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Awake240
Stranger
Registered: 10/28/01
Posts: 6
Last seen: 23 years, 18 days
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Complete Newbie with Complete Newbie Questions...:
#439322 - 10/28/01 01:36 PM (23 years, 19 days ago) |
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Hey everybody - this is my first post, Ive done a bunch of research and reading and Ive still got a few questions...
Ive decided to go with the tek outlined in the 'Magic Mushroom Grower's Guide' - seems to be the most straightfoward for the beginner.
Here's my questions:
1.) What are alternatives to 1/2pt wide mouth canning jars? I can't find them anywhere! Can I use tupperware containers, or regular glasses, with aluminum foil lids?
2.)Can I use a regular rubbermaid container for the terrarium? Styrofoam coolers are non-existant at this time of year in my area.
3.)Ive already got a cool-mist humidifer - should I go ahead and use it or is perlite humidification a better method?
4.)Is casing too much to handle for the beginner?Should I grow them the cake/terrarium way and then move on to casing after Ive got some experience?
Thanks!
Awake240
-------------------- Woah...Hyperspace [I]does[/I] exist!
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shitdog
member
Registered: 10/24/01
Posts: 132
Loc: In a place far away from ...
Last seen: 22 years, 9 months
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Re: Complete Newbie with Complete Newbie Questions...: [Re: Awake240]
#439328 - 10/28/01 01:43 PM (23 years, 19 days ago) |
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Use the 4 oz jelly jars. They're a mini version of the half pint ball jars- your yeild won't be as great but your jars will fully colonize quicker scince there it less surface area to colonize.
I wouldent bother with casing on your first try. Start out simple so you know what to expect, then improvise next time.
I would check out the instructions from the PF website. I've found them to be eisier to follow. It is the same method but the instructions are better.
-------------------- I'll never get out of this maze
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lemming
evil
Registered: 10/28/01
Posts: 107
Last seen: 19 years, 2 months
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Re: Complete Newbie with Complete Newbie Questions...: [Re: Awake240]
#439340 - 10/28/01 01:58 PM (23 years, 19 days ago) |
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2) A regular rubbermaid container is fine, as long as you open it a cuople of times a day to let the cakes breathe
4) I'd suggest you don't do casing as your first experience, you wouldn't want something going bad and having to throw everything away after all your efforts ;)
Ta
lem
-------------------- As evil as a dwarf can get...
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Awake240
Stranger
Registered: 10/28/01
Posts: 6
Last seen: 23 years, 18 days
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Re: Complete Newbie with Complete Newbie Questions...: [Re: lemming]
#439370 - 10/28/01 02:31 PM (23 years, 19 days ago) |
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Thanks for the quick replies!! Actually, I just stepped out for a bit, to check in the last hardware store I could think of, and found a case of the 1/2pt jelly jars! Woohoo!:) That should be plenty for a first try...
That's cool that rubbermaid containers are OK...
Now, for temperature...the ambient temp in my apartment is usually 65-70 or colder during these months, what's a good way to keep the terrariums the proper temp? I could hang a 2' flourescent fixture directly above them...or place them on a heating pad? What would you recommend?
Thanks!
Awake240
-------------------- Woah...Hyperspace [I]does[/I] exist!
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lemming
evil
Registered: 10/28/01
Posts: 107
Last seen: 19 years, 2 months
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Re: Complete Newbie with Complete Newbie Questions...: [Re: Awake240]
#439385 - 10/28/01 02:51 PM (23 years, 19 days ago) |
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I'd go for the heating pad or even for a heating cable.
I keep my incubator suspended from the surface using two videotapes with a heating cable under it.
And inside, the jars are also suspended so not to touch directly the glass and get too hot.
You might wanna test a couple of things before hand, i usually keep only half of my 25W heating cable underneath the terrarium, or it just gets too hot.
