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edgar1337
Professional Moron

Registered: 10/07/20
Posts: 102
Last seen: 3 years, 1 month
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How to warm up inoculated jars to speed colonization?
#26980262 - 10/11/20 04:30 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Hello. I've searched for an answer for this but have only found one seemingly legit solution. I was hoping some experienced individuals here would have better solutions.
Indoor temperatures tend to be ~65F right now, but the consensus seems to be that the ideal temp is 75-80F - supposedly it will speed up colonization. I've also read that insufficient heat will slow or completely stall-out mycellium growth.
Any ideas on how to raise temperature safely? The solution I found was a heating pad, but that seems like it would potentially cause problems as it would heat the bottom of the jar only, and with direct warmth.
Additionally, should jars be left in the dark or in an area with ambient light?
-------------------- "Mistakes are, after all, the foundations of truth, and if a man does not know what a thing is, it is at least an increase in knowledge if he knows what it is not." -Carl Jung "The current state of knowledge is a moment in history, changing just as rapidly as the state of knowledge in the past has ever changed and, in many instances, more rapidly." -Jean Piaget
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mushiesneedhelp
Stranger
Registered: 09/10/20
Posts: 38
Last seen: 3 years, 2 months
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Re: How to warm up inoculated jars to speed colonization? [Re: edgar1337]
#26980272 - 10/11/20 04:38 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Fungi-Fun has a guide on how to build an incubator. Personally, I put a sweatshirt over the box my jars are in. I also use a space heater when I find the room has felt drafty, but not for extended periods of time (I also don't leave it unsupervised, just 'cause I've heard a few space heater horror stories lol).
Just be careful. I'm still pretty new to everything, but heating can promote the growth of contams. That's why I try to only do it when it's needed.
I've noticed it has helped a lot. The mycelium was growing pretty slow at first. After a day or two of improved heating it's spread up quite a bit. I like to think my jars are happy, haha.
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One of Us
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Registered: 03/12/12
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Re: How to warm up inoculated jars to speed colonization? [Re: mushiesneedhelp]
#26980278 - 10/11/20 04:45 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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If 65F is the low temp, and it is warmer most of the time, I wouldn't worry about it. Even a constant 65f isn't terrible.
If you do need to heat, it is much better to heat the room rather than the jars. The oil/radiator type space heaters are best for this
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Funky Monkey
Human Suppository


Registered: 05/14/19
Posts: 1,099
Loc: In your MOM's poop shoot
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Re: How to warm up inoculated jars to speed colonization? [Re: mushiesneedhelp]
#26980279 - 10/11/20 04:48 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
edgar1337 said: Hello. I've searched for an answer for this but have only found one seemingly legit solution. I was hoping some experienced individuals here would have better solutions.
Indoor temperatures tend to be ~65F right now, but the consensus seems to be that the ideal temp is 75-80F - supposedly it will speed up colonization. I've also read that insufficient heat will slow or completely stall-out mycellium growth.
Any ideas on how to raise temperature safely? The solution I found was a heating pad, but that seems like it would potentially cause problems as it would heat the bottom of the jar only, and with direct warmth.
Additionally, should jars be left in the dark or in an area with ambient light?
65 isn't going to hurt anything. It may be a "touch" slower than 75, but it is certainly better to let them run at the room's ambient temperature rather than running an artificial heat source to try to "speed things up". That can, and has been documented to cause more problems than it solves.
Dark is okay for spawn production it won't hurt, but there are arguments that ambient light exposure on a natural circadian rhythm is better. I just leave mine on an open shelf while colonizing. Don't overthink this part. If it's clean, it will grow.
Quote:
mushiesneedhelp said: Fungi-Fun has a guide on how to build an incubator. Personally, I put a sweatshirt over the box my jars are in. I also use a space heater when I find the room has felt drafty, but not for extended periods of time (I also don't leave it unsupervised, just 'cause I've heard a few space heater horror stories lol).
Just be careful. I'm still pretty new to everything, but heating can promote the growth of contams. That's why I try to only do it when it's needed.
I've noticed it has helped a lot. The mycelium was growing pretty slow at first. After a day or two of improved heating it's spread up quite a bit. I like to think my jars are happy, haha.
Growth is generally slow at first. Ditch the incubator idea IMO. It's outdated misinformation that steers more people wrong than it helps. Just let it happen. Unless you are in downright wintery conditions it is gonna be fine, just might take a little longer. Which is better than fucking shit up trying to rush it along.
Blessings on your journey fellas! 
EDIT:
Quote:
One of Us said: If you do need to heat, it is much better to heat the room rather than the jars.
This part too.
Edited by Funky Monkey (10/11/20 04:50 PM)
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trippytimes
♡contamination queen♡



