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Helltick
Player


Registered: 10/30/05
Posts: 684
Loc: Deep...
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Grocery Store Agar Tek. 10
#7081785 - 06/22/07 10:23 PM (16 years, 7 months ago) |
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Hello...
I take no credit for the information gathered in this post. Many people before me have done similar, better ways.
This guide is meant for the dude that just wants drive up the road and get the shit necessary to start an agar culture.
I searched,read,and prospered...I took shot's along the way and figured I'd post a little pictorial or basic guide for noobs (like myself)..to discover agar and it's benefits.
It's much better to spot contams early in on an agar jar than waiting 10-15 days to spot it in a 1 qrt rye jar...or 7.
With that said let's begin the "Grocery store Agar Tek".
This is Agar Agar...

This is found in the Asian Isle of any large grocery store...don't ask the clerks cuz they won't know WTF your talking about...also look up high on the shelf because it's not a real common seller. It cost's 99 cents per pack.
It's quite rigid and not nearly as fragile as it looks. The package comes with two 9g strips...cut 1 in half and grind.

This should leave you with around a 1/4 cup of ground Agar. Add to mixing bowl.
This is potato flakes...

Add 2 table spoons to mixing bowl with the Agar and dry mix with a fork.
This is tap water...

Add 1 cup to mixing bowl with the agar and potato flakes and mix thoroughly with fork.
This is clear honey...

Add 1 TEA spoon to mixing bowl with the tap water, ground agar, and potato flakes and mix thoroughly with a fork.
Now instead of petris', I use these...

1/4 pint jars...this mix will do about 20 of the Fugger's.
Give the bowl one last mix with the fork. Add 2 TABLE spoons per jar like this...

I just use my grain lids to keep shit compatible like this...

Basically 4 breathers with center RTV sealed injection port, here's a pic of the under side...

Grab a sheet of tyvek...

and cover jars like this...

I was fairly clean in the process above...but not sterile by any means...I simply washed my hands with bar soap.
Load jars in PC at 15 psi for 25 mins...

I used this time to shower and clean up a bit...I even had a shave!
I then reduced the heat on PC and allowed to cool for 2-3 hrs. Once cooled, jars look like this...

I then store in my beer fridge until I need them like this...

Now I get sterile and bring out the 'still air box'...

Nothing special...cost me around $15 to build. Notice the rubbing alcohol? I add it to a spray bottle and nuke the entire box...notice the paper towel stuffed in the arm holes...also sprayed with alcohol. I don't use gloves BTW...so it's not a glove box.
Now you have some choices here...
-drop spores directly from a print. -drop re-hydrated spores from a print via syringe. -drop liquid myc via syringe. -drop a fresh tissue from a shroom.
At this point I assume you already have a good strong culture on agar. You can tell by just looking at it.
Here is a jar via fresh tissue transfer...by dropping the inner stype of a fresh shroom within a 'still air box'...

The above jar is not the best example as it wasn't fully colonized and you can see the bits of tissue...it also has something else growing in there on a couple bits of tissue..can you spot them?
This jar requires isolation...but I'm not going there...get the RR dvd . They usually take right off and you can tell by speed of growth and appearance if it's worth taking to the next step.
But you get the idea right?
I would also like to add the 'boom' myc ended taking over the above mentioned jar and turned into a rapid aggressive inoculate...so don't just throw them out!
Anyway...
Once your dish is colonized, with strong growth...prepare your blanks by pulling tap water until 80% full..wrap with foil and PC at 15psi for 15mins and allow to cool...
 Then load the box like this...

Spray hands to elbow with alcohol, remove foil from syringe...purge thru injection port...swirl it around vigorously (while keeping syringe in)...

Draw the syringe, remove from injection port, and cap. Cover the injection hole with micopore tape. You can now open your box.

You wont get all your cc's back...there will be a little water left in the donor jar...but the breather holes take care of that and dry out for future reanimation.
Now you can knock up those grain jars with strong aggressive growth. 
MS is fun. G2G is fun. LC's are fun.
Just say'n give AGAR a go...it's Really Fun! Everything in this guide can be bought at any major grocery store with the exceptions of tyvek, still air box, and of coarse the inoculate.
I would like to thank the shroomery and all members for info, pics , and advice!
Later!

