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Rahz
Alive Again


Registered: 11/10/05
Posts: 9,248
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Using gypsum in bulk sub
#6754221 - 04/06/07 01:19 PM (16 years, 10 months ago) |
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I'm going to use gypsum for the first time, and I'm having trouble finding ratios. I've found teks that use gypsum, but it's always listed as an ammount specific to the recipe.
Can anyone recommend a percentage for gypsum use? I'll be using 50/50 straw/hpoo.
-------------------- 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
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RogerRabbit
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Registered: 03/26/03
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Re: Using gypsum in bulk sub [Re: Rahz]
#6754473 - 04/06/07 02:19 PM (16 years, 10 months ago) |
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five to ten percent by volume of the manure. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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Rahz
Alive Again


Registered: 11/10/05
Posts: 9,248
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Re: Using gypsum in bulk sub [Re: RogerRabbit]
#6757664 - 04/07/07 12:25 PM (16 years, 10 months ago) |
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Good deal, thanks.
I know gypsum makes grains easier to shake, but wasn't quite clear on the use in a substrate, other than "it substantially increases yield". But I wanted more specifics, and found this info with a google search:
"Gypsum is added to minimize the greasiness compost normally tends to have. Gypsum increases the flocculation of certain chemicals in the compost, and they adhere to straw or hay rather than filling the pores (holes) between the straws. A side benefit of this phenomenon is that air can permeate the pile more readily, and air is essential to the composting process. The exclusion of air results in an airless (anaerobic) environment in which deleterious chemical compounds are formed which detract from the selectivity of mushroom compost for growing mushrooms. Gypsum is added at the outset of composting at 40 lbs. per ton of dry ingredients."
So I'm curious, when adding gypsum to leeched manure, does flocculation still occur (since you don't have the lengthy composting process), or is the main benefit gas exchange... or is the increased gas exchange dependant on flocculation?
-------------------- 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
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RogerRabbit
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Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 42,214
Loc: Seattle
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Re: Using gypsum in bulk sub [Re: Rahz]
#6757729 - 04/07/07 12:47 PM (16 years, 10 months ago) |
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The main benefit is more and bigger fruits. Darned if I know what's going on inside the substrate. I'll leave that to the biologists.  RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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Rahz
Alive Again


Registered: 11/10/05
Posts: 9,248
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Re: Using gypsum in bulk sub [Re: RogerRabbit]
#6757873 - 04/07/07 01:31 PM (16 years, 10 months ago) |
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haha, I'll go with that.
So, here's my next substrate
50/50 hpoo/straw 5-10% gypsum
Wondering about calcium. I throw my casings out after 3 flushes, I'm curious if there would be any benefit to adding calcium to the substrate.
And vermiculite, does anyone use vermiculite in substrates they spawn to?
-------------------- 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
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RogerRabbit
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Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 42,214
Loc: Seattle
Last seen: 11 months, 22 days
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Re: Using gypsum in bulk sub [Re: Rahz]
#6757970 - 04/07/07 02:04 PM (16 years, 10 months ago) |
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I use about 10% verm to fluff up the substrate and hold a bit of water. Gypsum is mostly calcium. That's why it's used. The other main ingredient in gypsum is sulphur, which lowers pH to keep the calcium from raising it too much. That's why gypsum works well without swinging the pH too much either direction.
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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Rahz
Alive Again


Registered: 11/10/05
Posts: 9,248
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Re: Using gypsum in bulk sub [Re: RogerRabbit]
#6758066 - 04/07/07 02:30 PM (16 years, 10 months ago) |
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I'll add some verm then.
From what I've read, gypsum doesn't noticeable affect PH unless certainty soil conditions are present (high levels of soluble aluminum for instance). It seems that the main function of gypsum is to make nutrients more available to the mycelium, and to help in aeration.
But I'm not real clear on how much benefit is to be gained from adjusting the PH of a substrate. I know it's very important in the casing layer where the majority of acid is formed.
At this point, I'm going with gypsum in the sub, calcium carbonate in the casing. Does anyone advocate raising the PH in the substrate (quick limeing or buffering)? Does it make any noticeable difference?
-------------------- 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
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RogerRabbit
Bans for Pleasure


Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 42,214
Loc: Seattle
Last seen: 11 months, 22 days
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Re: Using gypsum in bulk sub [Re: Rahz]
#6758107 - 04/07/07 02:42 PM (16 years, 10 months ago) |
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Mycelium will prefer a slightly acidic substrate. Lime the casing for the reasons you stated. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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