16 replies to this topic

[mestophilies]

Well I tried my hand a few weeks ago at making a monotub. Turned green, thinking my sterile procedure was shit on that one though. Waaaayyyyy to :rasta: to be trying it that day. So over tonight and tomorrow I am cleaning out my tub and my room to try again. I have some really good looking GT strain LC that came out clean on the brf agar sub. so here goes again. This time I will be posting pics as I just got a new digital camera (thanks granny!) I have approximately 125 holes about 1/4" in diameter all around the tub and sealed with micropore tape.

So here is the plan:
1. Use Laz's WBS tek w/GT LC.
2. be patient.
3. Take 50/50 cow poo/ coir and mix 50/50 with WBS for fast colo. time.
4. Stick in tub about 4-6" deep and wrap in black trashbag for at least a week for colo of sub to take place.
5. After full colo. take and place in front of window for natural light. As I know mushies like it best of course. The window faces the sun most of the day so I get like 10 hrs of sun coming through.
6. Watch God do his work and harvest and enjoy!

Sound like a plan?
The last run the humidity inside the monotub was so high it looked like it was about to rain and the sub stayed too wet methinks, so I plan on removing about half of the tape. Question is: Should I polyfill the holes I open up? Or should I just leave them open. The growing room isn't exactly what I would call sterile so I worry about contams getting in and taking over.

Pics will follow over next couple of days as this will also be my first grow log. I haven't even knocked up the jars yet but am doing so tonight. Also will be using 1 pt jars to help speed colo. of WBS.

Thanks for the help and sorry I've been away for so long. Family issues on this end had to be dealt with, but I'm back now!

[ripple]

To the best of my knowledge, you shouldnt put your tub in direct sunlight.
You definitely need filters for colonization.

[gsmith1981]

cant wait to see what happens. ill pull up a chair for this one bro:thumbup:

[sangraal]

Looking like a good plan, although I'd personally not go 4-6" deep in the tub. 3-4" is a good working sub depth, any more adds to colonization time which gives contams time to step in. Mushroom cultivation is, first and foremost, a race against the invasion of foreign molds. Best not to give them any more advantage than necessary and a 4" sub depth yields incredibly nice flushes with poo/straw. After spawned, you can put 1/2" of sterile verm over the sub and that does very well in keeping contams from coming in and helps support a humid microenvironment for myc growth. Just what I would do...but shit..if you have that much colonized grain to go 50% up to 6"... then go for it.

[limeade]

good luck!

[mestophilies]

Thanks all!
Sangraal: I will go ahead and adjust the depth to 3-4" that is one I wasn't sure which way I wanna go.
I am working on the WBS as I post this. So will have pics in a little while!:eusa_clap

[sangraal]

Awesome.. looking forward to your success. Best of luck!

[mestophilies]

Ok jars are innoced and are now in my new incubation chamber. An original WW2 foot locker that my grandfather carried from maryland to france, to germany. I scrubbed the living bejesus out of the outside and inside and then lysoled the shit out of it. Then cleaned again and sprayed with a bleach solution, thankfully none of the writing came off the outside kinda like knowing what all it says.
I'm at work right now and couldn't find batts. for the camera last night so I will post pics of the chamber later tonight. Not using any heating inside of it as it seems to be maintaining a nice and healthy 81 deg. Faren. all on it's own.
Also got the monotub retaped and ready to go I only taped up 4" this time and am increasing the number of holes it has. The footlocker is large enough to hold the monotub so I am going to put it back in there to colonize the substrate this time. The thinking here being that the thing is light proof and damn well better be completely sterile so it should drop the risk of contams that way.

That's all for now more to come. :eusa_clap

[mestophilies]

After reading a couple of other things I have decided to add to this a little and am going to use one or two jars for an experiment. This is kind of like (I think) Golly's ziplock sandwhich container tek. (which was wonderful! Thanks again bro! :eusa_clap) only with a baby wipe tub.
Taking an old baby wipe tub. (Things are handy all over the place!) and spawing 1-2 jars of WBS to straight Coir inside this tub. I will be placing this in it's own FC that I normally use for cakes. The tub is just shy of 4" deep if memory serves me correct, so I will be doing this sans casing layer on the top. This is more for shits and giggles than anything else but who knows may be a great way to case and minimize loss due to contams!

[mestophilies]

Finally got the pics done. These are pre-jars as I couldn't get the pics to upload for a couple of days. The foot locker is now loaded and being warmed with a small reptile heating pad attached to the lid. Nothing as of yet to show on the jars hopefully in a day or two!

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[mestophilies]

Quick update on the incubation chamber. After watching temps closely for a few days now I seem to have it stabilized at a flux between 74-81 F. I plan on picking up some foam insulation and line the box to hopefully help raise the lower end of the temp. and get it to stabilize around the 81 mark.
Also seeing the fist signs of growth in the jars. So things are coming along well. :eusa_clap

[Skatterman420]

cool man, nice footlocker.:headbang:

[mestophilies]

Thanks skatterman!
Update on the jars. Camera is still down, but I went ahead and lined the locker with 2" heavy duty styrofoam to help with heat fluxuation sp?. My GT's loved it. The jars are now about 40% colonized! I'm going to give them another day or two then give them a shake. I have to say this locker rocks! If I wanted to I could fit like 60 to 80 jars in this thing. Anyways more to come soon! :amazed:

[wikid187]

if you do fill it with that many jars, the need for artificial heat goes away. Once the jars get around 30-40% colonized, they'll retain heat and create it on their own.

Glad to hear positive progress!
can't wait to see pics and you to be fruiting!

-limeade

[mestophilies]

quick update time. The jars are 70% after shaking so should be any day now.
I finally took the time to make a magnetic stir table. Using 2 hard drive magnets and a computer fan that I wired into an old cell phone charger, I also put a power switch from an old power supply in so I can shut it off without unplugging the whole unit from the wall. I was going to put a dimmer switch on but found no need after testing.

Also making my new glovebox this evening just waiting on my HEPA filters, all that Hell mart sold here were HEPA style. Didn't trust that so I ordered filters off a vacuum cleaner store website. A little spendy at $40 for two but that was with shipping so I went ahead.

I will take pics this evening of the stir table and GB if I get it finished this evening.
Also any ideas on a better way to cut arm holes in the plastic? I was using a hot knife to do it and ended up putting a small crack in the damn thing. Going to silicone the shit out of the area that I cracked. Should that be ok?

And as always thanks for the help Mycotopia you all rock! :hugs:

[RockyRaccoon]

i use a dremel grinder to cut the holes . it works but it's a pain in the ass because the plastic melts and sticks to the grinder bit so you have to clean it every few minutes .

someone mentioned earlier that you can heat the lip of an empty coffee can and press it into the plastic to melt a circular hole . if you can find a can with the right dimensions , this might be a good approach .

[mestophilies]

I haven't been able to come up with a can that large but that's a good idea rocky. I am seriously considering just building a new one out of plexiglass, going to price it out tomorrow and see if they could just cut the holes for me into one of the pieces.