Registered: 09/02/14
Posts: 1,097
Last seen: 1 year, 2 months
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Re: How to warm up inoculated jars to speed colonization? [Re: Funky Monkey]
#26980281 - 10/11/20 04:50 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Just use a oil heater there cheap to run safe in my opinion and they keep my room 72-76 in winter and it don't run when it's not cold it has helped me and I only see a $23 difference in running and not in my power bill.
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Mtbromo
The Bro

Registered: 08/27/20
Posts: 186
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Re: How to warm up inoculated jars to speed colonization? [Re: trippytimes]
#26980479 - 10/11/20 07:29 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Ghetto way, use a cupboard or cooler box with a mini space heater in it with a temperature control adapter set to 70-80f
Pro way, buy a sealed grow tent with shelves and put a radiator heater/oil heater that creates no air movement in there with a temperature control adaptor.
I recently tested some jars in 12/12 light and jars in dark. Same batch same G2G, the jars in the light colonized 3-4 days quicker at 12 days compared to the dark jars. Just my experience
-------------------- Knowledge and Healing in a Handful.
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Sir Pentinite
Stranger all the time.

Registered: 05/15/19
Posts: 525
Loc: ation Location Location
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Re: How to warm up inoculated jars to speed colonization? [Re: Mtbromo]
#26980509 - 10/11/20 07:50 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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65°F is fine; you're better off not trying to build an incubator. They'll be fine with ambient light too.
I built an incubator once. It worked well and used very little electricity, but I didn't half-ass the design. Then I discovered that it's not even necessary at temps 10° lower than yours and now the parts just take up shelf space.
-------------------- "I thought to myself 'Boy, I'm sure glad there's nobody here to see this because this is exactly the sort of thing that gets people riled-up and they assume you're dying and that something has to be done. Where if you're alone, you know, you either come through it or you die, but in any case you avoid the fuss.'" - Terrence McKenna
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edgar1337
Professional Moron

Registered: 10/07/20
Posts: 102
Last seen: 3 years, 1 month
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Re: How to warm up inoculated jars to speed colonization? [Re: mushiesneedhelp]
#26980590 - 10/11/20 08:52 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
mushiesneedhelp said: Personally, I put a sweatshirt over the box my jars are in.
Wait... do the jars need to be in a box? Do they need to be wrapped in anything?
All these teks confuse me. A lot of it seems to be preference or just methods to do the same thing, but they are often presented as *the* way to do it (at least to a newbie.)
So jars just sitting out on a shelf getting ambient light will be okay?
What about airflow? If there is AC or a fan on, will it blow contaminants into the jars little holes? I know the dry vermiculite layer is supposed to protect from that, but it can't be foolproof.
-------------------- "Mistakes are, after all, the foundations of truth, and if a man does not know what a thing is, it is at least an increase in knowledge if he knows what it is not." -Carl Jung "The current state of knowledge is a moment in history, changing just as rapidly as the state of knowledge in the past has ever changed and, in many instances, more rapidly." -Jean Piaget
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trippytimes
♡contamination queen♡



