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owlmango
StrangerButNotMuch

Registered: 05/09/20
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how much unmixed sub on top
#26842279 - 07/24/20 09:20 AM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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Hi, I am having trouble with green mold on the surface of my sub. I know this sounds naive but I'm really pretty certain my spawn is not the cause. The spawn smells strongly of fresh mushrooms. It also only grew from the inoculated side of the jar for a long while with no sign of any other life in the jar. but after a couple of weeks I'm getting a slightly sharp smell in the tub and my pins are slow to appear and few.
I have been leaving a reasonable layer of substrate on the top of the mixed grains/sub (approx 3/4 inch give or take) but I'm wondering if this is a mistake, if the layer should be a bit thinner? or none at all? My idea was that it would prevent airborn contams from accessing the grains (and therefore nutrients) but the colonization of the surface is so slow I'm wondering if this is in fact the root cause.
Another area I may be getting it wrong is the water content of the sub as I'm a little concerned my field capacity is a little over saturated and this may be slowing the colonization.
I've read hundreds of pages on contamination and tub teks but haven't found an answer to this issue of leaving some sub on top (and how much) vs leaving exposed grains on the surface. However, if I've missed this and it's been covered somewhere someone can point me to I'd be delighted to remove this and not clog up the forum!
Thanks in advance for any advice!
Edit: Sorry - should have mentioned.... CVG sub. bucket tek. 1:2 ish spawn to sub ratio in a small but not mini tub (24L)
Edited by owlmango (07/24/20 09:36 AM)
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Spirit-Crusher
DOOM HIPPIE


Registered: 04/24/19
Posts: 358
Loc: PNW
Last seen: 15 days, 14 hours
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Re: how much unmixed sub on top [Re: owlmango]
#26842293 - 07/24/20 09:29 AM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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what are you using for your substrate?
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owlmango
StrangerButNotMuch

Registered: 05/09/20
Posts: 6
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
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Sorry - should have mentioned that! CVG sub. bucket tek. 1:2 ish spawn to sub ratio in a small but not mini tub (24L)
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Spirit-Crusher
DOOM HIPPIE


Registered: 04/24/19
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Re: how much unmixed sub on top [Re: owlmango]
#26842310 - 07/24/20 09:36 AM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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What kind of coir are you using? Some of the stuff you buy is not clean. And stuff from the hydro stores have trich added to it to promote root growth in marijuana. If thats the case, the bucket tek is not gonna cut it.
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owlmango
StrangerButNotMuch

Registered: 05/09/20
Posts: 6
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
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Ah - this I did not know... (re: unclean coir) I keep reading again and again that it's resistant to contamination etc etc and some people don't even pasteurize.
May I deduce from your answer - you don't think moisture content or extra sub layer is a likely cause?
In which case (if my coir is not clean) should I be pasteurizing or sterilizing to eliminate this problem?
Edit: I looked at my purchase history for the Coir and it does say for hydroponics on the item description....
Edited by owlmango (07/24/20 09:48 AM)
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owlmango
StrangerButNotMuch

Registered: 05/09/20
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after a quick search about this issue I'm finding conflicting opinions on this e.g. this thread: https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/14867950#14867950
Quote:
Ajaxx said: if you buy coir from a pet store you wont have trich. if you buy coir from a hydro store (like me. i use botanicare coco gro) you WONT have trich. hydro stores sell coir made for hydro systems. they dont treat the coir with anything, and nothing is added, because its for hydroponic drip systems. hydro is for people who want total control over what their plants are receiving. hence, no trich.
if you buy coir at a garden center, youll probably end up with trich in it because its beneficial to potted plants. plants NOT in hydro systems.
find a hydro store and buy botanicare coco gro, or go to a pet store and use pet coir. i prefer my hydro store coir over anything else. super cheap and easier than any other coir to break up.
I believe this kind of thinking was why I went for hydro coir in the first place...
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Roger Clemency
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Registered: 03/23/20
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Re: how much unmixed sub on top [Re: owlmango]
#26842360 - 07/24/20 10:00 AM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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3/4” is pretty thick and especially if it’s on the wetter side. I like a top layer but I don’t think it makes a real difference as far as preventing contamination. When you spawn the tub your mixing in all kinds of spores already. My top layer is probably 1/4” maybe a little thicker.
What recipe for your CVG? I use 650-670g coir, 200g verm (2 full qts of coarse) and 11-12 cups of water depending. 11 can sometimes require a little sprinkle of water later on, 12 is always good and the wettest I like. That’s 2.75 or 3 qts water.
-------------------- Sour grapes, sweet revenge Heaven starts right where hell ends
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owlmango
StrangerButNotMuch

Registered: 05/09/20
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Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
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Quote:
Roger Clemency said: 3/4” is pretty thick and especially if it’s on the wetter side. I like a top layer but I don’t think it makes a real difference as far as preventing contamination. When you spawn the tub your mixing in all kinds of spores already. My top layer is probably 1/4” maybe a little thicker.
What recipe for your CVG? I use 650-670g coir, 200g verm (2 full qts of coarse) and 11-12 cups of water depending. 11 can sometimes require a little sprinkle of water later on, 12 is always good and the wettest I like. That’s 2.75 or 3 qts water.
Thanks for these thoughts on the top layer. my sub mix is 1904ml water, 240g coir, 88g verm. It's a small tub. I know they are strange numbers - I sort of extrapolated them from a post about a ratio of Water:Coir:Verm a while ago but I'm a total novice so very happy to change that if I can get direct advice.
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Spirit-Crusher
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Re: how much unmixed sub on top [Re: owlmango]
#26842374 - 07/24/20 10:06 AM (3 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
owlmango said: Ah - this I did not know... (re: unclean coir) I keep reading again and again that it's resistant to contamination etc etc and some people don't even pasteurize.
May I deduce from your answer - you don't think moisture content or extra sub layer is a likely cause?
In which case (if my coir is not clean) should I be pasteurizing or sterilizing to eliminate this problem?
Edit: I looked at my purchase history for the Coir and it does say for hydroponics on the item description....
You can. But I would just scrap that stuff and buy something you know is clean. It sucks, but your working against yourself. I found that out the hard way as well early on. I like exoterra. Haven't had any problems since switching to that brand.
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owlmango
StrangerButNotMuch

Registered: 05/09/20
Posts: 6
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
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ok thanks for the recommendation. I'll look out for exoterra.
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