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Mushrooms, Mycology and Psychedelics > Mushroom Cultivation
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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: WhiteDemon]
    #29655021 -

Why not use agar and inoculate with agar since you said it was successful? You could even test your spores on agar?


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๐ŸŒพ๐Ÿ’ฎ๐Ÿซ˜๐Ÿฅ–

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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: LadysKnight]
    #29655044 -

Bacterial. Sweet and pungent. Always the same smell /wet bacteria.


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- A Dreamer in the Nightmare of being Awake -


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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: hellofresh]
    #29655045 -

I did. These are a bigger jars with BRF , i inoculate them with agar wedge , and always worked too. But now its failing . The only thing i changed its use a bigger pot to sterelize. Its stalled too.
That its the reason i trying the most basic and realiably tek without an pressure cooker , the PF tek , i " went to the basics"  , but cant  figure why i am failing.


Edited by WhiteDemon (08/25/26 04:45 PM)

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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: WhiteDemon]
    #29655051 -

Man, your case is driving me crazy โ€” my head just can't wrap around it.

What about the water?

Hugs :heart:


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"Little shark in da bathtub"

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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: Belintaf] * 2
    #29655054 -

Perhaps try running the cakes longer or see if using the old pot results in bacterial cakes? It sounds like the issue is with sterilizing your cakes.

I think that veggies suggestion is probably the solution to your issues.


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๐ŸŒพ๐Ÿ’ฎ๐Ÿซ˜๐Ÿฅ–

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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: Belintaf]
    #29655056 -

It's hard to tell, but it looks like the jars have excess condensation in them.

This can be a sign of bacteria. Some bacteria is very persistent and you can't transfer away from it. If it's present in your spore print then you won't be able to get rid of it.

I'd recommend you up your sterilization time or get a PC to rule out that being the cause.

If you're still having issues, I'd look into trying a spore print that someone else has made.


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I've got skills, they don't know where to use me
I'm like the best dressed guy at the nude beach
Nice to meet you!

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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: PuffM4gicDr4gon]
    #29655057 -

In one post you say you're doing 2:2:1 ration and variants on that, then you say you're doing 2:1:1, then later you say again 2:2:1.

Which is it?


In your first post you say you make a spore syringe by aspirating boiling water- this is a valid technique, but you would normally aspirate and evacuate several times. You say you scrape spores into a jar, then mix with your sterile water, how are you sterilizing your jar?


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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: bluescreen] * 1
    #29655061 -

It has been a mistakeโ€”I meant to say I use the original 2:1:1 ratios.With variations using slightly less water to make it a bit drier.
I swirled and expelled the water outside 4 times , leaving the water inside the syringe for 30 seconds each time. Then I let it cool for a few hours or until the next day.

I flame sterelize between each jar , and wipe with alcohol after each ja to clean away any BRF leftovers. So flame sterelize again before inoculate. i using a SAB and spray with  soap water the inside walls and let some mins before working. I am using gloves and a mask.

I've tried several ways. One is sterilizing the empty jar along with the BRF jars, in steam for 2 hours. I've also tried boiling water, pouring it into a clean glass with a lid, and taking it to the SAB to cool down. Then I pour the water back into another jar inside the SAB and use that jar to mix my spores with the syringe water.


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- A Dreamer in the Nightmare of being Awake -


Edited by WhiteDemon (08/25/26 05:15 PM)

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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: WhiteDemon] * 1
    #29655065 -

You mentioned that you changed different variables (inoculation, flour, ratios, etc.) to rule out potential causes. And you also mentioned that up until a certain point โ€” you didn't have these issues.

So, if you're doing things as usual, it must be a variable that changed independently. From what I understand, Wet Spot is primarily caused by bacteria of the Bacillus genus (correct me if I'm wrong), and these can be present in tap water.

I'm not sure if you use tap water, but if you do โ€” try bottled water instead โ€” both for the substrate and for steaming.


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"Little shark in da bathtub"

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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: Belintaf] * 1
    #29655068 -

Yes, I use tap water. I've also tried bottled water for this last batch. But only to make the BRF jars. Why should I use bottled water in the pot for sterilizing? The steam is supposedly never supposed to get into the jarsโ€”they're sterilized by heat. Or am I understanding it wrong?
I'm willing to try anything, I just want to understand it.

"So, if you're doing things as usual, it must be a variable that changed independently": That is the point , I do exactly everything the same as in previous years. I've only changed a few things, like upgrading to a SAB instead of doing it out in the open like I used to.

Edited by WhiteDemon (08/25/26 05:31 PM)

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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: WhiteDemon] * 1
    #29655077 -

Sorry, but I gotta agree with Veggie, whatever you're doing is not the original PF tek. I get that you want help troubleshooting your situation, but you're saying "I follow PF tek to the letter"  while posting pictures of a random assortment of jars that I don't even understand how one would birth. So where does that leave us? Basically just playing a guessing game. How many other things have you gone off-script for? Nobody knows. But you would if you went back to basics and compared your current practices to the original recipe.

But fine, whatever, I can never resist a dartboard.

The PC thing has already been mentioned. You also mentioned working inside a SAB now. I agree that you should get a PC. I wonder what your SAB technique looks like as compared to the open-air inoculations you were doing before.

Sometimes we get away with stuff for a while, and then suddenly not at all. I know I experienced a bit of that early on. My working theory is that contaminant loads do build up over time.

But my biggest shot at the bullseye is your verm layer. Is it completely dry and undisturbed?

