|
Some of these posts are very old and might contain outdated information. You may wish to search for newer posts instead.
|
solace1993
Stranger
Registered: 07/06/06
Posts: 9
Last seen: 17 years, 6 months
|
Need help with agar!
#5877137 - 07/19/06 10:22 AM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
My agar is too watery. I've tried making it twice using the 150g potatoe/500ml water/9agar/10ml honey mix and it is way too watery. I can't slice a wedge out of it! What am I most likely doing wrong. I follow the directions just as it says. Please help!
|
No_Life_G33k
Now with 10%less noobness
Registered: 03/08/05
Posts: 356
Last seen: 14 years, 9 days
|
Re: Need help with agar! [Re: solace1993]
#5877141 - 07/19/06 10:25 AM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
I'm no expert, but that sounds like a lot of honey in the mix.
How long did you cook it??
Try adding more agar until it gells.
|
royer
±±±±±±±±±±
Registered: 05/15/06
Posts: 4,801
Loc: anywhere but here
Last seen: 5 years, 1 month
|
|
why dont you buy malt extract agar to start out with? also did you let it cool?
-------------------- ================================================= if you have any questions please feel free to pm me , thx :-)
|
fastfred
Old Hand
Registered: 05/17/04
Posts: 6,899
Loc: Dark side of the moon
|
Re: Need help with agar! [Re: royer]
#5877231 - 07/19/06 10:53 AM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Go with 10g/500ml with the agar, that's standard concentration. Agar should still gel at concentrations down to at least 6.2g/500ml. You need to boil to dissolve the agar then cool it to solidify.
Where did you get that odd recipe anyway?
How did you do the potato?
Point me at the directions you followed and I'll try to help.
-FF
|
solace1993
Stranger
Registered: 07/06/06
Posts: 9
Last seen: 17 years, 6 months
|
Re: Need help with agar! [Re: fastfred]
#5877400 - 07/19/06 11:38 AM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
This is where I got the recipe: http://www.shroomery.org/index.php/par/23367
I boiled the 150g sliced and not peeled potatoes in 500 ml water for 30 minutes. I turned off the heat, poured the broth in a bowl, replaced lost water back to 500 ml and mixed in 9g of agar along with 10 ml honey. After I mixed this together I put it into a jar and PC for 15 minutes. After it cooled a little I took it out and poured it into my widemouthed small glass jars (I have no petri) and PC for 30 minutes. After that I took it out and let cool at room temperature. When it cools it thickens out a little but not enough to cut wedges. The agar I have says it has sugar in it, is that standard or should it not? It also says on the box to mix entire box with 6 cups and it is 170g in the box. That would be 7.06 ml/g The recipe call for 500 ml and 9g which is 55 ml/g!! Is this supposed to be like this??
|
fastfred
Old Hand
Registered: 05/17/04
Posts: 6,899
Loc: Dark side of the moon
|
Re: Need help with agar! [Re: solace1993]
#5877507 - 07/19/06 12:08 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Hmm... it could be because you remelted the agar, but I wouldn't think so.
> The agar I have says it has sugar in it, is that standard or should it not?
No, it shouldn't have sugar in it. Are you sure it's agar and not gelatin?
Here is the standard FDA approved PDA...
-FF
Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA)(FDA M127) ------------------------------------ 200 g Potato infusion [dilute to 1L total, ~4g solids] 20 g Dextrose 20 g Agar 1 L Distilled water (dH2O)
To prepare potato infusion, boil 200 g scrubbed, sliced(unpeeled) potatoes in 1 liter distilled water for 30 min. Filter through cheesecloth, saving effluent, which is potato infusion (or use commercial dehydrated form). Mix in other ingredients and boil to dissolve. [Dilute to obtain 1 L final volume] Autoclave 15 min at 121°C. Dispense 20-25 ml portions into sterile 15 x 100 mm petri dishes. Final pH, 5.6 ± 0.2.
