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OfflineDaDank
Stranger
Registered: 08/20/06
Posts: 3
Last seen: 16 years, 9 months
First Timer, Couple Questions
    #5986445 - 08/22/06 11:25 AM (17 years, 5 months ago)

Hello Everyone-

So ive been researching the subject for awhile, preparing myself for my first adventure into the world of growing. I think im pretty well prepared, but i still have a couple questions i would like to get answered before i start.

So first ill tell you what my plans are.

  • Im planning on Using the the PF Tek (possibly with my own twist, more on this later)
  • i have order 4 syringes (Cambodian, Ecudaor, Tasmanian, Thailand Lipa Yai)
  • I currently have one dozen 1/2 pint shoulderless tappered jars.
  • I have aquired hat i need for my PF cake, with the exception of vermiculite(more on my vermiculite issues later)
  • i have two 10 gallon aquiraiums as well as a large tote(dimensions are in front of me i would have to guess 2.5ft long x 1.5ft wide x 2ft high
  • I have a pressure cooker available to me :smile:


Ok onto my questions.

My first question relates to the PF Tek and a twist on it that i wondered if it would work or if ther eowuld be unforseen problems.

1) Instead of using a 1/2 pint cake, could i not increase the amount of substrate that i am using a create larger "cakes" using the same amount of spores during inoculation?

I ask cause if i remeber everything i read properly, it would seem that it would just take longer for the same amount of spores from a syringe to colonize a larger "cake". Is there an issue with this? Perhaps does the cake end up needing to be birthed before it is fully colonized?

It would seem like if this were true it would be better for me to make cakes with a greater surface area in order to increase my yeild of my flushes.

Alternatley, could a 1/2 pint cake be crubled as if it were going to be cased, but instead of casing it, remiz it with a new batch of substrate in order to create a new cake that is larger, and has even displacement of precolonized substrate in it in order to colonize the new cake without inoculation and as a result create a larger cake that colonizes quicker.

2) Now in the bottom of my fruiting chamber i was planning on having a bed of perlite to help maintain the humidity. One of the things i was thinking about this though is that if any wter colelcts in the bottom, since it is stagnant it would give bacteria and other contaminants a change to take hold. Is there a solution i can add to my water i plan on mixing with the perlite to stop this? I was thinking perhaps a highly dilluted belach solution, but i wasnt sure if bleach "evaporated" and would then be in the air and affect my goods. Or am i just being to worrysome and overcaution? I will also obviosuyl have the cakes not sitting directly on the perlite :smile:

3)Is see all of these diffrent mixes peole use for their substrate, and it seems to me that obviously the better mixes are better cause they end up containing more nutrients for the mushrooms to feed on while growing. So this got me thinking about trying a few of my own mixes. One thing i was intrested to know though is if there was a particular PH level i should attempt to shoot for in my growing medium?



Ok, i think that is it for my questions for now, hope to hear from some of you soon.


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Invisiblecreamcorn
mad scientist
Male User Gallery

Registered: 03/13/06
Posts: 2,962
Trusted Cultivator
Re: First Timer, Couple Questions [Re: DaDank]
    #5986516 - 08/22/06 11:53 AM (17 years, 5 months ago)

Quote:

DaDank said:
1) Instead of using a 1/2 pint cake, could i not increase the amount of substrate that i am using a create larger "cakes" using the same amount of spores during inoculation?

I ask cause if i remeber everything i read properly, it would seem that it would just take longer for the same amount of spores from a syringe to colonize a larger "cake". Is there an issue with this? Perhaps does the cake end up needing to be birthed before it is fully colonized?

It would seem like if this were true it would be better for me to make cakes with a greater surface area in order to increase my yeild of my flushes.





Yes, you can.  go no bigger than 1 pint though.  larger jars are not shaped correctly to allow the colonized cake to slide out.  because it takes longer, its more suceptible to drying out or contaminating.  so its not reccomended.  what good is bigger cakes if you can't get them to colonize properly?  to pull off 1 pinters you need to prepare them perfectly... i'd highly suggest sticking to half pinters your first go.

