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Ombisha
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*Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek"
#26647524 - 05/04/20 05:44 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Today i was prepping some CVG and noticed this.
On the left is "bucket tek" CVG(Brown), on the right is sterilized CVG(Black).
 This clearly shows that "cooking" the coir does something significant to it.
I sterilize my cvg. Since i started doing this i had faster colonization times and lower rates of contam (but maybe that could be attributed to generally getting better at cultivation). Both of these were prepared exactly the same way, but the brown one was not yet sterilized (the black one was leftover from the last batch.)
Many people stand by "Bucket tek", others had problems with it. I think that this may be partially attributed to the fact that coir isn't always just coir. I have found straw, something that looked like bits of leaves and once even a bit of plastic in my coir, and these "impurities" are obviously likely to get moldy if untreated...

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InfraredRick
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: Ombisha] 1
#26647529 - 05/04/20 05:47 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Trick question because cvg is never sterilized, always pasteurized.
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Ombisha
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: InfraredRick]
#26647534 - 05/04/20 05:57 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
InfraredRick said: Trick question because cvg is never sterilized, always pasteurized.
How is that?
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One of Us
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: Ombisha]
#26647541 - 05/04/20 06:05 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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I just use hot tap water (no boiling)to hydrate. Works for me
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rumfor69
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: One of Us]
#26647581 - 05/04/20 06:46 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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I sterilize mine using a boiler fed steam box I built. But you don't have to do all that. The boiling bucket tek is more than enough to get it right.
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Ombisha
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: rumfor69]
#26647593 - 05/04/20 06:53 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
rumfor69 said: I sterilize mine using a boiler fed steam box I built. But you don't have to do all that. The boiling bucket tek is more than enough to get it right.
I just throw mine into a pressure cooker for 120 minutes. What is the benefit of your steam box as opposed to a PC?
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mushpunx
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: Ombisha]
#26647631 - 05/04/20 07:32 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Coir just needs to be hear treated, it makes it easier for the myc to break it down. Bucket Tek is all you need.
You could sterilize or properly pasteurize if you want, but it'll just waste your time because it's unnecessary.
That's the beauty of coir. Very resistant to contamination and super easy to prep. Typically if you lose tubs to mold with coir, the problem was in your spawn.
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A.k.a
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: mushpunx]
#26647638 - 05/04/20 07:37 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Well that explains something I’ve been noticing lately.
I was wondering why some peoples coir looked black, figured it was just a different brand or something.
Well there’s another experiment to add to the list. I’ve been just dumping hot water in a bucket, but now that you mention it I sterilized the coir once my very first grow, and it was by far the fastest colonization I’ve had and flushed for months before finally getting mold.
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Domno
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: A.k.a]
#26647657 - 05/04/20 07:49 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Other than time is there a reason styrelizing is bad? I only ask because I think it would be incredibly convenient to have jars of field cap coil ready for me.
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mushpunx
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: A.k.a]
#26647661 - 05/04/20 07:51 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
A.k.a said: Well that explains something I’ve been noticing lately.
I was wondering why some peoples coir looked black, figured it was just a different brand or something.
Well there’s another experiment to add to the list. I’ve been just dumping hot water in a bucket, but now that you mention it I sterilized the coir once my very first grow, and it was by far the fastest colonization I’ve had and flushed for months before finally getting mold.
How hot does your water get? I just boil water and pour it in
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mushpunx
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: Domno] 1
#26647670 - 05/04/20 07:55 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Domno said: Other than time is there a reason styrelizing is bad? I only ask because I think it would be incredibly convenient to have jars of field cap coil ready for me.
No, it's not bad. I don't understand though, why do you want jars of coir? Bucket Tek gives you coir at field capacity, you can always put it in jars. Or cap the bucket until it's ready to use.
If you wanna go to the trouble of prepping coir, putting it in jars, and then run a PC cycle that's up to you haha
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A.k.a
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: mushpunx] 1
#26647718 - 05/04/20 08:16 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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I just turn the instant pot on until it’s boiling usually then dump it in.
I know some people here use cold water though. Never used that except when I made it too dry initially.
