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SpencerPhillips



Registered: 08/18/12
Posts: 656
Loc: ON, Canada
Last seen: 3 days, 13 hours
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Reporting Failure
#28171588 - 02/04/23 02:52 AM (11 months, 17 days ago) |
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Pictures could not describe what I'm about to divulge. I think my best chance and a second attempt would be using micropore tape on my lids. Looking for encouragement, that is all. If I were seeking shittalk, I'd bring up this problem on discord.
So I started with 14 PF jars, 4 days apart (2 batches of 7) 4 are remaining, but I'm 95% certain their end is near.
I inspected my jars today, one had a little gnat or fly? a couple other's had some larva wiggling around. Grossed me the fuck out. (Sorry I didn't take photos) I'd like to automatically blame my roommate who cooks in his rooms, which I believe is the cause of these little fruit fly type bugs. (I took a chance anyways) Bought all the required things for PF Tek, but my first attempt here in over a decade was a failure. And since it only was realized about an hour ago, it isn't humbling...
I have 4 jars still colonizing, but I'm sure they will go green and host some sort of small bug in no time.
My whole plan was to begin microdosing off my first harvest, I don't think I was going to even attempt a trip seeing as I've got addictive tendencies.
So what can I do? Bleach and deep clean my entire room? Pack it all up for when my living space is more suitable? Micropore tape over the lids is my only thought at second attempt?
And then... I need those mosquitoes Bits to put in sub, and good to go?
Ahh failure what a bummer tonight...
Please take 'er easy on me fellow shroomerites
-------------------- Come on put it up! Woooo!
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MonkeyJesusFresco
am i suspended in agar?



Registered: 10/09/12
Posts: 3,306
Loc: South East USA
Last seen: 11 hours, 2 minutes
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bummer. I've actully been away for a while so I'm not really up to date with current operating procedures...
is there any reason *not* to incorporate a poly-fil/mircopore tape hole and some self healing injection ports?
it would greatly reduce contam worry as your cakes sit around colonizing 
i dunno, sorry to hear it
-------------------- LAGM v 2.024 - endo cabendo
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VP123
Strange



Registered: 06/27/19
Posts: 1,341
Loc: Midwest
Last seen: 9 days, 15 hours
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I once had that problem. Pf-tek cakes almost fully colonized and then the gnats found them and trichoderma began to take over. I buried those cakes outside in a pot with a potted plant. I was able to get two flushes of mushrooms from my outdoors growth.
Micropore tape will prevent those bugs from screwing up the colonization. It worked very well for me. But you will have to figure out how to keep them off your cakes during the fruiting stage. Maybe some polyfill can help. I got rid of anything were gnats could breed or hide and did the fruiting in the room that was the farthest from the kitchen. No food, no plants, nothing that could invite those bugs.
Goof luck. I hope you find a solution.
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HappinessStan
Fungivore



Registered: 10/10/12
Posts: 1,612
Loc: Worcester, UK
Last seen: 5 hours, 15 minutes
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Re: Reporting Failure [Re: VP123]
#28171630 - 02/04/23 05:02 AM (11 months, 17 days ago) |
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Quote:
VP123 said: I once had that problem. Pf-tek cakes almost fully colonized and then the gnats found them and trichoderma began to take over. I buried those cakes outside in a pot with a potted plant. I was able to get two flushes of mushrooms from my outdoors growth.
Micropore tape will prevent those bugs from screwing up the colonization. It worked very well for me. But you will have to figure out how to keep them off your cakes during the fruiting stage. Maybe some polyfill can help. I got rid of anything were gnats could breed or hide and did the fruiting in the room that was the farthest from the kitchen. No food, no plants, nothing that could invite those bugs.
Goof luck. I hope you find a solution.
Gnats are a bastard, they breed in houseplants and around taps/faucets too.
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Phaedra
Mycolobster

Registered: 03/25/15
Posts: 179
Loc: N. America
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Post deleted by Phaedra
Reason for deletion: X
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SpencerPhillips



Registered: 08/18/12
Posts: 656
Loc: ON, Canada
Last seen: 3 days, 13 hours
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Re: Reporting Failure [Re: Phaedra]
#28171649 - 02/04/23 05:36 AM (11 months, 17 days ago) |
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Quote:
Phaedra said: Clean the house. Not your roommates rooms, but, yours, the bathrooms and common spaces. Encourage them to take care of themselves. If you want it to work for you, you may have to carry a bigger part of the burden than the roommates.
Make small vinegar and soap fruit fly traps and check/re-make them as they get full of death or dry out. Seriously. 5-10mm apple cider vinegar in a small cup and a drop or two of soap to break surface tension. This will also give you an idea of how many youโre dealing with. Place them low, by the sink, by the trash, by the fruit, etc.
No plants, other pets, or moisture that you canโt control around the grow area (other than mush cult stuff). You can get a sticky trap for near your grow, but dont use the vinegar traps because those attract them.
I grow flightless fruit flys in my house, for dart frogs. My Martha is 30 feet from the frogs/fruit flies. So far I havenโt had issue.
Yes, use micropore on PF jars just to obstruct anything from entering to drop off a load which will cause you problems. Good luck!
THANK YOU, for the advice.
-------------------- Come on put it up! Woooo!
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LadysKnight
Hello Ladies


