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Over Stimulated Reged: 06/01/05 Posts: 2588 Loc: Up Over |
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Hey everyone - I'm writing this because I see a lot of questions being asked about Liquid Culture. My first ever grow started off with a LC and I am convinced it should be *Edit to remove 'all or nothing' statement something everyone should try at least once, even people who are still using the PF tek who don't have access to a Pressure cooker. You don't need expensive equipment and generally most people will have access to these materials already around the home, which should help even the most nervous beginner to get off their bum and have a crack at playing with mycology! *Edit to include motivational speech* NB: This method is not technically completely sterile, but if you have a clean Spore print/spore syringe, and follow the steps exactly, you should have no problem. If however you do encounter contamination problems don't be put off - try again! Even professionals still make mistakes and you can only get better with experience!! The same goes for anything you do in life... ![]() A photo says a thousand words, and there doesn't seem to be any simple teks around that are well documented with pictures describing each step of the process for the absolute beginner . What I do is no way new or fantastic, I simply use a mixture of a few different teks found on this site, and I don't seek praise for following other people's ideas. I just want to demonstrate to the new cultivator how easy this is, and outline a step by step process that works for me for them to follow, in the hope more people try this step in their cultivation practice. Materials: A small, clean glass jar with a metal lid - I use an empty salsa jar - A pot with a lid - *Edit* Or a Pressure cooker, if you have one. Some clean tongs - Some foil - Some disinfectant spray with a high alcohol content and some paper towel - And some honey (the clearer the better - not 'cloudy' honey) *Edit to include a a clearer option* Pure maple syrup, or a combination of honey and maple works really well for me to get a clearer final product - Some rubber latex gloves, and lastly; A clean spore print or spore syringe. Method: Punch a hole in the lid of the jar with a nail with a hammer and nail - Fill the pot with cold water and submerse the jar and lid in it - Bring this to the boil (never drop the cold jar straight into boiling water or it will crack). The purpose of this is to partially sterilise the water and the jar - Set a timer for 30 minutes, crack a beer and go and check www.shroomery.org After 30 minutes, clean the tongs and the bench top you are going to use with the alcohol spray and paper towel. Use the tongs to lift the jar out of the boiling water and place it on your bench - making sure you keep the jar 3/4 full of the boiled water. Be careful - its hot! - Add a tablespoon of honey to this. Work on using a tablespoon of honey for every 250 mls of water you have - *Edit to reduce the amount of honey added and introduce a new option for a clearer LC* I have since found that about a teaspoon per 200 mls of water is a better ratio to start with, and for an even clearer final product, substitute half or more of the honey for pure maple syrup to reduce sediment related issues from some brands of honey. Half honey and half maple is my favourite so far! Use the tongs to take the lid out of the boiling water, then using a tea towel (hot!) put the lid on the jar. Leave the pot of water still boiling on the stove - Tear off some foil and crumple it tightly over the lid of the jar. At this point in time I like to put a 'dot' on the foil with a permanent marker pen above the hole that is in the lid, so I can remember where the hole is - Place this jar back in the water thats still boiling on the stove - you want the water to come about half way up the jar - if need be, just tip some out of the pot - Place on the tight fitting lid - Reduce the heat to a low simmer, set your timer for another 30 minutes then crack a beer and go and check www.shroomery.org When the timer goes off, turn off the stove and DON'T PEAK - just leave it with the lid on the pot to cool overnight. Inside the pot is now a sterile environment and opening the lid is an invitation for contaminates. *Edit to include pressure cooker advice* Alternatively, you can use a pressure cooker at 15psi for 15-20 minutes, if you have one. This is the preferred method! Inoculation: With a spore syringe - The next day when its cool, simply remove it from the pot to a pre-cleaned bench top and have your spore syringe ready - *Edit to change amount of spore solution, but if your syringe is clean, the more you inject, simply the the quicker it will grow* Flame sterilise the tip of the needle then peel back the foil on the jar to expose the small hole you made in the lid. Insert the syringe and inject 1-2CC of spore solution - Replace the foil. With a spore print - Ok - this is a little less sterile but still my preferred method because it helps you be more self sufficient by allowing you to start the culture directly from your own prints and cuts out the step of making a spore syringe (a step which only adds another chance for contams to enter anway!) - I always use this method and I have not had one contamination problem yet. *Edit to clarify the importance of still air* Close all windows and doors a few hours before you start working. This is really important as you want as little air movement as possible where your working as this stirs up contamination spores. You also want to make all you; movements swift but smooth, in order to minimise the air movement/stirring up contamination spores. *Edit to include sanitised gloves* Now put on some rubber gloves and sanitise them with some a squirt and rub together of your alcohol spray. Then clean and sanitise your bench top as best you can your with the alcohol spray and paper towel. Get ready your LC, your spore print and a sharp knife on your bench top - Flame sterilise the tip of the knife - While this cools, crack the lid of the jar slightly - but dont open it completely , and get your spore print ready. Once the knife is completely cool, use it to scrape up some spores. Holding your breath, in one smooth motion, scrape up as many spores on the tip of the knife as you can. Lift the lid of the jar open *just a crack* and insert the tip of the knife, dropping the spores off into the solution - a little tap on the glass will help them fall off, and you should see some land on the top of the liquid - Replace the lid. After inoculation: Place your finger on the 'dot' over where the hole in the lid is and swirl gently. This is to distribute the spores in the solution and to encourage growth. Label with the date and strain etc. and incubate this in a dark place at 29C or 82F, giving it a gentle swirl once a day to encourage growth. After a few days you will notice some small strands of mycelium forming, and it will be ready completely after about a week. You will notice the liquid will become much lighter as the mycelium uses up the nutrients in the water, and will come to a point where it will stop growing - To use simply agitate it slightly to loosen up the mycelium, peel back the foil and insert a sterile syringe to suck up as much mycelium as you can - use this as normal to inoculate any substrate. One can inject larger amounts of this than you would normally (like 2cc at each injection site) for dramatically sped up colonisation times. I firmly believe once you try this method you will never inoculate with spores again! If there is anything anyone thinks I need to add feel free to comment. Thanx and good luck! Edited by _OttO_ (04/14/14 02:14 AM)
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