ThurmanMurman said:

That's more or less in line with what I'm doing. Im just not going to order Amazon SFDs again - I haven't determined they don't work, but I'm testing mine now. No brand Chinese junk probably wasn't the way to go anyway...

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Let me know when you find an inexpensive better alternative. I've switched to these from the old methods of micropore and Tyvek and had decent luck. I've changed a lot of my process since restarting and I have too many variables to say it's the SFD stickers that helped. But even if it's just placebo I'm gonna keep using the ones I have. I have over 400 of them now, so I might as well

Axman said:

ThurmanMurman said:

That's more or less in line with what I'm doing. Im just not going to order Amazon SFDs again - I haven't determined they don't work, but I'm testing mine now. No brand Chinese junk probably wasn't the way to go anyway...

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Let me know when you find an inexpensive better alternative. I've switched to these from the old methods of micropore and Tyvek and had decent luck. I've changed a lot of my process since restarting and I have too many variables to say it's the SFD stickers that helped. But even if it's just placebo I'm gonna keep using the ones I have. I have over 400 of them now, so I might as well

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GenesisCorrupted said:

This is a discussion of preference and methods. Some people me included have gotten bad swabs. It’s pretty hard to get a bad print.

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Phaethon said:

Prints (especially the second print from a cap) are also less likely to be dirty than swabs, since the spores are falling into the foil instead of being lifted off the gills along with anything else on those gills.

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Axman said:

Phaethon said:

Prints (especially the second print from a cap) are also less likely to be dirty than swabs, since the spores are falling into the foil instead of being lifted off the gills along with anything else on those gills.

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Excellent way to put it.

I've also had better luck germinating spores than swabs on agar. Recently I've been trying plucking chunks of the swab off with a tweezers and lightly pushing it into agar. Still my ratio of clean germination is way higher with prints.

It might just be the visual but I really like being able to actually see spores on the agar, whether dropped from a scrape or swiped from an inoculation loop. 

Maybe it's the swabs I've gotten, or my technique, but when I swab to agar, it just doesn't work the same. I often resort to just breaking the swab and dropping the whole thing on a plate.

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ThurmanMurman said:

Axman said:

Phaethon said:

Prints (especially the second print from a cap) are also less likely to be dirty than swabs, since the spores are falling into the foil instead of being lifted off the gills along with anything else on those gills.

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Excellent way to put it.

I've also had better luck germinating spores than swabs on agar. Recently I've been trying plucking chunks of the swab off with a tweezers and lightly pushing it into agar. Still my ratio of clean germination is way higher with prints.

It might just be the visual but I really like being able to actually see spores on the agar, whether dropped from a scrape or swiped from an inoculation loop. 

Maybe it's the swabs I've gotten, or my technique, but when I swab to agar, it just doesn't work the same. I often resort to just breaking the swab and dropping the whole thing on a plate.

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I've seen a lot of chatter about using swabs on brf pucks for germination. Basically tearing a piece off and planting it in the brf. IIRC, thats about all there is to it.

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ReverendMyc said:

Inoculation with swabs.

Some puck jars.


Set up to go.


The swabs and some sterilized water in cryo-tubes,


Dry.


Dip.


Wet.


After some scalpel abuse.


A bit of spore laden swab destined for a puck.


Placing the bit of swab. A bit tricky to get them off of the tip sometimes.

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Smellyhobbit said:

Stickers or actual disks? From Amazon sure, sometimes. Lot of sellers of different quality and no way to know until you buy, right?

If you’d like a reliably good source of SFDs shoot me a PM. Still not 100% clear on whether or not I can openly post that lol 😅

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I drill a 3/8 inch hole and use these filter dots:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08P1T1Z1S/

They are rated to 0.3 μm (they filter out to that size). Some say you need 0.2 μm, but these work for me.

Some other sellers may say theirs are 0.2 μm but may be lying. (particularly on etsy)

How I prep the lids, plus the silicon I use are linked here in my Jar Tek:
https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/29065574;

With that it lasted 3 years of frequent use. Only last time, a month ago, I had a jar get contam when there's no way it should of.

Contam was near the top, not on my agar (on the side), so came in through the top.

I tossed the jar contents, tossed all the lids and made new ones.

I've never tried them without the silicon but I'm sure they wouldn't last 3 years. They're thin. With the silicon, I've never had one sucked into the jar.

Note that I screw the lids on tight before PC. It's fine, pressure equalizes through the filter.

My understanding of posting links here is it's ok as long as it's not for an active shroom spore or LC, and you don't use your affiliate link (I did not, and Shroomery adds their own Amazon link.)

It's OK to post gear like this, and things like gourmet spores / cultures, but not cube (or other actives) spores / cultures.

I think they have to be Shroomery advertisers, if not something broad like Amazon. Like if you're posting lion's mane LC, it should be a Shroomery advertiser.


Merry Christmas, Hobbit and everyone.

Here's Sasha Shulgin in the lab with an added Santa hat:

MycCycle said:

Any reason people do prints instead of swabs, other than cost?
I understand it so that you need swabs for those varieties that don't drop spores, but is there any reason why you don't use them for those who drop them as well?...

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Axman said:

Phaethon said:

Prints (especially the second print from a cap) are also less likely to be dirty than swabs, since the spores are falling into the foil instead of being lifted off the gills along with anything else on those gills.

---

Excellent way to put it.

I've also had better luck germinating spores than swabs on agar. Recently I've been trying plucking chunks of the swab off with a tweezers and lightly pushing it into agar. Still my ratio of clean germination is way higher with prints.

It might just be the visual but I really like being able to actually see spores on the agar, whether dropped from a scrape or swiped from an inoculation loop. 

Maybe it's the swabs I've gotten, or my technique, but when I swab to agar, it just doesn't work the same. I often resort to just breaking the swab and dropping the whole thing on a plate.

---