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shr00mFer
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Help needed - possible contamination
#26901475 - 08/26/20 11:42 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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Hi. I have two pics, one from today and another from day before. Notice how slow is mycelium growth. Also, on the edges of mycelium, it starts to turn greyish. Is this normal or sign of contamination? Maybe moisture issue (totally forgot to check field capacity of the supstrate)?
Thanks for help.
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tryptkaloids
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Re: Help needed - possible contamination [Re: shr00mFer]
#26901490 - 08/27/20 12:16 AM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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Pictures arent very clear but they look fine to me. Take a picture of the surface, without the lid in the way
-------------------- "Remember, kids, the difference between science and screwing around is writing it down" -adam savage Flowchart for Recommended plan of action. Learn the tried and true way to grow mushrooms Use the Damn search engine After you know what you're doing, take a break Pick a book, Make some chips! Josex said:Don't take the site seriously bro, ain't worth it.
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shr00mFer
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Re: Help needed - possible contamination [Re: tryptkaloids]
#26901492 - 08/27/20 12:18 AM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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Will do. I am at work now but I will take better pictures in about 5 hours. Thanks for help.
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shr00mFer
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Re: Help needed - possible contamination [Re: shr00mFer]
#26901842 - 08/27/20 08:48 AM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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Here are the pics. Mycelium growth after 10 days spawn run. Is it too slow? Color is fine, its just I thought mycelium will be more connected after this time (6-7 grains where on the surface when i spawned this - didnt have any supstrate left after spawning to cover them up). What do you guys think?
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Martinsapin
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Re: Help needed - possible contamination [Re: shr00mFer]
#26901858 - 08/27/20 08:54 AM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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Its not mandatory to cover the grains on top.
What you mean you didnt check field capacity? Whats your sub ?
-------------------- looking for a sclerotia producer print
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3SIXTY5
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Re: Help needed - possible contamination [Re: shr00mFer]
#26902038 - 08/27/20 10:23 AM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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Looks like there could be an issue with colonization speed depending on spawn ratio, my substrates are always finished between 10-14 days unless there's an issue with the spawn, but I spawn at 1:3 - 1:2 ratio.
I need a bit more information here
1. What's your spawn ratio? 2. Do you have any gas exchange holes? 3. What does the substrate smell like? 4. Could your substrate have been too wet?
Looks like you forgot the liner in the tub too, not super critical, but it does help, sometime the mycelium has a hard time colonizing the substrates side and bottoms because of the condensation collecting and running down the sides.
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tryptkaloids
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Re: Help needed - possible contamination [Re: 3SIXTY5]
#26902069 - 08/27/20 10:38 AM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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Does the surface look tinted pink or is that a trick of the light?
-------------------- "Remember, kids, the difference between science and screwing around is writing it down" -adam savage Flowchart for Recommended plan of action. Learn the tried and true way to grow mushrooms Use the Damn search engine After you know what you're doing, take a break Pick a book, Make some chips! Josex said:Don't take the site seriously bro, ain't worth it.
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shr00mFer
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Re: Help needed - possible contamination [Re: 3SIXTY5]
#26902415 - 08/27/20 01:34 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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My spawn ratio is 1:4 (2 jars spores, 2 jars verm, 2 jars coco coir, 4 jars manure, 1 jar rice hulls). Its close to that. Didnt check field capacity but I left my pillow case for a night and gave a good squeeze a couple of times. Didnt seem excess wet. There are two holes for air exchange (covered with micropore tape) but they are only 8-10 mm wide. I drilled them (actually used hot object) 3 days ago after 6-7 days without holes at all.
There is nothing purple on surface. Pure white fluffy mycelium. It smells...sharp. smells nice to me. Doesnt know how mushrooms smell, probably this is it.
One thing to mention. I didnt use real cow/horse manure, but something simmilar from shop, something for vegetables (maybe manure mixed with soil?). Wont make same mistake next time for sure.
