532 replies to this topic

[MLBjammer]

We are starting this thread to essentially assist the new grower in achieving success in this wonderful hobby. Each day I will highlight a tek from the archives.

Today let's start with Eatyualive's Flatcake Tek. This tek is quite simple and introduces the novice grower to basic casing and the idea of using cakes for something other than cakes. The coolest aspect of this one is that Eats is still around and can pop in and maybe answer some questions or whatnot.

Flatcake Tek: http://archives.myco...ges/5/2644.html

[somalick]

Awesome thread idea. Thanks MLB!

[MLBjammer]

Actually, Mrs. H came up with the concept. I am just the host, lol

Feel free to post links to threads which have helped you.

And thanks for the kind words.

:bow::bow::bow:

[Sidestreet]

yeah, good stuff MLB.

I want to highlite a basic tek that I've never strayed from once I found it: the heatbomb.

It's basically just a fish-tank heater in a water bottle, used for incubation. IMO it's less hassle than a TiT incubator and it works great. I use it in combination with a simple probe thermometer jammed in the side of my incubator, available at many stores:

http://mycotopia.net...=1&d=1270205194

Here's the link: The Heatbomb Incubator

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[Ben Dover]

Something that comes to mind this morning,

Follow the direction of the (PF)tek down to the letter! I have friends IRL and see people on here who get the mean green which could of been avoided.

With a couple such as "Did you wipe the needle between each jar? 'No but I will next time.'" or "I didn't see the need to wipe the rim off before the vermiculite layer"

All the little things count, and if they add up, total failure so follow the directions!

[zodd]

http://mycotopia.net...ers-merged.html



a lil tip i found on a easy lid design from buckaroo. its not the way i do things, as i leave out the injector holes but this is only because i very rarely work with syringes due to not been able to find a good source for autoclave able types.

i dont think theres any reason a newb cant put some of these together. and personally i think they will be glad they learned how.

with a bit of aquarium sealant; and some tyvek, or micropore tape, the door becomes wide open for all kinds of cool stuff that can only i=enhance your ability to multiply your white stuff.

If you don't want to try a grain transfer, you could wait for fruit and clone it (but you'll need a glovebox for that, too).

You could also try squirting some water in your cake, shaking, and sucking the water back out. If it's cloudy with Mycelium , you can use it to innoculate another material.

I use two tyvek layers (top and bottom) seperated by washers. This gives a little dead air space between the filters in case one gets wet and contaminates. Not really a problem with cakes, but something to watch out for with liquid cultures.

Here is a tyvek vented lid with washers and silicone injection ports (they ROCK).

Here is the underside of that vent.

Your jar will breathe quite nicely and contaminants will be nipped in the bud. I've used four layers of tyvek (split up with washers) and still gotten great results, but I think two is enough.

Be sure to glue all this together with a silicone based adhesive that will survive the temps inside your PC (GE Silicone II works like a champ).

Grain 2 grain without a glove box is risky. Is there no chance your friend could aquire a new spore syringe? 1mL in an LC can spawn literally millions of babies...

[HughMorrisLee]

http://archives.myco...tml?1086702549

For a noob grower I think this is by far the best way to start out. From here you can clone take prints experiment .... Thanx Hip I wish I would have been more active on this forum instead of lurking the whole time.

[MLBjammer]

Thanks for posting, Hugh. Invitro is my favorite as well.

[zodd]

Ive just been reading about invitro. i didn't know that there was an actual structure to it i thought it was much like in the link you posted,

which for me is not really what i was after.

i found this the other day and its just what i need right now. fruiting chamber space is running low and stealth has become more of a priority lately.

http://mycotopia.net...ic-tek-pdf.html

:bow::bow::bow:

[Freaky]

http://mycotopia.net...cation-tek.html

great tek write up on modifying a dehydrator for drying your harvest. Shedthemonkey wrote the modification up. :bow:

[MLBjammer]

http://mycotopia.net...s-airports.html

Honestly, there's no reason not to use an airport syringe and silicon ports in a jar. You can do this for LCs, spore water, clones, etc. It's very simple and quite effective and is a huge step in becoming self-sufficient as a grower.