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rumfor69
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: Ombisha]
#26647730 - 05/04/20 08:23 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Ombisha said:
Quote:
rumfor69 said: I sterilize mine using a boiler fed steam box I built. But you don't have to do all that. The boiling bucket tek is more than enough to get it right.
I just throw mine into a pressure cooker for 120 minutes. What is the benefit of your steam box as opposed to a PC?
It holds a lot more at once. I can fit at least 14 freezer gallon zips with 3qts of prepared coir&verm in each. It uses a temperature controller in a thermo well to kick the bucket boiler on and off. I set it for 166°F and just let it run on a timer for 8hrs. It uses barely any water and once things get heated up nicely it barely has to kick on even.
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Brian Jones
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: Domno]
#26647742 - 05/04/20 08:28 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Domno said: Other than time is there a reason styrelizing is bad? I only ask because I think it would be incredibly convenient to have jars of field cap coil ready for me.
Most people think pasteurizing coir is unnecessary. Some people say it works better for them if they do. But there is really no argument to be made for sterilizing it. The pasteurization argument (I'm going to oversimplify here) is that your killing the bad bacteria and letting the good bacteria live. The no pasteurization argument is that coir is clean and there is no beneficial bacteria to save. Either way there is no reason to sterilize it. I guess some people do because they are used to sterilizing things in this hobby.
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Domno
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: Brian Jones]
#26647806 - 05/04/20 09:03 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
mushpunx said:
No, it's not bad. I don't understand though, why do you want jars of coir?
It's because I have a bunch of jars for shoeboxes and they are colonizing at different rates. Having pre prepped and measured coir would be convenient.
Quote:
Brian Jones said:
Most people think pasteurizing coir is unnecessary. Some people say it works better for them if they do. But there is really no argument to be made for sterilizing it. The pasteurization argument (I'm going to oversimplify here) is that your killing the bad bacteria and letting the good bacteria live. The no pasteurization argument is that coir is clean and there is no beneficial bacteria to save. Either way there is no reason to sterilize it. I guess some people do because they are used to sterilizing things in this hobby.
I dont really need to steralize it but I just would like to have it ready to go, premeasured and stored in a way that I dont need to worry about it drying or contaminating. So my mind goes to jars.
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poisoned
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: Domno]
#26647849 - 05/04/20 09:25 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Sounds like way more work than just leaving it in a bucket and adding some water if it's too dry
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alaskappalachian
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: poisoned]
#26647903 - 05/04/20 09:48 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Been running some experiments with this after a previous conversation/thread. Does not seem to matter one iota. As long as it's fully hydrated (I use the cheap, longer-fibered 11lb Viagrow blocks, and you'd be soaking it for a bit if you didn't use boiling water to hydrate. It's a differnt animal after a couple hours is a bucket of boilng water vs a couple hours in hot tap water or room temp water). No issues of note with contams or colonization speed any which way as long as the coir is fully hydrated and I'm at field capacity or a little under thus far.
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Domno
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So to be clear, if I did bucket tek, I could leave the unused in the bucket. Pull out a qt or two, close the bucket, and the rest of the coir would still be fine to do the same thing a few days or a week later?
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A.k.a
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: Domno]
#26648049 - 05/04/20 10:47 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Yeah a lot of people say they do it with no problem.
I’ve only let it sit once of twice and never longer than a week.
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Ombisha
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: Brian Jones]
#26648096 - 05/04/20 11:08 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Brian Jones said: Most people think pasteurizing coir is unnecessary. Some people say it works better for them if they do. But there is really no argument to be made for sterilizing it. The pasteurization argument (I'm going to oversimplify here) is that your killing the bad bacteria and letting the good bacteria live. The no pasteurization argument is that coir is clean and there is no beneficial bacteria to save. Either way there is no reason to sterilize it. I guess some people do because they are used to sterilizing things in this hobby.
My argument was not really for sterilizing itself, but more for "cooking" the coir. The prolonged heat clearly does something to it (evident from the picture) and theoretically, the pressure cooker does the job quickest. Im really just sticking to what works for me.