Medium should not be re-melted more than once. Medium powder is available commercially but may require supplementing with extra agar to a final concentration of 20 g/liter. To BBL or Difco dehydrated medium, add 5 g of agar.
The broth is clear to slightly opalescent and yellowish in color.
[1] Bacteriological Analytical Manual, 8th Edition, Revision A, 1998. [2] EMD Chemicals [aka Merck]
|
solace1993
Stranger
Registered: 07/06/06
Posts: 9
Last seen: 17 years, 6 months
|
Re: Need help with agar! [Re: fastfred]
#5877536 - 07/19/06 12:16 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
It says 'Agar Ager Powder' on the box and then below that it says 'Instant Agar Gelatin Dessert' Is this the wrong kind?
Edited by solace1993 (07/19/06 12:17 PM)
|
Roadkill
Retired Shroomery Mod
Registered: 12/11/01
Posts: 22,674
Loc: Montana
|
Re: Need help with agar! [Re: solace1993]
#5877551 - 07/19/06 12:22 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
weird...
I use potato flakes instead of using a potato.
-PDYA-
500ml water 5 grams of instant potato flakes (Potato Buds Brand - brand I use) 9 grams agar agar (good quality from Sporeworks) 10 ml honey (Raw natural pure honey - Beemaid Brand - brand I use) 1 gram of Nutritional Yeast (optional)
and I have never have had any runny plates!~
where did you get the agar agar? maybe it was crappy?
tc
-------------------- Laterz, Road Who the hell you callin crazy? You wouldn't know what crazy was if Charles Manson was eating froot loops on your front porch! Brainiac said: PM the names with on there names, that means they have mushrooms for sale.
|
fastfred
Old Hand
Registered: 05/17/04
Posts: 6,899
Loc: Dark side of the moon
|
Re: Need help with agar! [Re: solace1993]
#5877566 - 07/19/06 12:25 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
> It says 'Agar Ager Powder' on the box and then below that it says 'Instant Agar Gelatin Dessert'
Well agar and gelatin are two different things. Agar is made from seaweed and gelatin is made from horse and cow hooves.
What you have is probably vegatarian jello, which is agar with a bunch of sugar. It didn't gel, because in that 9g of powder probably only about 4g was agar.
I don't think it's going to work for you. You need agar with no sugar.
-FF
|
solace1993
Stranger
Registered: 07/06/06
Posts: 9
Last seen: 17 years, 6 months
|
Re: Need help with agar! [Re: fastfred]
#5877608 - 07/19/06 12:37 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Ok, well at least I know whats wrong. Thanks for your help FF.
|
Roadkill
Retired Shroomery Mod
Registered: 12/11/01
Posts: 22,674
Loc: Montana
|
Re: Need help with agar! [Re: solace1993]
#5877643 - 07/19/06 12:47 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
solace1993 said:
It says 'Agar Ager Powder' on the box and then below that it says 'Instant Agar Gelatin Dessert' Is this the wrong kind?
it is wrong kind!~
either order some agar agar from Sporeworks...
or go to an Asian market or health food store and find agar agar.
you don't want the kind that has Gelatin in it.
I prefer using Sporeworks for agar products.
tc
-------------------- Laterz, Road Who the hell you callin crazy? You wouldn't know what crazy was if Charles Manson was eating froot loops on your front porch! Brainiac said: PM the names with on there names, that means they have mushrooms for sale.
|
solace1993
Stranger
Registered: 07/06/06
Posts: 9
Last seen: 17 years, 6 months
|
Re: Need help with agar! [Re: Roadkill]
#5878952 - 07/19/06 07:52 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
I just got some that is these long rectangular bricks of seaweed. Is this the right thing or is it supposed to be powder?
|
fastfred
Old Hand
Registered: 05/17/04
Posts: 6,899
Loc: Dark side of the moon
|
Re: Need help with agar! [Re: solace1993]
#5879197 - 07/19/06 09:09 PM (17 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
You need the powder.
|
|