|
level7
Stranger
Registered: 03/23/23
Posts: 6
Last seen: 1 year, 6 months
|
Trying to Stay Positive, but Discouraging Early Results
#28369774 - 06/22/23 08:23 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
|
|
What am I doing wrong? I started with Two Magic Bags and one syringe of PE LC. Both bags did well in the dark. After about three weeks, it did the break and shake. One bag thrived, the other stalled. Once the 'good' bag was fully covered in mycellium I donned gloves, sprayed them and the bag with alcohol, opened the bag and aired it daily, misted it occasionally. And nothing. I waited a good 3-4 weeks before transferring it to a monotub. PE went into monotub on 6/8. Pic of monotub taken yesterday (6/21). It stinks to high heaven -- my nostrils are irritated as I edit this. Seems super damp. Followed instructions found on YouTube "How to Grow Mushrooms from Start to Finish in a Monotub".
In parallel, I inoculated two more bags with a syringe of GT LC on 6/7/23. Just checked it yesterday and progress is super minimal. Maybe quarter sized patch of mycellium visible in each after two weeks.
Pics below: Here's what I thought was a successful start of PE in Magic Bag:

Another view before opening:

A week or two after opening and encouraging to fruit:

Monotub current status (6/21):

Close up of Monotub contents:

Sstalled PE Magic Bag:
Edited by level7 (06/22/23 08:29 AM)
|
MojaveMyc
Fractal Farmer


Registered: 05/08/21
Posts: 858
Loc: Colorado
|
Re: Trying to Stay Positive, but Discouraging Early Results [Re: level7] 1
#28369798 - 06/22/23 08:39 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Don't beat yourself up, shit happens homie. This could be caused by anything from inoculation to grain prep. It is hard to diagnose contam issues if you do not DIY as you are at the mercy of your vendor's practices. Folks here are going to start with your inoculant, the LC. Shooting anything directly to grain without testing it on agar first is asking for trouble. Even my favorite vendors have sent me dirty shit, you have to verify for yourself.
Have you taken a stab at agar yet? You don't need a PC for it. How about PF tek? No PC needed either & it's people's go-to tek to clean up dirty inoculant. It will also be cheaper than buying bags. Though if you're buying bags, chances are you've spent more on those than you would've a cheap PC. Something to consider. Take a look at this post for some write-ups that may help.
Getting Started & Up-to-Date Teks
|
Pandaskis
Eating Bamboo



Registered: 03/14/23
Posts: 1,869
Last seen: 8 months, 8 days
|
Re: Trying to Stay Positive, but Discouraging Early Results [Re: level7] 1
#28369802 - 06/22/23 08:42 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Hi Welcome to the shroomery!
Your LC was likely bacterial, You want to check LC on agar before using it. Also once things are fully colonized you should spawn it straight to the monotub, no need to air it out or whatever for a week. PE's are very slow fruiters, and if your bags were bacterial to begin with, i wouldnt hold out for fruits.
I would suggest starting again, hold off on LC, and learn to do Agar, give some of the links in my Signature a read, itll be a good launch pad. Youtube and reddit is kind of a cesspool when it comes to information for cube growing
|
MadSeasonStudent
Enjoying Life



Registered: 08/26/12
Posts: 758
Loc: Swinging on the spiral
Last seen: 4 months, 6 days
|
Re: Trying to Stay Positive, but Discouraging Early Results [Re: Pandaskis] 1
#28369827 - 06/22/23 09:06 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
|
|
This is why I steer clear of LC’s. Too much time lost now. With Agar, you can see if it’s contaminated before it goes into jars or bags. I’m not saying LC don’t work but, agar is a lot better for what I do.
--------------------
|
thespacecadet
Astral Explorer



Registered: 06/03/23
Posts: 56
Last seen: 1 year, 3 months
|
Re: Trying to Stay Positive, but Discouraging Early Results [Re: MadSeasonStudent]
#28369868 - 06/22/23 09:38 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Stick with it! I had a thought though and not sure if I read correctly but are you saying that you opened the bag a few days before spawning to the monotub?
|
level7
Stranger

