14 replies to this topic

[GloomyShroomy]

Hello! This is my first post here. I am currently growing for my first time.

 

I prepped a few jars a few weeks ago using WBS, and all of the jars appear (and smell) to have bacteria contamination. I think there is too much moisture in the jars.

 

Anyway, one of them just started growing mycelium rapidly (despite the bacteria). The strain is Koh Samui, and I've read this strain is resilient against contamination (will it overtake the bacteria completely?).

 

If I let it go and it does colonize the entire jar and make it to fruiting, will the bacterial contamination spoil the mushrooms? Will they be good for spore prints, eating, or cloning?

[Myc]

Usually a bacterial infection will ultimately win the substrate.

What observations have caused you to suspect bacteria?

Can you post some pics?

https://mycotopia.ne...ly-to-the-site/

 

Welcome

[GloomyShroomy]

I suspect bacteria because the substrate appears slimy and looks like photos I've seen on the internet. The jars also smell rancid through the injection ports.

 

But the mycelium growth came on so suddenly, and seems to be spreading okay (so far), which is why I wonder if this strain will just consume bacteria (assuming my jars are in fact contaminated).

 

A different jar just started showing this green crusty stuff (the third photo), and I have no idea what that is.

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[wharfrat]

welcome to topia.. good eye, those are contaminated. I would toss them

[coorsmikey]

Uhhhhh I don't see any mushroom mycelium in these pics. I am sorry to to say that there is nothing in there to even consider trying to salvage. Cut your loss as a lesson learned (hopefully) and go start over fresh with the thought of where you might have gone wrong in the Prep/sterilization process.

[pastyoureyes]

There appears to be multiple contaminates in those jars.
If you give us a brief explanation of how you processed these jars as well we may be able to help you identify what went wrong.

For starters did you use a pressure cooker to sterilize?

[GloomyShroomy]

Uhhhhh I don't see any mushroom mycelium in these pics.

What is the white fuzzy stuff in the first picture? To me it looks just like mycelium. It covers about 1/4 the jar. The two locations where it started growing are exactly where I injected spores.

[GloomyShroomy]

There appears to be multiple contaminates in those jars.
If you give us a brief explanation of how you processed these jars as well we may be able to help you identify what went wrong.

For starters did you use a pressure cooker to sterilize?

I only see bacteria in the jar with mycelium (unless that's actually cobweb mold, but how would you know?). What is the green stuff in the other jar? What else appears to be in there? I don't see anything else.

 

I did use a pressure cooker - 2 hours.

 

I cleaned every surface, jar, utensil, etc with bleach or alcohol before starting.

 

I flame-sterilized the syringe before injecting each hole (never touched it to anything after sterilizing).

 

Is it possible the spore solution is contaminated if every jar is contaminated?

[pastyoureyes]

It's some type of white mold. Possibly lipstick mold or cobweb mold?
Definitely not cubensis mycelium. If it started from your injection point it's a possibility you have a contaminated syringe or it hitched a ride in on your needle.

What type of filters and or injection ports are you using on your lids?

[coorsmikey]

 

Uhhhhh I don't see any mushroom mycelium in these pics.

What is the white fuzzy stuff in the first picture? To me it looks just like mycelium. It covers about 1/4 the jar. The two locations where it started growing are exactly where I injected spores.

 

Define mycelium??? I said Mushroom Mycelium in order to avoid the confusion. If you are posting wanting to know if you should salvage some mold that starts out as white, well you are correct. It is mycelium. Just not what you think or are hoping for. Maybe I'm wrong though, Trichoderma mycelium may be what you are shooting for. Although this place has many experts on growing trich, It may not be the best place to ask how to salvage it as we are mostly about growing Mushrooms. Maybe In the Grasssroots forum you can get better advice on growing such?

Do you know what Koh Samui mycelium looks like? If you did I don't think you would be asking if it has a chance against whatever your are cultivating. Maybe there is a spot right where you injected that might have some of that desired mycelium. But just being honest, there is no chance of saving anything there! If I'm wrong I hope you like steak, cuz I will buy you a steak dinner.

You are asking for help....Don't shoot the messenger please!

[pastyoureyes]

For reference here is an example of cubensis mycelium.



Both cobweb and lipstick can be difficult to distinguish from cubensis mycelium to the untrained eye.

Cobweb has a subtle hint of dull grey opposed to brilliant white of cube mycelium. New growth around the edges will look like short and wispy strands compared to a "ropey" look to cubensis myc. I studied cobweb extensively for nearly an entire year. ;-P

Lipstick mold can be very bright white but you will start to notice small spots of pink/purple.

[GloomyShroomy]

 

Define mycelium??? I said Mushroom Mycelium in order to avoid the confusion. If you are posting wanting to know if you should salvage some mold that starts out as white, well you are correct. It is mycelium. Just not what you think or are hoping for. Maybe I'm wrong though, Trichoderma mycelium may be what you are shooting for. Although this place has many experts on growing trich, It may not be the best place to ask how to salvage it as we are mostly about growing Mushrooms. Maybe In the Grasssroots forum you can get better advice on growing such?

