterilized agar that's 200 something degrees will cool down to pouring temperature way faster in 120F water than it will in 68F air. Because water is something like a few thousand times better at heat transfer.
And it keeps it from getting too cold and solidifying if you accidentally take a dab nap
Yup I know how the water bath works and I guess thats not really what I used. I got mixed up for a minute.What I did was used boiling water in a pot with a lid to reheat agar. I had a PC with no seal and a microwave that there was no way of fitting my media bottles in. Ive since replaced the PC seal ordered a extra PC and started using 250mL bottles(these fit in the microwave). I know now that it fuckin sucks trying to reheat in boiling water I think it took a couple hours. Which sucked. Lmao.
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antmanmax
Padawan



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Re: Water bath or hot plate / spinner for agar? [Re: Smartattack]
#26484148 - 02/13/20 05:47 PM (4 years, 3 days ago) |
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Quote:
Smartattack said: Do the smart thing. Buy both items as Valentine's gifts for the Mrs.
Giving kitchen accessories to a woman on Valentine's day, and then proceeding to use them more than she does? You trying to get me killed?
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Edited by antmanmax (02/13/20 05:49 PM)
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Sockadin



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Re: Water bath or hot plate / spinner for agar? [Re: bodhisatta]
#26484212 - 02/13/20 06:41 PM (4 years, 3 days ago) |
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Quote:
bodhisatta said:
Quote:
gizmo1 said: Lol I tried reheating my agar in a boiling water bath a couple months ago. I swear thats the last time I'll ever try that shit. Took for fucking ever. Microwave is where its at for reheating. A sous vide would be awesome to have for cooking and im sure it would help keep the agar at temps if you get busy or whatever. I just use the infared thermometer like c10 said. Helps me pour at the right time. Works good enough as long as you dont get distracted which tends to happen with me lol, and I know its not necessary but I like having one and rrying to pour right around 117°F.
The water bath isn't ever for reheating. You can put a bottle of solidified agar into boiling water and it will take forever.
The water bath does two things
Freshly sterilized agar that's 200 something degrees will cool down to pouring temperature way faster in 120F water than it will in 68F air. Because water is something like a few thousand times better at heat transfer.
And it keeps it from getting too cold and solidifying if you accidentally take a dab nap
So if we are going to put it in a water bath Post PC or Microwave to cool down should we just put it in a water bath of room temperature flavored water?
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