Registered: 10/09/15
Posts: 1,656
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One drop of peppermint oil in a spray bottle of water. You can spray jars, tubs, substrate surfaces, fruits, anywhere you don't want to see flies or gnats.
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Hindsight
Mad Scientist


Registered: 01/24/21
Posts: 2,706
Last seen: 9 months, 3 days
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I just had a major infestation of fungust gnats late last year that shut down my entire grow for a month while I cleaned up. You don't want to let it get out of hand. Here is my advice:
1. Get rid of everything you are growing in open air now (meaning, anything that the flies could get to.... closed filtered grain jars don't count, PF cakes without open holes in the lid don't count, etc) 2. Set off one or more aerosol bug foggers (aka bug bombs) in all areas of the house that you are able to and follow the instructions. It will kill off all the live flies (adults live for two weeks so this is important), and will provide residual killing when they land on any surfaces like floor, walls, and ceiling 3. Get a UV light trap like one of these and put it in your growing area - ensure all other lights are turned off at night so they are attracted to this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B6RZP4H or https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08S49753K 4. Get a large pack of yellow sticky card traps from Amazon like these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0839QH3G8 and put a handful of them all around your grow and living areas. Use these to both catch, and more importantly MONITOR infestation levels so you know if you've tackled the issue or still have it. Even put some inside your monos. Also put some by any houseplants you have anywhere in the house. 5. Add BT and Spinosad to your substrates. This won't work so well for cake grows because the heat during sterilization of the cakes will render these things inactive, but if you are growing with coir it will work. Just ensure you add them during grain spawn mix, not during coir hydration and pasteurization.
You can also try using a fruiting tub that is air-tight (gasket on the lid, like this: https://www.target.com/p/ezy-storage-52-8qt-ip67-waterproof-storage-box/-/A-81967134), then add holes down low and up high like you normally would in a fruiting tub, but make the holes larger and cover them with micropore tape. I haven't tried this myself but it is possible you may get enough air exchange if the holes are large enough even though they are covered with the MP tape. Again, I haven't tried this one myself so can't say if it will work. You could try polyfill instead of the MP tape but I am not sure how gnat-proof it would be and if it would let in any more air than the MP tape. The point of the air-tight tote with the gasket lid is to just ensure that all entrances to the tub are filtered with the MP tape and they aren't getting in through the lid.
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Phaedra
Mycolobster


Registered: 03/25/15
Posts: 179
Loc: N. America
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Re: Reporting Failure *DELETED* [Re: Hindsight] 1
#28171770 - 02/04/23 08:17 AM (11 months, 17 days ago) |
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Post deleted by Phaedra
Reason for deletion: X
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AyePlus
Stony Danza


Registered: 12/18/14
Posts: 3,393
Loc: Fairfield, Connecticut
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Re: Reporting Failure [Re: Phaedra] 1
#28171786 - 02/04/23 08:31 AM (11 months, 17 days ago) |
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Tbh they're IME mostly attracted to already contaminated subs and moldy mushroom stumps, definitely use mo on your pf jars next time no reason no to and make sure to clean up well.. dump anything after first flush for a while, and use a combo of MP tape on totes to prevent them from easy access, essential oils to keep them away, sticky traps to keep them under control and monitored, and add mosquito dunks to your sprayer.


Iโve had them on and off for years, i live by a cow field on a veggie and gourmet mushroom farm and theyโre unavoidable certain times of year, but doing all of the things i mentioned and making sure not to leave stumps and tossing anything remotely questionable, as well as spraying your houseplants with the mosquito dunk sprayer and making sure you have windowscreens will keep them manageable
None of these will eliminate them but doing all of them will reduce/mitigate the problems they cause and make it possible to continue growing in the same space IME
-------------------- Learn about breeding
  C10โs agar guide Good surface conditions = Good pinsets Read more, post less. ๐
๐ฐ ๐ผ ๐ด ๐
๐ด ๐ฐ ๐ผ ๐
๐ด ๐ฐ ๐ผ ๐ฒ ๐ป ๐ธ ๐ฝ ๐ถ ๐
๐
๐ฐ ๐ฟ
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HappinessStan
Fungivore



