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InvisibleSweetJimmyBrown
Infidel Zombie
Male

Registered: 08/31/04
Posts: 337
Loc: 'starting north, slowly h...
condensation during incubation, and heating problems
    #3114138 - 09/09/04 02:35 PM (19 years, 6 months ago)

So I am using a plastic jug of water with a fish tank heater in a rubber maid box as an incubator, keeping the lid on so as not to expose the jars to any light. This is causing a lot of condensation to form on it seems only the sides of the lids, so it probably does not fall directly onto the jars. It seems like this might be a little risky, though.

Also, does anybody have any methods for keeping the heat right? I'll check on the temperature sometimes and it will be really low and the heater will not be on... then other times it will be higher than I'd prefer. It varies so much, even after confirming it's set for a few hours.

Any ideas?

Thanks


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Ille dolet vere, qui sine teste dolet.
* * *
I'm as calm as a fruit stand in New york and maybe as strange.
* * *
Simple Grain Recipe

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OfflineSCIOpenEyedDream
DillusionalDreamer

Registered: 08/28/04
Posts: 414
Loc: Western Europe
Last seen: 19 years, 2 months
Re: condensation during incubation, and heating problems [Re: SweetJimmyBrown]
    #3114151 - 09/09/04 02:41 PM (19 years, 6 months ago)

Use a tub in tub method. That's what I do and it stays  right at 85 F. Just put one tub down. Put a submersible fish tank heater in it. Set the heater to 84. Fill the tub with water to 3-5" over the top of the heater. Put half pint jars in the corners to support the next tub. Now set the next tub on top of the water, put all your jars in, put the top tub's lid on, and there ya go :smile:


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Everything I say on this board is a lie.

Eat more string cheese. It's good for you.

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InvisibleSweetJimmyBrown
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Registered: 08/31/04
Posts: 337
Loc: 'starting north, slowly h...
Re: condensation during incubation, and heating problems [Re: SCIOpenEyedDream]
    #3114287 - 09/09/04 03:11 PM (19 years, 6 months ago)

Well, there's really no way to set the heater to a certain temp...you just have to leave it and check a thermostat when it turns off and see what it says. I guess that's where the trouble lies. I would assume that the heater as an internal thermostat, and that's how it knows when to shut off, but for some reason it is not made visible to the consumer (duh...). requiring you to buy a product which this one already contains.....

anyway, are there any available that show you the temperature it is set to?


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Ille dolet vere, qui sine teste dolet.
* * *
I'm as calm as a fruit stand in New york and maybe as strange.
* * *
Simple Grain Recipe

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OfflineMad_Hatter2004
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Re: condensation during incubation, and heating problems [Re: SCIOpenEyedDream]
    #3114299 - 09/09/04 03:12 PM (19 years, 6 months ago)

Well,you obviously have a computer!Takea thermometer,place it next to or near your modem and comeback an hour later to read the temp.If it's 80-84F then get a shoebox and place your jars in it and place the shoebox next to the modem (or where the temp was as close to optimal as possible).No need to waste money on a tub-in-tub unless you're doing alot of jars.


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7 days without waves makes one weak!

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InvisibleSweetJimmyBrown
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Registered: 08/31/04
Posts: 337
Loc: 'starting north, slowly h...
Re: condensation during incubation, and heating problems [Re: Mad_Hatter2004]
    #3114315 - 09/09/04 03:17 PM (19 years, 6 months ago)

is 12 a lot? I'm constructing the dual box presently.

however, is there such a heater with this visible?


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Ille dolet vere, qui sine teste dolet.
* * *
I'm as calm as a fruit stand in New york and maybe as strange.
* * *
Simple Grain Recipe

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InvisibleSweetJimmyBrown
Infidel Zombie
Male

Registered: 08/31/04
Posts: 337
Loc: 'starting north, slowly h...
Re: condensation during incubation, and heating problems [Re: SweetJimmyBrown]
    #3114586 - 09/09/04 04:17 PM (19 years, 6 months ago)

I can't get the box to rest on the bricks for anything, therefore I'm unable to get the water up...I found a cinder block to weigh the box down, but even that doesn't get it to rest on the bricks. It is just floating.

The box is just floating about 1" below water level. I've tried bricks, even a huge cinder block wouldn't weigh it down enough. I'm getting a little pissed, might just not use an incubater at all or go back to the crappy jar/heater method. I understand an incubator is not even neccesary so why should I continue the frustration? Stop the madness!

Thanks for the help.


--------------------
Ille dolet vere, qui sine teste dolet.
* * *
I'm as calm as a fruit stand in New york and maybe as strange.
* * *
Simple Grain Recipe

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OfflineSCIOpenEyedDream
DillusionalDreamer

Registered: 08/28/04
Posts: 414
Loc: Western Europe
Last seen: 19 years, 2 months
Re: condensation during incubation, and heating problems [Re: SweetJimmyBrown]
    #3114821 - 09/09/04 05:07 PM (19 years, 6 months ago)

Quote:

SweetJimmyBrown said:
I can't get the box to rest on the bricks for anything, therefore I'm unable to get the water up...I found a cinder block to weigh the box down, but even that doesn't get it to rest on the bricks. It is just floating.

The box is just floating about 1" below water level. I've tried bricks, even a huge cinder block wouldn't weigh it down enough. I'm getting a little pissed, might just not use an incubater at all or go back to the crappy jar/heater method. I understand an incubator is not even neccesary so why should I continue the frustration? Stop the madness!

Thanks for the help.




