Coir Monotub

**sonar** · 02-16-2012, 12:20 PM

I spawned this tub 12 days ago with 5 quarts popcorn spawn. Decided to check the progress since I haven't opened it up until this point and was surprised to see it was pinning already. So, I took the tape off the holes and filled with loose polyfil to put it in fruiting properly.

The substrate is 1 brick of coco coir from the pet store with 1 quart of verm. The pet store stuff is only like $3 a brick and I think pet stores are a lot more common that hydro stores in most areas so no need to order online if there isn't a hydro store near you. I also hear that the stuff intented for plants is intentionally laced with trichoderma, a nasty mold that is the nemesis to the mushroom cultivator. I imagine it helps roots uptake nutrients or works to help break soil down, I don't know, but you don't want it anywhere near you spawn that's for sure. I pasturized the coir and verm together by putting them both into a 5 gallon bucket and dumping 4 quarts of boiling water in and putting the lid on. Wrapped a blanket around it then to try to keep as much of the heat in as long as possible. Once the whole thing was cool (about 6-8 hours) I mixed it up to break up any chunks and spawned with my 5 quarts of Ecuador popcorn spawn.

The tek I used (more or less) can be found here:
How I do Coir

Only changes I made were only using 1 quart of verm instead of 2, and I also break the coir up by peeling off the layers with a screwdriver. If you've ever worked with coir you know what I mean. It is pressed into layers that you can peel away if you are careful. I feel that allows for more even heat and water absorption.

That's pretty much it. I don't think it gets much simpler than that. I'll continue to post updates when things get more interesting.

100_0332.jpg 100_0338.jpg 100_0344.jpg 100_0345.jpg

**canndo** · 02-16-2012, 12:51 PM

Sonar, as for your not wanting to get near trich - it isn't possible, it is one of the most numberous and pervasive molds out of doors (indoors I believe it is penicilium. I have done numbers of tests to see what sort of contams are around using petri dishes open for 1 minute 5 minutes and 20 minutes. I have done swabs from my body and clothing, from dirt outside, from kitchen sponges (very very nasty) and other places. I was going to get to that in my agar thread but it seems as though there is little interest).

Trich can easily be killed by pastureization but the main point always is to keep conditions from getting to the point where the trich takes hold. Moving air, high PH and low humidity are keys. But you know all this, it is just for the others who lurk around here.

**sonar** · 02-17-2012, 09:27 AM

Yeah I meant that more figuratively that literally. I should have been more clear. Like you said, the spores are floating around in the air they are impossible to avoid. To me it's always seemed like a race against time. Hope the mycelium is able to take a foothold in the substrate before the contams do.

I'd like to hear more on agar. Mainly when it comes to cloning and the finer points of strain isolation.

**canndo** · 02-17-2012, 09:31 AM

Sonar, it is cold here and as you may know I hate paying to heat the house or even a room for just a few dishes, so they are growing rather slowly.

**Beta420** · 02-18-2012, 10:09 PM

Sonar approx how many quarts do you get from a coir brick when hydrated to field capacity?

Trying to calculate recipe proportions using damion5050s tek for a few extra BRF cakes currently in 1/2 pints. Thx

**sonar** · 02-19-2012, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by Beta420

Sonar approx how many quarts do you get from a coir brick when hydrated to field capacity?

Trying to calculate recipe proportions using damion5050s tek for a few extra BRF cakes currently in 1/2 pints. Thx

One brick of coir makes around 8 quarts of expanded substrate.

**sonar** · 03-23-2012, 08:03 AM

I know I lost a few posts but I believe I was at 64g with this tub. Plus another 20g plus whatever is in this flush. This is the point in the tub where it starts throwing off some massive fruits. I have 5 more jars of spawn ready to go so I will probably just toss it after this flush.

100_0369.jpg 100_0370.jpg

**DaSprout** · 03-23-2012, 08:29 AM

What will be your mixture for your next tub? Will there be any additions or alterations to your tek?

**glShemp** · 03-23-2012, 08:59 AM

Looking good. You know the itty bitty ones that never get very big are the most potent. I would save those for 4th of July.

**DaSprout** · 03-23-2012, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by glShemp

Looking good. You know the itty bitty ones that never get very big are the most potent. I would save those for 4th of July.

That's what I tell the ladies. Except the whole saving it for the 4th of July part.

Coir Monotub

The Grow Room

LinkBack

Thread Tools

Display

Coir Monotub

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions