Planning my first grow. Would like some criticism.

[Alembic]

Would like to start by thanking everyone in this forum as I have found a lot of helpful links and information, including book titles which I've found and have been reading.

First of all, I have no idea which cube strains I plan on starting with, but as I understand cubes are the easiest and I'd like to start with something fairly simple.

- Source recommendations and strains would be greatly appreciated by PM!

As for a substrate, I plan on using Rye and Water 1:1 parts in quart jars sterilized in a pressure cooker at 15 lbs for 1 hour.

- What is the cloth called which you put in between the lid and the jar to allow for CO2 and O2 transfer?

For inoculation, I plan on making a glove box out of a tall rubber maid container and sheet plastic over the top, sterilizing with a water/bleach solution. While the jars are inside of the box, I plan on having two sets of the cloth over the jars, unscrewing the lid and moving the top cloth slightly to inoculate the 4 sides. After each side has been inoculated I would remove the bottom piece of cloth with the inoculation holes and reapply the seal.

- For the glove box, should I make a diaphragm type entry, or should I install gloves?

I have up to this point planned out. I'm still a little at a loss for the vegetation growth box, however I am going to meet a fellow mycologist tomorrow to get some better ideas for growth boxes. Thanks in advance for any advice, criticism and/or recommendations!

 

[Alembic]

Ordered spores from spores101 - Koh Samui and Golden Teacher. Heading out to get the other supplies tomorrow.

 

[canndo]

Would like to start by thanking everyone in this forum as I have found a lot of helpful links and information, including book titles which I've found and have been reading.

First of all, I have no idea which cube strains I plan on starting with, but as I understand cubes are the easiest and I'd like to start with something fairly simple.

- Source recommendations and strains would be greatly appreciated by PM!

As for a substrate, I plan on using Rye and Water 1:1 parts in quart jars sterilized in a pressure cooker at 15 lbs for 1 hour.

- What is the cloth called which you put in between the lid and the jar to allow for CO2 and O2 transfer?

For inoculation, I plan on making a glove box out of a tall rubber maid container and sheet plastic over the top, sterilizing with a water/bleach solution. While the jars are inside of the box, I plan on having two sets of the cloth over the jars, unscrewing the lid and moving the top cloth slightly to inoculate the 4 sides. After each side has been inoculated I would remove the bottom piece of cloth with the inoculation holes and reapply the seal.

- For the glove box, should I make a diaphragm type entry, or should I install gloves?

I have up to this point planned out. I'm still a little at a loss for the vegetation growth box, however I am going to meet a fellow mycologist tomorrow to get some better ideas for growth boxes. Thanks in advance for any advice, criticism and/or recommendations!

Grain is not always the same dryness. your set 1:1 water to grain may well be very dry. I find that the best way to do this is to pour your grain in a pot of water and boil it just until you see a few burst grains, then drain. If you are confident in your sterile practices, try pouring some malt extract into the water.

 

[Alembic]

Grain is not always the same dryness. your set 1:1 water to grain may well be very dry. I find that the best way to do this is to pour your grain in a pot of water and boil it just until you see a few burst grains, then drain. If you are confident in your sterile practices, try pouring some malt extract into the water.

What does malt extract do for the mycelium, fertilize?

 

[drudinpc]

I wish I had caught you sooner. Sporefarmer is the jam. $8.88 a syringe and so many spores you literally have to shake the crap out of it to break them up before injecting. I'll never use anyone else.

 

[Blackhash]

I wish I had caught you sooner. Sporefarmer is the jam. $8.88 a syringe and so many spores you literally have to shake the crap out of it to break them up before injecting. I'll never use anyone else.

I'm not sure you should listen to him and buy off this source. Canndo made a post here saying that the syringes were mostly contaminated. I even found other threads on other sites saying that they were sent the wrong spores, and contamination.

 

[Alembic]

Picked up some pint jars today along with a tub for a glove box, a load of disinfectant spray/wipes/alcohol.