Registered: 09/02/14
Posts: 1,097
Last seen: 1 year, 2 months
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Re: How to warm up inoculated jars to speed colonization? [Re: edgar1337]
#26980600 - 10/11/20 09:01 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
edgar1337 said:
Quote:
mushiesneedhelp said: Personally, I put a sweatshirt over the box my jars are in.
Wait... do the jars need to be in a box? Do they need to be wrapped in anything?
All these teks confuse me. A lot of it seems to be preference or just methods to do the same thing, but they are often presented as *the* way to do it (at least to a newbie.)
So jars just sitting out on a shelf getting ambient light will be okay?
What about airflow? If there is AC or a fan on, will it blow contaminants into the jars little holes? I know the dry vermiculite layer is supposed to protect from that, but it can't be foolproof.
Bruh chill its way easier then you think to grow take a deep breath you can shove those jars/bags/Ben bags in a tote or under the bed or on a shelf or anywhere. As long as your jars are over 57° they should do fine hot temps cause bacteria. Yes a study has proved that 12 light 12 dark is good for all stages. But it is so small of a change it won't matter. As long as you did your grain right you shouldn't have any issues. So relax mushrooms are a slow process it takes a month+ to get the first harvest sometimes longer. Just study and make sure you look at the date of the post! Alot of stuff is outdated! I go by the rule of if it's 4 years old it's probably wrong. Message me if you have questions I will answer instead of you posting and getting confused. I'm on here alot at least 20 times a day.
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Charliekilofoxtrot
Stranger
Registered: 08/30/20
Posts: 32
Last seen: 1 year, 10 months
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Re: How to warm up inoculated jars to speed colonization? [Re: trippytimes]
#26980632 - 10/11/20 09:29 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Assuming these are brf jars, when I first did a round I kept them in the top of a far closet and every now and then I’d leave the light on for a 30 mins to keep it a little warmer than ambient temp which was highly 60s low 70s. They did fine with just that. But the round after I’d read that the microclimate in the jars is warmer than the ambient temperature, sometimes up to a 10 degree difference. So I left those on a desk by my window. Those by far out performed the closet jars. I’d just avoid direct sunlight.
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Seamoss
Yard


Registered: 12/06/19
Posts: 17
Last seen: 2 years, 8 months
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Re: How to warm up inoculated jars to speed colonization? [Re: edgar1337]
#26980724 - 10/11/20 11:24 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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I use seedling heat mats that can be bought at any garden shop or online. I place a layer of corrugated cardboard I cut from a box on top of the mat to help with the heat distribution. On top of that, I have a 20qt bin that I set my jars in. I also run a temperature regulator that turns the heat mat on/off to maintain a set temp. This set up is fairly low cost to put together and gives you a *mostly* controlled environment.
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mushiesneedhelp
Stranger
Registered: 09/10/20
Posts: 38
Last seen: 3 years, 2 months
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Re: How to warm up inoculated jars to speed colonization? [Re: trippytimes]
#26986796 - 10/15/20 10:33 AM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
trippytimes said:
Quote:
edgar1337 said:
Quote:
mushiesneedhelp said: Personally, I put a sweatshirt over the box my jars are in.
Wait... do the jars need to be in a box? Do they need to be wrapped in anything?
All these teks confuse me. A lot of it seems to be preference or just methods to do the same thing, but they are often presented as *the* way to do it (at least to a newbie.)
So jars just sitting out on a shelf getting ambient light will be okay?
What about airflow? If there is AC or a fan on, will it blow contaminants into the jars little holes? I know the dry vermiculite layer is supposed to protect from that, but it can't be foolproof.
Bruh chill its way easier then you think to grow take a deep breath you can shove those jars/bags/Ben bags in a tote or under the bed or on a shelf or anywhere. As long as your jars are over 57° they should do fine hot temps cause bacteria. Yes a study has proved that 12 light 12 dark is good for all stages. But it is so small of a change it won't matter. As long as you did your grain right you shouldn't have any issues. So relax mushrooms are a slow process it takes a month+ to get the first harvest sometimes longer. Just study and make sure you look at the date of the post! Alot of stuff is outdated! I go by the rule of if it's 4 years old it's probably wrong. Message me if you have questions I will answer instead of you posting and getting confused. I'm on here alot at least 20 times a day.
Agreed. I'm still new to growing, but so far I've found keeping mine in darkness for the first two weeks then providing them with indirect sunlight for 12 hours a day until they pin worked for me. But no two growers will do it the same.
I just like using a box to keep them "protected"/"organized." I.E. if someone were to come into my room (I don't live alone yet — getting my own place in a few weeks), there aren't a bunch of tin-foil capped jars lying around... Would look kind of sus, haha.
I space them out in a small box: two jars in each corner and a jar in the middle against an opposing side.
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