Tale of two monos

[darkvoyager 142]

whats up,

wanted to share these fruiting tubs and get any comments or advice since my last two tammed (for a few reasons but nonetheless). For the curious the substrate is 7QTS Vermiculite, 6 QTS Poo 4 QTS coir(1/2brick) 2 QTS coffee like a cup of gypsum. 6Qts spawn. 3tsp lime.

first tub was in colonization 11 days the second for 10. heres pictures from when I took it out and post casing with 50/50+ ph per MZ tek. 

 

I’m also including some outside pics of the tubs. You can see the rings of “air exchange?” around the holes but every time I pop the probe into either they read 99%. First tubs holes are 1”x1” the seconds are 1.5”x1.5”

They just came out last night 2/10 but @Mush Zombie says cased subs should ideally be between 70-85% RH so should I try to up the FAE by opening the holes all the way/less poly? Or let continue as is, I’m guessing it’s high as f because the sub Ietting it all loose lol 

 

[darkvoyager 142]

Yes poly is loose. And even then it retains the moisture well. It’s not an air filter 

 

i cracked then open a couple times to exhaust all that heat and humidity lol. 

[darkvoyager 142]

going to hit them with my fan for about an hour or 2 and re-mist. been reading on pinsets and fruiting in the archives. 

[Borgfer4542 89]

What did you use to cut your black trash bag back with?? Was the utensil used 100% sterile? When cutting did you scratch the tub? Scratches in the plastic with a non sterile utensil will tam the entire project.

[darkvoyager 142]

1 hour ago, Borgfer4542 said:

What did you use to cut your black trash bag back with?? Was the utensil used 100% sterile? When cutting did you scratch the tub? Scratches in the plastic with a non sterile utensil will tam the entire project.

kitchen scissors , weren't flamed so not sterile, sanitized? lol, I didnt cut bag until after it was already colonized

[mushmouth 7794]

It's ok to have RH higher than 85% with a cased sub. You'll be wishing for that high RH soon enough, lol.

[darkvoyager 142]

guess im just worried its not breathing enough lol. I misted the hell out the casing and then put a fan on it for 30minutes- 1 hour then LIGHTLY spray It, just so it darkens a bit, bounces right back up to 99% lol cool thing is I know for sure evaporations happening off my top not only because th casing is drying out but also because I held my IR thermometer to the sub for about 2 minutes and it gradually went down to 64* (water cools as it Evaps) so hopefully theres some good pinsets coming, think I saw some tiny knots forming.

[darkvoyager 142]

After trying to stimulate lots of Evap from surface. A few days later the Myc  is popping through the casing 👀

I’d say we’re on the right track lol  

[Absent Thoughts 92]

Good Luck Space Cowboy.

[darkvoyager 142]

Update. Casings still colonizing but slowly. My guess is because I didn’t shred the pestat before mixing and it must be matted/ not fluffy and it’s having a hard time poking through. 

 

Any my other inputs as to why it might look like this? I upped the moisture, casing was feeling dry even underneath surface 

[mushmouth 7794]

Hmm. Your verm looks great but the peat doesn't look like it's acting right and a little matted down. This is just me, when I'm done making my casing, I make a dirt ball and drop it from about 3' high.It should explode almost completely.

I still think you're fine.

[darkvoyager 142]

28 minutes ago, mushmouth said:

Hmm. Your verm looks great but the peat doesn't look like it's acting right and a little matted down. This is just me, when I'm done making my casing, I make a dirt ball and drop it from about 3' high.It should explode almost completely.

I still think you're fine.

I agree. I think it’s becuas I didn’t SHRED it before mixing with Verm and lime etc. 

loo at this casing I did with seed starter mix it eventually Tammed out due to no PH adjustment is my guess. But look at the beautiful rhizo, that would’ve been a sick pinset.

just held some seed starter mix next to some dry leftover casing I made and the mix is SO fluffy. Think I might blend that peat next time or something haha.