Quote:


Alternatley, could a 1/2 pint cake be crubled as if it were going to be cased, but instead of casing it, remiz it with a new batch of substrate in order to create a new cake that is larger, and has even displacement of precolonized substrate in it in order to colonize the new cake without inoculation and as a result create a larger cake that colonizes quicker.





yes and no... what you describe is bulk spawning.  when you crumble a cake and mix it with more substrate though, you have limited and different choices for the additional bulk substrate.  you want to use poo, compost, coir, straw, or something along those lines.  something that will colonize very rapidly.  because you're no longer maintaining sterility by working in this fashion its important that colonization happens quickly before contamination can take place.  so if you're thinking of mixing it with more pf mix (brf/verm), you're not going to find much success.

Quote:


2) Now in the bottom of my fruiting chamber i was planning on having a bed of perlite to help maintain the humidity. One of the things i was thinking about this though is that if any wter colelcts in the bottom, since it is stagnant it would give bacteria and other contaminants a change to take hold. Is there a solution i can add to my water i plan on mixing with the perlite to stop this? I was thinking perhaps a highly dilluted belach solution, but i wasnt sure if bleach "evaporated" and would then be in the air and affect my goods. Or am i just being to worrysome and overcaution? I will also obviosuyl have the cakes not sitting directly on the perlite :smile:





yes some water might collect when you add extra moisture via misting and such.  its really not a problem, drain out excess between grows.  there's no nutrition in perlite to support the growth of contams in the first place.  if you want to use something for peace of mind, use hydrogen peroxide.  a glug or two from the bottle into the bottom of the FC will last a good couple days but it breaks down and you need to keep adding it.  iodine is another good choice (although it only takes a few drops) because it won't break down so quick like peroxide.  alternately, you can use 1:10 peroxide:water solution in your misting bottle so that there's always some of it in a low concentration.  but again, niether is totally necessary (though some swear by it)... i'm lax about my FC w/perlite in it and i don't do a damn thing to the perlite for 3-4 months at a time... never any problems.  steer clear of bleach in your FC.

Quote:


3)Is see all of these diffrent mixes peole use for their substrate, and it seems to me that obviously the better mixes are better cause they end up containing more nutrients for the mushrooms to feed on while growing. So this got me thinking about trying a few of my own mixes. One thing i was intrested to know though is if there was a particular PH level i should attempt to shoot for in my growing medium?





neutral (7) to slightly basic (7.5) for a substrate.  casing mixes, should you get to that point, should always be adjusted to 7.5-8.  mycelium can tolerate a pretty wide range probably from around 5.5-8.5.  contams on the other hand do poorly above 7.  i suggest sticking to standard substrates at first though, and focus your time and energy on learning the fundamentals.  your growing conditions and mushroom genetics (which are under your control once you learn about isolation and cloning) are far far far more important.  people put too much emphasis on putting together fancy substrates and at the end of the day it doesn't make huge or even noticable differences.


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OfflineHippieChick
Chicks can do it too!
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Registered: 02/20/05
Posts: 5,958
Loc: Midwest
Last seen: 3 years, 1 month
Trusted Cultivator
Re: First Timer, Couple Questions [Re: DaDank]
    #5986544 - 08/22/06 12:05 PM (17 years, 5 months ago)

For someone starting their first grow , you sure are wanting to stray from the TEK a lot and try a lot of different things . I'd follow the TEK to a "T" until you get your feet wet .

Actually , if I were you and had access to a PC , I'd say screw PF and go straight to grains spawned to poo or some other bulk substrate . :thumbup:

Peace,Love,Happiness and Harmony
:heart: Hippie Chick  :mushroom2:


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:heart: HC :mushroom2:

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OfflineTheBrewer
Yeast Beast

Registered: 12/31/08
Posts: 110
Last seen: 12 years, 10 months
Re: First Timer, Couple Questions [Re: creamcorn]
    #9858684 - 02/24/09 07:56 PM (14 years, 11 months ago)

Quote:

creamcorn said:
... i'd highly suggest sticking to half pinters your first go.





+1 there, I used 4 pints and 6 1/2 pints my first try with pf. All 6 half pints colonized and fruited satisfactorily and all 4 of my pints sucked it big time.

relax, have fun, you'll get your mushies


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