Can agar plates be stored in the freezer?

max_freakout · 07-15-08, 09:48

im going to start experiementing with growing mycelium on malt-extract agar, is it possible to store poured petri dishes in the freezer before inoculating them?

tasq · 07-15-08, 16:50

I store mine at room temp with no issues. Just make sure they are sealed up.

BuckarooBanzai · 07-15-08, 17:16

I think agar softens when you freeze it, but I'm not sure.

I always seal them with parafilm and keep them in the vegetable crisper in a gallon ziploc.

Myc · 07-15-08, 19:20

Ditto that.
Never stored 'em in the freezer.
Took a tip from Hippie3 and instead of wrapping with parafilm
I just slip the sleeve they came out of back over them - all done aseptically of course. The flowhood really frees things up for that type work but it could be done in a glovebox too.
Parafilm is used after transfer/ innoculation.

Hippie3 · 07-15-08, 19:23

freezing would separate the water off,
proly not good once thawed
but i'm guessing, never froze any.

Sideshow · 07-15-08, 19:30

I've been storing mine in a paper bag in the veggie crisper in the fridge for like 8 months or so. Fresh as daisies.

Myc · 07-15-08, 19:50

Well it looks like the "I don't knows" have it.
Guess I'll take one for the team and try it out.
Got some plates in the 'fridge so I'll move a couple to the freezer and report back in say........a week?
Maybe leave a couple more in there for a month?
We'll see what happens.

-edit-
So I've got 4 plates in the freezer
2 will come out in a week
2 will come out on 8/5
3 plates stored in the 'fridge vegetable crisper as controls
all poured from the same batch @ the same time

Hippie3 · 07-15-08, 19:57

if the water does pull out
proly could just re-heat agar to liquify, stir to mix and re-pour.

Myc · 07-15-08, 20:01

Yeah, I'm just doing this for the hell of it.
As much agar work as I do, no need for long term plate storage.
As for batch storage (pre-poured), I just keep it in a Qt. Mason jar in a closet in the lab. No refrigeration, nada. The batches seem to last quite awhile that way and I haven't had any problems. Thanks to the Airport tek, combined with a flowhood or glovebox, I've never had a problem with contaminated batches either.

BuckarooBanzai · 07-15-08, 22:33

Damn I love this place.

Cool keeping a control, Myc. Got a camera?

Myc · 07-16-08, 01:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckarooBanzai

Got a camera?

Oh yeah!

Figure when the first test pair comes out, I'll just do a photo comparison side by side with a control.
Got an aggressive strain isolate so I'll perform a transfer to the test group and the control group at that time to see if the plates' ability to support growth was compromised somehow.

I'm not sure how to do a long-term version of this though.
I'm wondering if the freezer will dessicate the test plates over time (frost/ ice loss due to sublimation). But I don't think the controls will last that long in the refrigerator.

"Agar for the Masses" rules. You've turned me into an agar geek Buckaroo!!! LOL I still use that tek even though I have a flowhood now.

Sideshow · 07-16-08, 08:30

I'll be waiting for the results of your experiment, Myc.
Thanks for your efforts.

BuckarooBanzai · 07-16-08, 17:04

Why thank you!

Even with a flowhood, the big syringe is so much easier to deal with than pouring. Lets you get a super thin layer of agar which is cool. Less condensation and your agar goes farther!

psylence · 07-16-08, 17:56

The water and agar does separate. I store unpoured agar in the freezer and re-melt and re-sterilise as needed. If it is just left to defrost though, water gathers at the bottom while the agar remains solid.

Myc · 07-25-08, 20:17

Test plates remained frozen from 7/15 - 7/24
Two plates were removed and allowed to defrost overnight.
The frozen plates had a great deal of frost on them when removed from the freezer.
Upon thawing, they also had a great deal of condensation present leading me to believe that they lost quite a bit of water as a result of freezing.
Side by side comparison to a control shows that the frozen plates have a grainy texture to them now.
Control plate is pictured on the left.

