|
Some of these posts are very old and might contain outdated information. You may wish to search for newer posts instead.
|
Kreat
Stranger
Registered: 03/05/06
Posts: 16
Last seen: 17 years, 10 months
|
First Grow To Commence
#5378740 - 03/08/06 06:59 PM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Hello all! This is my first post. I've always been interested in how things grow and I've never grown mushrooms before so i think this would be a good experience. I don't actually eat mushrooms, I just like the science of how things work.
As a starter I've decided to go with the PF Tek just to start off with. I was planning on using perlite on the bottom of the fruiting chamber to humidify my chamber. My only problem is I have access to only two strains, Cambodian and Amazonian. Is one of these easier to grow then the other?
I also plan on casing them using another tek which I read here in the FAQ. All using Verm and Organic BRF. Any and all suggestions are welcome! Once I get all my materials in I'll try to keep this updated as much as possible. Hope to meet everyone soon!
|
tiny_rabid_birds
Nocturnal


Registered: 11/08/05
Posts: 15,653
Loc: estados unidos
|
Re: First Grow To Commence [Re: Kreat]
#5378768 - 03/08/06 07:04 PM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
No one strain is particularly easier to grow than another, so long as you provide the ideal growth parameters - i.e. following the teks word for word.
So far as casing, you don't plan on putting BRF in your casing layer do you? Because that would be a bad idea. The cakes contain BRF because it is the nutrient source, but for a casing layer you don't want it to have a very high nutritional value, or else it will just become overlayed and won't serve the proper purpose of a casing layer, which is to provide a microclimate ideal for the formation of primordia.
I'd advise you search for the 50/50+ casing tek, which basically is just 50% verm, 50% peat moss, and a bit of calcium carbonate added to buffer pH. Good Luck
--------------------
|
Kreat
Stranger
Registered: 03/05/06
Posts: 16
Last seen: 17 years, 10 months
|
|
Well I plan on following the pf tek as is since I already purchases the BRF.
No I'm not going to be putting the BRF in the casing layer, from what i've read I can use the Verm on the bottom and the top for the casing layer.
I'll take a look at the 50/50+ casing tek, sounds like it wouldn't be all that bad. Would just need to get the peat moss as I already have the Verm.
Do you know where I could find some Calcium Carbonate locally? I havn't done much research on it, thanks!
|
tiny_rabid_birds
Nocturnal


Registered: 11/08/05
Posts: 15,653
Loc: estados unidos
|
Re: First Grow To Commence [Re: Kreat]
#5378823 - 03/08/06 07:16 PM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
It's sold in nurseries or garden sections of stores. You can also get it in bulk from brewery stores. Or I believe you can get those things from the pet stores that birds sharpen their beaks on, and crush it up. Or you could crush up an assload of eggshells (but you first have to pull off the inner membrane). Or hell, if you live near the beach you could go collect some seashells and crush them up with a mallet or something.
--------------------
|
Kreat
Stranger
Registered: 03/05/06
Posts: 16
Last seen: 17 years, 10 months
|
|
Thanks for the information. I'll try to get to the store sometime this weekend so I can see If I can find some. I think I'm going to go with the Amazonian strain, Hopefully it will be a good choice.
For the chamber, I see that people air them 6 times a day or so. Theres times when I may not be able to fan them out manually. Has anyone rigged up a fan to their box? I was thinking this would work but the problem is keeping the humidity in the box. With an opening in the box for a fan (Like a computer fan), the humidity I beleive would be affected. Anyone have any advice for this?
|
tiny_rabid_birds
Nocturnal


Registered: 11/08/05
Posts: 15,653
Loc: estados unidos
|
Re: First Grow To Commence [Re: Kreat]
#5379051 - 03/08/06 08:04 PM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
If you already bought your perlite, then you could go to wal-mart, grab an aquarium air pump for like less than 10 bucks, and run a hose from it into a bottle of distilled water sitting inside your terrarium. Which would effectively give you a constant source of humidified FAE in the form of a ghetto bubbler.
Or, you could go the route of the Poor Man's Pod, courtesy of Magash.
A simple fan would work as well, but it may have negative effects on humidity.
--------------------
|
Kreat
Stranger
Registered: 03/05/06
Posts: 16
Last seen: 17 years, 10 months
|
|
Do you have any other recommendations for a way to exchange the air? I was possibly thinking of an idea to put a fan on the lid or the side of the unit and possibly make a flap so that when the fan goes on the flap would open and when its off its closes. I think I saw something like this in home depot for duct piping. I might look into that as I think that would keep in the humidity and be able to exchange the air.
Think this is a good idea?
|
Rahz
Alive Again


Registered: 11/10/05
Posts: 9,230
|
Re: First Grow To Commence [Re: Kreat]
#5379183 - 03/08/06 08:39 PM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
If the other suggestions don't work out (they didn't for me), check the yellow pages for "farm supply". They will likely have what you need. Ask for calcium carbonate, if that throws them for a loop, ask for high calcium lime. 5-6 dollars will get you 40 lbs. which will last a LONG time. The stuff you want is 95-97% calcium carbonate, with no more than 2-3 percent magnesium.
Rahz
-------------------- rahz comfort pleasure power love truth awareness peace "You’re not looking close enough if you can only see yourself in people who look like you." —Ayishat Akanbi
|
Kreat
Stranger
Registered: 03/05/06
Posts: 16
Last seen: 17 years, 10 months
|
Re: First Grow To Commence [Re: Kreat]
#5379188 - 03/08/06 08:39 PM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
OH wow, tiny, I should have read that thread first before I decide to come up with facy ideas! That pump idea would work perfectly with removing the CO2, I already have a few of those pumps so I just need to get some new stones and throw that in my box. Thanks for that link, I love this place already!
|
Kreat
Stranger
Registered: 03/05/06
Posts: 16
Last seen: 17 years, 10 months
|
Re: First Grow To Commence [Re: Kreat]
#5379190 - 03/08/06 08:40 PM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Thanks Rahz, Ill look into it. Im sure I should be able to find something, im in a fairly large city, just a matter of finging the different stores with it. For instance my Home Depot doesn't Carry Verm, dunno why they just don't.
|
Kreat
Stranger
Registered: 03/05/06
Posts: 16
Last seen: 17 years, 10 months
|
Re: First Grow To Commence [Re: Kreat]
#5382853 - 03/09/06 08:08 PM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
|
tiny_rabid_birds
Nocturnal


Registered: 11/08/05
Posts: 15,653
Loc: estados unidos
|
Re: First Grow To Commence [Re: Kreat]
#5382897 - 03/09/06 08:17 PM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Can't tell. Need to know the calcium carbonate content.
--------------------
|
Kreat
Stranger
Registered: 03/05/06
Posts: 16
Last seen: 17 years, 10 months
|
|
As long as its 95-97% right that will be fine. How should i apply what ever i get t the 50/50 casing tek?
Edited by Kreat (03/09/06 08:33 PM)
|
tiny_rabid_birds
Nocturnal


Registered: 11/08/05
Posts: 15,653
Loc: estados unidos
|
Re: First Grow To Commence [Re: Kreat]
#5382921 - 03/09/06 08:22 PM (17 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Just mix it in. Search and follow the 50/50+ tek
--------------------
|
|