Once I have my jars fully colonized in the jars, should I remove the cakes and keep them whole? Or can I separate the cakes into two or three pieces before/after dunking/rolling to promote more growth? Or is this a terrible idea that will end up causing less?

 

[atidd11]

Listen to canndo. Dont do the pf tek. Go bulk. Lol

 

[atidd11]

Y dont u break up ur cakes and spawn them to bulk. Ull like the outcome if everything works out. Ur odds are just as good using the pf or bulk. Except bulk yields 100 times more..

 

[Alembic]

Y dont u break up ur cakes and spawn them to bulk. Ull like the outcome if everything works out. Ur odds are just as good using the pf or bulk. Except bulk yields 100 times more..

I have to be as discreet as possible with my first few grows because I am living with a family member. Although my living area is not invaded at all, I'll be moving onto bulk in a few months.

 

[atidd11]

So ya ur best bet is dont disrupt the cakes leave them whole. U dont have to dunk them for the first flush. But some people do. Anyway jus case it and set it into a fruiting chamber brotha

 

[drudinpc]

I'm not sure you should listen to him and buy off this source. Canndo made a post here saying that the syringes were mostly contaminated. I even found other threads on other sites saying that they were sent the wrong spores, and contamination.

Can't speak for anyone else. Only can say I'm happy with them. Ironically enough, the way I found out about them was on a forum thread where people were complaining about contaminated syringes. The owner of sporefarmer popped in the thread, apologized, said he fixed the problem, and said that if those with contaminated syringes will email him their order number he will refund AND replace their orders. It impressed me that the guy would own up to the issue and make it right. Most places would say tough titties. I've never had an issue with any of their spores. In fact, the guys I'm growing now came from them.

 

[Alembic]

Went out and picked up some perlite, 12 lbs of rye berries, gypsum and some other fun stuff. Currently soaking my rye berries with gypsum. My friend's pressure cooker turns out was busted so I get to go get one tomorrow. I called every thrift store within 30 miles today and NO one had a pressure cooker -.-

 

[atidd11]

Ebay man!!!

 

[Alembic]

Ebay man!!!

Found one today =D

Sterilizing as we speak. Doing 24 jars.

 

[canndo]

Found one today =D

Sterilizing as we speak. Doing 24 jars.

How big a cooker you get? 24 is a lot.

 

[Alembic]

How big a cooker you get? 24 is a lot.

It's a 16, sterilizing over a 4 day period.

Also getting some supplies for liquid cultures tomorrow too.

 

[Alembic]

Got 6 baby bottles and siliconed the nipples. Doing a Corn Syrup/Distilled Water solution to spawn mycelium. Should make for much more efficient grows in the future, as well as preserve the strain I'm working with.

 

[DaSprout]

You can actually go both ways with your space. Lol. If you are using a 56quart sterilite as a fruiting chamber. Then you can fruit at least 3 pint size cakes and a 6 quart sterilite tote at the same time. Or 4 pint size cakes and any equivalent size tupperware or aluminum pan. I doubt that your fruiting chamber would that much smaller or larger than a 56 quart sterilite. You can stack around 8 of them in an average sized closet. You will feel alot better if you at least try some bulk. Heck. You could even crush up a half pint cake and add them to some jars of popcorn then coco coir afterwards. By then. Your cakes that you started to fruit will be halfway done. This way you have a continuous grow.

 

[Alembic]

You can actually go both ways with your space. Lol. If you are using a 56quart sterilite as a fruiting chamber. Then you can fruit at least 3 pint size cakes and a 6 quart sterilite tote at the same time. Or 4 pint size cakes and any equivalent size tupperware or aluminum pan. I doubt that your fruiting chamber would that much smaller or larger than a 56 quart sterilite. You can stack around 8 of them in an average sized closet. You will feel alot better if you at least try some bulk. Heck. You could even crush up a half pint cake and add them to some jars of popcorn then coco coir afterwards. By then. Your cakes that you started to fruit will be halfway done. This way you have a continuous grow.

Planning on getting 2 dozen more jars, all quart jars next pay check. I'll be doing grain transfers from a few of my healthy half pints to inoculate them.