Fungifun - Forum

Mushroom cultivation => Cultivation => Topic started by: lun0s on January 21, 2010, 06:03:35 PM

Title: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: lun0s on January 21, 2010, 06:03:35 PM
Well some of you might remember my topic about my first batch, well they still aren't fully colonized I see about a cm or more of uncolonized dirt. Is this normal for this length of time for BRF cakes?
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: dub504 on January 21, 2010, 06:27:35 PM
Hey lunos, I can't remember how long its been. Are you talking about the dry layer of vermiculite at the top of the jar? If so, that should wash off when you rinse, dunk and roll.
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: jabwemet on January 21, 2010, 07:01:05 PM
and if you mean uncolonized at the bottom of the jar, just turn it over and tap it to separate the cake from the bottom.  give it a little breathing room.  worked well for me.
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: Helo on January 21, 2010, 10:22:06 PM
Lun0s, Dub and Jab have it dead on. If its at the top, its prolly the protective barrier you put there. It wont colonize.

If its at the bottom, do what Jab said. Ive read a few posts that suggest the same thing.

Good Luck! Hope all goes well.  ^_^
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: MT on January 21, 2010, 11:04:25 PM
Turning them over to get that last bit at the bottom to colonize has worked well for me in the past also.
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: lun0s on January 22, 2010, 05:13:27 PM
Well I assumed the top protective layer wouldn't colonize, but there the area that isn't colonized is near the top of the jar only(for the most part). This part is how ever a BRF cake not the protective layer. Is it safe to shake the jar right now I am scared as it is that my last two jars are contaminated as well :(
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: dub504 on January 22, 2010, 05:46:36 PM
You shouldn't be able to shake a BRF PF style jar. The jar would be filled to the top so as when you inoculate, the needle/spore solution get past the dry layer of vermiculite. It's hard to imagine what your jars look like by the way you have described them.
Quotethe area that isn't colonized is near the top of the jar only(for the most part)
When the mycelium colonizes the BRF/Verm mix it should be solid, like an eraser. If it's just a small area that won't colonize, you could birth the cake and rinse it off. The loose material would probably wash away. If not, you can cut away that small portion with a non serrated knife that has been cleaned w/ alcohol.
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: lun0s on January 22, 2010, 06:43:14 PM
Well when I discarded the contaminated cats I had broke them apart and paid attention to the smell and texture. It did feel kind erasery. When I get up I'll take some pictures of the jars. I barely check on them anymore in fear of contams being in there. I'll take pictures of the worst looking parts
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: malabar on January 23, 2010, 03:56:38 AM
  Come on lun0s,
     Don't be Sccearred ,.........  Your colony of growth are your friends,.....   :wacko:
   ~Malabar     :mellow:
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: lun0s on January 23, 2010, 12:05:12 PM
Well heres a funny thing... One cake is actually fruiting in the non-fully colonized jar.. ahha. Should I birth it now or what? I took two pictures of two jars. Once they send to my addy I'll post them here. Just out of curiousity could I pluck that much off and consume it xD
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: dub504 on January 23, 2010, 01:25:59 PM
Sure, birth it. Do what I said before and put in FC.
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: lun0s on January 23, 2010, 01:45:31 PM
(http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/8615/getattachmentaspxfiled3.jpg)
Its kind've obvious which one I think is contaminated haha I forgot to point to where I think a mushroom is growing though. heh so it's safe for me to start fruiting now?
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: moorhS on January 23, 2010, 02:38:09 PM
kinda hard to tell from the pic but does the one on the right have any black spots  where the mycelium isn't growing?? I would birth them both, smell the one on right to make sure no "funky smells" good luck
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: lun0s on January 23, 2010, 04:38:57 PM
The one on the right actually is black as it appears. The picture is actually how you would see it haha
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: dub504 on January 23, 2010, 04:43:31 PM
The one on the right does not look right, but it's hard to see. I wouldn't open them around each other. So, your cabinet has been getting some light in it huh.
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: lun0s on January 23, 2010, 05:09:50 PM
Holy crap the second cake had a bunch of mushrooms but was BLACK in some areas and it looked bruised. I got a mushroom that I pulled off of the other cake that looks healthy. I got the second cake fruiting in another container thats quit small. Will post some pics when I sober up heh