-------------------- My Agar Tek. My Greenhouse Tek. "It's not good when it's done, it's done when it's good"
Edited by Helltick (06/27/07 04:19 PM)
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Trip_Messiah
شځﯓﭽﮡﻙ



Registered: 04/18/05
Posts: 217
Loc: Bowels of the under earth
Last seen: 13 years, 10 months
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: Helltick]
#7081823 - 06/22/07 10:34 PM (16 years, 7 months ago) |
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Nice guide bro. I bookmarked it for future reference.
-------------------- TRIP Messiah
Sexy Devil Entertainment
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Grogan
Shroomieologist



Registered: 05/20/03
Posts: 1,146
Last seen: 8 years, 8 months
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: Trip_Messiah]
#7081841 - 06/22/07 10:39 PM (16 years, 7 months ago) |
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Thanks I may venture to the agar side..!
However people you can take some wbs or other grain in a small jar like this and make a FOR SURE LC if you just want good clean LC.
-------------------- "Maybe a cow occasionally ate a shroom, but it certainly wouldn't be such a potent shroom that the cow would be trippin balls. " LOL
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implee
Cyber Hippie

Registered: 07/27/06
Posts: 5,833
Loc: Houston, Texas.
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: Trip_Messiah] 1
#7081847 - 06/22/07 10:42 PM (16 years, 7 months ago) |
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And remember kids in the USA Tyvek is free!
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Grogan
Shroomieologist



Registered: 05/20/03
Posts: 1,146
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: implee]
#7081856 - 06/22/07 10:44 PM (16 years, 7 months ago) |
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Free thanks to USPS, Fedex, DHL, UPS... all those kind guys..
Oh and large housing construction areas.. its all over half built houses!
-------------------- "Maybe a cow occasionally ate a shroom, but it certainly wouldn't be such a potent shroom that the cow would be trippin balls. " LOL
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implee
Cyber Hippie

Registered: 07/27/06
Posts: 5,833
Loc: Houston, Texas.
Last seen: 5 months, 18 days
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: Grogan]
#7081872 - 06/22/07 10:52 PM (16 years, 7 months ago) |
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Hell yeah, and i forgot to say good pictorial!! Thanks for posting it, it will help me alot.
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Blutjager
Inhuman


Registered: 06/11/06
Posts: 9,220
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: implee]
#7082642 - 06/23/07 04:47 AM (16 years, 7 months ago) |
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Nice
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dirtworshipper
Sitting in the heart cave



Registered: 05/12/07
Posts: 2,060
Loc: at The Guru's lotus feet
Last seen: 3 years, 3 months
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: Helltick]
#7082921 - 06/23/07 08:52 AM (16 years, 7 months ago) |
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excellent pictorial man. thanks! i hope to try some agar sooon
isolating a single genotype? yes, please
--------------------
“You've got as many lives as you like, and more, even ones you don't want.” - George Harrison
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Helltick
Player


Registered: 10/30/05
Posts: 684
Loc: Deep...
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: dirtworshipper]
#7098675 - 06/27/07 12:44 PM (16 years, 7 months ago) |
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Thanks guys 
I renamed and edited the original...It can now be found forever in the mushroom cultivation archives Here.
Agar culture is very cool to study...have fun!
Later!
-------------------- My Agar Tek. My Greenhouse Tek. "It's not good when it's done, it's done when it's good"
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Helltick
Player


Registered: 10/30/05
Posts: 684
Loc: Deep...
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: Helltick]
#7100430 - 06/27/07 07:50 PM (16 years, 7 months ago) |
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Also added to the FAQ Here.
-------------------- My Agar Tek. My Greenhouse Tek. "It's not good when it's done, it's done when it's good"
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GetHyphae
Stranger


Registered: 12/11/08
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: Helltick]
#10484198 - 06/10/09 06:47 PM (14 years, 7 months ago) |
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Would 1/2 pint wide mouth jars work just as well? Interested to try this as I have to order petri's if I want them but I have these laying around.
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River77
Ruler of the Next Free World



Registered: 05/09/09
Posts: 578
Loc: Among the Spore People.
Last seen: 4 years, 10 months
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: GetHyphae]
#13803066 - 01/17/11 04:14 PM (13 years, 13 days ago) |
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I just wanted point out how awesome and simple this tek here is....
-------------------- Fine line between fishing, and standing on the shore with a pole in your hand.
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Javadog
Continuing along



