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gratefulbed
No

Registered: 08/25/20
Posts: 27
Last seen: 9 months, 18 days
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UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle
#28372117 - 06/24/23 01:22 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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A few years back, I stumbled across r/Unclebens on reddit. I didn't know it would change my life for the better.
Uncle Bens Tek uses sterile bags of cheap brown rice to grow mycelium on. Its a simple, and effective way of doing what many growers want to do, but its expensive and usually yields slightly-lower-quality fruit. For someone who didnt have a pressure cooker or any chutzpah for life or growing, it seemed like a good idea.
So doing what I do best, I dove right in; I bought like $50 worth of rice (around 20 packs), some micropore tape, Isopropyl and a 100q tub, and went right for it. I found a local store that happened to sell some spores, fortunately, because buying spores online seemed way more daunting to me. They were GT spores. I build a crude SAB that I still use to this day.
Initially, I had some mediocre success. I had inoculated 10 bags in a SAB, and only 2/8 made it, if I recall correctly. I realized as soon as I was done that I hadn't flame sterilized my needle between each inoculation. Granted, I now realize that there was probably more at work than just that, but thats where I hung my meagre success at.
I don't quite remember what happened with those couple of bags, but I do remember that I went super HAM on fruiting them. I sterilized the room I was in with Lysol, made sure there were not any significant air currents, took a shower, wore a face mask, Iso'd my arms, hands, tub, table, and everything around it. I have a photo of what I believe were those few Uncle Bens bags making it to fruiting. I made CVG, using Bod's Bucket Tek, to bulk my grains. I also didnt modify any of my tubs.
I allowed it to colonize to around %80 surface coverage before I cracked my lid for FAE.
Here is the first fruit I picked.

This was my first tub that fruited (I think) as mentioned above.

Not long after, I inoculated the remaining 10 bags of UB rice, and had a little bit more success. I say "little bit more success" because I had 0 contam, but not great cakes/fruit. I fruited 2-3 bags of rice into about 1-2 lbs of CVG per tub. It wanted to have 1.5 inches of bulked grains, which meant smaller tubs in L and W had a stronger grain to CVG ratio. One of my two taller tubs got an extra bag of rice, because why not. Each of them had a slightly different air openings because they were slightly different tub shapes.

I had a better workflow in my SAB, I remembered to flame sterilize my MSS between squirts, and I discovered that using ISO on micropore tape & waiting for it to dry before sticking it down would be a lifesaver. I also doubled the micropore tape.
Knowing that I had been able to grow without contamination was the biggest factor in what I did next; I bought a pressure cooker and some Unicorn bags, and went to town. I reasoned that any thing that wasn't contam was a success, and was enough for me to invest more into this budding hobby of mine.
Within a month, I had all my new tools and was ready to take on my new lifestyle, growing mushrooms.
Some UB Tek Method applied to my own bags


Some PEU Bags, damn they were slow to grow.

And some Bags that TOTALLY FAILED because I didnt sterilize long enough while PC'ing. Lost a weeks worth of Mazatapec bags, and a GT clone I also failed. Decided to test out what would happen to my bags if I only PC'd for 90 mins. My bags are all roughly 2lb bags, which needs more time, imo.

____________________________________________________
This was my first taste at mycology. I wrapped about 2-4 months into this post. I wish I had more to add, but it was 4-5 years back, iirc.
Uncle Bens Tek works fine, and can be a great way to take the first few steps towards a goal. It was a blessing to be randomly suggested that subreddit.. but I am sure my social algorithm knew I was a person with poor mental health looking for answers.
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Yahra
Meow


Registered: 03/06/23
Posts: 2,810
Loc: Earth
Last seen: 6 hours, 56 minutes
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: gratefulbed] 3
#28372128 - 06/24/23 01:42 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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gratefulbed
No

Registered: 08/25/20
Posts: 27
Last seen: 9 months, 18 days
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: Yahra] 1
#28372132 - 06/24/23 01:53 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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Try reading the post next time you see UB Tek.
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Yahra
Meow


Registered: 03/06/23
Posts: 2,810
Loc: Earth
Last seen: 6 hours, 56 minutes
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: gratefulbed] 4
#28372137 - 06/24/23 01:57 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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Read the thread i linked and try to understand why UB tek is the worst way to start your adventures in mycology.
Also this thread: Spores to Grain: Why it's discouraged & Recommended Alternatives
Edited by Yahra (06/24/23 02:21 AM)
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Goatrider
Rhythm Guitarist



Registered: 04/08/20
Posts: 4,801
Loc: Germany
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: Yahra] 4
#28372205 - 06/24/23 04:01 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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ItΒ΄s not always a good move to bash on some teks. You may have a high failure rate, but i bet OP is sure about that. You can see he has some success with that, and that ainΒ΄t bad at all. In the end itΒ΄s not the real kind of cultivation people want to see here on the Shroomery, so youΒ΄ll always gain some bashing on that. Lucky you Ashtray161 isnΒ΄t active anymore 
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Yahra
Meow


