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OfflineTakeatrip
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Removing excess condensation from no pour agar jars
    #28656287 - 02/12/24 12:41 AM (10 months, 29 days ago)

This might seem like a silly thing to be posting, but I am trying to avoid any contamination in my new no pour agar 4 oz jars. I made them last night and they seem to have a little more excess condensation in them than I would like.
For those of you that do use this no pour technique how do you get the excess moisture out the next day without contaminating the agar? I was thinking of unscrewing each jar in the SAB upside down and tipping it out the screwing the jar lid back on while the jar is still upside down?
Should I take the micropore tape off of the hole to let them breathe or leave it on? Just don't want to contaminate them but I am sure it would help alleviate the condensation.
I have chosen to try this method as I am tired of the waste of time and money due to contamination with pouring plates, when I can afford a laminar flow hood I will buy one but until then this is another cheap workaround.

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OfflineBuzzedAlien
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Re: Removing excess condensation from no pour agar jars [Re: Takeatrip] * 1
    #28656841 - 02/12/24 01:35 PM (10 months, 29 days ago)

I use a no-pour method and have found that the condensation really doesn't play a role in contamination.  I really wouldn't worry too much about it unless you are running into regular contamination issues and then there may be other things going on anyways. 

Most of the time the condensation goes away on its own.  One little trick to get rid of it if you are really worried is to set the plates upside down over a heated surface (like a counter with a little space heater underneath).  This will cause the water to condense onto the cooler surface (the agar) which will then get absorbed by the agar.

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OfflineYoshiTrainer
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Re: Removing excess condensation from no pour agar jars [Re: BuzzedAlien]
    #28656888 - 02/12/24 02:04 PM (10 months, 29 days ago)

If they have holes in the lids, they should clear up. I used unmodified lids and would just dump the excess on an alcohol soaked paper towel right before doing transfers. Leave the liquid in if you are starting spores.

On a side note, I once received a small piece of agar in a "dime" bag that had been completely smooshed during shipping. I added the condensation liquid to the bag and sucked the agar+liquid up with a syringe. I took that to a jar with agar and the rest to cyrovial.


Good luck!

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OfflineSonomaFungi_707
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Re: Removing excess condensation from no pour agar jars [Re: Takeatrip] * 1
    #28657665 - 02/12/24 09:34 PM (10 months, 29 days ago)

I’m totally new at this, but here’s what I’ve been doing (with enough success that I’m gonna keep doing it). Pretty simple… I’m using screw-top (“Holy Grail”) style containers.

As I’m wiping down each agar plate with ISO before putting it into the SAB, I give it a few taps to consolidate all the excess water onto the agar surface. Then, inside the SAB, I slowly unscrew a container (holding it flat w/ lid on top), slowly tip it vertical, barely crack it open and pour out the liquid. Then just leave the lid unscrewed loosely sitting on top and you’re ready to inoculate it.

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OfflineYahra
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Re: Removing excess condensation from no pour agar jars [Re: SonomaFungi_707]
    #28657807 - 02/13/24 12:15 AM (10 months, 28 days ago)

I'll try that, my plates are waterlogged like a pond as well.

Thanks for this!

:grampofapproval:

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Invisiblefungusul
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Re: Removing excess condensation from no pour agar jars [Re: Yahra] * 1
    #28658968 - 02/13/24 09:02 PM (10 months, 28 days ago)

I'm turning containers upside down, so water is collected inside lid and not pooling on agar's surface. Excess water can be removed during transfers inside a SAB.

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OfflineDeviantTex
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Re: Removing excess condensation from no pour agar jars [Re: fungusul] * 1
    #28659085 - 02/13/24 11:01 PM (10 months, 27 days ago)

If you search around you'll see a handful of posts about folks' strategies for getting rid of condensation (keyword search "brownie pan"). Some folks tell ya to just wait it out. That hasn't worked for me, due either to environment or attitude. I adapted someone else's tek for tools I had on hand, which included a seedling mat. It's a mini heating pad, basically. I let it spend the night wrapped in a towel on top of my steamy agar cups. Works like a charm.


Put the seed mat on the towel


Wrap the seed mat up like a crepe


Condensation-free

Edited by DeviantTex (02/13/24 11:05 PM)

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OfflineSmellit
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Re: Removing excess condensation from no pour agar jars [Re: DeviantTex]
    #28659198 - 02/14/24 03:58 AM (10 months, 27 days ago)

I do the same thing with a reptile heat mat.

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OfflineSonomaFungi_707
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Re: Removing excess condensation from no pour agar jars [Re: Smellit]
    #28662943 - 02/16/24 07:49 PM (10 months, 25 days ago)

Oooo… That looks nice.

