Hello, I have a Question about colonization growth in Fruiting Chamber vs Shoebox. I set up and placed colonized substrate and coir/verm at the same time and date 7-27-22 in the (picture:1-fruiting chamber) and (picture:2-shoebox monotube). Why are the fruiting chamber is colonizing great and the shoeboxes are showing almost zero colonization? I appreciate any advice. Please excuse the pictures they may not be clear. Thank You in advance.

Question about colonization growth in Fruiting Chamber vs Shoebox
#1
Posted 04 August 2022 - 10:42 PM
- MushLuvR likes this
#2
Posted 04 August 2022 - 10:46 PM
Doesn't look like a shoebox to me, is that a tray inside another tub (TiT). The photo (2nd) is really tough to tell what is going on. Over a week and no colonization isn't a good sign that's for sure. More details if you can. All the Best... Of Luck.
MushL
- wilspeak likes this
#3
Posted 04 August 2022 - 11:08 PM
Doesn't look like a shoebox to me, is that a tray inside another tub (TiT). The photo (2nd) is really tough to tell what is going on. Over a week and no colonization isn't a good sign that's for sure. More details if you can. All the Best... Of Luck.
MushL
Hello MushLuvR, The (TiT) has 5 trays inside of the tub. The reason why its hard to see is because the tub is sealed up and I dont want to break the seal until I see some pins because I dont want to open it for a better picture because I don't want to chance contamination. But none of the 5 trays are showing any growth... 1 tray has some , but very little growth.
- MushLuvR likes this
#4
Posted 05 August 2022 - 08:38 AM
Mostly likely fair air exchange, but could be growing space, moisture, variables in the sub, etc. Try fanning and misting once a day. Or just wait it out.
You may want to smell it too. If it smells funcky then it is funcky,
- wilspeak and MushLuvR like this
#5
Posted 05 August 2022 - 05:00 PM
Oh, I wasn't getting the fact that they aren't colonized in the TiT (prior to going in). Are they getting any air at all, imperfect lid hopefully. In my experience, it's better to throw foil on the trays, or imperfect lids are plenty for gas exchange and then go to a TiT once trays are fully colonized. You may have put a stranglehold on your mycelium and choked it out if no Air at all. I normally just pop a few needle size holes in the foil and it's plenty. Hopefully you can resuscitate them... CLEAR! (Defib)
MushL
Edited by MushLuvR, 05 August 2022 - 05:01 PM.
- Arathu, Uncle G and wilspeak like this
#6
Posted 08 August 2022 - 08:41 PM
Mostly likely fair air exchange, but could be growing space, moisture, variables in the sub, etc. Try fanning and misting once a day. Or just wait it out.
You may want to smell it too. If it smells funcky then it is funcky,
I may fan and mist, but I dont want to introduce any contaminants. Thank You
#7
Posted 08 August 2022 - 08:45 PM
Oh, I wasn't getting the fact that they aren't colonized in the TiT (prior to going in). Are they getting any air at all, imperfect lid hopefully. In my experience, it's better to throw foil on the trays, or imperfect lids are plenty for gas exchange and then go to a TiT once trays are fully colonized. You may have put a stranglehold on your mycelium and choked it out if no Air at all. I normally just pop a few needle size holes in the foil and it's plenty. Hopefully you can resuscitate them... CLEAR! (Defib)
MushL
Hello, MushL, I had lids with holes on the TiTs before I put them into the mono tube because of the slow colonization, ca I just fan and mist them without the lids/ or should I place the lids with holes back on them?
#8
Posted 09 August 2022 - 09:41 AM
You should never have to fan or mist before they are fully colonized. Colonization only requires minimal air for Gas Exchange. Trays should colonize in 5-7 days without any intervention. Once you see knots (pin dots or bumps) you can increase the air a little, but high humidity and moisture beading is required and steady evaporation. If you don't see any activity soon with those trays, it's a compost pile situation and back to the drawing board. Best of Luck.
MushL
#9
Posted 09 August 2022 - 08:02 PM
You should never have to fan or mist before they are fully colonized. Colonization only requires minimal air for Gas Exchange. Trays should colonize in 5-7 days without any intervention. Once you see knots (pin dots or bumps) you can increase the air a little, but high humidity and moisture beading is required and steady evaporation. If you don't see any activity soon with those trays, it's a compost pile situation and back to the drawing board. Best of Luck.
MushL
Mush he has already put them in the fruiting chambers my friend. Once introduce to sub its good have some FAE.
Also, once your grains or whatever is fully colonized, and you introduce to subs your chances of contamination go way down. AS LONG as you good FAE. If not they will sure go sour.
Take it from me I be doing this longer than a lot people been alive.
#10
Posted 10 August 2022 - 01:54 PM
And take it from someone in an Arid climate, that is a recipe for MORE work than is necessary (rehydrating subs and or misting all the time). The first 5-8 days of colonization does NOT require FAE. Minimal Air is required for GE. Take it from someone that has recent grows all different sorts of ways, there is NO reason to put to fruiting Soon with more Air BEFORE full colonization. It's a recipe for a dry sub and or surface and a horrible pinset. Sparse cube fruits are almost 100% of the time DRY AF surfaces. It's a balancing act of Air versus Water. Managing your moisture and Air at sight of Pins is where it's at. I've tried all sorts of ways and pulling the scotch tape from my extra surface level holes at day 8 of spawn to bulk was the perfect timing to add Air at knot to pin formation. PE is right around Day 11 -12. Anyway Unc, not trying to say Air is a bad thing, clearly better than None at all. Imperfect lids have never let me down, or 4-6 small needle holes for trays (Pans).
MushL
- ShortcutSlim likes this