Registered: 03/06/23
Posts: 2,810
Loc: Earth
Last seen: 6 hours, 56 minutes
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: Goatrider] 2
#28372208 - 06/24/23 04:04 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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I don't bash UB tek, i linked to threads that explain why spores to grain yells for disaster.
It's that part of op's post that made me to.
Quote:
Uncle Bens Tek works fine, and can be a great way to take the first few steps towards a goal
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phenyl
Stupid person



Registered: 09/03/22
Posts: 544
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: gratefulbed] 3
#28372215 - 06/24/23 04:16 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
gratefulbed said: Uncle Bens Tek works fine
Quote:
gratefulbed said: a great way
Quote:
gratefulbed said: Initially, I had some mediocre success. I had inoculated 10 bags in a SAB, and only 2/8 made it, if I recall correctly.
Quote:
gratefulbed said: I say "little bit more success" because I had 0 contam, but not great cakes/fruit.
-------------------- The fool who persists in his folly will become wise.
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CapSlinger


Registered: 05/17/11
Posts: 1,165
Loc: Colorado rocky mountain high
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: phenyl] 1
#28372220 - 06/24/23 04:30 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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VP123
Strange



Registered: 06/27/19
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: gratefulbed] 3
#28372228 - 06/24/23 04:43 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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SirPsycho
Purple Belt in Google-Fu



Registered: 01/01/20
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: VP123] 6
#28372247 - 06/24/23 05:17 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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Listen man, the rice might be sterile but spores and by extension syringes are inherently dirty because mushrooms get fruited in open air.
Shooting spore solution into grain is a bad idea and your pictures are great examples of this. Every bag is bacterial.
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Ask about free prints: Ps tampanesis, subtropicalis, cubensis(ESS) and Pan cyanescens
Balance in life is like running on ice.
π
π
π
£π
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"Mist your balls and fan your asshole" - Pandaskis, 2023
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3.A.M
Boop!



Registered: 10/17/22
Posts: 2,090
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: gratefulbed] 2
#28372315 - 06/24/23 06:24 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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Yeah, you wonβt find many positive reactions to a tek thatβs proven to be rife with issues, but on the other hand, shrooms! Youβre definitely dealing with contam bro but youβre on your way to cleaner grows if you just refine your techniques, and Iβm glad uncle Benβs got you a foot in the door, in that respect itβs a good thing just not an ideal thing, well done though! π
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dna24
Darth Randal



Registered: 04/19/22
Posts: 511
Loc: Savages
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: gratefulbed]
#28372385 - 06/24/23 08:03 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
gratefulbed said: A few years back, I stumbled across r/Unclebens on reddit. I didn't know it would change my life for the better.
Uncle Bens Tek uses sterile bags of cheap brown rice to grow mycelium on. Its a simple, and effective way of doing what many growers want to do, but its expensive and usually yields slightly-lower-quality fruit. For someone who didnt have a pressure cooker or any chutzpah for life or growing, it seemed like a good idea.
So doing what I do best, I dove right in; I bought like $50 worth of rice (around 20 packs), some micropore tape, Isopropyl and a 100q tub, and went right for it. I found a local store that happened to sell some spores, fortunately, because buying spores online seemed way more daunting to me. They were GT spores. I build a crude SAB that I still use to this day.
Initially, I had some mediocre success. I had inoculated 10 bags in a SAB, and only 2/8 made it, if I recall correctly. I realized as soon as I was done that I hadn't flame sterilized my needle between each inoculation. Granted, I now realize that there was probably more at work than just that, but thats where I hung my meagre success at.
I don't quite remember what happened with those couple of bags, but I do remember that I went super HAM on fruiting them. I sterilized the room I was in with Lysol, made sure there were not any significant air currents, took a shower, wore a face mask, Iso'd my arms, hands, tub, table, and everything around it. I have a photo of what I believe were those few Uncle Bens bags making it to fruiting. I made CVG, using Bod's Bucket Tek, to bulk my grains. I also didnt modify any of my tubs.
I allowed it to colonize to around %80 surface coverage before I cracked my lid for FAE.
Here is the first fruit I picked.

This was my first tub that fruited (I think) as mentioned above.

Not long after, I inoculated the remaining 10 bags of UB rice, and had a little bit more success. I say "little bit more success" because I had 0 contam, but not great cakes/fruit. I fruited 2-3 bags of rice into about 1-2 lbs of CVG per tub. It wanted to have 1.5 inches of bulked grains, which meant smaller tubs in L and W had a stronger grain to CVG ratio. One of my two taller tubs got an extra bag of rice, because why not. Each of them had a slightly different air openings because they were slightly different tub shapes.

