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nagual20
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Is it dead? No change in 3 days
#26632678 - 04/27/20 06:05 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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For a first timer, it's really hard to make sense of this or gauge your progress, since there's much conflicting advice online.
It seems that my bulk tub has stopped colonizing. I haven't noticed any change on the surface for about 3 days now, and I'm having a hard time telling if it's getting enough or too much water. Is this normal, or am I being impatient?
I mixed fully colonized spawn into pasteurized bulk about a week ago -> 2 inch deep tub, and it started colonizing the bulk, but then stopped.
It's on weak heating pads+near area heater, temp around 70F. I mist it a few times a day, no standing water. Transparent lid on top, I take it off and let it breathe for a few min several times a day.
The bulk is completely penetrated by white tendrils, which makes it feel a bit like a sponge, but I don't see any change on the surface in 3 days. I thought I could do spawn to fruiting approach (hence the FAE, 70F, and light)
Should I keep doing the same thing? When will I know I failed or succeeded? What I should look out for?
Edited by nagual20 (05/05/20 08:11 AM)
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Mad Hatter
10/6



Registered: 12/20/18
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Re: Is it dead? No change in 3 days [Re: nagual20]
#26632703 - 04/27/20 06:21 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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It could possibly be contaminated I don't see anything suspicious but Stalling is a sign of contamination.
One thing I noticed is that you have exposes grains. It is best to save a small amount of your substrate and cover the top after spawning as exposed grains increase your chance of contaminations.
sounds like you are doing too much. When I do monotubs I pretty much never take the lid off until its time to harvest. It looks pretty dry in there probably from taking the lid off too much.
If you get the moisture content of your sub right monotubs a lot of the times can be set and forget. Misting isn't always necessary with them unless they need it.
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A.k.a
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Re: Is it dead? No change in 3 days [Re: Mad Hatter]
#26632711 - 04/27/20 06:29 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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Kinda looks like there’s knots. If so then it’s done colonizing and spreading for the most part.
Doesn’t look super healthy though.
Next time I would add a top layer of coir.
Your myc is blueing from drying out way too much, so I’d leave the lid on full time to keep humidity up. My first grow I let it get so dry it turned blue like yours, then died and went slightly yellowish and a few days later once I had fixed the conditions new myc sprouted all over and I got a lot of pins.
Heating pads can be dangerous too, they usually do more harm than anything else.
What’s with the circle in the bottom left corner?
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LAGM2020     
Edited by A.k.a (04/27/20 06:33 PM)
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nagual20
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Re: Is it dead? No change in 3 days [Re: Mad Hatter]
#26632778 - 04/27/20 07:03 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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Thanks for the advice on the grains - next time I'll definitely do that.
Could stalling be caused by it being too dry? I have read that it being too wet can cause stalling as well. But since I'm inexperienced, I can't tell by looking at the soil if it looks OK or not.
I've now covered the top loosely w bubble wrap (read somewhere it helps retain moisture), and covered the tub w lid. There are enough holes around it to let air in and out. Hopefully this'll be enough to get it moving again.
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Strainsfordaze


Registered: 05/10/18
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Re: Is it dead? No change in 3 days [Re: nagual20]
#26632792 - 04/27/20 07:10 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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Did you check field capacity of the substrate before spawning? I wouldn’t suggest the use of bubble wrap, foil or any of that on the top layer.
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nagual20
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Re: Is it dead? No change in 3 days [Re: A.k.a]
#26632796 - 04/27/20 07:12 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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I don't see any knots on the surface - the densest parts are from mycelium that originally surrounded the grains, but kind of sloughed off and clumped together.
I'll definitely try coir next time - I didn't because it was described as optional and being a newb I didn't want to introduce another variable to my setup.
Thank you for the advice on keeping the lid on. I'll do that and see if it recovers like your did.
Those heating pads are on very low power - about the same temperature as human skin - just to help maintain 70F in the box. I also have a space heater a few feet away from the setup, keeping area warm. The thermometer in the tub reads 69-72 most of the time.
The circle in the bottom was from a small water cup I put in there about a week ago (and since taken out), it was sitting there under a lid, for evaporation. I thought I had to keep humidity up, but it was probably useless.
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Mad Hatter
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being too dry will cause slower growth but not complete stalling. It may not be stalled but just very little/slow growth on surface due to the dryness of the surface.
Do you have polyfill in the holes? If not get some in them. no polyfill will cause the tub to dry out.
I'd say give it a misting, keep the lid on, leave it alone, add polyfill to holes if there isn't any already, hope for the best, and start some new grains.
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nagual20
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I did not check the field capacity. The bulk is pasteurized horse manure with some nutrients added.
Since it's my first time and I'm reading a lot of conflicting and incomplete advice, I'm just kind of flying by the edge of my pants here.
Originally I thought I'll get to fruiting by placing my tub, face open, in a greenhouse where air humidity is kept 99%, and theres a bit of a draft, and the temps are in 70s. That's when it stalled. So now I'm trying other things - keeping it out, with a simple transparent lid, and watching humidity manually, and misting when sub looks dry.
I'll remove the bubble wrap per your advice.
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Mad Hatter
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Re: Is it dead? No change in 3 days [Re: A.k.a]
#26632826 - 04/27/20 07:21 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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agreed heating pads are not necessary and could lead to problems and cubensis will do fine in colder temps. They will just grow a tad slower but denser which some actually prefer.
I was wondering about the circle to looks like something was set there.
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nagual20
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Re: Is it dead? No change in 3 days [Re: Mad Hatter]
#26632830 - 04/27/20 07:24 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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Thanks for the advice! I'll keep my fingers peeled and my eyes crossed.
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Mad Hatter
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Re: Is it dead? No change in 3 days [Re: nagual20]
#26632838 - 04/27/20 07:26 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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to say it simply field capacity is when you squeeze the substrate and only a few drops of water come out.
Since you are new to growing I'd say skip the greenhouse house for now and do a basic monotub.
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