Registered: 05/03/10
Posts: 7,385
Loc: USA
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: River77]
#13803105 - 01/17/11 04:20 PM (13 years, 13 days ago) |
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Yup.
Someone was just asking about sources for agar.
This was what I tried to describe to him: https://files.shroomery.org/files/07-009/253946463-m_001.jpg
Take care,
JD
-------------------- Boyd Rice told my brother that life is a corny pack of freesakes Myco-tek.org
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anonjon
Partially Right

Registered: 11/03/08
Posts: 6,322
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: Javadog]
#13803333 - 01/17/11 04:53 PM (13 years, 13 days ago) |
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Fastfred's media cookbook is a good supplement to this.
-------------------- The above post is fictional, hypothetical, or downright nonsensical.
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gornyhuy
A Myth Intrepidly Met



Registered: 08/04/09
Posts: 2,933
Loc: USA
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: anonjon]
#13807569 - 01/18/11 12:27 PM (13 years, 12 days ago) |
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Just to throw my 2 cents in - this works great with food coloring added as well. I use red.
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Barakanaten
Ama-gi




Registered: 04/14/10
Posts: 6,163
Loc: PNW Mycosphere( Blessed C...
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: gornyhuy]
#13807689 - 01/18/11 12:55 PM (13 years, 12 days ago) |
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The Grocery store Agar Tek saved my life!...News at 11
Also the Potato flakes can be reduced to half the amount specified in the tek, But Def not the Agar,
I tried it, and it is right at the perfect ratio to achieve the solidity needed to grow out in 2D and allow for the softest possible media and quicker moving mycelia.
--------------------
New to cultivation? Have a Question? Because AMU We Q&A Know AMU Genetic Library Easy Felt  AMU  Official PNW Mushroom Hunting Season 2011"...Though in all else he may be as Saintly as St. Francis, in the pursuit of these ends he is more Satanic than Satan. He will betray his nearest and dearest without the slightest twitch of flesh or spirit. He is amoral." -Definition of a mushroom hunter by ~Angelo Pellegrini
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anonjon
Partially Right

Registered: 11/03/08
Posts: 6,322
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: Barakanaten]
#13809394 - 01/18/11 05:08 PM (13 years, 12 days ago) |
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I concur, very little starch is needed.
-------------------- The above post is fictional, hypothetical, or downright nonsensical.
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Barakanaten
Ama-gi




Registered: 04/14/10
Posts: 6,163
Loc: PNW Mycosphere( Blessed C...
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Re: The simple mans way to work with agar. [Re: anonjon]
#13809527 - 01/18/11 05:28 PM (13 years, 12 days ago) |
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Quote:
anonjon said: I concur, very little starch is needed.
Well I hope you do, I learned it from one of your earlier threads
--------------------
New to cultivation? Have a Question? Because AMU We Q&A Know AMU Genetic Library Easy Felt  AMU  Official PNW Mushroom Hunting Season 2011"...Though in all else he may be as Saintly as St. Francis, in the pursuit of these ends he is more Satanic than Satan. He will betray his nearest and dearest without the slightest twitch of flesh or spirit. He is amoral." -Definition of a mushroom hunter by ~Angelo Pellegrini
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DubSpore
Busy being human



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Loc: Ohio
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Re: Grocery Store Agar Tek. [Re: Helltick]
#19543413 - 02/09/14 11:11 AM (9 years, 11 months ago) |
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Do the mushrooms grow inside the jars? How do you fruit these? In a ordinary tub with perlite ? I'm a noob when it come to growing.
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midnightmaraude
Stranger


Registered: 05/09/14
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Re: Grocery Store Agar Tek. [Re: Helltick]
#20514160 - 09/03/14 12:23 PM (9 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quick question.
If you are going to take transfers to isolate the strain you want, how difficult is it to do using 1/4 pint jars or is this tek just meant for liquid cultures?
Also, for LC, how many syringes can one make from one jar?
Lastly, once you innoc the jar up with whatever technique you want to use, does it go back in the fridge til myc growth is done or does it stay in room temperature like our brf and grain jars.?
Edited by midnightmaraude (09/03/14 12:27 PM)
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