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ButterWeasels
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Registered: 08/11/06
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Loc: Saskatchewan
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6 bulk monotub questions
#7484575 - 10/04/07 11:38 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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A friend of mine told me that Peat Moss is one of the best casing layers so thats what I've decided on. I've got 2 questions though:
1. Does Star Nursery have Peat Moss? If not where do I get this stuff
2. What the hell is Peat Moss used for? In case someone asks why I need it when I'm there
3. Is there anything I can use to case my mono-tub with that doesn't need to be sterilized or pasteurized? I spawned to Coir that was hydrated with near-boiling water but didnt sit long enough to pasteurize so its already kinda half-assed but is almost fully colonized (no contam.. so far).
4. For future reference, when making substrate (coir+coffee), would it count as pasteurizing if I added boiling water to the coir to hydrate it then just leave the lid on for 1-2 hours? Im cheap and dont wanna buy autoclavable bags with filters or in general spend too much money.
5. Is there anything else I could add to the casing (or substrate for that matter) to increase yield? I'm planning on getting some gypsum and hydrated lime for coirs low PH but any suggestionsare welcome.
6. How long you think I have til harvest? I just looked through the top and its 95%+ colonized and VERY rhizo, casing will be added later tonight.
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juris1
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Registered: 08/08/07
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Last seen: 10 years, 23 days
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1. You can get Peat Moss at WalMart or any other home dept store like Lowes or Home Depot. Also, you might want to try MGMC (Miracle Grow Moisture Control). That's what I've been using for my casing material and it has been kick ass. I also add some verm, hyd lime, and gypsum. Here's my recipe when making my casing material: - MGMC: 5 cups - Verm: 20% (1 cup) - Gypsum: 5% (1/4 cup) - Hyd Lime: 2.5 tbs (1/2tbs per cup)
This has worked very well so far and when I check the ph, it's right on about 7.5
2. Peat Moss is just used for planting flowers or used with other plants. It's used to grow in, instead of just using dirt, you can use the peat moss. That may not be the best answer for peat moss, but if someone asks you why you're buying, just say you're getting it for your mom's flowers. Also, no one's gonna ask you about it anyway at the store. Now, if it's a family member, you're gonna have to get creative on that!
3. I've heard of people using MGMC straight out of the bag for their casing material w/o pasteurizing it. Also, you don't want to sterilize your casing material bc it can kill some of the bacteria that is beneficial to growing your mushrooms! But, if you don't want to go through the whole detailed pasteurization process, just use the microwave method. I've done it for several of my smaller casings and has worked like a charm. Just nuke it for 2 minutes, let it stand for 10-15, nuke it 2 more min, let stand 10-15, and then do it one more time. I usually just do it twice, but three times won't hurt. Why take the chance though is the way I look at it. Doing it this way doesn't take that long. However, i've got two casings going where I didn't microwave it at all. Just wanted to see how it would perform. The mycelium is growing through it fine and I am going to patch it tonight. But, since your doing a monotub, I would definitely pasteurize it, even if it's just the microwave method!
4. No it wouldn't be. For pasteurization, you want the temp to reach between 140-160F for about an hour. That's ideal. But if you just nuke it in the microwave, there's no real good way to measure that.
5. Your yield is mainly going to be determined by your substrate and your growing parameters. Your casing layer is mainly for providing the moisture for humidity and possibly for protection. There's not supposed to be any kind of nutrients in the casing material, otherwise your casing material will get colonized and you don't want that.
6. Hard to tell exactly. It may be another day or two to finish. Then if you put a casing layer on it, the myc is gonna have to work it's way through that until it starts to pin. So, you should be able to harvest your first flush in about ten days, maybe more maybe less.
-------------------- "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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uncle_rico
my own worst enemy


Registered: 03/28/06
Posts: 2,664
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Dear Butterweasles,
Juris 1's replies were 'right on' .....
to add nutrients to your bulks .... the 'balanced diet' approach is good:
Coffee grounds, coir, poo, compost mixed in with your wbs or rye spawn .... whatever you have on hand .... ph balanced.
Hey ..... I went to your user gallery ... the photo labeled 'drying chamber' ..... WOW ! That's blue'ing MAN.
Rico
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ButterWeasels
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Registered: 08/11/06
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Re: 6 bulk monotub questions [Re: juris1]
#7484722 - 10/04/07 12:17 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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thanks for responding that cleared up alot.
"But, since your doing a monotub, I would definitely pasteurize it, even if it's just the microwave method!" thinking the same thing just dont want to ruin my pillow case, and I only have 6 or 7 clean pint jars and dont feel like pastuerizing it that way unless i have bags. I guess I'll just microwave it just how you did, and use your recipe since its 7.5PH which I need because of the coir. MGMC is probably alot easier to find but I didn't know how good it is having never cased.
Wish I had a digital camera I'd show you the rhizo porn =D
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ButterWeasels
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Registered: 08/11/06
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yea those pictures are from last year, thanks for the comments. this time im going to buy a real dehydrator instead of using a bowl and a fan lol.
this time it hella helped that i had a pressure cooker from before and a 20$ endless bag of verm from home depot lol. plus experience helps, everything is easy after the first try and you know what to expect.
