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Moower
The Hatter



Registered: 02/21/20
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Sealing Petri dishes
#26515620 - 03/03/20 11:07 PM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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I've started gathering info about agar few weeks ago. From what I understand sealing dishes with parafilm serves few reasons:
-securing both parts together so they are easier to manipulate -keeping the contamination out of the way -allowing limited air exchange
Parafilm is hardly accessible where I leave, and when it does it's overpriced to oblivion. I was looking for alternative options. So far came up with:
-food plastic wrap (cheap but not as easy to manipulate in SAB due to much larger surface and won't allow for air exchange) -3M Micropore tape
Which of those 2 would be better substitute for parafilm in terms of function, and would micropore meet minimal requirements.
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scarabaeus
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Re: Sealing Petri dishes [Re: Moower]
#26515651 - 03/03/20 11:45 PM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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I hear you amigo -been there. Parafilm really is the way to go. It IS expensive at first but goes a long way. I have always found the plastic wrap methods to be a pain in the arse. It likes to stick to everything including itself -enough to make a teetotaler bible beater swear lots 'n lots lol. What I have always done (before I had the cash to buy parafilm, or I ran out) is use 'Johnson & Jonhnson First Aid Waterproof Tape'. It's the white tape that people use to adhere gauge bandages to their bodies when band-aids are too small to cover their boo boos.
It is available everywhere (almost) -Walmart/Green, Target, your local Supermarket or even yer corner Drugstore if you live in a super-rural community (not by ant means a bad thing, I'm trying to get further and furthet into the country the older I get lol).
The stuff I use when I have to is the 1 inch wide stuff. Don't get the 1/2 inch stuff because it doesn't cover well. The 1 inch stuff is ez-est to handle and it's cheap (only a couple or 3 bucks).
Ihope this helps and good luck with your experiments.
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Unknown error


Registered: 12/21/16
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Re: Sealing Petri dishes [Re: Moower] 1
#26515657 - 03/03/20 11:50 PM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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Cling wrap cut in to inch to inch and half rolls is easier to use and way cheaper than Parafilm. micropore tape or anything else that’s sticky is a pita.
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scarabaeus
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Registered: 06/13/18
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It looks like you be beat me to the post by a few seconds! Some people like to use plastic wrap, others like myself have always, and I do mean ALWAYS have found it to be a real pain. Different strokes for diff. folks. If it works for you -great. If you think there might be a better way other than Parafilm, I would urge you to give the J & J tape a try. Peace brother.
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wildernessjunkie
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Registered: 06/13/10
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Quote:
Unknown error said: Cling wrap cut in to inch to inch and half rolls is easier to use and way cheaper than Parafilm. micropore tape or anything else that’s sticky is a pita.
This. Cut the roll by sawing through it with a razor knife. I have parafilm on hand and usually use the cling wrap instead.
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scarabaeus
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Wow! Really? I guess it comes down to personal preference then. I hate that plastic sticky stuff that likes to fold all over itself. But it just goes to show that there is more than one way to skin a deer.
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EbilPhish
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Registered: 06/20/18
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Re: Sealing Petri dishes [Re: Moower]
#26515734 - 03/04/20 01:48 AM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Moower said: Parafilm is hardly accessible where I leave, and when it does it's overpriced to oblivion.
Can't get any on ebay/AliExpress? There's China sellers that ship worldwide and have it for basically nothing in various widths (although there might be Corona virus delays).
It's used in horticulture for grafting, tying up plants like tomato's and apparently florists (although those ones might be colored). So it might be available in some gardening place. Although it's popular enough that I also see it just listed as 'laboratory film'.
Quote:
scarabaeus said: Wow! Really? I guess it comes down to personal preference then. I hate that plastic sticky stuff that likes to fold all over itself. But it just goes to show that there is more than one way to skin a deer. 
That should only happen if you are pulling the whole piece off the roll then using it. If you press the roll against the plate then roll it around around the plate it shouldn't stick to itself except where you go over it (when you want it to stick). Bod has videos of him doing that.
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wildernessjunkie
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Re: Sealing Petri dishes [Re: EbilPhish]
#26515740 - 03/04/20 01:58 AM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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I think there might be some misunderstanding going on. You need to cut the section off while its still on the roll. Ive never had the plastic fold back on itself while using it.
I think Bod does have a video, but Im not going after it right now.
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Moower
The Hatter