If I’m going to try this with my screw-top “holy grail” containers, should I leave the tops a little loose while they sit under the heating pad, or snug them down right when I pull them out of the PC (still hot). Maybe they’ll cool slow enough to not seal themselves and collapse? (I know these containers aren’t 100% air tight…)

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OfflineDeviantTex
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Re: Removing excess condensation from no pour agar jars [Re: SonomaFungi_707]
    #28663737 - 02/17/24 10:54 AM (10 months, 24 days ago)

Whoa, good question. These little guys are my own HG, because of the way they accommodate my personal ergonomics, and their flip top. I can so easily palm one upside down and gently flip the lid open (and later, closed) with a single finger. So easy to keep hands from moving over the open plate, never have to find a place to rest the lid, one-handed operation, etc.

But! I drill a hole in the hinge side and MP the tits off it. I tried PCing without the hole and they just exploded (I was testing with water - no foul).

For yours... I'd do whatever you normally do, plus mat. If you're tightening lids straight out of the PC, do that. I can't speak for a reptile mat, but the seedling mat doesn't get too hot to start with, and esp not through a towel. Your risk would be explosion due to heat expanding the air inside, right? But because it's directional and not ambient, there's still heat loss on most sides, and I bet it balances out.

I bet you'll be fine with sealed lids + mat. Try a handful with water if you're not feeling risky.


--------------------

First tub. GT LI to rye 1/12. 4:1 coir 1/30. First harvest 2/19

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OfflineDeviantTex
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Re: Removing excess condensation from no pour agar jars [Re: SonomaFungi_707]
    #28663743 - 02/17/24 10:57 AM (10 months, 24 days ago)

For the water-only test, you could probably do this easily by just pouring some very hot water into your cups and sealing the lids. The lids will certainly condense, and you can skip the PC step of your test run, easy peasy.


--------------------

First tub. GT LI to rye 1/12. 4:1 coir 1/30. First harvest 2/19

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OfflineDeviantTex
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Re: Removing excess condensation from no pour agar jars [Re: DeviantTex]
    #28663755 - 02/17/24 11:02 AM (10 months, 24 days ago)

Doh. Your fear is cooling/contraction/collapse. I read good.

I think that is unlikely, especially as the heat mat will slow cooling and you'll get a tempered effect.


--------------------

First tub. GT LI to rye 1/12. 4:1 coir 1/30. First harvest 2/19

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OfflineSonomaFungi_707
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Re: Removing excess condensation from no pour agar jars [Re: DeviantTex]
    #28668753 - 02/20/24 07:42 PM (10 months, 21 days ago)

Quote:

DeviantTex said:
Doh. Your fear is cooling/contraction/collapse. I read good.

I think that is unlikely, especially as the heat mat will slow cooling and you'll get a tempered effect.




I’ll give it a try with my next round. I was also thinking I could ever-so-slightly deform the lip of a container with an exacto knife (so it couldn’t form a perfect seal against the lid) and see how that works out. Seems like the threads themselves would still be a good enough physical barrier against airborne contamination.

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OfflineTakeatrip
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Re: Removing excess condensation from no pour agar jars [Re: DeviantTex]
    #28670530 - 02/21/24 09:56 PM (10 months, 20 days ago)

Quote:

DeviantTex said:
If you search around you'll see a handful of posts about folks' strategies for getting rid of condensation (keyword search "brownie pan"). Some folks tell ya to just wait it out. That hasn't worked for me, due either to environment or attitude. I adapted someone else's tek for tools I had on hand, which included a seedling mat. It's a mini heating pad, basically. I let it spend the night wrapped in a towel on top of my steamy agar cups. Works like a charm.


Put the seed mat on the towel


Wrap the seed mat up like a crepe


Condensation-free




Nice idea! I have a few of those heat mats. Mine are still very wet atm. I will give this a try this weekend.

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OfflineTakeatrip
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Re: Removing excess condensation from no pour agar jars [Re: DeviantTex]
    #28670537 - 02/21/24 09:59 PM (10 months, 20 days ago)

Quote:

DeviantTex said:
If you search around you'll see a handful of posts about folks' strategies for getting rid of condensation (keyword search "brownie pan"). Some folks tell ya to just wait it out. That hasn't worked for me, due either to environment or attitude. I adapted someone else's tek for tools I had on hand, which included a seedling mat. It's a mini heating pad, basically. I let it spend the night wrapped in a towel on top of my steamy agar cups. Works like a charm.


Put the seed mat on the towel


Wrap the seed mat up like a crepe


Condensation-free




Did you have holes in your lids? I have, but they have micropore tape on them so they can breath a little.

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