Registered: 03/23/23
Posts: 6
Last seen: 1 year, 6 months
|
Re: Trying to Stay Positive, but Discouraging Early Results [Re: MojaveMyc]
#28369875 - 06/22/23 09:42 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Thank you for your reply! I appreciate the encouragement!
I've not tried Agar. I've seen some stuff on it -- she does it in that video I referenced. But I'm super ADHD and it seemed super complicated and involved to me. I also don't have a dedicated space set up for this yet, though I'd really like to figure something out.
I'm not familiar with PF-Tek, but will look into it. What is a PC?
I'll check out the links. Thanks again!
Edited by level7 (06/22/23 09:43 AM)
|
level7
Stranger

Registered: 03/23/23
Posts: 6
Last seen: 1 year, 6 months
|
Re: Trying to Stay Positive, but Discouraging Early Results [Re: Pandaskis]
#28369881 - 06/22/23 09:45 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
Pandaskis said: Hi Welcome to the shroomery!
Your LC was likely bacterial, You want to check LC on agar before using it. Also once things are fully colonized you should spawn it straight to the monotub, no need to air it out or whatever for a week. PE's are very slow fruiters, and if your bags were bacterial to begin with, i wouldnt hold out for fruits.
I would suggest starting again, hold off on LC, and learn to do Agar, give some of the links in my Signature a read, itll be a good launch pad. Youtube and reddit is kind of a cesspool when it comes to information for cube growing
Thanks for your reply -- and the welcoming note! If holding off on LC, would you suggest starting over with spores. I guess I thought I'd heard that LC was superior to spores for newbies. I'm glad I found this community will definitely put myself on a strict YouTube and Reddit diet. Thanks again!
Edited by level7 (06/22/23 09:46 AM)
|
level7
Stranger

Registered: 03/23/23
Posts: 6
Last seen: 1 year, 6 months
|
Re: Trying to Stay Positive, but Discouraging Early Results [Re: MadSeasonStudent]
#28369889 - 06/22/23 09:48 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
MadSeasonStudent said: This is why I steer clear of LC’s. Too much time lost now. With Agar, you can see if it’s contaminated before it goes into jars or bags. I’m not saying LC don’t work but, agar is a lot better for what I do.
Thanks for chiming in! As I responded to Pandaskis, I thought LC was better than spores for beginning mycologists. No? What is your process? Thanks for any insight you're willing to lend!
|
Pandaskis
Eating Bamboo



Registered: 03/14/23
Posts: 1,869
Last seen: 8 months, 8 days
|
Re: Trying to Stay Positive, but Discouraging Early Results [Re: level7]
#28369898 - 06/22/23 09:53 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
level7 said:
Quote:
Pandaskis said: Hi Welcome to the shroomery!
Your LC was likely bacterial, You want to check LC on agar before using it. Also once things are fully colonized you should spawn it straight to the monotub, no need to air it out or whatever for a week. PE's are very slow fruiters, and if your bags were bacterial to begin with, i wouldnt hold out for fruits.
I would suggest starting again, hold off on LC, and learn to do Agar, give some of the links in my Signature a read, itll be a good launch pad. Youtube and reddit is kind of a cesspool when it comes to information for cube growing
Thanks for your reply -- and the welcoming note! If holding off on LC, would you suggest starting over with spores. I guess I thought I'd heard that LC was superior to spores for newbies. I'm glad I found this community will definitely put myself on a strict YouTube and Reddit diet. Thanks again!
Either way would highly recommend agar. LC needs Agar, spores need Agar
|
level7
Stranger

Registered: 03/23/23
Posts: 6
Last seen: 1 year, 6 months
|
Re: Trying to Stay Positive, but Discouraging Early Results [Re: thespacecadet]
#28369912 - 06/22/23 09:59 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
thespacecadet said: Stick with it! I had a thought though and not sure if I read correctly but are you saying that you opened the bag a few days before spawning to the monotub?
Thank you, too, for the encouragement! Yes, I opened the bag and exposed it to light, visiting it daily to mist with water and fan out any CO2 probably 3 weeks or more before transferring to monotub. Seemed to be getting too soggy at the bottom of the bag. At one point, liquid was actually dripping out of the bottom of the bag somehow (which I recognize could also have been another issue and entry point for contamination).
|
Screwup
Googles your dumb questions