Registered: 02/21/20
Posts: 90
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Last seen: 9 months, 1 day
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Quote:
scarabaeus said:I hear you amigo -been there. Parafilm really is the way to go. It IS expensive at first but goes a long way. I have always found the plastic wrap methods to be a pain in the arse. It likes to stick to everything including itself -enough to make a teetotaler bible beater swear lots 'n lots lol. What I have always done (before I had the cash to buy parafilm, or I ran out) is use 'Johnson & Jonhnson First Aid Waterproof Tape'. It's the white tape that people use to adhere gauge bandages to their bodies when band-aids are too small to cover their boo boos.
I know this one but it's too sticky IMHO <shrug>. That's why I've mentioned micropore tape. It's surgical type of tape, gentle to skin to the extend that some make-up artists are using it to hold bottom eyelashes on bottom eyelid while working on the upper part.
Quote:
Unknown error said: Cling wrap cut in to inch to inch and half rolls is easier to use and way cheaper than Parafilm. micropore tape or anything else that’s sticky is a pita.
Thanks for the idea of precuting Cling Wrap beforehand, while it's still on the roll, to proper width. This seems to make it a lot easier to operate. So after all there's no need for air exchange even at the lowest dose?
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siiren
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Re: Sealing Petri dishes [Re: Moower]
#26515778 - 03/04/20 03:17 AM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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I managed to find para film from my local lab supply place in OZ. It's also used for grafting plants which is another lead to investigate.
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Ryzo



Registered: 12/25/18
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Re: Sealing Petri dishes [Re: siiren]
#26515780 - 03/04/20 03:22 AM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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Parafilm is sold in some nurseries for grafting plants, that's correct. They also last years my guy, don't let the roll fool ya, they last a super long time.
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sh4d0ws
LSx


Registered: 02/26/08
Posts: 12,086
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Quote:
wildernessjunkie said: I think there might be some misunderstanding going on. You need to cut the section off while its still on the roll. Ive never had the plastic fold back on itself while using it.
I think Bod does have a video, but Im not going after it right now.
I got you 
If you cut the roll into smaller 1 inch lengths, you will find it is just as easy or easier to work with than parafilm.
It might be hard to understand exactly what we mean. Watch the vid
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scarabaeus
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This is good healthy discussion. I always listen to Bodhi -he's no mans fool. But what he doesn't mention in his vid is that putting glad/saran wrap on is only 1/2 of the process -you also have to take it off. For ME the 2 part process is a pain in the arse because plastic film is so thin and sticky (to itself) and easily tears, plus it's a pain to remove after the dish is colonized. But maybe it's just ME who is Glad wrap challenged lol? All I can do is give my opinion based upon my own experience with parafilm, plastic wrap and J & J first aid tape.
I like the way Bodhi makes quick work of the process; I may try it his way on the next batch. Maybe when I was attempting to use plastic wrap the difficulty was because I was spazzing out lol.
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The Mycologist
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Re: Sealing Petri dishes [Re: Moower]
#26516223 - 03/04/20 10:06 AM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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I use ziplocs
-------------------- "That you are here—that life exists, and identity; That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.” ― Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass

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InfiniteDreams


Registered: 10/25/19
Posts: 1,224
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Re: Sealing Petri dishes [Re: scarabaeus]
#26516311 - 03/04/20 11:19 AM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
scarabaeus said: This is good healthy discussion. I always listen to Bodhi -he's no mans fool. But what he doesn't mention in his vid is that putting glad/saran wrap on is only 1/2 of the process -you also have to take it off. For ME the 2 part process is a pain in the arse because plastic film is so thin and sticky (to itself) and easily tears, plus it's a pain to remove after the dish is colonized. But maybe it's just ME who is Glad wrap challenged lol? All I can do is give my opinion based upon my own experience with parafilm, plastic wrap and J & J first aid tape.
I like the way Bodhi makes quick work of the process; I may try it his way on the next batch. Maybe when I was attempting to use plastic wrap the difficulty was because I was spazzing out lol.
I think it is personal preference. I have always hated Saran/Glad/Cling wrap and it has been a pain in my ass throughout life. So I have found no issue with parafilm and prefer it. Others feel the opposite. Both are valid ways to success.
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wildernessjunkie
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Taking the wrap off is easier than putting it on. I just pinch mine loosely between two fingers in the middle of the dish. Then grab hold of the loose film, and give it a pull. The plate spins like a record, and the job is done.
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A.k.a
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Quote:
wildernessjunkie said: Taking the wrap off is easier than putting it on. I just pinch mine loosely between two fingers in the middle of the dish. Then grab hold of the loose film, and give it a pull. The plate spins like a record, and the job is done.
Lol me too.
If you use cling eventually you’ll get used to it and develop a system/eye for where the end is. I kind of twist at the last second when I’m breaking it so it leaves a little tiny fin sticking up that I use like I pull tab to start the spinning record unwrapping.
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LAGM2020     
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bodhisatta 
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Re: Sealing Petri dishes [Re: A.k.a]
#26516685 - 03/04/20 03:08 PM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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Cling film is significantly easier to wrap and take off dishes than parafilm imo.
With cling film you can pull the whole thing off as a ring instead of unwrapping
It crumples up better and into a smaller ball so less mess during agar work even.
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