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kingleonidas
Stranger
Registered: 08/17/20
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Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
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Agar activated charcoal won't dissolve
#26983160 - 10/13/20 10:49 AM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Hey everyone,
I tried pouring plates for the first time with activated charcoal, I really like the black plates. However, I couldn't get the charcoal to fully dissolve. I just used some cheap stuff from amazon https://www.amazon.com/Doria-Virgin-Activated-Charcoal-Powder/dp/B0131O1O3S/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=activated+charcoal&qid=1602607666&sr=8-5
Does anyone have any suggestions for how to get it to dissolve. Or a better brand recommendation?
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meowjinx
Stranger

Registered: 05/20/19
Posts: 492
Last seen: 1 year, 6 months
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Re: Agar activated charcoal won't dissolve [Re: kingleonidas]
#26983285 - 10/13/20 12:15 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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I used pellets that they sell in pet stores to filter fish tanks. It says "Activated Carbon' on it
Those little pellets are hard af, I don't use a blender or nothing, I just grab a small hammer and put them in plastic baggies and hammer them against a hard surface. Very fine powder is left over if you filter it through like a tea strainer. I throw that powder in my agar. Not a very refined method, but it worked fine for me
I made charcoal agar Liquid Culture and I like it so far. The color has remained inside the agar puck even though I put water in it like a week ago

I did it because I figured black would help contrast the white mycelium and make it easier to check on my LC. I don't know if smashing fish tank pellets with a hammer bestows the agar with any antibacterial properties, I only did it for the color
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kingleonidas
Stranger
Registered: 08/17/20
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Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
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Re: Agar activated charcoal won't dissolve [Re: meowjinx]
#26983304 - 10/13/20 12:22 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Yea I was just going for color as well. The powder I used was super fine, not sure why it turned out so splotchy.
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meowjinx
Stranger

Registered: 05/20/19
Posts: 492
Last seen: 1 year, 6 months
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Re: Agar activated charcoal won't dissolve [Re: kingleonidas]
#26983312 - 10/13/20 12:31 PM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/imagitarium-activated-carbon-for-fresh-or-salt-water-aquariums-45-oz-2425862?cm_mmc=PSH-_-GGL-_-CAL-_-PME-_-PET-_-AQU-_-0-_-PM_GGL_FY20_SBU05_PrivateLabel-Imagitarium_PLA-SMRT-_-0-_-0&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoJX8BRCZARIsAEWBFMJKwyDCJP-SyhIK6Nx_QDADgHJQqb3B5MTVPLSwZ-gsa6LGjMVl7mIaAkFeEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
This is the brand that I used. Just put it in a double layer of ziplocs or something because it will leave black residue everywhere it touches
It's like the powder just slides off as you smash them. It's not that the pellet chunks themselves become the powder, most of that is strained out
I added that powder directly to the agar "plate" (it's a half pint jar) and poured the hot agar-MEA mixture and mixed it w/ a small whisk. It distributed the color fairly evenly, so it should work for if you wanna try that method
If nothing else, I believe they sell black food coloring, which you could also try. I just went with fish pellets because I figured if there's a teeny chance it can fight contams it'd be worth it
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In Lakech
Ala Kin


Registered: 10/09/18
Posts: 131
Loc: this
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Re: Agar activated charcoal won't dissolve [Re: kingleonidas]
#27032313 - 11/10/20 08:56 PM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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I just bought this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0722T3FXC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Cheapest I could find. It is very fine & a bit messy but mixed very well.

Did not resuscitate my year old syringe spores though. Had them in the fridge but 10 plates later & nothing. Guess I'm going to chuck them.
-------------------- I will forever miss spirit surfing the multicolored waves of Jerry's guitar riffs!
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tiptrippy
The Mechanic



Registered: 09/09/20
Posts: 1,131
Loc: United States
Last seen: 1 year, 6 months
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Re: Agar activated charcoal won't dissolve [Re: In Lakech]
#27032542 - 11/11/20 12:06 AM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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This is the stuff that D3monic uses to make plates like this 
See his grow log Here Or see his agar porn Here
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the man
still masked



Registered: 08/12/99
Posts: 6,681
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Re: Agar activated charcoal won't dissolve [Re: tiptrippy]
#27033417 - 11/11/20 01:07 PM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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charcoal will never dissolve in any real amount. tey use it in tissue culture aswell to absorb metabolites so can keep in storage longer aswell. gets rid of waste and imagine does same thing for mycellium.
-------------------- And Moses Said "Let my mushrooms grow!"
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