Rye Grain dried out?!?!

TheAlchemist · 06-27-09, 10:55

Hi all, just checked on my bag while waiting for it to colonise and although some of it is colonising nicely i've noticed that the rye grain looks like it's drying out... Does this mean im in trouble?

What im using for a heater is a reptile heating mat that WAS about an inch underneath the bag which is sitting on a wire cooling rack for baking (i have now moved it up to about 5 inches). The thermometer that i have on the same rack says the heat is 29*c so its the right temperature but maybe its too hot for the grain?

If anyone else has had this problem or maybe its not a problem and im just over-reacting i'd appreciate it if you could help! Thanks!

TheAlchemist · 06-27-09, 11:05

On further inspection i've noticed someone else has posted a similar question, still, i would like to know what anyone around here thinks if you can! Because its sealed in the bag i cant really get one out to check it properly.

johnnydigital · 06-27-09, 11:38

How do you know they've dried out? By sight? The rye grain should be totally dry on the outside... all the moisture is on the inside. So, as long as they're plump, you should be ok... besides, they're already colonizing, let em ride. Is there condensation?

Now, 84 is a bit hot, that would mean that the center of the bag is a few degrees warmer, which is at the upper edge of the scale. If it were me, I'd turn that temp down to 79.

Kreat · 06-27-09, 11:39

Last time my rye looked like it was drying out, it was actually a bacterial infection. Does it look like its starting to turn grayish?

Irishlion · 06-27-09, 11:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnydigital

How do you know they've dried out? By sight? The rye grain should be totally dry on the outside... all the moisture is on the inside. So, as long as they're plump, you should be ok... besides, they're already colonizing, let em ride. Is there condensation?

Now, 84 is a bit hot, that would mean that the center of the bag is a few degrees warmer, which is at the upper edge of the scale. If it were me, I'd turn that temp down to 79.

TheAlchemist · 06-27-09, 11:51

Yeah by sight most of the grain looks just like any other picture of rye on here but the bottom of the bag where the mycelium is spreading looks dry, it does look sort of grey but it looks more like a dried out colour of rye. There is a small amount of condesation in the bag.

There shouldn't be any contams as i havn't touched it and it's been made by a company who sell kits. I hope it's not a contam!

johnnydigital · 06-27-09, 12:03

I see you mention having a heating pad as an incubator, but tell me more about your incubator setup. Are the colonizing bags just pretty much sitting on top of the mat? Or, do you have the whole thing in a tub? Or, is it open air?

If it's open air, that may be a problem. You want to use a tub so that the temperature is more or less 80 degrees in the ENTIRE tub... not just on the bottom. If the bags are colonizing open air, on the mat, then the bottom will be very hot, but the top will be cool. This can be solved by just putting the bags in a tub, then placing the tub on the mat.

TheAlchemist · 06-27-09, 12:09

I've got a tub (50x12x12 inch) with the bag sitting about an inch over the mat on a wire cooling rack used for baking. I've got a thermometer on the cooling rack that varies from 26-29*c. The air hasn't even touched the rye since i've had it as it's sealed in the bag.

So what your saying is that the heating mat will work better if the tubs on top of it rather than the mat being inside the tub on the bottom?

johnnydigital · 06-27-09, 12:11

No, i just wanted to make sure you HAVE a tub

Sounds like you're ok then... just let em ride, especially if you're seeing colonization....

TheAlchemist · 06-27-09, 12:18

My main worry is that the mat is cooking the grain cos ive read that these type of mats use infra red heating which heat the objects in the tank rather than the air. But surely the thermometer is showing the temperature of the objects in there as it is an object.

TheAlchemist · 06-27-09, 12:20

I got given the mat by the way so it was only recently i found out about it being infra red.

johnnydigital · 06-27-09, 12:23

Ya, that's why the tub in tub setups work so great... it spreads the heating source out and you get uniform heat within the incubator.

If you're worried about them drying out, Perhaps you could raise the bags a bit off the mat. You mentioned they were about an inch off the mat, perhaps raise them as high as you can.

TheAlchemist · 06-27-09, 12:28

Yeah i have done, the bag's sitting about 5 inches above the mat now. Hopefully it's going to be ok. I just want the myc to have enough moisture and seeing as i can't get in the bag to do anything about it looks like i've just got to wait and see. Which is crap lol. Anyway thanks pal! If anyone else has got an opinion i would love to hear it.

GadgetGuy · 06-27-09, 14:09

My friend has used those mats before and switched to a tub in tub design with an aquarium heater. He prefers that a lot more as it does seem to be a more uniform, safer, and less concentrated heat. He had problems with his mat getting too warm, so it could be his experience. I think your bag will be fine as long as you haven't seen any stalled growth. Can you get a pic by chance?

TheAlchemist · 06-27-09, 14:14

Na i havn't got a camera and my phone isn't good enough! I've tried! I've been looking at the growing systems that come with everything you need like heaters/humidifiers but they're quite expensive and are probably not worth it.