A close up of a frozen plate

Now let's throw some hungry, fence-jumping mycelium at the experiment and see if the properties of the agar have been altered.

You gotta love isolate plates that isolate themselves! LOL!
I wish the myc would always do my work for me!

We'll check colonization results in a week.
The remaining two frozen plates will be removed on 8/5 (or thereabouts), while the remaining control will stay in the 'fridge.

eatyualive · 07-25-08, 21:16

awesome myc! awesome!

"archive material"

Myc · 08-04-08, 21:37

Here are the plates after one week of incubation.
Freezing the plates for one week seems to have no negative effects.
But who is going to freeze plates for only one week?

The remaining two plates will remain in the freezer for a total of say.... 6 months. With controls remaining in the refrigerator for an equal lenth of time.
So the remainder of this experiment will continue in January.

The control plate is in the center position

BuckarooBanzai · 08-04-08, 21:41

Very cool. I thought freezing would totally screw 'em.

Looks like I was wrong again...

Sideshow · 08-04-08, 22:40

Thank you so much for doing this experiment.

I know what i'll be doing from now on.......
Requesting to mods that this thread be archived

limeade · 08-04-08, 22:43

yeah so i never ever have frozen agar, but I have made slants and stored them at 36*F, above freezing, but below the "temperature danger zone" 40*F - 140*F. I have had slants stay viable for some time now.

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07-15-08, 09:48	#1 (permalink)
max_freakout Mycophiliac Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 59	Can agar plates be stored in the freezer? im going to start experiementing with growing mycelium on malt-extract agar, is it possible to store poured petri dishes in the freezer before inoculating them?

07-15-08, 17:16	#3 (permalink)
BuckarooBanzai Prone to ranting... Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 4,243	I think agar softens when you freeze it, but I'm not sure. I always seal them with parafilm and keep them in the vegetable crisper in a gallon ziploc. __________________ Banzai Institute for Higher Education (a collection of growing Teks & threads)

07-15-08, 19:23	#5 (permalink)
Hippie3 Admin Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 36,331	freezing would separate the water off, proly not good once thawed but i'm guessing, never froze any. __________________ GROW SUPPLIES: www.Mycrotopia.com ------------Simply The Best------------ Namaste Temet Nosce

07-15-08, 19:30	#6 (permalink)
Sideshow PsychoActivist Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 173	I've been storing mine in a paper bag in the veggie crisper in the fridge for like 8 months or so. Fresh as daisies. Last edited by Sideshow : 07-15-08 at 19:31. Reason: spelling error

07-15-08, 16:50	#2 (permalink)
tasq Mycophiliac Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 2	I store mine at room temp with no issues. Just make sure they are sealed up.

07-15-08, 19:20	#4 (permalink)
Myc El Jardinero Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,262	Ditto that. Never stored 'em in the freezer. Took a tip from Hippie3 and instead of wrapping with parafilm I just slip the sleeve they came out of back over them - all done aseptically of course. The flowhood really frees things up for that type work but it could be done in a glovebox too. Parafilm is used after transfer/ innoculation.

07-15-08, 19:50	#7 (permalink)
Myc El Jardinero Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,262	Well it looks like the "I don't knows" have it. Guess I'll take one for the team and try it out. Got some plates in the 'fridge so I'll move a couple to the freezer and report back in say........a week? Maybe leave a couple more in there for a month? We'll see what happens. -edit- So I've got 4 plates in the freezer 2 will come out in a week 2 will come out on 8/5 3 plates stored in the 'fridge vegetable crisper as controls all poured from the same batch @ the same time

07-15-08, 19:57	#8 (permalink)
Hippie3 Admin Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 36,331	if the water does pull out proly could just re-heat agar to liquify, stir to mix and re-pour. __________________ GROW SUPPLIES: www.Mycrotopia.com ------------Simply The Best------------ Namaste Temet Nosce

07-15-08, 20:01	#9 (permalink)
Myc El Jardinero Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,262	Yeah, I'm just doing this for the hell of it. As much agar work as I do, no need for long term plate storage. As for batch storage (pre-poured), I just keep it in a Qt. Mason jar in a closet in the lab. No refrigeration, nada. The batches seem to last quite awhile that way and I haven't had any problems. Thanks to the Airport tek, combined with a flowhood or glovebox, I've never had a problem with contaminated batches either.

