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juris1
Esquire



Registered: 08/08/07
Posts: 288
Loc: The South
Last seen: 10 years, 23 days
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Newbs....Something to consider
#7402913 - 09/12/07 10:28 PM (16 years, 4 months ago) |
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Before I get started, I just want to say that I am not an expert or a veteran. I still consider myself a newb. However, when I started my first grow back on 8/15, I started several different projects to see what I would like best or would work best for me (brf/verm cakes, wbs, and did some lc's). From all the reading and searching I have done, it is recommended that newbs start with the PF Tek brf/verm cakes. I started with the cakes, and had good success with the colonization as well as no contams. I will be birthing 5 of my first 12 cakes in the next day or so. The others will be ready within about 5-7 days.
The purpose of this post is to encourage newbs to maybe consider using wbs or some other grain to start with. It's really not hard and I found it to be easier using wbs than I did with the cakes! The following pictures show the colonization of my cakes and my wbs. All my cakes are in 1/2 pt jars and my wbs is in qt size jars. What really surprised me is how fast the wbs colonized compared to the 1/2 pt cakes. I'm sure not everyone will agree, and I'm certainly not saying this is the best way, but if i were to start all over (and knowing what I know now) I would definitely just do the wbs. However, I am glad that I did several cakes to start with because it has given me a better understanding of the process with different methods.
Pictures taken on 9/9
This first picture is of my first 5 jars (B+) at day 25 (I inoculated them on 8/15). Two are 100% and the other three are 90-95% done.

The next five jars, B+ also, are pics of day 22 (Inoculated on 8/18). None of them were 100% as of the day of the pics but two are now.

These are two more at day 18, which were inoculated on 8/22.

Now here are some pics of my wbs, which was inoculated with B+. I inoculated them on 8/29, and this is what they looked like on 9/5, which was day 7.

I then shook the jars at this point (approx 25% colonized) to redistribute the spores to finish colonizing. The following pictures of the wbs are at day 10 of colonization (9/5).


So, all in all, i've had great success so far with both methods. I just wanted to post this to show other newbs, like myself, that's it not that hard to work with grains. Also, from my experience, the wbs was much easier than the brf/verm cakes and the wbs has colonized much quicker. The wbs pics were at day 10. It's now day 17 and all 6 qts of my wbs are 100% colonized.
I am planning on casing them. And this may be where it's recommended for the beginners to use cakes. Casing your substrates may involve a few more steps. However, I think the benefits will far outweigh the risks! So, if you've been contemplating whether or not to give grains a shot....go for it. It's not that hard and you will definitely get better yields than you will from using cakes.
I hope this has been of some help to at least one person. If not, then oh well. I welcome any comments or feedback.......
For further clarification, I used multi-spore syringes to inoculate all of my jars. I don't have a fancy incubator. All jars have either been in a shoe box in my closet or inside of a plastic bin like the ones used for the tub-in-tub incubator, and the temps have been 78-80F. I will fruit some of the cakes in my shotgun FC and will probably case the others. The wbs will either be spawned to hpoo or used in a 50/50 casing.
-------------------- "In Vino Veritas" Mycology (from the Greek μύκης, meaning "fungus") is the study of fungi, their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy, and their use to humans as a source for tinder, medicinals (e.g., penicillin), food (e.g., beer, wine, cheese, edible mushrooms) and entheogens, as well as their dangers, such as poisoning or infection.
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Rastaimposta
Apothecary


Registered: 02/21/07
Posts: 227
Last seen: 4 years, 2 months
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Re: Newbs....Something to consider [Re: juris1]
#7402987 - 09/12/07 10:40 PM (16 years, 4 months ago) |
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I agree with you, I just so happened to have everything I needed for brf cakes. Im starting grain soon, and Ive gotten the impression that a quart of wbs will colonize faster than a 1/2 pint of brf cakes, which is more than enough reason to switch.
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juris1
Esquire



Registered: 08/08/07
Posts: 288
Loc: The South
Last seen: 10 years, 23 days
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Re: Newbs....Something to consider [Re: Rastaimposta]
#7403012 - 09/12/07 10:45 PM (16 years, 4 months ago) |
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Yeah, i was totally surprised at have fast the wbs colonized. I guess I had read that somewhere before but never paid much attention to it since I was already starting the cakes. But, once I saw the fast growth on the wbs, I knew I wouldn't be doing cakes anymore. I may do some here and there for shits and giggles, but I really think that doing grains is the way to go. I couldn't believe that a qt sized jar colonized faster than a 1/2 pt cake which I had inoculated two weeks before the wbs. Pretty cool stuff! Good luck with your grow....
-------------------- "In Vino Veritas" Mycology (from the Greek μύκης, meaning "fungus") is the study of fungi, their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy, and their use to humans as a source for tinder, medicinals (e.g., penicillin), food (e.g., beer, wine, cheese, edible mushrooms) and entheogens, as well as their dangers, such as poisoning or infection.
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MonstroniuM
The Original Juggernaut



Registered: 09/02/07
Posts: 207
Loc: Florida, USA
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Re: Newbs....Something to consider [Re: juris1]
#7403164 - 09/12/07 11:29 PM (16 years, 4 months ago) |
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What do you have on the top of the jars. Tyvek strip/square and then a couple of coffee filters secured with a rubber band?
-------------------- The text and pictures posted by this user are entirely fictional. All posts are for entertainment purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or beliefs of this user.
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juris1
Esquire



Registered: 08/08/07
Posts: 288
Loc: The South
Last seen: 10 years, 23 days
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Re: Newbs....Something to consider [Re: MonstroniuM]
#7403242 - 09/12/07 11:58 PM (16 years, 4 months ago) |
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Actually I have tyvek on first, then the lid, and then the ring with two coffee filters on top. I read somewhere on here (Agar's Tek or maybe it was Doc's wbs tek) to put the tyvek on first and then the lid. Well, just a day ago on here, I saw where RR said to put the lid on first before the tyvek. That way it will keep the tyvek from getting wet when you shake your grain. I guess it could cause trouble, but mine turned out ok it seems!
-------------------- "In Vino Veritas" Mycology (from the Greek μύκης, meaning "fungus") is the study of fungi, their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy, and their use to humans as a source for tinder, medicinals (e.g., penicillin), food (e.g., beer, wine, cheese, edible mushrooms) and entheogens, as well as their dangers, such as poisoning or infection.
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kirix
Stranger



Registered: 03/14/07
Posts: 228
Last seen: 7 years, 7 months
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Re: Newbs....Something to consider [Re: juris1]
#7417568 - 09/16/07 07:04 PM (16 years, 4 months ago) |
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I'll definetly do grains next time I'm doing PF Cakes now for my first grow.
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