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Martinsapin
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Re: Help needed - possible contamination [Re: shr00mFer]
#26902484 - 08/27/20 02:17 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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I would make more holes and bigger ones. Check any monotub teks, lets say frankhorrigan in the search function.
Also IMO rice hulls should be sterilized.
it looks good though, your sub
-------------------- looking for a sclerotia producer print
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3SIXTY5
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Re: Help needed - possible contamination [Re: Martinsapin]
#26902892 - 08/27/20 06:43 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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Try adding 2 more gas exchange holes, and two layers of micropore on all 4 holes. Let's hope it's just not getting enough gas exchange happening, but if you already have 2 holes it's doubtful.
If it smells "sharp" That's probably not a good sign, would you call it, sourish, possibly? it should smell the same as when you first spawned to substrate, sort of an earthy/fresh mushroom smell.
If the sub is a bit too wet, and it smells sourish and your growth has slowed down quite a bit, id bet that it's a bacterial contamination,with bacterial contaminations you won't really see anything, but you will smell it. I'm not using manure, just coco but when coco is at "field capacity" It almost feels dry until you give it a good squeeze
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shr00mFer
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Re: Help needed - possible contamination [Re: 3SIXTY5]
#26903345 - 08/27/20 11:54 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
3SIXTY5 said: Try adding 2 more gas exchange holes, and two layers of micropore on all 4 holes. Let's hope it's just not getting enough gas exchange happening, but if you already have 2 holes it's doubtful.
If it smells "sharp" That's probably not a good sign, would you call it, sourish, possibly? it should smell the same as when you first spawned to substrate, sort of an earthy/fresh mushroom smell.
If the sub is a bit too wet, and it smells sourish and your growth has slowed down quite a bit, id bet that it's a bacterial contamination,with bacterial contaminations you won't really see anything, but you will smell it. I'm not using manure, just coco but when coco is at "field capacity" It almost feels dry until you give it a good squeeze
Its not bad or rotten smell, its just some sharp, chemical-like smell (I forgot how amonium smell, but maybe sort of like that?). I think its the smell of the mushrooms (never smelled it before so I really cant say.
I would also say mycelium looks healthy, but what worries me is propagation. For example, on the one of my pictures taken from the side of the tub, little left from the center there is a gap between two mycelium parts. And that gap is not closing very soon I guess (I checked it this morning, it's almost the same in width). So probably mycelium is not consuming supstrate right for some reason.
I ordered hygrometer for measuring moisture content but I will not receive it until Monday I guess, so I really can't say if my supstrate is too wet or not. There is always some condensation on the sides, I think that should be ok. I put the aluminum foil on the surface of the supstrate.
Will make bigger holes for sure, it's my next step. Maybe to open the lid and turn it upside down? So more air is coming in. For now tub is covered with black plastic bag.
If my supstrate is not fully colonized in, lets say 5-6 days, should I put everything in fruiting mode? I guess not.
I tried to buy cow/horse manure but they didnt have in shops. I read somewhere that cow manure is actually some 90 percent straw and 10 percent cow dung. There is a place near here that sells natural cow manure for gardens, but as I remember it's mostly cow dung, they clean it of straws. So I guess that shouldn't be used in my next try?
Thanks for everything guys, you are the best. Really hope my tub is going to work out in the end. But if it dont, I will try again for sure. Just a little disappointed with the first one:(
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shr00mFer
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Re: Help needed - possible contamination [Re: shr00mFer]
#26903353 - 08/28/20 12:15 AM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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One thing that comes to my mind, maybe I should open the lid and fan it (if you guys think its too much moisture)? With some vent/fan or by hand with some magazine or something (no worries I would clean it with alcohol first).
Another thing that comes to my mind (but I think it is not recommended) is to put some gloves and mix all of my supstrate so that mycelium gets everywhere and in some 5-6 days colonize all of the supstrate (cause right now, for some reason, cant do it).
Or maybe I am just trippin and should leave it for 5-10 days more and everything will be ok:)
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