Edit;
Alright I am just wondering I got the bad looking cake in a container I don't give two shits about, when mushies start growin I have a strong feeling the cake is contaminated. How can I tell after words if the mushrooms are unsafe to eat? The bad cake is the one you see black. Part of the cake was actually black as well
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: lun0s on January 23, 2010, 07:27:17 PM
Second post for the images. These are two pictures from the suspected contaminated cake after I uncased.;
(http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/5609/getattachmentaspxfile33.jpg)
(http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/5052/getattachmentaspxfile61.jpg)
For the black specs those seemed to be mushroom heads. I never removed them though.
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: dub504 on January 23, 2010, 08:09:25 PM
lun0s, you fucked up. The jars were not in the right conditions to colonize properly. Also, it looks like you have a contaminant. Could be black mold. Somewhere in your cleanliness practices need fine tuning. Don't eat anything from that cake. So, try again...
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: lun0s on January 23, 2010, 08:16:19 PM
Well I assumed I had inadequet temperatures. It was just in a closet that seemed to have a temperature of 20-27 celcious so I just left them in there. I am sure the temperature kept fluctuating through out the time, would that be the bad conditions to colonize?
If I had let a bad cake grow in a seperate container and sprout shrooms not for eating, and the shrooms looks mold free could I use those to make some spore sryinges?
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: moorhS on January 23, 2010, 10:20:03 PM
not sure about using them for spore prints... I would say start over buy some more if the cake is contaminated the mushrooms are contaminated "hince" possibly spores contaminated... wouldn't risk it... good luck man
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: lun0s on January 23, 2010, 10:55:48 PM
Well one looks fine. I got bout 40$ I could put towards trying again. Though I shall wait until I can buy a variable space heater for when I incubate them. I will definently try to do a large grow next time.
Once I birth them are the chances of contaminates still just as high? I used a lysol disinfecting whipe on the entire container, though I used normal tap water
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: dub504 on January 24, 2010, 08:04:07 AM
Once a cake or grains are fully colonized, you are pretty safe from contams. Spore prints will be contaminated if you use anything from a contaminated cake (spores are microscopic). Unless you learn strain isolation and agar. I'm also thinking that your incubation camber was getting light in it, so thence the cakes fruiting.
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: lun0s on January 24, 2010, 08:57:49 AM
I had checked on them so thats when light might've gotten in, other than that I don't believe light could have even shone on them cause they were on a shelf in a closet.
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: moorhS on January 24, 2010, 09:56:16 AM
instead of buying a space heater for incubation I suggest just using 2 tubs stacked, with h20 in bottom tub and a fish tank heater (pretty cheap) good luck man, keeps my jars right at 82 :)
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: lun0s on January 24, 2010, 10:25:55 AM
Thing is I've called a few pet stores about fish tank heater but they all have said they don't know what temperature the heater keeps the tanks at. I see several kinds of heaters as well so which kind should i aim for?
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: dub504 on January 24, 2010, 10:30:33 AM
Most aquarium heaters have a way to set the temperature. I would look for one that is shatterproof.
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: cugak on January 24, 2010, 10:45:45 AM
Just put a thermometer in the box that inside of other one, and youll see whats the temp., and then adjust youre heater!
You should use deeper jars and flame/alcohol sterilize youre needle well!
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: lun0s on January 24, 2010, 10:54:54 AM
I flamed, and alchohal sterilized my needle after every injection when I did this(and yes I made the needle red hot).  But I'll check out some aquarium heaters tomorrow.
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: moorhS on January 24, 2010, 11:20:48 AM
I got mine at wal-mart although I have one that is only half submerged but still does the trick I just taped it to the side  :mellow: but pet smart petco they have submerge-able  ones pretty cheap... good luck
Title: Re: Cakes still not colonized =[
Post by: lun0s on January 24, 2010, 11:51:14 AM
Well if you guys can link me up to any heaters you've used successfully or give me the name/model that'd be very helpful. I will buy a space heater if it is cheaper(I need one anyway)