P. Cubensis - Z Strain & Dancing Tiger log

[canadianreefer]

Thanks =)

OK so I just checked the jars again and they're doing great overall! Out of the 7 remaining, one is contaminated (just on the verge of it but enough to toss it), one isn't quite ready yet, and the other 5 are ready so I'm dunking and rolling those ones.. Right now they're dunking, but later (around 4:20am? lol) I'm going to roll them in the vermiculite then place them in the fruiting chamber.. I'll take some pics when they're in the fruiter and post them by tomorrow morning

 

[SuBlimE420]

Thanks =)

OK so I just checked the jars again and they're doing great overall! Out of the 7 remaining, one is contaminated (just on the verge of it but enough to toss it), one isn't quite ready yet, and the other 5 are ready so I'm dunking and rolling those ones.. Right now they're dunking, but later (around 4:20am? lol) I'm going to roll them in the vermiculite then place them in the fruiting chamber.. I'll take some pics when they're in the fruiter and post them by tomorrow morning

so your dunking your cases before you are starting the fruiting process? i thought that was to be done after the first flush?

 

[canadianreefer]

so your dunking your cases before you are starting the fruiting process? i thought that was to be done after the first flush?

Since the mycelium needs air exchange (to breathe) during colonization this means there's a gap somewhere in the jar, causing the cake to lose some of its moisture content.. some people dunk and roll after the first flush but it's highly recommended to move that dunk and roll to before the first flush

http://www.mushroomvideos.com/

Sorry I haven't gotten pics up yet, I'm a little paranoid around the cakes when it comes to contamination so I'm trying to do everything as quick as possible with as little touching/handling as possible, I'll get them up as soon as I can

 

[fried at 420]

wow this sounds interesting

 

[SuBlimE420]

some great vids. definatly going to drunk and roll my cakes after birth, still trying to figure out if i want to use the pf tek, or go with the birdseed ;\. im also going to be workign with the z-strain

 

[shroomer33]

give us a picture, I'll try to help.
I wouldn't worry about the beige looking myc, it happens....

In my experience 99% of what goes wrong, starts with the syringe makeing process.
Unsterile syringe contents will contaminate 9 times out of 10, if not more.
Also not flameing the needle in between jars, is asking for it.
Injection of lots of spore or liquid mycelium is another baddy, the more stuff you squirt into your sterile jars, the higher the statistical odds gets for intruducing contaminants, aim for 1ml or less.
If you take care of that, you should have 0 problems.

Once in the jars and past the 4 day mark, you should realy be all good. Provided you make provision for adequate gas exchange. Especialy important when working with grains. I find a simple 10ml hole plugged with aquarium filter floss (polyfill), is the best for this. Twyvek can be used but I find it hard to get a nice seal that prefents dust and airborne spores getting past. DON'T use cotton wool, it gets soggy, is crap hard to get a needle through, and is made of stuff the shrooms can eat.


I cant even remember when last I had a contam, and I'd hate to say how many jars I make in a month.

Of course, and this is personal opinion, which could be influenced by environmental factors...I think cakes are a waste of time.

syringes SUCK!!

 

[shroomer33]

Nice all I can say is be as sterile as possible and you should do fine

3 words:
lysol lysol lysol!!

 

[canadianreefer]

4 days so far no pins but that's normal.. I'm just anxious

Maintaining 75F and 95% RH

 

[Barron]

I think I'm gonna start my Z Strain tomorrow. I just gotta read up on a few more things then I should be set. Post some pics once they start to pin.

 

[canadianreefer]

I think I'm gonna start my Z Strain tomorrow. I just gotta read up on a few more things then I should be set. Post some pics once they start to pin.

Sweet I'd love to follow that if you start a log.. And yes I'll definitely post pinning pics, so far there's still nothing but the cakes still smell like mushroom so there's no contam and they're still alive and well

The FC does get a little warm at night when I put the light on in there but it's not too bad, only up to 80F max and RH is still between 90%-100% (I had to mist this morning as it dropped to 90%, i sort of left the containers a bit open so the moisture excaped)

 

[SuBlimE420]

waiting for my spores in the mail to : ) seems like we all picked the same strain lol

 

[Barron]

Sweet I'd love to follow that if you start a log..

)

I'm pretty sure I'm gonna post a log. I took a bunch of pics during the whole process there in my pressure cooker right now. I should be able to Inoculate them tonight.

 

[canadianreefer]

I'm pretty sure I'm gonna post a log. I took a bunch of pics during the whole process there in my pressure cooker right now. I should be able to Inoculate them tonight.

Nice

I set up a new fruiting chamber. My last one wasn't providing enough air exchange and it was a little warm at 80F so I got a bigger container and a smaller light, so far the temperature went down a tad (73F-74F) but I'm still waiting to see if the humidity picks up, so far it's only 85% or so.. I'll take pics of the new setup soon enough

 

[thehairyllama]

When you posting more pics of the mushies?

 

[canadianreefer]

When you posting more pics of the mushies?

Right now...

I don't think I sprayed the cakes enough after rolling them in the vermiculite but the mycelium's slowly working it's way around it so it's all good.. hopefully they should begin pinning sometime this week

Now I'm holding 73F and ~91% RH (I may cover up another row of holes, we'll see what the RH is tomorrow morning)

... and by the way I can't WAIT to see Alice In Wonderland! (great avatar)

 

[thehairyllama]

What are you using to measure the RH and temp?

Oh its going to be epic. Im going to obviously be tripping while watching MWahaha.

 

[canadianreefer]

What are you using to measure the RH and temp?

Oh its going to be epic. Im going to obviously be tripping while watching MWahaha.

I'm using a $10-$20 analog thermometer/hygrometer from the department store.. I can't really afford anything better.. I've used the same model in extreme dry and humid conditions and it's been pretty accurate so I hope it's doing the job properly..

 

[thehairyllama]

Yeah I was just wondering..Ive actually never grown my own shrooms. But I really do want to. It will take time before I get confident enough to try it.

 

[canadianreefer]

Yeah I was just wondering..Ive actually never grown my own shrooms. But I really do want to. It will take time before I get confident enough to try it.

It will also take practice as well as trial & error until you find what technique works best for you.. Once they start to fruit it's like OMG coolest feeling in the world lol and it's amazing how fast they grow

 

[Psychedelics and Chronic]

It will also take practice as well as trial & error until you find what technique works best for you.. Once they start to fruit it's like OMG coolest feeling in the world lol and it's amazing how fast they grow

I will back that last sentence 10 out of 10. One day you see like 2-3 pins. The next day you see like 10-15, and then like 2-3 days later their huge, then the veil starts to pull away the next day. Oh and they look soooo cool as they grow, I wish i had a good camera cause i would do a timelapse video. For fruiting chamber i've had problems with doing holes, I never could keep the humidity up. I think I had too many in a smaller chamber but I've had the best luck with a sealed container and opening and fanning like 2-3 times a day. Only fan for about 10 secs.

Also guys, how do you like the Z-strain. I just started growing mushies back in Febuary but I have done 10 jars of Texas, 10 jars of Treasure Coast, 5 jars of Golden Teacher (from LC, friend had cloned one), and right now have 5 of PESA at 60% colonization. Texas and Treasure Coast took about 20 days to fully colonize jar. I loved the Golden Teacher, hard to say how fast they would have colonized from spore cause from LC it took 14 days exactly.