 

mix is 80% peat with some perlite

[darkvoyager 142]

@Mush Zombie

theres everything up til now. 

Few days ago I boiled a fork and lightly scraped over the casing until it showed the substrate, the little peat that got stuck to it was dry, as soon as I misted it a little it darkened and fresh mushy smell came up, the substrate is still white and looked healthy smells good. 

Anyway I rehydrated the very surface above the sub, and put the casing back over it and misted a bit.

temps have been around 72-74 I have a zoomed hygrometer but every time I put it in the fucking terrarium it reads 99 it can’t be right, at first I think conditions were dry because once rehydrated the mush smell comes back. Now beads of water remain on the surface for at least a day/2. Already looking into an analog. 

I tried misting and fanning and I tried leaving it alone for a few days, not even a knot.my best tub I hadn’t knots in 4 days and pins in 6 so this sucks. 

 

Should I remove casing layer altogether? Its kinda just sitting there. Could it be contaminated within?  I’m trying out leaving the lid upside down for more FAE 🤷🏽‍♂️ I look around the liner and there’s no bulges(PINS) so wtf gives, first time I see NOTHIN, this far in.  

 

[darkvoyager 142]

@Mush Zombie

theres everything up til now. 

Few days ago I boiled a fork and lightly scraped over the casing until it showed the substrate, the little peat that got stuck to it was dry, as soon as I misted it a little it darkened and fresh mushy smell came up, the substrate is still white and looked healthy smells good. 

Anyway I rehydrated the very surface above the sub, and put the casing back over it and misted a bit.

temps have been around 72-74 I have a zoomed hygrometer but every time I put it in the fucking terrarium it reads 99 it can’t be right, at first I think conditions were dry because once rehydrated the mush smell comes back. Now beads of water remain on the surface for at least a day/2. Already looking into an analog. 

I tried misting and fanning and I tried leaving it alone for a few days, not even a knot.my best tub I hadn’t knots in 4 days and pins in 6 so this sucks. 

 

Should I remove casing layer altogether? Its kinda just sitting there. Could it be contaminated within?  I’m trying out leaving the lid upside down for more FAE 🤷🏽‍♂️ I look around the liner and there’s no bulges(PINS) so wtf gives, first time I see NOTHIN, this far in.  

Substrates still giving off heat. Flipped lid over and there’s condensation on the bottom already. 

[Mush Zombie 25935]

the spot on the casing that is bright white and looks like cauliflower heads is likely mold. it is near the middle left.

best advice i can give you is to leave things alone. do not molest your tubs during incubation or fruiting. do not scrape casings with cubensis, it is unnecessary and likely detrimental to your first flush primordia. Just because you cant see knots does not mean they are not there forming. This is referred to as primordia.

did you adjust the ph of your substrate and casing?

pH needs to be adjust to 7.5 - 8.0

you will have good results with a proper casing. I always have for many years. 

You can get rid of the casing if you use a tub with no holes. Just mist and fan 3x a day. Only mist a little you dont need standing water.

if you have a casing only mist if it is dry. and mist just enough to moisten it. not enough to make it glisten. This is maybe every 3 days you mist. the rest you can fan until you see pins, then just mist if its looking dry.

[darkvoyager 142]

The spot you’re referring to is definitely mold, Covered with some salt to try to slow it down lmao. That is an old casing layer from a tub that contaminated, I didn’t adjust ph there but  I wanted to show how well the myc grew through that casing I applied properly I think. 

 

Substrate Ph wasn’t tested but I followed the teks lime requirement. 

Casing ph was made per your tek and was tested to about 8 and I think that’s why I’ve made it thus far without tams. 

I think I could’ve done better by SHREDDING the peat to a dust and I saw somewhere you said to remove the sticks 🤦🏽‍♂️ Right now some of it is in clumps still.