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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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MGMC is super easy to find. You can get it at WalMart or any other large home dept store. Also, I forgot to tell you one thing about my casing material. That recipe makes up a pretty good bit. Not really sure how much it is exactly. But, I make up a good bit and use it on all my casings. Usually I have some left over, and just chunk it. I may keep it for a couple of days if I know I'm gonna be using again real soon to patch my casing layer. And, the MGMC is real cheap. You can get a large bag, about 30-40lbs for around $10 or so. Good luck!
-------------------- "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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ButterWeasels
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Registered: 08/11/06
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Last seen: 3 years, 6 months
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Re: 6 bulk monotub questions [Re: juris1]
#7484876 - 10/04/07 01:05 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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sweet i was hoping it was cheap. ill find out how many cups my casing layer should be and just adjust it or something, i hate wasting stuff especially stuff im gunna have to get more of eventually. Im the type of guy who makes poor-man-pods out of 2 liter bottles and gallon jugs with extra brf cakes.
if you dont pasteurize or sterilize the bulk substrate, but it fully colonizes without contam, is it ok or can it still get contaminated eventually (assuming i never take the lid off except to case). basically im just worrying about my laziness contaminating my tub in later flushes.
thanks for the help i actually feel confident about this tub now knowing someone else didnt get contams with a lazily made casing. iduno about coir though ill just have to wait and see.
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juris1
Esquire



Registered: 08/08/07
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My monotub wasn't done lazily, but the smaller casings were. You should be fine! However, i've learned that patience is a virtue with this hobby. I hate having to wait too, but in the long run, i'm much happier that I didn't skimp on things if I didn't have to!
-------------------- "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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ButterWeasels
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Registered: 08/11/06
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Loc: Saskatchewan
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Re: 6 bulk monotub questions [Re: juris1]
#7485107 - 10/04/07 02:04 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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yea im very patient and everything i've just never pasteurized anything before so i gotta find a good easy way to do it on a budget with no car, if i had unlimited money i'd be doing everything perfectly. i still need to buy a food dehydrator, more coir, MCMG+Gypsum+Hydrated Lime, and some coffee grinds from starbucks i found out today are free. ill feel much better once i get all that crap, wont need to run to the store for some random ass item for a while.
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Funkatron9000
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Registered: 10/03/07
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I'm about to start a 4 mono tub bulk grow run myself (first bulk run in monotubs) wish me luck. jars are about 50-60% done atm. R44 and B+ btw.
-------------------- You cannot yet touch my daughters awesome boobage
You must fight to the death in the Breastriary of Nippopolis.
I thought Gene Wilder was cool BEFORE he was dead.
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ButterWeasels
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Registered: 08/11/06
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i took a peek through the saran wrap and it looks 99% and is either VERY rhizomorphic or I have accidently initiated pinning by peeking too much. I plan on putting the casing on it either way later tonight or tomorrow at the very latest, but basically would it fuck my grow up if pins formed before i case? or would I be able to just pull them out right before casing? seemed like it was colonizing slow the whole time til the last 3 days, crept up on me quick.
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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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Actually you don't have to case it. Many people just let it colonize and then let it fruit. So, it may not be a bad idea to let it go ahead and fruit like it is. After you harvest your first flush, then you case the next flushes if you want to. Not gonna hurt it at all.
-------------------- "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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ButterWeasels
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Registered: 08/11/06
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Re: 6 bulk monotub questions [Re: juris1]
#7487526 - 10/05/07 07:04 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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well i just got home from chillin and playin pool for 8 hours, took a close look inside the tub and noticed some of the substrate is still uncolonized and was in hard to read parts for the myc to colonize to because the trash bag wasn't put around the substrate properly so I evenly distributed a thin layer of the last of the sub left in it (with brand new gloves and my shirt covering my mouth and nose) in hope that is will stay in or revert to colonization depending on if my dumbass initiated pinning too early. I also lightly misted the sides and very lightly misted to top layer of sub twice on both sides to add a little more moisture content to the poor casing-less tub. In an attempt to stimulate colonization-like conditions i duct-taped 2 out of the 8 2.5" polyfill FAE holes. I might tape up 2 more in case i run into low humidity problems (probly they only downfall to growing in a warm dry desert). I did manage to get some free MGMC earlier from wal-marts dumbasses leaving it outside on the side of the building where noone parks lol. I couldn't find any sort of gypsum or lime there though, but luckily my roommate owes me a ride to wal-mart (got too baked and decided not to go, and she had to go to work). So she'll probably give me a ride to star nursery to pick some PH buffer up. Having a skateboard saves so much on gas plus exercise.
This is gunna be by growlog as soon as i get a hold of a digi camera, so you all can see my second monotub grow (threw out my first one before first harvest, long story). If it does good maybe I'll make a few prints to trade strains with some of you cool people who have been helping me out with advice on this, hell if its a decent flush i might give some prints to a few of you. Tomorrow I will case if its 100% recovered which it should be. And maybe some pics of my ghetto-tub.
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