Registered: 10/10/12
Posts: 1,612
Loc: Worcester, UK
Last seen: 5 hours, 15 minutes
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Re: Reporting Failure [Re: AyePlus]
#28171938 - 02/04/23 11:17 AM (11 months, 16 days ago) |
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You don't need to kill animals to stop infestations. There are better ways. Do mushrooms not teach us that we are connected to everything and everyone? Preventing breeding habitats is always better than killing the offspring.
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SpencerPhillips



Registered: 08/18/12
Posts: 656
Loc: ON, Canada
Last seen: 3 days, 13 hours
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Quote:
HappinessStan said: You don't need to kill animals to stop infestations. There are better ways. Do mushrooms not teach us that we are connected to everything and everyone? Preventing breeding habitats is always better than killing the offspring.
You must have really hated that movie "A Bug's Life"
-------------------- Come on put it up! Woooo!
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SpencerPhillips



Registered: 08/18/12
Posts: 656
Loc: ON, Canada
Last seen: 3 days, 13 hours
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Bumping this, to officially thank the input I received! I can recall.
- peppermint oil in water spray bottle
- UV lamp (maybe $70 CAD on Amazon)
- set up some apple cider vinegar dish soap traps
- mosquitoe dunks
I plan to do a bleach water cleaning of my closet/room (and I'm still mad I failed so procrastinating...) At what point do I incorporate the mosquitoes dunk puck looking thing? I intend to do more cakes, so do I mix in the mosquitoe dunk puck when I do my coir prep? (bucket tek) I will be certain to use MP Tape here on out.
I do not believe the gnats are totally taking over the house, but they fucked up my cakes. so I'ma change something to fix that. is it possible that simply the peppermint water spray bottle in the area I grow (after my deep bleach cleaning) that-that will maybe be enough? and same misting to my shoeboxes (when I get to that point)
-------------------- Come on put it up! Woooo!
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LadysKnight
Hello Ladies


Registered: 10/09/15
Posts: 1,656
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I live in the forest with a couple kinds of gnats and a few types of flies. It is just a fact, they live here. But they don't bother my stuff because of one drop of peppermint oil in a spray bottle. It's the same water I mist tubs with. Ayeplus uses a commercial version, also contains peppermint oil.
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SpencerPhillips



Registered: 08/18/12
Posts: 656
Loc: ON, Canada
Last seen: 3 days, 13 hours
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Quote:
LadysKnight said: I live in the forest with a couple kinds of gnats and a few types of flies. It is just a fact, they live here. But they don't bother my stuff because of one drop of peppermint oil in a spray bottle. It's the same water I mist tubs with. Ayeplus uses a commercial version, also contains peppermint oil.
AH, thank you. So I could forgo these mosq. dunks?
-------------------- Come on put it up! Woooo!
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LadysKnight
Hello Ladies


Registered: 10/09/15
Posts: 1,656
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And cleaning and anything else.
BTI (mosquito dunks) are great for killing larvae, only. They won't keep adults away from your stuff.
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Excess Taters
Highentist



Registered: 08/29/22
Posts: 874
Last seen: 4 months, 19 days
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For the record about addictive stuff, psychedelics are known to be self regulating thanks to the diminishing returns with regular usage. Meaning, while some drugs are addictive, psychedelics are not.
That doesn't mean it's impossible to be addicted to them or have problems. It just means the vast majority of people do not have those issues.
-------------------- If you've never grown mushrooms before, here's how you start. First, follow the Updated PF Tek, put 4 holes in jar lids not 1, and use a water tub! The next move is Shoebox Tek. After that you move onto grains, agar, monotubs. Agar is easy, just do it. Other useful links - Picture guide for how things should look and proper surface conditions guide Growing APE or PE? P9 pseudo casing tek
Edited by Excess Taters (02/08/23 08:30 AM)
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AyePlus
Stony Danza


Registered: 12/18/14
Posts: 3,393
Loc: Fairfield, Connecticut
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I keep a piece of mosquito dunk in my sprayer
The essential oil mix gets sprayed all over the room/ walls floor etc, especially around any air intakes, the bt only gets sprayed on totes.
-------------------- Learn about breeding
  C10โs agar guide Good surface conditions = Good pinsets Read more, post less. ๐
๐ฐ ๐ผ ๐ด ๐
๐ด ๐ฐ ๐ผ ๐
๐ด ๐ฐ ๐ผ ๐ฒ ๐ป ๐ธ ๐ฝ ๐ถ ๐
๐
๐ฐ ๐ฟ
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SpencerPhillips