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woofwoof
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: Domno]
#26648106 - 05/04/20 11:12 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Domno said: So to be clear, if I did bucket tek, I could leave the unused in the bucket. Pull out a qt or two, close the bucket, and the rest of the coir would still be fine to do the same thing a few days or a week later?
Yes. I have some coir in a bucket that is 2 weeks old, just kept lid on till I spawned some shoeboxes. Have not had any issues. 2 weeks is as long as I have went leaving it in the bucket with lid on
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mushpunx
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: Domno]
#26648340 - 05/04/20 01:07 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Domno said: So to be clear, if I did bucket tek, I could leave the unused in the bucket. Pull out a qt or two, close the bucket, and the rest of the coir would still be fine to do the same thing a few days or a week later?
Yes, you could do this. Alternatively you could just cut the coir bricks into quarters and use it that way...
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Domno
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: woofwoof]
#26648343 - 05/04/20 01:08 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Awesome. Problem solved. Problem staying solved.
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InfraredRick
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: woofwoof]
#26648354 - 05/04/20 01:12 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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"Pasteurization is a critical step in the preparation of bulk substrate. Pasteurization involves heating a material to around 60-65*C (140-149*F) for a set amount of time, then allowing it to cool. This process differs from sterilization in that it doesn't kill all the microorganisms present; rather, it reduces the macrobial load, killing those microbes susceptible to temperatures of up to 65*C (149*F). The remaining microorganisms aren't detrimental to the growing mycelium , and actually have the beneficial effect of helping prevent problematic microbes from establishing before the mycelium has time to colonize and dominate the substrate." Quaesitor 2015
Nobody can properly maintain 140-149* for an hour in a bucket. Gotta use jars or bags in a pot on the stove.
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sh4d0ws
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: InfraredRick] 1
#26648361 - 05/04/20 01:18 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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But coir doesn't need to be properly pasteurized
I use hot tap water now, fuck it. Also the only reason I use it at high temp is because it breaks down the coir blocks faster and makes it easier to break up cause right now I'm doing it by hand. I need to get a concrete mixer soon.
If the spawn is clean the coir can be made with cold water and spawned with bum fingers (see below )
Quote:
RogerRabbit said: Once your spawn jars are fully colonized, you can scratch your butt while you inoculate the coir if you want.
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mushpunx
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: InfraredRick] 1
#26648365 - 05/04/20 01:19 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Coir does not need to be pastuerized. We are not pastuerizing it in the bucket, simply using boiling water to prepare the coir, and heat treat it some so the mycelium has an easier time breaking it down.
Pasteurization kills the harmful bacteria that die at certain temps while the beneficial bacteria that can handle those temps survive. Coir has neither growing on it. That is why you can sterilize coir and still spawn to it in open air, where as you can't sterilize manure and use that in open air. You have to pastuerize manure.
We actually are partially sterilizing the coir when we use boiling water to prepare it.
Edited by mushpunx (05/04/20 01:27 PM)
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InfraredRick
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: mushpunx]
#26648384 - 05/04/20 01:32 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Ok, I get what you're saying. The teks I follow include verm and gypsum. Maybe the verm requires the pasteurization step. Dunno, but I concede coir does not.
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Ombisha
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: InfraredRick] 1
#26648430 - 05/04/20 01:56 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
InfraredRick said: Ok, I get what you're saying. The teks I follow include verm and gypsum. Maybe the verm requires the pasteurization step. Dunno, but I concede coir does not.
Verm or gypsum also don't require pasteurizing. People do it just fine with no heat at all... Thats not to say that sterilization/pasteurization is not beneficial in some way... it clearly changes the coir significantly (evident from the picture).
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mushpunx
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Re: *Poll* Sterilized coir VS. "Bucket tek" [Re: InfraredRick] 1
#26649606 - 05/05/20 02:37 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
InfraredRick said: Ok, I get what you're saying. The teks I follow include verm and gypsum. Maybe the verm requires the pasteurization step. Dunno, but I concede coir does not.
Yeah verm doesn't need it either. I've pretty much stopped using verm in my coir unless I made it too wet, then I just add dry verm in until I hit field capacity
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