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Anchovie
n00b


Registered: 03/04/20
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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: Anchovie]
#26546266 - 03/20/20 09:51 AM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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So I finally have one plate with a super tiny spec of myc growing. It's going so slow. I'm at day 9.
Is my agar too stiff, dry, or something else?
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CapMeh
RX Jazzist



Registered: 06/08/09
Posts: 924
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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: A.k.a]
#26547195 - 03/20/20 05:29 PM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
A.k.a said: I think that’s the original li method. Like squirting water into a colonized grain jar and sucking it back up.
Never tried it but heard good things.
Awesome thank you
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Ballzagna
Carb Daddy



Registered: 10/09/19
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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: CapMeh]
#26569148 - 03/31/20 01:37 PM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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Should the micropore tape be replaced every time or is it good for a couple of rounds? I skimmed the first 10 pages but didn't find an answer.
-------------------- No one likes a naysayer It's probably fine. Even if it's not fine, it'll eventually be fine. So it's fine. PE Adventure
Photosynthesis: A Morning Ritual Ballzagna's Tek Compendium and Notes for Noobs 
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Pastywhyte
Say hello to my little friend



Registered: 09/15/12
Posts: 37,811
Loc: Canada
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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: Ballzagna] 1
#26569169 - 03/31/20 01:45 PM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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It’s good for a few rounds. I usually just stick a fresh piece on top of the old ones. Change after you get 5 or 6 stacked up.
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butterflyaway
Kaleidoscope Queen



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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: Pastywhyte]
#26569303 - 03/31/20 02:47 PM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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I have a couple of questions to which there may be obvious answers. But I'd rather ask the question and than make necessary mistakes.
I've been reading over your recipe for a while now in preparation to set out on my first Agar adventure. Since this thread started some time ago, it's long with and probably has some updated information as the Tek has evolved.
First, you suggest against the use of 1/2 pint jars. Is that because they are cumbersome. Do you find using the wide-mouth short 1/2 pint jars to be okay?
Second, when using Telephone agar, which is what I have, I'm simply going to add the potato flakes to that?
Again, I know simple questions, but I purchased the Telephone Agar for use with the pour Tek but can't get the rest of my supplies until the end of April due to the shipping issues with our present National Crisis.
Thanks for bearing with the noob...
-------------------- There is a better way. Finding the way — well that's the journey
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Spaghettio73
Instigator


Registered: 03/13/20
Posts: 167
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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: Pastywhyte]
#26574411 - 04/03/20 02:15 AM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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Too much water?
Hi All,
I've searched through this thread and read all water related posts and I'm left with a few questions.
I'm using mini rounds with 1.4" holes and double micro pore tape. I've done 3 runs to prep 3 batches all with varying results but all with what I believe to be too much water. I reduced the amount of agar because the first two batches seemed too stiff. These are still pretty stiff; able to cut into slices and remove without breaking. Now I think cutting back below 2% was a mistake but I've gone too far and ended up with more moisture. These have been in the fridge now for a few weeks as I was recovering from COVID19. Below are my notes and pics followed by questions.
Thanks for any input/feedback.
16 mini rounds Wipeout mini rounds and place on a tray Add several drops food color and 1.5g karo to 1 ½ cup water (360 ml) then stir well In a small saucepan place 5.625g Potato flakes, 6.75g agar Pour in water mixture Heat and stir over low heat until mixture dissolves/ boils foams Spoon into mini rounds Let cool to room temp before sealing with lid. (attempt to reduce condensation) Fold a square of paper towel over the top to catch condensation Next cover lid with foil where the tab of the lid is aligned with a corner of foil Place ring stand from Instapot in the bottom of the PC then canning jar bottom that came with PC (This all sits just above the 3/4” water line Stack minis carefully PC for 40-45 min with ¾ in of water Bring temp/pressure down to zero over next 20 – 30 min Let cool overnight to reduce condensation Store them wrapped in the fridge
Minis

 
Agar

Moisture
 
Even at 2-2.3% I had condensation all around the sides but the agar did seem to soak some up in a day or two.
Questions: Should I just wait for the telephone agar? This stuff is super light and flaky so I've had to use a scale for ingredient ratios. Do you think the micro pore tape is cheap and allowing moisture in during PC? I have an a/c vent that blows across the stove. Should I cover it to reduce the cooling time on the PC? Reduce the water amount in my mix and let the condensation mix into the agar? Just invert them in the SAB to pour out the water and continue on?
Edited by Spaghettio73 (04/03/20 02:40 AM)
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Ballzagna
Carb Daddy