Registered: 08/18/12
Posts: 656
Loc: ON, Canada
Last seen: 3 days, 13 hours
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Quote:
Excess Taters said: For the record about addictive stuff, psychedelics are known to be self regulating thanks to the diminishing returns with regular usage. Meaning, while some drugs are addictive, psychedelics are not.
That doesn't mean it's impossible to be addicted to them or have problems. It just means the vast majority of people do not have those issues.
Had to re-read. Thx, either way. Would you suggest avoiding a trip and just sustain a microdose. If. Topic to sensitive thx
-------------------- Come on put it up! Woooo!
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Excess Taters
Highentist



Registered: 08/29/22
Posts: 874
Last seen: 4 months, 19 days
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Quote:
SpencerPhillips said:
Quote:
Excess Taters said: For the record about addictive stuff, psychedelics are known to be self regulating thanks to the diminishing returns with regular usage. Meaning, while some drugs are addictive, psychedelics are not.
That doesn't mean it's impossible to be addicted to them or have problems. It just means the vast majority of people do not have those issues.
Had to re-read. Thx, either way. Would you suggest avoiding a trip and just sustain a microdose. If. Topic to sensitive thx
We have proven therapeutic benefits to large doses of psilocybin, and no proven therapeutic benefits to microdosing. There is enough anecdotal reports to assume that there is something to microdosing, but scientifically only one of these methods has so far been proven.
I say do what you want, try whatever. Just don't rule out tripping, it's the most proven method of benefiting psychologically from psychedelics. They've tried to eliminate the tripping aspect of psychedelics to see if the benefits still manifest, iirc they did not, so the trip in itself is the real therapy imo.
-------------------- If you've never grown mushrooms before, here's how you start. First, follow the Updated PF Tek, put 4 holes in jar lids not 1, and use a water tub! The next move is Shoebox Tek. After that you move onto grains, agar, monotubs. Agar is easy, just do it. Other useful links - Picture guide for how things should look and proper surface conditions guide Growing APE or PE? P9 pseudo casing tek
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SpencerPhillips



Registered: 08/18/12
Posts: 656
Loc: ON, Canada
Last seen: 3 days, 13 hours
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Quote:
Excess Taters said:
Quote:
SpencerPhillips said:
Quote:
Excess Taters said: For the record about addictive stuff, psychedelics are known to be self regulating thanks to the diminishing returns with regular usage. Meaning, while some drugs are addictive, psychedelics are not.
That doesn't mean it's impossible to be addicted to them or have problems. It just means the vast majority of people do not have those issues.
Had to re-read. Thx, either way. Would you suggest avoiding a trip and just sustain a microdose. If. Topic to sensitive thx
We have proven therapeutic benefits to large doses of psilocybin, and no proven therapeutic benefits to microdosing. There is enough anecdotal reports to assume that there is something to microdosing, but scientifically only one of these methods has so far been proven.
I say do what you want, try whatever. Just don't rule out tripping, it's the most proven method of benefiting psychologically from psychedelics. They've tried to eliminate the tripping aspect of psychedelics to see if the benefits still manifest, iirc they did not, so the trip in itself is the real therapy imo.
much respect sending good vibes. will take this into heavy consideration
-------------------- Come on put it up! Woooo!
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fiddle_head
I'm not the dude, guy



Registered: 08/05/08
Posts: 1,877
Last seen: 58 minutes, 35 seconds
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Quote:
Phaedra said: Clean the house. Not your roommates rooms, but, yours, the bathrooms and common spaces. Encourage them to take care of themselves. If you want it to work for you, you may have to carry a bigger part of the burden than the roommates.
Make small vinegar and soap fruit fly traps and check/re-make them as they get full of death or dry out. Seriously. 5-10mm apple cider vinegar in a small cup and a drop or two of soap to break surface tension. This will also give you an idea of how many youโre dealing with. Place them low, by the sink, by the trash, by the fruit, etc.
No plants, other pets, or moisture that you canโt control around the grow area (other than mush cult stuff). You can get a sticky trap for near your grow, but dont use the vinegar traps because those attract them.
I grow flightless fruit flys in my house, for dart frogs. My Martha is 30 feet from the frogs/fruit flies. So far I havenโt had issue.
Yes, use micropore on PF jars just to obstruct anything from entering to drop off a load which will cause you problems. Good luck!
Phaedra is right. I had a couple baccy top fruiters get a gnat or fruit fly infection. I put a little jar with apple cider vinegar, and a piece of old apple or banana (whatever fruit you have on hand) and a single drop of dish soap to break the surface tension too. The fuckers will fall in alot once the fruit starts to rot. It's a slow process, and not completely effective used by itself, but in tandem with the suggestions here it could prove a very useful addition. I just thought this was cool as it is my method as well. Anyway, I hope you figure it out. Good luck!
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SpencerPhillips



Registered: 08/18/12
Posts: 656
Loc: ON, Canada
Last seen: 3 days, 13 hours
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