Kudos to H3 for inventing the tek.

[MLBjammer]

For anyone out there unsure about dunking cakes (or bulk subs), this is a good example:

http://mycotopia.net...9-why-dunk.html

And, just to be thorough, read this as well:
http://archives.myco...html?1009208256

Happy Easter, everybody!

[ggod]

MLB.... I would like to bring up the neglect-tek. I know it is not really a tek. But I am seeing quite a few members messing with their grows and getting contams.

For those who are unfamiliar with the neglect-tek. It is exactly what the name implies. Leave the cakes/bulk alone and let it do it's thing.

Pulling the cakes out and taking photo's daily, is a sure fire way to have a problem. Leave them be, and be patient. (I know it's hard to do in the beginning, but it gets easier)

Only time you should open the FC is for FAE (if needed) and misting (if needed).

And for the love of god, keep it simple. Don't try to over-complicate the process by getting all fancy. No need to put ground Rhyno horn in the sub (over exaggeration).

ggod

[MLBjammer]

Nice tip, man. I am all about neglect myself; the less you mess with a grow, the less problems you will have in general.

[zodd]

ill have to try that one some day. :lol:

this is a great thread idea mlb. theres a lot of great mycology work in the topia forums, vaults but some of it will only serve to confuse the first time grower who needs a more rigid path to success.

i would like to propose a similar tek to godds neglect tek.

i call it trust in the the tek tek

when i first started i was so eager to learn that i very rarely did what the teks were telling me feeling i had a grasp of what they were trying to tell me i went full steam ahead with various concoctions and money saving sceems and for a long while didn't grow anything but bacteria.

so if all you want is the harvest its absolutely vital that the teks be followed to a T. they've been cherry picked by people who know what there doing and how to get you to the finish line.

[Sidestreet]

Here's Hippie3's simple liquid culture tek. It's only about one paragraph long.

http://mycotopia.net...method-tek.html

http://mycotopia.net...=1&d=1270466934

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[MLBjammer]

That is a good one, Sidestreet. Heck, you did my job for me today, bro.

:bow::bow::bow:

[Sidestreet]

:thumbup: heh heh no prob

[MLBjammer]

For those who have successfully done some cake grows and are ready to move on to bulk projects, sandbags are an excellent way to make that transition. All you need is some sort of fan to point indirectly at your bags (or a ceiling fan) for a little FAE.

Here's the original tek, courtesy of Sandman: http://mycotopia.net...andbag-tek.html

To elaborate a bit, you can do sandbags with the very big bags that Sandman uses or go smaller with large ziplocks or turkey bags or whatever you can find. The main thing is to leave plenty of air space in the bags for fresh air exchanges. As far as the FAE holes, polyfill works quite well, but it can be messy when you have to pick it off fruits. So you could use micropore tape, tyvek, or even open slits (which is what Sandman does nowadays, I think).

As far as your bulk ingredients, poo, of course, will result in the best yields, but I have done these bags with just coir, and they fruited okay. As long as you thoroughly pasteurize your bulk and your spawn is clean, your chances of success are very good.

And it's totally a neglect tek. You only have to open the bags to harvest and rehydrate if needed. I have seen folks dunk these bags, but it can be a mess. If you simply mist them down between flushes, you will get a couple fat flushes.



http://mycotopia.net...=1&d=1270553250

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[mushit]

Here's one I think would help many a beginner.

I see many new growers have problems keeping water out of the jars in the PC. The problem lies in the way the foil is wrapped around the jars.

To prevent this, put the lid on the jar after prepping them and wrap the first layer of foil around this. Then screw the ring on top of the foil and lid then wrap the second layer of foil on top of this.

A very simple point and will reduce many problems due to water leaking in.