Look for teks on this site. There are some. Just search. They teach you where to tie the tubs down with string to keep them underwater easily. And yes, there are fish tank heaters that are submersible with a temp guage and thermostat you can see for like $15. And you don't need an incubator... but it has taken a week off my grain colonizations and over a week on pf tek. Also easier to initiate pinning when needed by using a temp drop just by putting in it the terrarium.


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Everything I say on this board is a lie.

Eat more string cheese. It's good for you.

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OfflineSpudz76
Got mycelium on the brain...
Male

Registered: 02/08/04
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Re: condensation during incubation, and heating problems [Re: SweetJimmyBrown]
    #3114877 - 09/09/04 05:21 PM (19 years, 6 months ago)

I put two old computer cases on top of mine to keep it sunk. Which probably weighs like two cinder blocks worth. A good tip is to use zip ties between the handles (make small holes, if it doesn't already have a space to get zip ties around), but for this it helps to have a heater which has external controls. There are heaters with controls (a knob, with markings) and you just seem to have the wrong kind. Also for the true tub-in-tub you have to have a fully submersible heater of course.

Don't give up on the inubator, they help immensely. Unless you have a better method of evenly heating the jars without much fluctuation.

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OfflineTrine
focs, the

Registered: 05/21/00
Posts: 30
Last seen: 7 years, 7 months
Re: condensation during incubation, and heating problems [Re: SweetJimmyBrown]
    #3115043 - 09/09/04 05:53 PM (19 years, 6 months ago)

as long as the bottom is touching the water, it should heat fine due to conduction.
of course it floating around generally makes it a pain in the ass to work with, so you may want to try the following:
1.pick a number, use that for how much space is between the tops of the boxes. try inserting a couple cd cases on each side, might work better ;P
2.pick how much water you want to be _around_, not under, the dry box. mostly depends on how much of a mess you can afford to make whereever you have this, in case someone sits on the thing.
3.with the (cd cases) still in, use a funnel to add water until you hear it sloshing against the bottom. at this point you can either add a little more until it just starts to float, or do some un-needed mathematical operation to figure out the displacement and measure the water already in the box and add that to the volume you want around the... :scrambled: anyway..
3.a)if your boxes are the type that have a flat horizontal rim around the outside, poke 4 holes near the corners. (both boxes at the same time so they match!) cut 4 pieces of >stiff, heavy< wire about two inches longer than the separation height... bend one inch of them 90 degrees at the end, and drop them in the holes.. once they're thru the bottom holes, bend the bottom inch 90 degrees also, in the same direction as the top bend is probably best. the nice thing about this is you can just rotate the wire to be over the rim so you don't need to change the lid at all.
4.add the water.

using the water to push them apart is a lot easier than trying to counteract it, but it probably still won't be that stable.. if you don't care about what else you might eventually use the box for, get some shelf-bracket-stuff, those flat metal strips that have holes in them about 0.5" apart, and bolt the boxes together.

(p.s. everyone else replied as i was writing this, now i don't feel awesome-cool at all. =)

Edited by Trine (09/09/04 06:06 PM)

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Offlinemycoguy
old hand

Registered: 03/25/04
Posts: 874
Loc: PNW
Last seen: 13 years, 5 months
Re: condensation during incubation, and heating problems [Re: SweetJimmyBrown]
    #3115100 - 09/09/04 06:04 PM (19 years, 6 months ago)

my tub-in-tub works just fine. temp is consistently at 86*
Why are you having so much trouble making a tub-in-tub? get 2 rubbermaid bins...1 14gal, 1 16gal.

I've had a lot of problems keeping the hole sealed, where the heater enters the bottom tub. Epoxy has been the best bet so far. Tried silicone sealant, but that didn't last for long before it began leaking. Epoxy on the inside and outside is the way to go.


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(and no, that's not me in the avatar)
Yahoo! Pacific Northwest Mycology Group

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Invisiblefastfred
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Folding@home Statistics
Registered: 05/17/04
Posts: 6,899
Loc: Dark side of the moon
Re: condensation during incubation, and heating problems [Re: mycoguy]
    #3116084 - 09/09/04 09:36 PM (19 years, 6 months ago)

You could also use hot glue.

-FF

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OfflineSpudz76
Got mycelium on the brain...
Male

Registered: 02/08/04
Posts: 391
Last seen: 14 years, 16 days
Re: condensation during incubation, and heating problems [Re: fastfred]
    #3116422 - 09/09/04 10:45 PM (19 years, 6 months ago)

Yes if you want to go about sealing holes then you can use a non fully sumbersible heater if you like. The other way is more secure against leakage though if you like peace of mind. Nothing against epoxy though it probably works just fine and secure, or hot glue, or some other sort of sealing grommet. Moral of the story remains, don't give up you're pretty close.

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InvisibleSweetJimmyBrown
Infidel Zombie
Male

Registered: 08/31/04
Posts: 337
Loc: 'starting north, slowly h...
Re: condensation during incubation, and heating problems [Re: Spudz76]
    #3117762 - 09/10/04 08:20 AM (19 years, 6 months ago)

My girlfriend and I just took a break from the whole thing to relax, get rid of the newbie anxiety. Decided to go back to the jug/heater with a heater we found laying around. It's going at about 85 now. Threw a blanket over the box to keep condensation from forming, though it's probably letting some heat out.

Thanks for the help though, I know these questions might get a little annoying to someone who's more experienced.

rock


--------------------
Ille dolet vere, qui sine teste dolet.
* * *
I'm as calm as a fruit stand in New york and maybe as strange.
* * *
Simple Grain Recipe

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
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