Do you know what Koh Samui mycelium looks like? If you did I don't think you would be asking if it has a chance against whatever your are cultivating. Maybe there is a spot right where you injected that might have some of that desired mycelium. But just being honest, there is no chance of saving anything there! If I'm wrong I hope you like steak, cuz I will buy you a steak dinner.

You are asking for help....Don't shoot the messenger please!

 

 

"I am currently growing for my first time."

 

Who shot the messenger? I literally just asked "What is the white fuzzy stuff in the first picture? To me it looks just like mycelium." Maybe I should have clarified that to me it looks just like "mushroom" mycelium because I have no experience to know what Trichoderma, lipstick, cobweb or any other mold looks like - to me the white fuzz that is growing is indistinguishable from mushroom mycelium based on pictures I have seen online - but I've never seen any of this in person. That's why I am asking for more details/clarification.

 

And clearly I am not asking how to "salvage some mold". In my first post I said "one of them just started growing mycelium rapidly (despite the bacteria). The strain is Koh Samui" - clearly I thought this was Koh Samui mycelium because that's the spore I injected, and sources I found elsewhere said it is an aggressive strain that is strong against contamination. I believe you that it is unsalvageable, but maybe for a new grower who's never seen any of this before more information is needed than "Uhhhhh I don't see any mushroom mycelium in these pics." Okay, well, then what is growing? I don't know any different.

 

I truly do not appreciate you mocking me. Is this how administrators on this site treat everyone? I gotta be honest, I'm very put off by the unfriendliness of your response.

 

***

Thank you pastyoureyes, your posts are informative and helpful.

[Nicked]

You've got to put up a bit of a thicker skin with this hobby. Mikey gave you some perfectly solid advice and some great detail. Pop on over to the other bigger mushroom forum and I guarantee you that you will have the following answer:
'Contam. Toss it and start again'
If you took emotions out the equation then you'll see that all the responses to your thread have been quite informative. Coorsmikey has a way of getting you to do the work rather than giving you the answers. Don't take it personally, he's just trying to help in a way that doesn't spoon feed people.

Edited by Nicked, 30 September 2020 - 11:59 PM.

[PJammer24]

 

 

Define mycelium??? I said Mushroom Mycelium in order to avoid the confusion. If you are posting wanting to know if you should salvage some mold that starts out as white, well you are correct. It is mycelium. Just not what you think or are hoping for. Maybe I'm wrong though, Trichoderma mycelium may be what you are shooting for. Although this place has many experts on growing trich, It may not be the best place to ask how to salvage it as we are mostly about growing Mushrooms. Maybe In the Grasssroots forum you can get better advice on growing such?

Do you know what Koh Samui mycelium looks like? If you did I don't think you would be asking if it has a chance against whatever your are cultivating. Maybe there is a spot right where you injected that might have some of that desired mycelium. But just being honest, there is no chance of saving anything there! If I'm wrong I hope you like steak, cuz I will buy you a steak dinner.

You are asking for help....Don't shoot the messenger please!

 

 

"I am currently growing for my first time."

 

Who shot the messenger? I literally just asked "What is the white fuzzy stuff in the first picture? To me it looks just like mycelium." Maybe I should have clarified that to me it looks just like "mushroom" mycelium because I have no experience to know what Trichoderma, lipstick, cobweb or any other mold looks like - to me the white fuzz that is growing is indistinguishable from mushroom mycelium based on pictures I have seen online - but I've never seen any of this in person. That's why I am asking for more details/clarification.

 

And clearly I am not asking how to "salvage some mold". In my first post I said "one of them just started growing mycelium rapidly (despite the bacteria). The strain is Koh Samui" - clearly I thought this was Koh Samui mycelium because that's the spore I injected, and sources I found elsewhere said it is an aggressive strain that is strong against contamination. I believe you that it is unsalvageable, but maybe for a new grower who's never seen any of this before more information is needed than "Uhhhhh I don't see any mushroom mycelium in these pics." Okay, well, then what is growing? I don't know any different.

 

I truly do not appreciate you mocking me. Is this how administrators on this site treat everyone? I gotta be honest, I'm very put off by the unfriendliness of your response.

 

***

Thank you pastyoureyes, your posts are informative and helpful.

 

I don't think Mikey was "mocking" you or being rude. I think you misinterpreted the tone of his response. All he said is that you did not have anything worth saving, that Koh Samui was not going to be overtaking what was in your jar, and asked you to not get upset with him for being the bearer of bad news...

[jrh]

Here's a post about contaminants. I'm new to all this as well, so one of the more experienced folk can address whether the info is good or not. It sounds like some of these can really screw up your entire environment which may be why people wanted to emphasize to get rid of it instead of trying to salvage anything.