I had a better workflow in my SAB, I remembered to flame sterilize my MSS between squirts, and I discovered that using ISO on micropore tape & waiting for it to dry before sticking it down would be a lifesaver. I also doubled the micropore tape.
Knowing that I had been able to grow without contamination was the biggest factor in what I did next; I bought a pressure cooker and some Unicorn bags, and went to town. I reasoned that any thing that wasn't contam was a success, and was enough for me to invest more into this budding hobby of mine.
Within a month, I had all my new tools and was ready to take on my new lifestyle, growing mushrooms.
Some UB Tek Method applied to my own bags


Some PEU Bags, damn they were slow to grow.

And some Bags that TOTALLY FAILED because I didnt sterilize long enough while PC'ing. Lost a weeks worth of Mazatapec bags, and a GT clone I also failed. Decided to test out what would happen to my bags if I only PC'd for 90 mins. My bags are all roughly 2lb bags, which needs more time, imo.

____________________________________________________
This was my first taste at mycology. I wrapped about 2-4 months into this post. I wish I had more to add, but it was 4-5 years back, iirc.
Uncle Bens Tek works fine, and can be a great way to take the first few steps towards a goal. It was a blessing to be randomly suggested that subreddit.. but I am sure my social algorithm knew I was a person with poor mental health looking for answers.
i assume by the time i read this the roast party has started, have fun
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dna24
Darth Randal



Registered: 04/19/22
Posts: 511
Loc: Savages
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: gratefulbed] 1
#28372387 - 06/24/23 08:04 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
gratefulbed said: Try reading the post next time you see UB Tek.
WHY? so we can roast you harder for a) following UB tek from reddit or b) cause you keep shooting mss to grain? why read what we know is only good for prison grows at best
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dna24
Darth Randal



Registered: 04/19/22
Posts: 511
Loc: Savages
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: Yahra]
#28372388 - 06/24/23 08:06 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
Yahra said: I don't bash UB tek
i do all day and night, cause once you learn you cant unlearn how bad it really is
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Yahra
Meow


Registered: 03/06/23
Posts: 2,810
Loc: Earth
Last seen: 6 hours, 56 minutes
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: dna24] 3
#28372400 - 06/24/23 08:15 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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We are same but different.
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mushhead
Livonia Wanderer



Registered: 08/22/14
Posts: 2,242
Loc: Dimension G-452
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: dna24] 1
#28372405 - 06/24/23 08:16 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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Yo this troll got Randal all mad. roast em randal.
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dna24
Darth Randal



Registered: 04/19/22
Posts: 511
Loc: Savages
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: mushhead] 4
#28372452 - 06/24/23 09:18 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
mushhead said: Yo this troll got Randal all mad. roast em randal.
not mad im just loud when i want to be and when i see this get pushed so hard when they themselves admit a 20% success rate but say its great to start with is complete bullshit and i gotta call that out like the rest of us. i admit ive fucked with ub tek shit before, hell ive even done mss to bag rice just for fucks sake but ive never been proud about that shit and saying its the way to go cause i learned just as anyone that does it long enough, it really is shit. My first ever mss was riddled with all kinds of crazy contam and i couldnt get it clean on agar to save my life, i was also new to agar and most of the game at the time but still i wasnt out there defending this shit. the most useful way to utilize rice bags is if you got clean culture on agar and the bags are free, spending any money on processed single bag rice is just dumb fucking economics, grain and wbs and even grass seed is so so much cheaper but all of the experienced growers already know this, its the ub tek pushers that always get their panties in a wad cause its work instead of insta crap like on their phone. if ever there is a time to revel in the wrongness of one, it is rice bag tek pushers, let the fire reign down on all of them, lets hope they dont hear about froggy using ancient cardboard tek to revive mold cause they may pick that up and run with it.
Convenient Store/RS Video Store Employee Rant Over
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Yahra
Meow


Registered: 03/06/23
Posts: 2,810
Loc: Earth
Last seen: 6 hours, 56 minutes
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: dna24] 2
#28372453 - 06/24/23 09:20 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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Good post, i like.
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mushhead
Livonia Wanderer



Registered: 08/22/14
Posts: 2,242
Loc: Dimension G-452
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: Yahra]
#28372470 - 06/24/23 09:39 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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gratefulbed
No

Registered: 08/25/20
Posts: 27
Last seen: 9 months, 18 days
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Re: UncleBens Tek leading to a lifestyle [Re: dna24]
#28372501 - 06/24/23 10:07 AM (1 year, 6 months ago) |
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"worst way to start your adventures in mycology".
You are mad I spent MY money on UB bags before I bought a PC?
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