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06-27-09, 10:55	#1 (permalink)
TheAlchemist Mycophage Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 111	Rye Grain dried out?!?! Hi all, just checked on my bag while waiting for it to colonise and although some of it is colonising nicely i've noticed that the rye grain looks like it's drying out... Does this mean im in trouble? What im using for a heater is a reptile heating mat that WAS about an inch underneath the bag which is sitting on a wire cooling rack for baking (i have now moved it up to about 5 inches). The thermometer that i have on the same rack says the heat is 29*c so its the right temperature but maybe its too hot for the grain? If anyone else has had this problem or maybe its not a problem and im just over-reacting i'd appreciate it if you could help! Thanks!

06-27-09, 11:39	#4 (permalink)
Kreat Mycotopiate Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 249	Last time my rye looked like it was drying out, it was actually a bacterial infection. Does it look like its starting to turn grayish? __________________ Favorite LC Tek Critter Country Tek

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06-27-09, 11:05	#2 (permalink)
TheAlchemist Mycophage Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 111	On further inspection i've noticed someone else has posted a similar question, still, i would like to know what anyone around here thinks if you can! Because its sealed in the bag i cant really get one out to check it properly.

06-27-09, 11:38	#3 (permalink)
johnnydigital Former Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 713	How do you know they've dried out? By sight? The rye grain should be totally dry on the outside... all the moisture is on the inside. So, as long as they're plump, you should be ok... besides, they're already colonizing, let em ride. Is there condensation? Now, 84 is a bit hot, that would mean that the center of the bag is a few degrees warmer, which is at the upper edge of the scale. If it were me, I'd turn that temp down to 79.

06-27-09, 11:51	#6 (permalink)
TheAlchemist Mycophage Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 111	Yeah by sight most of the grain looks just like any other picture of rye on here but the bottom of the bag where the mycelium is spreading looks dry, it does look sort of grey but it looks more like a dried out colour of rye. There is a small amount of condesation in the bag. There shouldn't be any contams as i havn't touched it and it's been made by a company who sell kits. I hope it's not a contam!

06-27-09, 12:03	#7 (permalink)
johnnydigital Former Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 713	I see you mention having a heating pad as an incubator, but tell me more about your incubator setup. Are the colonizing bags just pretty much sitting on top of the mat? Or, do you have the whole thing in a tub? Or, is it open air? If it's open air, that may be a problem. You want to use a tub so that the temperature is more or less 80 degrees in the ENTIRE tub... not just on the bottom. If the bags are colonizing open air, on the mat, then the bottom will be very hot, but the top will be cool. This can be solved by just putting the bags in a tub, then placing the tub on the mat.

06-27-09, 12:09	#8 (permalink)
TheAlchemist Mycophage Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 111	I've got a tub (50x12x12 inch) with the bag sitting about an inch over the mat on a wire cooling rack used for baking. I've got a thermometer on the cooling rack that varies from 26-29*c. The air hasn't even touched the rye since i've had it as it's sealed in the bag. So what your saying is that the heating mat will work better if the tubs on top of it rather than the mat being inside the tub on the bottom?

06-27-09, 12:11	#9 (permalink)
johnnydigital Former Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 713	No, i just wanted to make sure you HAVE a tub Sounds like you're ok then... just let em ride, especially if you're seeing colonization....

06-27-09, 12:18	#10 (permalink)
TheAlchemist Mycophage Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 111	My main worry is that the mat is cooking the grain cos ive read that these type of mats use infra red heating which heat the objects in the tank rather than the air. But surely the thermometer is showing the temperature of the objects in there as it is an object.

06-27-09, 12:20	#11 (permalink)
TheAlchemist Mycophage Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 111	I got given the mat by the way so it was only recently i found out about it being infra red.

06-27-09, 12:23	#12 (permalink)
johnnydigital Former Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 713	Ya, that's why the tub in tub setups work so great... it spreads the heating source out and you get uniform heat within the incubator. If you're worried about them drying out, Perhaps you could raise the bags a bit off the mat. You mentioned they were about an inch off the mat, perhaps raise them as high as you can.

06-27-09, 12:28	#13 (permalink)
TheAlchemist Mycophage Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 111	Yeah i have done, the bag's sitting about 5 inches above the mat now. Hopefully it's going to be ok. I just want the myc to have enough moisture and seeing as i can't get in the bag to do anything about it looks like i've just got to wait and see. Which is crap lol. Anyway thanks pal! If anyone else has got an opinion i would love to hear it.

06-27-09, 14:09	#14 (permalink)
GadgetGuy Stupid Snowboarder... Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,316	My friend has used those mats before and switched to a tub in tub design with an aquarium heater. He prefers that a lot more as it does seem to be a more uniform, safer, and less concentrated heat. He had problems with his mat getting too warm, so it could be his experience. I think your bag will be fine as long as you haven't seen any stalled growth. Can you get a pic by chance?

06-27-09, 14:14	#15 (permalink)
TheAlchemist Mycophage Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 111	Na i havn't got a camera and my phone isn't good enough! I've tried! I've been looking at the growing systems that come with everything you need like heaters/humidifiers but they're quite expensive and are probably not worth it.