Registered: 10/09/19
Posts: 620
Last seen: 6 hours, 10 minutes
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Condensation is pretty normal. I've tried a a few things to mitigate it but it just seems to be an inevitability. I've poured it out in the SAB when it was bad but at this point I ignore it and it goes away in a few days of being left at room temp while colonizing.
You should be using a scale to weigh everything when you're starting out anyway, it simplifies a lot of stuff. 1mL of water = 1g of water, 1L = 1000g, etc. It makes figuring out the ratios much easier to scale down than trying to use cups. I used a pre mixed MEA packet the first time I used this tek and it went well, I just over filled the plates.
Instead of making one batch at a time for the plates I'm making, I opted to just make a shit load of agar and put it in a quart jar in the fridge. Whenever I need to make plates I just take a little scoop of the solid agar. The heat from the PC melts it back down so it'll solidify to the bottom. I've also noticed this helps with sediments because they settle at the bottom of the jar instead of the plates. Doing it that way should make it a lot easier to find the right ratio because with a larger batch there's a larger margin for error, and the measurements don't need to be reduced so much.
Idk about PDA but for MEA I used 15g light malt extract and 15g of agar powder with 750mL which is 2% of each by weight.
Also try boiling the water before you add the dry ingredients. When you heat it up after, sometimes the powders cook onto the bottom of the pot which might be why it's coming out soft, because some of it gets stuck.
Hope you're feeling better and that this helped a little
-------------------- No one likes a naysayer It's probably fine. Even if it's not fine, it'll eventually be fine. So it's fine. PE Adventure
Photosynthesis: A Morning Ritual Ballzagna's Tek Compendium and Notes for Noobs 
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Spaghettio73
Instigator



Registered: 03/13/20
Posts: 167
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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: Ballzagna]
#26574706 - 04/03/20 07:42 AM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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Thanks for the insight and feedback Ballzagna!
I'll pour out the excess and see how things go.
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Luke2018
Stranger


Registered: 10/03/18
Posts: 82
Last seen: 19 hours, 43 minutes
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Excited to move from BRF to Agar and this tek is going to be my starting point.
Now I have most of the materials ready apart from probably the biggest one, a presto pressure cooker which is on the way. I'm in Europe and it is coming from America, now given the current global situation this could be a week or 3.
So my question is I have a pressure cooker here but it only reaches 11.8 psi, would this work for now does anybody know? At least to prepare to some agar and put some spores to germinate. I've got some shoe boxes which I am hoping will fruit in the next so could even take tissue to Agar also.
I could possibly add a coin to the pressure gauge to add a little more but safety and all, its not something I've done before?
Just got a considerable amount of time on my hands at the moment and keen to keep studying and practicing
Edited by Luke2018 (04/04/20 05:46 AM)
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A.k.a
Stranger



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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: Luke2018]
#26577048 - 04/04/20 10:57 AM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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You’ll have to look up a conversion chart but I think it’ll be ok.
I know liquids sterilize much easier.
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LAGM2020     
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Luke2018
Stranger


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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: A.k.a]
#26577133 - 04/04/20 11:56 AM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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Ok. I’ll have a look for a conversion.
I did think of just lengthening the pressure cook time to maybe 1 hour 15, just don’t want to gather too much moisture in the plates
Thanks for the reply
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Drboomer
The lord magnificent



Registered: 09/22/19
Posts: 957
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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: Luke2018]
#26577197 - 04/04/20 12:44 PM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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I used to do 11.6 psi for 45 minutes never had a problem with contam once I started purging air
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Luke2018
Stranger


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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: Drboomer]
#26577226 - 04/04/20 01:06 PM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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Awesome. I’ll give this a go then, just didn’t want to embark on it if it would be a complete failure.
Thanks for the confirmation
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Fungus-Monkey
Stranger

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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: Luke2018]
#26594301 - 04/11/20 09:12 PM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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I just made up some of these for the first time and did my first Agar to Agar transfer. I noticed that the lids on my square mini (Ziplock) containers no longer snap on like before prusseure cooking. Has anyone else had this issue?
I tried sorting thru all the replies for the answer but it is so damn long!
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Jbrady5555
Stranger
Registered: 12/10/19
Posts: 124
Last seen: 2 months, 27 days
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So does everyone use two holes in their lids? I was thinking of just using one for air transfer but just unscrew the lid in my SAB for inoculation. Anyone else do this? I’m just afraid of pushing the silicone all the way out of the lid when puncturing or using the wrong stuff that can’t handle the heat of the pressure cooker.
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Jbrady5555
Stranger
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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: Jbrady5555]
#26597632 - 04/13/20 10:20 AM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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Here is some different container types I’m looking at using. Couldn’t find the glad mini but found some screw top ziplocks that are pp5. I’m brand new to this, just trying to get a feel for it. If I use the glass jars I assume I would still want to paper towel and foil them correct? To stop condensation on the tape? Any reason not to use any of these dishes? Thanks
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Jbrady5555
Stranger
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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: Jbrady5555]
#26597641 - 04/13/20 10:24 AM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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Also being as my pressure cooker won’t be here until Friday but I have everything else, can I go ahead and make up my agar and pour plates now? Even though I can’t sterilize until Friday or Saturday at the latest?
Nvm this, spoke before thinking. This would just allow any foreign bacteria to start to grow for days.
Edited by Jbrady5555 (04/13/20 10:26 AM)
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SpaceDrooze
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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: Jbrady5555]
#26612844 - 04/19/20 12:02 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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This might be a silly question, but I'm about to buy my PC. Can I use these plastic glad rounds on a stove top PC?
-------------------- Everything has to be happening for This to be happening
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A.k.a
Stranger



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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: SpaceDrooze]
#26612855 - 04/19/20 12:06 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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So long as they’re pp5 it’s fine.
Stove or electric is all the same inside the pc.
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LAGM2020     
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SpaceDrooze
Stranger


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Re: Pastywhyte's Easy Agar Tek [Re: A.k.a]
#26612935 - 04/19/20 12:35 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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Thank you
-------------------- Everything has to be happening for This to be happening
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