I might try taping up all the holes on one and see how I like it. Thanks

I know next time around I’m going just lightly drop it in there and make it airy and fluffy this time around I did it too flat worrying about an even top I’d guess.(casing)

is it necessary to “burp” out the heat in the tub once a day or should I disregard it / any condensation

when you say the rest at the end there you mean no hole tubs right 

I really appreciate you man.

[Mush Zombie 25935]

Do not mist your casing once it is in there unless it is dry and make sure it is on the dry side when you apply it. Do not ever allow your casing to be saturated. This kind of stuff happens when you mess with it too much or the casing remains too wet.

You are welcome 

[darkvoyager 142]

Update: 

Tub 1 - primordium all along the liner. Confirms I haven’t kept surface conditions ideal. Figure it ties into that shorty casing. 

Tub 2- nothing. Even putting out less heat than the other and the water that’s in the groves of the mono has metabolites. No foul smells or visible tams

 

removed casing layer think I’m going to replace it, have the top holes taped off while i decide what’s next. 

Recase or wax paper? 

Think there’s sides pins and pins down bottom

 

 

[Mush Zombie 25935]

side pins means your casing was too wet. not enough evaporation in the middle. you are correct.

[darkvoyager 142]

5 minutes ago, Mush Zombie said:

side pins means your casing was too wet. not enough evaporation in the middle. you are correct.

At this point would casing the surface in center again make sense? Is there any saving/fixing it. Adding pic of surface after I removed the casing. It looked dry to me 

[Mush Zombie 25935]

no, do not disturb the casing. your second flush primordia is either forming now, or will be soon. After the first flush, and you harvest, just spray the hell out of it with a spray bottle. 16 oz is good. Then blast it with a fan from above if you can after about 12 hours of soaking to dry it out. Then just keep it moist. Your second flush should be good if the substrate or casing does not contaminate.

[darkvoyager 142]

3 minutes ago, Mush Zombie said:

no, do not disturb the casing. your second flush primordia is either forming now, or will be soon. After the first flush, and you harvest, just spray the hell out of it with a spray bottle. 16 oz is good. Then blast it with a fan from above if you can after about 12 hours of soaking to dry it out. Then just keep it moist. Your second flush should be good if the substrate or casing does not contaminate.

Ok but now  that most of the casing is off, should I. Leave my top holes taped up, Mist and fan from now on with wax paper?

 Only casing on there now is what’s being held on by the mycelium.

 

[Mush Zombie 25935]

dont mess with it. wax paper doesnt do anything. leave it alone or you will destroy your second flush.

[darkvoyager 142]

Top hasn’t pinned at all I think the surface is dead have more popping on the sides fuck it lol 

 but is the difference between these two mush genetics? They’re right next to each other. Ones hollow and tall  the other is fat and thick should I clone it? 

Top hasn’t pinned at all I think the surface is dead have more popping on the sides fuck it lol 

 but is the difference between these two mush genetics? They’re right next to each other. Ones hollow and tall  the other is fat and thick should I clone it? 

[darkvoyager 142]

On 2/18/2019 at 2:29 PM, darkvoyager said:

I agree. I think it’s becuas I didn’t SHRED it before mixing with Verm and lime etc. 

loo at this casing I did with seed starter mix it eventually Tammed out due to no PH adjustment is my guess. But look at the beautiful rhizo, that would’ve been a sick pinset.

just held some seed starter mix next to some dry leftover casing I made and the mix is SO fluffy. Think I might blend that peat next time or something haha.

 

mix is 80% peat with some perlite

 

On 2/18/2019 at 1:45 PM, darkvoyager said:

Update. Casings still colonizing but slowly. My guess is because I didn’t shred the pestat before mixing and it must be matted/ not fluffy and it’s having a hard time poking through. 

 

Any my other inputs as to why it might look like this? I upped the moisture, casing was feeling dry even underneath surface 

@Sonshyn look at the difference in the way the myc colonized the casing. Ignore the super white spot in the top pic that’s me Trying to fight tam, but look at the rhizo in the case.