31 replies to this topic

[FunnyFarmer]

So about a month ago, Dec 2, I inoculated a qt of rye berries with Pink Buffalo. I can see the eyebrows twitching up already. By the 24th the jars were colonized enough to give a good shake and twirl and by the 29th it was ready to be introduced to the substrate. A day later I inoculated another qt with Koh Samui Super. Those berries got a soak using the squeezin's from the substrate preparation for the PB.  I checked in today with the substrate and already have good activity. Not so lucky with the KSSS but I know these things take time. I could take a pic but you all know how things look at this stage and the risks involved. My first go at the PB was a bust as trich took it and 3 other tubs out. Lesson learned, don't get so greedy. One start per month is enough.

 

I'll update as things progress and probably ask for tips.

[groo]

Are we going spores to grains? Nothing wrong with that you do what you can do when you do it. I hope it works on both 4 you! Ever though about making the jump to mycology dork, I mean agar? hheheheheheh

[FunnyFarmer]

I haven't graduated to agar yet, I need to perfect the simple way first as I'm still learning the ropes.. I stumbled through my first somewhat successful monotub and barely got anything from BRF tek. The padawan has yet to become a master as he fills in the missing spokes on the wheel of Shroom cultivation knowledge. The supplies are in the larder for agar.

 

There was a Time when a series of setbacks such as those would have discouraged me but Microdosing has helped tremendously in not only this endeavor but other aspects of my life. There is one thing puzzling me though, every time I take a trip, not MD'ing, even a .6g dose,  it's like a dark heavy blanket has been thrown on my psyche that's holding me back. My first shroom trip in the 70's didn't have that aspect to it. It was light and enjoyable, a good museum dose.  I have to figure out what that blanket is... and it may take ego death to discover it.

Edited by FunnyFarmer, 02 January 2021 - 02:42 AM.

[FunnyFarmer]

I'm looking for some input on my monotub construction. I used an ~25qt tub, drilled a series of 1/4" holes 2" up and 2" apart. Then on the upper area of the ends I drilled 2 - 1" holes on each end. The upper ones are covered with micropore tape and the lower holes are covered with electrical tape. When I put it to fruiting conditions I'll remove all tape and cover the substrate with bubble wrap until shrooms start poking their pretty little heads up. Constructive criticism and suggestions are welcome.

[FunG]

I think you're spawning to early funnyfarmer.

Usually a jar takes a minimum of 72 hours to fully recover after a shake. And depending on how consolidated the spawn jar was to begin with factor in time to completion.

A grain jar can appear fully colonized on the outside but unless its allowed to consolidate internally then you'll be spawning a partially colonized grain mix which would give you the illusion that things are going well up until bacteria or mold set in from to much uncolonized grains in the sub.

Your time frame seems out of place from shaking to spawning

[jrh]

... drilled a series of 1/4" holes 2" up and 2" apart. 

 

I thought the FAE holes should be 3" - 4" up from the bottom to allow for more substrate depth.

[FunnyFarmer]

I think you're spawning to early funnyfarmer.

Usually a jar takes a minimum of 72 hours to fully recover after a shake. And depending on how consolidated the spawn jar was to begin with factor in time to completion.

A grain jar can appear fully colonized on the outside but unless its allowed to consolidate internally then you'll be spawning a partially colonized grain mix which would give you the illusion that things are going well up until bacteria or mold set in from to much uncolonized grains in the sub.

Your time frame seems out of place from shaking to spawning

It was about 5 days after the shake when I spawned to sub, it took some effort to break up the mass it was so solidly consolidated. I've got lots of white spikey mycelia covering  ~90% of the substrate surface this morning. Should be 100% by tonight.

 

JRH - I think that depends on the size of tub you're using. Mine are in the 25 to 30 qt size, not the 60qt monsters. Got my info from Arvin fortyseven and Home Mycology on Youtube

 

My next test is reading the cues that tell me it's time to fruit.

Edited by FunnyFarmer, 03 January 2021 - 10:50 AM.

[FunnyFarmer]

The PB substrate surface is pretty much at 100% hyphal knots now and looking for the next clue it's ready for fruiting. I assume primordia is the next step to look for? I didn't know what to look for on my first tub and don't want to rush it on this one.

[FunG]

What temps are you running with funnyfarmer cause the time frame points to atleast 85f for your substrate to be fully run and consolidated in the amount of time since your last update.

Am I wrong?

[FunnyFarmer]

 When I first spawned to substrate, slightly warm to the touch from pasteurization, it was in the mid 80's but dropped to 77 after i put a fan on the closed tub for an hour to cool it off. I think that initial warmth kick started the mycelia. Happy mistake? I've got it on the germination mat that I related to you in another thread. Within 3 days of spawning to the sub it showed mycelia threads poking through the sub and 2 days later practically fully covered. What I don't know is if it's fully consolidated, I painted the lower 2" to control side pinning. I had a horrible time with that issue on the first tub. I see where you are going with the temp question, I'm concerned with contams too and haven't seen any so far. Maybe drop it another 2 degrees?