Registered: 01/27/22
Posts: 6,340
Last seen: 10 months, 7 days
|
Re: Trying to Stay Positive, but Discouraging Early Results [Re: level7] 1
#28369925 - 06/22/23 10:06 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Stop fanning.
-------------------- 🅃 🄴 🄰 🄼 🄲 🄻 🄸 🄽 🄶 🅆 🅁 🄰 🄿
Help US help YOU TEK
2023 Dehydrator TEK
|
MadSeasonStudent
Enjoying Life



Registered: 08/26/12
Posts: 758
Loc: Swinging on the spiral
Last seen: 4 months, 6 days
|
Re: Trying to Stay Positive, but Discouraging Early Results [Re: level7]
#28369940 - 06/22/23 10:16 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
|
|
No LC is a completely different game then agar. With LC you can see it grow in the jar but you don’t know if it’s contaminated by looking at it, unless it’s all weird and looks funky. Agar you can see what’s going on and get a culture you like. If it’s green or yellow or whatever..you can see that in your agar.
--------------------
|
MojaveMyc
Fractal Farmer


Registered: 05/08/21
Posts: 858
Loc: Colorado
|
Re: Trying to Stay Positive, but Discouraging Early Results [Re: level7] 1
#28370020 - 06/22/23 11:26 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
level7 said: Thank you for your reply! I appreciate the encouragement!
I've not tried Agar. I've seen some stuff on it -- she does it in that video I referenced. But I'm super ADHD and it seemed super complicated and involved to me. I also don't have a dedicated space set up for this yet, though I'd really like to figure something out.
I'm not familiar with PF-Tek, but will look into it. What is a PC?
I'll check out the links. Thanks again!
PC=Pressure canner/pressure cooker. Most folks around here use either Pretos or All Americans. You can find a 16qt PC at Walmart for about $70 if you're in the states. It can fit 7 quart jars at a time or a few bags. Maintain it well & you'll only have to buy it once. With a PC you'll be able to prepare everything yourself. Makes it much easier to figure out where things are going wrong. Also look into making a SAB/still air box if you don't have one.
Hahah I feel the ADHD part. This is my hyper focus hobby. Agar is absolutely worth your time, and soon enough it'll be easy as can be. Best of luck! All that's necessary in this hobby is a willingness to learn & it seems like you have that covered.
|
level7
Stranger

Registered: 03/23/23
Posts: 6
Last seen: 1 year, 6 months
|
Re: Trying to Stay Positive, but Discouraging Early Results [Re: MojaveMyc]
#28370232 - 06/22/23 01:49 PM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
MojaveMyc said:
PC=Pressure canner/pressure cooker. Most folks around here use either Pretos or All Americans. You can find a 16qt PC at Walmart for about $70 if you're in the states. It can fit 7 quart jars at a time or a few bags. Maintain it well & you'll only have to buy it once. With a PC you'll be able to prepare everything yourself. Makes it much easier to figure out where things are going wrong. Also look into making a SAB/still air box if you don't have one.
Hahah I feel the ADHD part. This is my hyper focus hobby. Agar is absolutely worth your time, and soon enough it'll be easy as can be. Best of luck! All that's necessary in this hobby is a willingness to learn & it seems like you have that covered.
Thanks again for the encouragement! I'm trying to learn as much as I can. I really appreciate how this community is so willing to share knowledge! I will look into Agar/PC/SAB for my next attempt...
|
smalltalk_canceled
Babnik



Registered: 07/13/20
Posts: 3,174
Last seen: 18 hours, 34 minutes
|
Re: Trying to Stay Positive, but Discouraging Early Results [Re: level7] 1
#28370370 - 06/22/23 04:11 PM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
|
|
start pumping muscle in the agar game, do some full body agar excercises
-------------------- Willpower is the one true virtue
  
|
|