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bigsexy
Stranger
Registered: 03/01/06
Posts: 7
Last seen: 17 years, 9 months
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Noob in the works needs your expertise . . .
#5360186 - 03/03/06 12:09 AM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
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Hello everyone, this is my first post ever. I stumbled upon this place, found it useful, and joined. I hope to get to meet some buddies here who can help me through some of the more gruelling trial & error experiences I might be/or will encounter. So, getting to the current situation, this is my third attempt after my first two fiascos. I have read all the FAQ's and I followed this growing guide (http://www.erowid.org/plants/mushrooms/mushrooms_mmgg.shtml) and can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. I have 13 jars that are colonizing at a snails pace if at all, they're not showing any progress. I also did a dummy thing of course which I'll fix next time, I injected directly into the center instead of against the glass so I can't see the spores in the center of the jar. I tried to stick to the guide for the most part. I only changed a couple things which could be the problem. One is that I only poked one hole in the lid and injected maybe 1/2 cc (B+ strain) in each jar. The other is that I could not find brown rice flour, so I used brown rice and just ground it up, and it might have been a slightly old bag, not sure how old, but it was still sealed. Also, the vermiculite is a fine grade, I couldn't find a more coarse grade. For incubation while they colonize, I didn't want to leave them in 60 degree room temperature (yes my house is a lil cold I guess), so I put them in the laundry room where the temperature can fluctuate no higher than 90 degrees and no lower than 65 degrees. I ordered spores from *No linking to non vendors please*, and they used to give syringes nice and purple the first time I ordered, and this time they're clear. Also I don't know if the spores in the syringe can suffer from the cold weather sitting on the porch or not, if that made them inactive or not. I read on another post (not sure which) something along the lines of "just give it time, and it'll fix itself". Which is a very useful quote to calm me down so I think maybe it just needs more time, but then I read all of these posts of people saying "yea it colonized in a week and was ready to pop right out!" or something miraculous as such. I heard B+ is forgiving when you mess up, of course there are limits. I also have a few questions, is it preferable to try to grind up the brown rice flour or just buy brown rice flour? Because when I grind it up, it almost always ends up 1/4 finely ground, and 3/4 a little rocky. And then for vermiculite, is coarse grade preferable or fine grade? Also, do these brown rice and vermiculite recipes have all the nutrients a mushroom could want? Or would it be better for them if there was some kind of nutrient added? Well, I know I wrote alot, thanks to anyone who can help me with all my problems and questions!
Edited by coda (03/03/06 12:20 AM)
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mycodetour
Mycologist inTraining

Registered: 03/02/06
Posts: 136
Loc: WA
Last seen: 17 years, 8 months
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Re: Noob in the works needs your expertise . . . [Re: bigsexy]
#5360228 - 03/03/06 12:22 AM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
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>I have 13 jars that are colonizing at a snails pace if at all, they're not showing any progress >I injected directly into the center >I injected maybe 1/2 cc (B+ strain) in each jar
how long have they been incubating? it can take up to a month for full colonization.. i would be worried about not seeing growth after two weeks.. especially if you only used 1/2 cc and injected it in one spot directly in the middle
>I could not find brown rice flour, so I used brown rice and just ground it up
this should be fine
>I put them in the laundry room where the temperature can fluctuate no higher than 90 degrees and no lower than 65 degrees.
thermal death occurs at 106 degrees so you really want to be sure it is not getting any hotter than that... optimum incubation temp is about 84
> Also I don't know if the spores in the syringe can suffer from the cold weather sitting on the porch or not, if that made them inactive or not.
nope, i store syringes in the fridge with no problems
>I also have a few questions, is it preferable to try to grind up the brown rice flour or just buy brown rice flour? Because when I grind it up, it almost always ends up 1/4 finely ground, and 3/4 a little rocky. And then for vermiculite, is coarse grade preferable or fine grade?
It should be okay as long as you stick to the ratios. coarse grade verm is preferable but i use fine grade and have no problems. the chunks of rice will actually help aerate the jar which will help colonization..
>Also, do these brown rice and vermiculite recipes have all the nutrients a mushroom could want? Or would it be better for them if there was some kind of nutrient added?
verm/brf is the first step to substrates, there are many different substrates that offer way more nutrients for the mushies. horse poo, straw, worm castings, cow dung, coir, wbs, cracked corn.. there are tons of things that can be used... check out the faq for any more questions 
md
-------------------- my set up / log
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coda
Banjo Goiter


