|
 Some of these posts are very old and might contain outdated information. You may wish to search for newer posts instead.
|
 quart_o_cunt
Stranger
Registered: 10/25/01
Posts: 4
Last seen: 22 years, 9 months
|
 Laminar Flow Q - Maintaining Sterility? 
#566116 - 02/28/02 05:30 PM (22 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Quick question, how do you sterilize a Laminar fLow hood? That is, once you turn it off, wont free-floating bacteria land on the "out" end of the filter, laying in wait for the next time you turn it on? surely the solution can't be to keep constant positive pressure? that would be a waste of the precious filter, not to mention impossible since the box would have to, at one point, be exposed to non-sterile air during transport?
Can you spray down the filter with alcohol before you turn it on?
|
Anno
Experimenter
Registered: 06/17/99
Posts: 24,168
Loc: my room
Last seen: 13 days, 13 hours
|
 Re: Laminar Flow Q - Maintaining Sterility? [Re: quart_o_cunt]
#566422 - 02/28/02 11:40 PM (22 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Afer you turn it on, you let it run for a minute. The particles that settled on the filter are blown away and you can then work in the sterile air.
|
quart_o_cunt
Stranger
Registered: 10/25/01
Posts: 4
Last seen: 22 years, 9 months
|
Re: Laminar Flow Q - Maintaining Sterility? [Re: Anno]
#566612 - 03/01/02 07:38 AM (22 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Is that reliable? it seems that some particles might find cozy little spots within the fibres of the filter, releasing them more slowly than the rest. Do you have exprerience with Laminar Flow?
|
homebrew
member
Registered: 06/02/01
Posts: 117
Last seen: 21 years, 8 months
|
Re: Laminar Flow Q - Maintaining Sterility? [Re: quart_o_cunt]
#566636 - 03/01/02 08:09 AM (22 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
If you have $ to burn, install a UV-C light in your flow hood. Many of the professional flow hoods have this feature. Turn on the UV light when the hood is not in use, the UV light will destroy any unwanted bacteria, spores, etc that try to set up shop in your hood. Yes, you can spray it down with 70% EtOH (before or after the fan is on) to help maintain sterility. I would just follow Anno's advice though, from the pics he posts he doesn't seem to have any sterility issues.
|
Anno
Experimenter
Registered: 06/17/99
Posts: 24,168
Loc: my room
Last seen: 13 days, 13 hours
|
Re: Laminar Flow Q - Maintaining Sterility? [Re: quart_o_cunt]
#566645 - 03/01/02 08:20 AM (22 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
>Do you have exprerience with Laminar Flow?
I own and use a laminar flow hood myself.
|
 night train
Stranger
Registered: 11/14/99
Posts: 468
Loc: Midwest US
|
Re: Laminar Flow Q - Maintaining Sterility? [Re: Anno]
#567076 - 03/01/02 04:23 PM (22 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Yep, what anno said. I've had no problems doing it that way. Had the same filter for over 4 yrs. now too.
--------------------
Lil' Shop of Spores - Exotic Mushroom Spores From Around the World
Save 10% Off Any Order Use Coupon Code: SHROOMERY
|
Nighted
Ghost
Registered: 11/09/01
Posts: 698
Loc: Funkytown
|
 Re: Laminar Flow Q - Maintaining Sterility? [Re: quart_o_cunt]
#567123 - 03/01/02 05:08 PM (22 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
I use an ULPA system myself. I have had no problems and sterility is never an issue in my lab.
--------------------
 
Freedom defined is freedom denied.
Nighted is better than Google. Please take time to rate 5/5. Thanks!
|
Azure
old hand
Registered: 12/31/98
Posts: 469
Loc: California, USA
Last seen: 22 years, 8 months
|
Re: Laminar Flow Q - Maintaining Sterility? [Re: quart_o_cunt]
#567717 - 03/02/02 12:17 PM (22 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
This is true, a flow hood does not filter out every single air born particle and they can fall onto your plate. Also, some particles can get dislodged from the filter. However, since there are so few that pass through, the probability of contamination is close to zero if done correctly.
|
cookiewhore
enthusiast
Registered: 01/03/02
Posts: 385
Last seen: 22 years, 9 months
|
Re: Laminar Flow Q - Maintaining Sterility? [Re: quart_o_cunt]
#569744 - 03/04/02 03:38 PM (22 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
I myself let my flow hood run 24/7. i have an external florescnet light lighting up my workarea. i spray down with 99% alkie before i use it, and periodically do tests with agar to ensure the sterility (ie leave a dish open after spray down for like 10 mins and then watch ti for a week).
i always clean it out after, like from transferring etc.. spray with alcohol, and wipe out garbage.
this may impact the life of the filter, i do not know.
how long would a filter last?
I paid $60 for the hepa / ionizer (i already have my UV!!) combo, and filters are $20 replacement.
in "Mushroom cultivatino" forum, search for "flow hood" and look for a post by cookiewhore, and you'll see pics of my hood.
|
|
Threaded
Previous
Index
Next
Edit 
Reply 
Pugslee_Atoms420
Cow Shit Collector
1 2 all )
Shpongloid
agar