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theratatat
Hobbyist



Registered: 03/09/07
Posts: 209
Last seen: 11 years, 4 months
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Optimal Martha
#7510514 - 10/11/07 08:08 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Hey Guys,
I would like to discuss everyones idea of an optimal martha setup. I will start by giving the specs on mine. I have a small 2-shelf system with a coolmist on the outside pumping humid air in. This is on 24/7 giving me lots of FAE and my RH hovers around 98. Finally I have timer for a CFL on 12/12.
I find that with this setup my casings dry out rather fast regardless of the RH being at 98. I usually mist once daily to keep my casing well hydrated. If I leave them for more then 2 days, without misting, they would be getting very dry in appearance.
This brings me to my main point. I have to continue this misting through the fruiting cycle. Meaning that my fruits usually get a good mist on top. I make sure I fan really well before putting it back in the martha in order to prevent aborts.
With all this said, I have had some really great grows with HUGE first flushes. My last first flush weighed in at 5oz dry from a 11qt tray on coir/coffee. My subsequent flushes are another story. I find them very sporadic and badly timed.
Finally this brings me to my line of questioning. Is my setup optimal or should I look at moving my coolmist inside and simply cutting some vent holes? This would cut down on the drying.
I am aware that evaporation is a good thing and stimulates pinning. How much evaporation is too much? Should I let my casings dry out at all or always keep them at the same moisture level?
Sorry for this long winded post but hopefully I got my point across and provoke some lively discussion. 
Cheers
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Funkatron9000
Astronaut



Registered: 10/03/07
Posts: 535
Loc: Sector Zed: Region 6: Sol...
Last seen: 2 years, 2 months
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I have a Coolmist AND a Ultra Sonic in my martha closet. US on for 3 minutes every 2 hours and the Coolmist is on in 4 hour rips with a hour break in between. only seemed to have drying problems when i jokingly put a cake in there, it always seemed dry. (the cake i mean)
-------------------- 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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KCizzle
Egar Noob


Registered: 08/27/07
Posts: 81
Loc: Vancouver, BC BABY!
Last seen: 10 months, 4 days
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God bless that wonderful woman. Nothin but love for my marthaI have just the one shelf so far but plan on building 4 total.
...Vicks Ultra Sonic attached to humidity controller that keeps RH around 95%. Let me add that my US is outside the martha. I took the white director cap off, liquid nailed a tupperware top with 1/2" hose fastened with a barb. I found out that the clothes rod hole when hollowed out makes an air tight fit for the hose to poke thru and give plenty of support ...Double output 2800cc per minute pump running 24/7 ...2 100 watt spiral fluorescent bulbs running 12/12 w/ reflecters that run incredibly cold. I mean not even a hint of temp rise and I have this all shoved in a closet I am a noob and have just put my first two casings (staggered) in and the first one is fruiting quite nicely. Can't wait till I start the next batch with my first LC
Edited by KCizzle (10/11/07 09:25 PM)
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KCizzle
Egar Noob


Registered: 08/27/07
Posts: 81
Loc: Vancouver, BC BABY!
Last seen: 10 months, 4 days
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Re: Optimal Martha [Re: KCizzle]
#7510879 - 10/11/07 09:19 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Let me also add that the US keeps my castings at what seems the perfect moisture (uber damp to the touch) so I haven't seen the need to mist but I am reall new so I could just not know what I'm doing lol. Guess we'll find out in a week.
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blueshroprachaun
Student Of The Spore 2y2l



Registered: 09/04/06
Posts: 162
Last seen: 5 years, 9 months
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IMO having the coolmist inside your martha with vents is the best way to go. Sounds like you have it down to an RH science, the only problem with that is the RH is relative to your climate and location. 95% RH should be good enough for casings. (check the RH meter)
-------------------- "All things are poison and nothing is without poison, only the dose permits something not to be poisonous." - Paracelsus, the father of toxicology
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theratatat
Hobbyist



Registered: 03/09/07
Posts: 209
Last seen: 11 years, 4 months
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Anyone got any other recommendations?
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spock1
Stranger

Registered: 04/14/07
Posts: 589
Last seen: 15 years, 7 months
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Re: Optimal Martha *DELETED* [Re: theratatat]
#7513123 - 10/13/07 06:52 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Post deleted by spock1Reason for deletion: .
Edited by spock1 (10/13/07 07:37 PM)
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RogerRabbit
Bans for Pleasure



Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 42,214
Loc: Seattle
Last seen: 11 months, 3 days
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Re: Optimal Martha [Re: spock1]
#7513251 - 10/13/07 07:31 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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You want your casing layer to dry a bit between mistings. This is one of the major secondary pinning triggers. Replace that lost moisture with misting. An ultrasonic can easily saturate the casing layer, taking away this major pinning trigger. I'd go from misting once a day to three or four times, and keep the air exchange up, provided you have mid to upper 90's humidity. 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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theratatat
Hobbyist



Registered: 03/09/07
Posts: 209
Last seen: 11 years, 4 months
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Roger: I find that misting is analogous with watering house plants. Something you have to really develop a feel for. I realize that light misting should be done more often, rather then heavy misting less. I no longer run an ultrasonic I find that the coolmist is more then adequate for the task.
I have indeed noticed that days where my casing got pretty died out, the next day I had good primordia forming. Its after that I run into the gray area. Should I mist with forming primorida? Mist with fruits? In the end I guess it all comes down to trial and error.
Some of these topics I realize that there is no use in discussing as in the end its the experience that is going to get you farther ahead.
Thanks for the response Cheers
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BUDDHA_702
Master Mycologist In Training



Registered: 02/17/07
Posts: 1,296
Loc: Some Country
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Quote:
RogerRabbit said: You want your casing layer to dry a bit between mistings. This is one of the major secondary pinning triggers. Replace that lost moisture with misting. An ultrasonic can easily saturate the casing layer, taking away this major pinning trigger. I'd go from misting once a day to three or four times, and keep the air exchange up, provided you have mid to upper 90's humidity. RR
So no Ultra sonic, just a cool mist and misting 3-4 times a day?
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spock1
Stranger

Registered: 04/14/07
Posts: 589
Last seen: 15 years, 7 months
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Re: Optimal Martha *DELETED* [Re: BUDDHA_702]
#7793028 - 12/23/07 04:07 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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Post deleted by spock1Reason for deletion: .
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The shroomy 1
Luminous beings surround me




Registered: 03/27/07
Posts: 5,543
Loc: The Aether
Last seen: 5 months, 5 days
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Re: Optimal Martha [Re: spock1]
#7793172 - 12/23/07 04:49 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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In case you want to try an alternative to a martha and are handy with tools, check out this contraption I came up with. So far it is 100% successful and fully automated. Just set it and forget it! http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/7281980#7281980
This was the first real test.http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/7479387#7479387
Just an idea for ya all. I've never really thought about doing a Martha, but if I did I would apply the same principals on a larger scale.
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AMU Q&A thread.
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BUDDHA_702
Master Mycologist In Training



Registered: 02/17/07
Posts: 1,296
Loc: Some Country
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How much did that cost?
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The shroomy 1
Luminous beings surround me




Registered: 03/27/07
Posts: 5,543
Loc: The Aether
Last seen: 5 months, 5 days
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Around 73.00 US. The most expensive part was the fogger. It was 50.00 at PetSmart.
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AMU Q&A thread.
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