Bottom of cake takes long time?

Antranik · 05-11-06, 04:35

Jeez the bottom of the cake takes 10 times longer to colonize than the rest! It almost seems like it's stalled, but it's not, it's just growing really slow on the bottom. Is this normal? Any ways to speed it up for the next time I make a batch of cakes?

hogwild · 05-11-06, 04:56

did this cake get set on the bottom of the incubator? it could be that either its stalled or the temps just a little too high on the bottom and slowing it down. You might try loosening the lid and putting a fan in your incubator if you dont already have one.

Lazlo · 05-11-06, 05:34

They could be drying out on the bottoms or they could be too wet as well. You can lightly tap the jars upside down on a book to seperate the cake from the jars a bit to help with the finishing. Leave them lid side down for finishing with the colonization. Don't be alarmed if the mycelium starts to puff up from doing this. It's common.

reverend trips · 05-11-06, 05:37

It is normal, there is a build up of CO2 in the jar that will slow and possibly even outright stall the growth.
You can very carefully flip the jars upside down and let them finish like that.
This will drain out the CO2 and get things back on track.
Be careful that you don't shift the vermiculite barrier while flipping.
Good luck!

reverend trips · 05-11-06, 05:38

Shit Laz you beat me to it LOL

malefacter · 05-11-06, 06:46

what i think typically happens is the top of the cake gets colonized and that kinda stops the airflow if you use a longer needle and knock it up at the bottom this will be less of a problem

when my friend makes cakes he uses a tyvek filter and fills the jar all the way to the top with no verm and he has found that even when inoculating from the bottom when the fungis reaches the air hole everything seems to stop even if there is a small amount at the top of the jar not colonized so he is going to try leaving say 1/8 inch space next time to let air move around at the top.

Antranik · 05-11-06, 08:53

It's been almost 2.5 weeks. I removed the incubator a few days ago because the weather is starting to get hot so room temperature is plenty warm now and even now in the early morning, they are warm enough by their own heat. I had foil on the lids a week ago and removed those to allow more air exchange and have set them upside down ever since.

The slowest growing jar (for the bottom, the sides are complete for all jars) has tiny condensation drops on the bottom and the cake has actually pulled away from the bottom and is totally not touching the bottom anymore, as if the cake has shrunk, this is the slowest one. The other two look somewhat dry on the bottom but look like they will eventually be completed.

You know what I noticed yesterday, that interesting mycelium piss that everybody calls. I'm not worried about it, it doesn't look like a contam but does this happen because the cake might have gotten too hot yesterday?

roc · 05-11-06, 14:01

Be patient cause they are close!

roc · 05-11-06, 14:11

When you loaded the jars did you pack'em any at all?
A tight tamped jar will do this...

encapsulated · 05-11-06, 16:58

Also i have found that if you put just enough verm in the bottom of the jar as to where you cant see any glas through it the bottom wont need lo colonize so it will shave that part of the colonizing process off!!!!Just try it on one or two and see if you like it before doing a whole batch that way!!!

hogwild · 05-11-06, 17:27

agreed, if you have a bottom verm layer and a top verm layer your cakes will automatically be de cased. Its convenient, and the extra verm soaks up excess moisture if you screw up on the water content.

Antranik · 05-11-06, 19:00

Awesome tips! Thanks guys.

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05-11-06, 04:35	#1 (permalink)
Antranik Mycophiliac Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28	Bottom of cake takes long time? Jeez the bottom of the cake takes 10 times longer to colonize than the rest! It almost seems like it's stalled, but it's not, it's just growing really slow on the bottom. Is this normal? Any ways to speed it up for the next time I make a batch of cakes?

05-11-06, 04:56	#2 (permalink)
hogwild Mycotopiate Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,087	did this cake get set on the bottom of the incubator? it could be that either its stalled or the temps just a little too high on the bottom and slowing it down. You might try loosening the lid and putting a fan in your incubator if you dont already have one. __________________ Trouble ahead, trouble behind, And you know that notion just crossed my mind.

05-11-06, 05:34	#3 (permalink)
Lazlo old hand Join Date: Mar 1970 Posts: 7,692	They could be drying out on the bottoms or they could be too wet as well. You can lightly tap the jars upside down on a book to seperate the cake from the jars a bit to help with the finishing. Leave them lid side down for finishing with the colonization. Don't be alarmed if the mycelium starts to puff up from doing this. It's common. __________________ How can you have any pudding, if you don't eat your MEAT?

05-11-06, 06:46	#6 (permalink)
malefacter :P Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 953	what i think typically happens is the top of the cake gets colonized and that kinda stops the airflow if you use a longer needle and knock it up at the bottom this will be less of a problem when my friend makes cakes he uses a tyvek filter and fills the jar all the way to the top with no verm and he has found that even when inoculating from the bottom when the fungis reaches the air hole everything seems to stop even if there is a small amount at the top of the jar not colonized so he is going to try leaving say 1/8 inch space next time to let air move around at the top. __________________ If you like my post give me some reputation points ( shameless I know)

05-11-06, 05:37	#4 (permalink)
reverend trips Former Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,365	It is normal, there is a build up of CO2 in the jar that will slow and possibly even outright stall the growth. You can very carefully flip the jars upside down and let them finish like that. This will drain out the CO2 and get things back on track. Be careful that you don't shift the vermiculite barrier while flipping. Good luck!

05-11-06, 05:38	#5 (permalink)
reverend trips Former Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,365	Shit Laz you beat me to it LOL

05-11-06, 08:53	#7 (permalink)
Antranik Mycophiliac Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28	It's been almost 2.5 weeks. I removed the incubator a few days ago because the weather is starting to get hot so room temperature is plenty warm now and even now in the early morning, they are warm enough by their own heat. I had foil on the lids a week ago and removed those to allow more air exchange and have set them upside down ever since. The slowest growing jar (for the bottom, the sides are complete for all jars) has tiny condensation drops on the bottom and the cake has actually pulled away from the bottom and is totally not touching the bottom anymore, as if the cake has shrunk, this is the slowest one. The other two look somewhat dry on the bottom but look like they will eventually be completed. You know what I noticed yesterday, that interesting mycelium piss that everybody calls. I'm not worried about it, it doesn't look like a contam but does this happen because the cake might have gotten too hot yesterday?

05-11-06, 14:01	#8 (permalink)
roc Old Man Join Date: Mar 1970 Posts: 4,460	Be patient cause they are close! __________________ ubuntu! Member of Native Geekaho Tribe. "Think for yourself and question authority"

05-11-06, 14:11	#9 (permalink)
roc Old Man Join Date: Mar 1970 Posts: 4,460	When you loaded the jars did you pack'em any at all? A tight tamped jar will do this... __________________ ubuntu! Member of Native Geekaho Tribe. "Think for yourself and question authority"

05-11-06, 16:58	#10 (permalink)
encapsulated Mycotopiate Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 501	Also i have found that if you put just enough verm in the bottom of the jar as to where you cant see any glas through it the bottom wont need lo colonize so it will shave that part of the colonizing process off!!!!Just try it on one or two and see if you like it before doing a whole batch that way!!! __________________ "I think waffles will be cool to hold while tripping" - encapsulated

05-11-06, 17:27	#11 (permalink)
hogwild Mycotopiate Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,087	agreed, if you have a bottom verm layer and a top verm layer your cakes will automatically be de cased. Its convenient, and the extra verm soaks up excess moisture if you screw up on the water content. __________________ Trouble ahead, trouble behind, And you know that notion just crossed my mind.

05-11-06, 19:00	#12 (permalink)
Antranik Mycophiliac Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28	Awesome tips! Thanks guys.

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