Registered: 03/20/01
Posts: 8,750
Last seen: 10 months, 3 days
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Re: Noob in the works needs your expertise . . . [Re: bigsexy]
#5360245 - 03/03/06 12:28 AM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
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Welcome to the shroomery!
First off, please dont link to any website that sells producs our Vendors carry. Our vendors contribute funds to our site to hold this priviledge, check out a couple of their sites for future reference. They guaruntee all their products and we can help you if there is a problem.
Now, to help you with your problems.
1.) Ground up brown rice is fine, its actually better because its fresh which means a little more nutes for your myc.
2.) Try and stablize those temps, click on the mushroom archives link on the top of the forum, click on the boxes section, and look for the tek on the tub in tub construction. This will make it easy for you to keep the temps in the optimal 84-86 range.
3.) While injecting in the center of the jar isnt reccomended, it's not bad either. It will just take longer for the myc to reach the outside, but, once the jar is completely white it will be ready to go since the center colonizes first.
4.) Clear syringes work just fine, spores are microscopic so just because it looks clear doesnt mean there arent millions of spores floating around.
Just have a little patience and try to get your incubation temps under control. Remember two weeks is the average time for full colonization, it may be a little more, or a little less each time you start jars. There are various methods, such as liquid cultures, which help speed this process up.
But for now just focus on the basics and do some more reading, you're on the right track, remember its ok to make mistakes as long as you learn from them. If you follow your instructions to the letter you will end up with mushrooms in the end. Good luck man!
-------------------- To get really high is to forget yourself. And to forget yourself is to see everything else. And to see everything else is to become an understanding molecule in evolution, a conscious tool of the universe. And I think every human being should be a conscious tool of the universe. . . . -JG i really am glad you came back to us instead of taking the other path. *hug* -A_S (RIP your final words to me will never be forgotten)
 Don't fuck with the laughing jesus.
Edited by coda (03/03/06 12:29 AM)
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bigsexy
Stranger
Registered: 03/01/06
Posts: 7
Last seen: 17 years, 9 months
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Re: Noob in the works needs your expertise . . . [Re: coda]
#5363724 - 03/04/06 03:41 AM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
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Thanks all for the welcome, and the help.
I just realized that I used "Amelia Springs" natural spring water for my substrate instead of using distilled water, would that make a difference?
Also, I think I'll be ordering spores from these vendors for a change. I heard if you mention something to one of them you get a free syringe or something? Is there one in particular recommended for getting syringes from?
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hawksapprentice
Yearns to Snowboard


Registered: 06/06/03
Posts: 3,195
Loc: Oregon
Last seen: 8 months, 6 days
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Re: Noob in the works needs your expertise . . . [Re: bigsexy]
#5363737 - 03/04/06 03:55 AM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
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Check the sponsor forum for vendor offers that are going on.
Spring water is just fine if not better, more minerals and shit.
-------------------- "I celebrate the Earth, my home, my mother, my grave, and as long as men are Man they must, if they would preserve the integrated being, do the same---[and preserve]--this rank casual hungry smelly sweaty lusting transitory body, my oozy pulpy liquid-bag-swollen body, bones, blood, hair glands, my bejeweled sex; I love and celebrate it all. never to let men forget that they are animals as much as gods---that is one thing I shall say." Edward Abbey
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