[FunG]

I doubt its fully consolidated just yet.

And yes, optimum fruiting temps for p.cubensis are listed in tmc as being between 72-75f. And from exp I dont disagree but also what I was concerned about was your temps being to high and possibly causing your substrate to go anaerobic in the center which would weaken the mycelium since itll be fighting a bacteria outbreak.

Just thinking out loud

[Salty117]

Arvin and Home Myco definitely have some good points to check into. Home Myco seems to do a lot of experimenting which is why I like to follow his channel. Same reason I could spend hours and hours perusing this site lol. Home Myco has a second channel called Mush Luv that he has been adding content to as well.

[FunnyFarmer]

Before going to bed last night I lowered the temp to 75. This morning the temp still showed 77 and slowly dropping on the probe so the mycelia is heating things up. It covers the whole top surface of the sub and looks happy to me...

 

 

One piece of bad news, the KSSS showed signs of contams last night. I had a few places that the mycelia had taken hold but I noticed a dark green with it too and a light gray cottony like growth had appeared. Overnight it spread faster than mycelia so I removed it to a safe location to check it out further. It didn't smell like shrooms but more like wet rye berries, so with everything pointing to cobweb mold I tossed it and started another batch. Info that I came across mentioned 84 to 86 as optimal for KSSS grain colonization so that's where I was keeping it.

[Salty117]

I would think 86 degrees ambient would be a tad too warm if the mycelium is producing a couple extra degrees. Petrie dishes might do better at that temp range but so far I have had fairly consistent results with cubes keeping my incubator between 77-80.

[FunnyFarmer]

I would think 86 degrees ambient would be a tad too warm if the mycelium is producing a couple extra degrees. Petrie dishes might do better at that temp range but so far I have had fairly consistent results with cubes keeping my incubator between 77-80.

I'm not holding it at that temp, the substrate was still a little on the warm side, 86, when I spawned the grain to it. That's why I put a fan on it to cool it down. I been holding it at 77 since and dropped it to 75 last night.

[FunnyFarmer]

Even though I had dropped the temp on the germination mat to 74 from 78 a couple days ago the temps were holding at 77, like mycelia was still colonizing. Then overnight the temp dropped to 74 and now the white cottony mycelia is filling in around the spikey mycelia  with minute water droplets starting to form on top. Overall things seem to be progressing a little ahead of schedule and I think the initial spawning temp in the mid 80's contributed to it. The best thing is there's no sign of contams.

 

Yesterday morning I put some more rye berries to soak and currently they are in the PC. I'll inoculate with the KSSS again.

 

I didn't get any feedback on the monotub construction so I'm gonna assume things are satisfactory in that dept. A month or so ago I came across a thread on that other shroom site talking about putting bubble wrap on top of the substrate, They weren't clear as to whether it's put on after spawning to substrate or at the beginning of fruiting. Does anybody have additional info/opinions about that tek?

Edited by FunnyFarmer, 06 January 2021 - 05:14 PM.

[Salty117]

The best thing is there's no sign of contams.

 

 

Always love a clean looking project

 

Personally I haven't tried the bubble wrap thing, but in the wording I seen on a post over at shroomery regarding it just now said that it's to be used in place of a casing.. so I think it goes on when it's fully or nearly fully colonized

[FunnyFarmer]

Today I decided to put the PB to fruiting conditions. Minute droplets on the surface and totally colonized. I don't know how colonized the substrate is cause I painted the lower part but I did let it go for the better part of a week before changing conditions. I removed the electrical tape from the long sides and stuffed poly-fill in the upper 1" holes then put the lid back on. I put a sheet of bubble wrap on top (detailed in another thread) with holes that I added as an experiment. I did spritz the surface of the BW with iso and letting evaporate before applying it. The idea is to keep humid surface conditions while encouraging FAE with a grid of holes in the bubble wrap.

 

 

What you see is a portion of how the total surface looks. Hope I'm not jumping the gun but the deed is done.

 

Additional note, the replacement rye berries have been inoculated with Koh Samui Super. Crossing my fingers all goes well with it.

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[FunnyFarmer]

I checked into the PB tub since putting it to fruiting conditions and was surprised to see the temp had risen to almost 80 from the set temp of 75. Is it normal for the temp to rise after putting the tub to fruiting ? It had been hovering around 75 for the past week or so.

[FunG]

Mycelium produces 5f all on it's own. That's where the jump is coming from. Good way to tell that it is fully consolidated as well. I'd drop the temps to 72-75f for fruiting.