07-15-08, 22:33	#10 (permalink)
BuckarooBanzai Prone to ranting... Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 4,243	Damn I love this place. Cool keeping a control, Myc. Got a camera? __________________ Banzai Institute for Higher Education (a collection of growing Teks & threads)

07-16-08, 08:30	#12 (permalink)
Sideshow PsychoActivist Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 173	I'll be waiting for the results of your experiment, Myc. Thanks for your efforts.

07-16-08, 17:04	#13 (permalink)
BuckarooBanzai Prone to ranting... Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 4,243	Why thank you! Even with a flowhood, the big syringe is so much easier to deal with than pouring. Lets you get a super thin layer of agar which is cool. Less condensation and your agar goes farther! __________________ Banzai Institute for Higher Education (a collection of growing Teks & threads)

07-16-08, 17:56	#14 (permalink)
psylence Mycotopiate Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 284	The water and agar does separate. I store unpoured agar in the freezer and re-melt and re-sterilise as needed. If it is just left to defrost though, water gathers at the bottom while the agar remains solid.

07-25-08, 20:17	#15 (permalink)
Myc El Jardinero Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,262	Experiment Update Test plates remained frozen from 7/15 - 7/24 Two plates were removed and allowed to defrost overnight. The frozen plates had a great deal of frost on them when removed from the freezer. Upon thawing, they also had a great deal of condensation present leading me to believe that they lost quite a bit of water as a result of freezing. Side by side comparison to a control shows that the frozen plates have a grainy texture to them now. Control plate is pictured on the left. A close up of a frozen plate Now let's throw some hungry, fence-jumping mycelium at the experiment and see if the properties of the agar have been altered. You gotta love isolate plates that isolate themselves! LOL! I wish the myc would always do my work for me! We'll check colonization results in a week. The remaining two frozen plates will be removed on 8/5 (or thereabouts), while the remaining control will stay in the 'fridge.

07-25-08, 21:16	#16 (permalink)
eatyualive LookIntoYourMind Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,840	awesome myc! awesome! "archive material" __________________ Simplicity Rules! Anything this user posts is not reality. It is an illusion. Optical lenses are quite impressive these days. Last edited by eatyualive : 07-25-08 at 21:16. Reason: add

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08-04-08, 21:37	#17 (permalink)
Myc El Jardinero Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,262	Update Pics Here are the plates after one week of incubation. Freezing the plates for one week seems to have no negative effects. But who is going to freeze plates for only one week? The remaining two plates will remain in the freezer for a total of say.... 6 months. With controls remaining in the refrigerator for an equal lenth of time. So the remainder of this experiment will continue in January. The control plate is in the center position

08-04-08, 21:41	#18 (permalink)
BuckarooBanzai Prone to ranting... Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 4,243	Very cool. I thought freezing would totally screw 'em. Looks like I was wrong again... __________________ Banzai Institute for Higher Education (a collection of growing Teks & threads)

08-04-08, 22:40	#19 (permalink)
Sideshow PsychoActivist Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 173	Thank you so much for doing this experiment. I know what i'll be doing from now on....... Requesting to mods that this thread be archived __________________ Mycotopia: An Environment wherin ecological equilibrium is enhanced through the judicious use of fungi for the betterment of all lifeforms

08-04-08, 22:43	#20 (permalink)
limeade Former Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 1,183	yeah so i never ever have frozen agar, but I have made slants and stored them at 36F, above freezing, but below the "temperature danger zone" 40F - 140*F. I have had slants stay viable for some time now.

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