Don't worry about the Wispy growth, that's normal for edibles(in general.... NOT overall) and isn't "Thick" like Cube mycelium. Lions Mane is the sneakiest of them all, looks like it's GONE and your jar stalled and BAM... fully colonized and sometimes little puff balls already forming in the jar and or bag. Chestnut will look a bit Reddish Orange after full colonization, they all have there differences, Turkey Tail gets a bit yellow or Shiitakes blocks are Messy with the Browning and when removed from the bag(drips). They all have their quirks and nuances, I enjoy them ALL.
I use BBQ fuel pellets(or mix in cheaper pellets for certain blocks) and I use20 cups of pellets to a gallon and a half of water(4 blocks at a time).
The easiest Math is as follows:
5 Cups of Pellets to 1.4liters of water or if its easiest 1400ml(which is 5.9 cups... rounded to 6).
Rocky hit it just about right, 6 cups(I do 5 full cups and blocks end up 5.6-5.8 lbs) would be at the higher end of 7 cups of water... then add your wheat bran or Rice Bran. It will seem too wet(Let pellets sit and absorb water and expand), don't worry about that, I've done MANY blocks this way, NO issues. I add the dry bran at the end once the pellets have absorbed up all or most of the water. Then mix in the bran and it's perfect. Sterilize for 2.5 hours.
Edited by MushLuvR, 18 October 2021 - 10:15 AM.