OK, that's it, I'm done with the dartboard, gonna go play some pool now.


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Edited by B Traven (08/25/26 05:45 PM)

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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: WhiteDemon] * 1
    #29655078 -

If I were in your shoes, I'd run the test and cut out tap water entirely (if only to rule it out).

And if you also usually use it to prepare the inoculant โ€” switch to distilled or bottled water instead.

It's just super strange that the exact same issue keeps happening every time. That means the contamination vector remains intact. I'd test it with bottled/distilled water โ€” and if the problem persists โ€” at least that's one less possibility on the table.


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"Little shark in da bathtub"

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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: B Traven] * 1
    #29655082 -

B Traven said:
You also mentioned working inside a SAB now. I agree that you should get a PC. I wonder what your SAB technique looks like as compared to the open-air inoculations you were doing before.




I was wondering the same. It's possible the SAB gives a sense of security and sterile technique has gone lax. It seems to be the one big difference between now and former success.


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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: bluescreen] * 1
    #29655144 -

Your problem is most likely the spore syringes you are making, and not the PF-TEK.you can't just suck up boiling water into a syringe and have it be sterile.  You need to steam sterilize the water, the syringe and the container you plan to mix the spores and water in.

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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: RockinRobot] * 1
    #29655154 -

You're very experienced with a lot of time and material into your craft. Sometimes we skip steps or become complacent with little things when we are so experienced. In my artistic endeavors I recently began only relying on the basics to the point where I'm trying to understand every little detail as if I were explaining the movements to a complete novice to understand.

Maybe go back and read pf teks with a novice's perspective and perhaps you can see a gap you've long overlooked. The student and master within us must exist with an attitude of acceptance in all things.

"You must unlearn what you have learned" -Yoda :grin:


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Accept the pain, but don't accept that you deserved it.

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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: B Traven]
    #29655206 -

B Traven said:
Sorry, but I gotta agree with Veggie, whatever you're doing is not the original PF tek. I get that you want help troubleshooting your situation, but you're saying "I follow PF tek to the letter"  while posting pictures of a random assortment of jars that I don't even understand how one would birth. So where does that leave us? Basically just playing a guessing game. How many other things have you gone off-script for? Nobody knows. But you would if you went back to basics and compared your current practices to the original recipe.

But fine, whatever, I can never resist a dartboard.

The PC thing has already been mentioned. You also mentioned working inside a SAB now. I agree that you should get a PC. I wonder what your SAB technique looks like as compared to the open-air inoculations you were doing before.

Sometimes we get away with stuff for a while, and then suddenly not at all. I know I experienced a bit of that early on. My working theory is that contaminant loads do build up over time.

But my biggest shot at the bullseye is your verm layer. Is it completely dry and undisturbed?

OK, that's it, I'm done with the dartboard, gonna go play some pool now.


They aren't random jars. It's a  jar with BRF puck and a lid with filter, inoculated with clean agar to test whether the inoculant is the problem or not. Next time, before calling me a liar, check and read the whole post.

Read and process everything carefully. If you do, you'll see that I'm using the correct jars, with the correct lids and holes, etc.
Then, SEPARATELY, I've made jars with BRF puck inside  and filters  and inoculated them with clean agar.  I did on the side to check out if the inoculant is  causing the problem.
You either lack comprehension or just don't feel like reading the whole post. I get it, but don't come calling me a liar, that makes no sense, especially when I'm asking for help. Lying would only make it harder to find the cause of my mistakes; I'd only be hurting myself xD


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- A Dreamer in the Nightmare of being Awake -


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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: RockinRobot]
    #29655209 -

RockinRobot said:
Your problem is most likely the spore syringes you are making, and not the PF-TEK.you can't just suck up boiling water into a syringe and have it be sterile.  You need to steam sterilize the water, the syringe and the container you plan to mix the spores and water in.



Then why did the jars with BRF puck ( no verm barrier , and filters on the holes) inoculated with clean agar stalled? There i am not using spores , i am using a clean agar wedge.


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- A Dreamer in the Nightmare of being Awake -


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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: WhiteDemon] * 1
    #29655210 -

Got any pics of the agar?


--------------------
I've got skills, they don't know where to use me
I'm like the best dressed guy at the nude beach
Nice to meet you!

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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: potato11teen]
    #29655211 -

potato11teen said:
You're very experienced with a lot of time and material into your craft. Sometimes we skip steps or become complacent with little things when we are so experienced. In my artistic endeavors I recently began only relying on the basics to the point where I'm trying to understand every little detail as if I were explaining the movements to a complete novice to understand.

Maybe go back and read pf teks with a novice's perspective and perhaps you can see a gap you've long overlooked. The student and master within us must exist with an attitude of acceptance in all things.

"You must unlearn what you have learned" -Yoda :grin:


I've read the entire thread and ALL of its pages. I read every single day and have been reading nonstop for the last 5 years, learning more and more every day. When I hit a roadblock, I usually don't postโ€”I read, research, and dig in so I can learn on my own. If I'm posting here, it's because I'm genuinely out of ideas. Re-reading the tek is something I've already done multiple times since running into these issues.


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- A Dreamer in the Nightmare of being Awake -


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Re: 90% failure on PF -TEK. Any help will be appreciated. [Re: PuffM4gicDr4gon]
    #29655215 -

PuffM4gicDr4gon said:
Got any pics of the agar?


Yes. Look , it even pinning in vitro. If you see it a bit yellow it just dried out now.









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- A Dreamer in the Nightmare of being Awake -


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