Should they be sealed, slightly open or something like that?
You don't want to open them until they are ready to birth.
Sealed until ready to fruit.
PW
I've been meaning to ask the same thing. So after puncturing the micropore tape with the syringe, you just put the jar in your warm dark area, right? I mean with the puncture holes there. Where contaminants can get in. If I tape those holes over, does the mycelium starve for air?
blue meanie said it better than I, but that's exactly what I wanted to know...
I just read a Tek on this site www.fungifun.org/English/Importance-Of-Gas-Exchange (http://www.fungifun.org/English/Importance-Of-Gas-Exchange) on the subject of gas exchange. I inoculated my kerr 1/2 pint jars, going w/ the "triple foil" PF Tek. I sterilized the screw on lids and closed the jars up tight.(Was this overkill?) After reading the Tek on gas exchange I wonder if by trying to close off any possibility of contamination that I am hampering the mycelium growth... It's been 4 days and there is definite activity.
Micropore tape is unecessary for pf-tek, the 1/2-1 inch of verm is for blocking contams.
PW
What about grain jars. Do they need FAE?
Yes, grain jars need to breath, but they need a bare minimum of air. If your mason jars have lids over the foil, or sealing system, all you need to do is lightly tighten them and leave them alone until fully colonized.
With the proper temperature, they colonize rapidly, and need little attention, unless you get happy and start shaking to break them up. Far warning, ..if the grain was prepared correctly, they will break up nicely when it is time to spawn. So, best to let nature do its job. We all have one.
:ph34r:
When using grains you make an access point for used gases to be released and fresh gases to be taken in, either polyfill wads or tyvek filter disks.
PW
Hey malabar, but everywhere they say that you need to shake them every 5 days , that grains dont stick togheder! Can i use instead of polyfil a absorbent cotton as a filter?
Cugak,...
I have worked with grains since Homestead sold kits in big plastic tubs, back in the 80's. I have learned that it's a good/bad scenario. Shaking the jars will help distribute the mycelium throughout the container, which is good, but then there is that recovery time involved to get back on track with growth.
However, if the grain has been properly prepared, it will be fluffy, and allow aeration, and rapid colonization.
At any given time, I have at least 50 pts, and probably 30 qts colonizing. Some I spawn outside into compost, some cased in mono tubs, some are cased, and some just left to fruit in the jars,.whether cased or not.. And I rarely shake them, unless they for some reason don't seem to be colonizing evenly.
Just as a personal thing,... not that I am Vegan, but my girlfriend is Latin, and makes brown rice with a great percentage of our meals. I can always have her show you how to prepare that grain so it works like a charm if you need! lol
Good growing, friend!
:mellow:
Cugak,
And as PW stated earlier. Polyfil wads, or Tyvek lids are great.
Thanks man!You do this since 80s, nice. I was born in 80s.You spawn some outside. Do they grow nice(is there enough rh in the air, and do u spawn cubensis)!
Cugak,
You are probably my kids age if not younger, but that's cool,.....they are into growing as well.
Yes, I spawn outside. I spawn Cubes right in my veggie garden, and they grow wild all around the area. They grow quite handsomely. As for RH,.... Hell, I live in Florida! There are showers almost like clockwork daily, and with that said, the frogs, ducks, and shrooms are in their glory!
Later. :mellow:
Now thats a man who loves his state
Excuse me for pointing out that you guys got onto grain and the subject was PF tek. Fresh air exchange if my memory serves. As for Florida, ain't there crime there? I'm from North Queensland, Australia. Similar climate but not so many douche bags.
So... how can it hurt to put a little tyvek filter over the jar? My contamination rate is like 80 - 90 %
Blue Meanie,
We probably have drifted away from the subject, but Shit happens. As for the law,.. Hell yeah it's against the law. Here in Florida, as well as the rest of the USA, but there is a higher tolerance for the Creative Minds that can do for themselves, and utilize talents such as Mycology, and Biology.
And, I have been to Australia. As you said, the general climate is very similar a good majority of the year, but nowhere in the world are there as many Assholes, Rednecks, and Dumb Asses as there are here in Florida. Thank God for cheap beer, and booze so they can stay can stay drunk and let us do our thing. And the Police have bigger problems than to worry about Shroomers buzzing around like lightning bugs!
Life is Good! :mellow:
Later
*** And your tyvek can't hurt. Just a matter of extra labor, and expense.
So far sooooooo goooooood! Alright, I inoculated these on Sat. 06/06/2009. From left to right they are B+, Penis Envy, & Thai Koh Super Strain. The B+ and P.E. have been at full colonization for a couple of days. It seems that I'm right on track with the average colonization rate. It's hot and humid where I live right now...
(http://www.imagecabin.com/?view=245443434030ca6c511b2ffcc)
Granted, this is my first time and I've learned a few things.
I packed the verm a little too loose in some of the jars which may have slowed the Thai myc down reaching across those holes.
I sterilized with an Electric Food Steamer. (Worked like a charm!)
I was heavy handed with the spores in my first couple of jars and used too much inoculate. (I just don't have any experience using syringes!)
I also did use the half strength coffee water and trace amounts of gypsum Tek that veda suggested. Which is probably kind of pointless for the PF Tek, but that's open to debate...
I forgot are you planning on fruiting them as cakes or in casings, if you want to try a mini casing you could always use left over vermiculite w/out anything else...thats if you wanna get a lil extra outa em. (It's almost impossible to f*** up using only verm, when Ive done it I never even had to steralize it)
PW
PW, Are you talking about the dunk and roll Tek, with verm? That's what I had planned on doing. Is there another preferred method for the cakes?
I ment an actual casing, i may have said mini since they are 1/2 pint cakes.
PW
I need to learn more about casing...
"I need to learn more about casing..." start here, http://www.fungifun.org/English/Casing
hay pw, you do not sterilize your verm for casing???
I have have, but I always keep it in the bag closepinned so that might have a little something to do with it. If you want to try it just put some verm into a mixing bowl and add water until it is moist..NOT WET, if its too wet it will sufficate the mycelium.
PW