A good aspect of keeping a warm terrarium is that once you birth the cakes you give it a cold schocking without making any efforts, and even if cold shocking isn't always necessary it's always a good thing :)
Regards,
lem
-------------------- As evil as a dwarf can get...
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FungusFarmer
old hand
Registered: 09/19/00
Posts: 260
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Re: Complete Newbie with Complete Newbie Questions...: [Re: lemming]
#439394 - 10/28/01 02:58 PM (23 years, 19 days ago) |
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No offense to lemming, but personally I wouldn't mess with heating your jars your first time either. Unless you use some kind of humd heating system (warm water) or keep your holes taped up, you run a strong risk of drying out your cakes and ruining all your hard work. I've seen it happen, believe me
Second, you can order jars from many online hardware stores. Truevalue's website has Kerr canning jars of several sizes, but the half pint are right here:
http://www.truevalue.com/products.cfm?sid=788E7513C13E11D491620050DA8A861B&class=3428&category=3469&subcategory=3470&prodref=25496
Sorry that's so long and ugly, but it should take you right there
Grover
-------------------- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "What did you dream...it's all right we told you what to dream! Welcome, my son, to The Machine" Roger Waters, Pink Floyd
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Wanker
Stranger
Registered: 10/27/01
Posts: 2
Last seen: 23 years, 16 days
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Re: Complete Newbie with Complete Newbie Questions...: [Re: FungusFarmer]
#439406 - 10/28/01 03:15 PM (23 years, 19 days ago) |
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This is my second post, as I am also a newbie. I finally found some jars today! I looked at Wal-Mart (2), K-Mart, Willams-Sonoma, Food Lion, Kroger, Sams Club, Kitchen Supply Place, Big Lots..............FINALLY I found them at a Bi-Lo....they had 2 boxes left. Pretty seasonal item apparently. The only item on my list that I'm still missing is the vermiculite. Nowhere has it. I looked at all of the above places as well as Home Depot and Mayo Garden Center. Anyone have any other suggestions or substitutions for this? Thanks!
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lemming
evil
Registered: 10/28/01
Posts: 107
Last seen: 19 years, 2 months
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Re: Complete Newbie with Complete Newbie Questions...: [Re: FungusFarmer]
#439408 - 10/28/01 03:15 PM (23 years, 19 days ago) |
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I don't see what the problem with heating is...
As long as you have a minimal knowledge on the heating elements you are using there should be no problems.
But then it's just a personal choice, I'm still on my first growing experience and I'm using, as I said, a heating cable, and mycelium started growing 2 days ago (6 days after inoculation).
If you think you have enough time to constantly check on the heat inside the terrarium, I'd go for heating, if you just wanna be sure that nothing (extra) could go wrong, then don't heat, but add a week to the colonization time.
Regards,
lem
-------------------- As evil as a dwarf can get...
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Cub
member
Registered: 10/27/01
Posts: 174
Loc: Northern VA
Last seen: 22 years, 3 months
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Re: Complete Newbie with Complete Newbie Questions...: [Re: FungusFarmer]
#439409 - 10/28/01 03:16 PM (23 years, 19 days ago) |
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Thank you fungus! I can't tell you how much trouble I had finding those jars online. The jars I've been using are wide mouth just the same, but have that annoying latch mechanism instead of just screwing shut. A major pain in the arse.
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Awake240
Stranger
Registered: 10/28/01
Posts: 6
Last seen: 23 years, 18 days
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Re: Complete Newbie with Complete Newbie Questions...: [Re: Cub]
#439420 - 10/28/01 03:28 PM (23 years, 19 days ago) |
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Thanks for that Jar link! They are exactly the kind I have, except Im just got ahold of Ball jelly jars - same thing except they have cute fruit print lids:)
Question - If Im running a humidifier 24/7 and using a heating pad - do I still run a risk of things becomming too dry? Im planning on running 2 terrariums off of the humidifier - I could heat one and leave the other - and observe how things turn out.
Awake240
-------------------- Woah...Hyperspace [I]does[/I] exist!
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