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hooperdooper3
Stranger
Registered: 03/24/05
Posts: 61
Last seen: 16 years, 7 months
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Discouraged.
#4019905 - 04/06/05 12:17 AM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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My incubator smells bad. I know that its supposed to "smell like mushrooms" from reading posts on here. Too bad i don't know that smell. I'm pretty sure I blew it and its only been a couple days. Is it common to mess up the first time? My only prob is I dont know where to improve my tek.
One last thing. Is there any need to sterelize just the jars before adding the substrate?
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Burke Dennings
baby merchant

Registered: 11/29/04
Posts: 81,641
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It is VERY common to mess up your first time. Don't worry; it's just gained experience.
We couldn't offer any advice towards improving your tek, as you didn't tell us what you did.
Also, I've never pre-sterilized my jars before adding the substrate. I've always just made sure that they were clean, then filled and PC'ed them as usual.
Good luck. It will get better.
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hooperdooper3
Stranger
Registered: 03/24/05
Posts: 61
Last seen: 16 years, 7 months
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well i just boiled the jars. so thats the first thing i will fix. Get a PC. I sterelized the hell out of my bathroom with lysol, so i dont think that was it. I think the main problem was my heatbomb heater for my incubator got all messed up and leaked so i had to fix it and readjust the temp and so on.... I had to continuously access the incubator and adjust the temps and there was a period of time where there was no heat source, and also I could have had the heatbomb too hot before it was finally adjusted.
Mainly I need the PC and to make sure my temp for the box is right from the get go... That way I won't have to keep accessing the box and risking it.
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Anno
Experimenter



Registered: 06/17/99
Posts: 24,166
Loc: my room
Last seen: 13 hours, 1 minute
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A strong unpleasant smell indicates a bacterial contamination, and bacterial contamination comes from insufficient sterilization, so yes, you should work on this part.
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hooperdooper3
Stranger
Registered: 03/24/05
Posts: 61
Last seen: 16 years, 7 months
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Re: Discouraged. [Re: Anno]
#4019991 - 04/06/05 12:45 AM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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I can't see any contams yet... So I don't know how many jars are affected. Should I give them a chance (day or two) or no?
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Burke Dennings
baby merchant

Registered: 11/29/04
Posts: 81,641
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Re: Discouraged. [Re: Anno]
#4019996 - 04/06/05 12:47 AM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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Also, you could have too much moisture in your substrate. The only time I ever had a bacterial contam was in a quart jar w/ rye that had too much water in it. It stank and obviously wasn't going to get any better.
Also you don't want your temps to fluctuate very much during incubation. Work on stabilizing that.
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Burke Dennings
baby merchant

Registered: 11/29/04
Posts: 81,641
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Quote:
hooperdooper3 said: I can't see any contams yet... So I don't know how many jars are affected. Should I give them a chance (day or two) or no?
Sure, give them a day or two just to see. But chances are good that the jars are done for.
Try again, though. Most people don't get it right their first try.
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Abermelin
Gnome Hat

Registered: 03/22/05
Posts: 394
Loc: In The Mycelial Network
Last seen: 18 years, 8 months
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most of the time you wont be able to see the contams, cause the main contam problem noobs have is this stuff callled baccilus, which is a bacteria ( i think ) that keeps your cakes from growing anything, and will make the cake smell like old socks.
It took me months to get my first flush, and years to get anything consitent growing. growing shrooms is not a easy tradeskill to learn.
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MrMaddHatter
Dementia praecox


Registered: 06/07/02
Posts: 1,420
Loc: Everywhere
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Re: Discouraged. [Re: Abermelin]
#4020072 - 04/06/05 01:16 AM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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electrode and Abermelin are right.
They're probably contaminated.
The best way to spot contams is visually and by smelling.
If you see the contam, throw it out.
If growth is halted or is showing signs of trouble, but no signs of contamination, crack a jar open and smell. If its sour, its BAD.
Don't give up.
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