Couple of monotub projects

[Dr-Octagon]

Well, i've been wanting to do some monotubs since i began this hobby. Had some xtra tubs from when the 18gal steri's were on sale for like 3 bux. Purple tubs, but i dont think they will mind.

I had been using big tupperware containers or whatever i had available. I'm of limited means to some degree. Lately, i had been using 12x12 gladware containers. To my surprise, they hold up great @ 15+ psi.

I had been using the 12x12's with ok success. Colonization times have increased so much tho that i began to lose alot before they fully colonized. I had started with Cow compost and whatever materials i wanted to mess with.

Compost/verm/sawdust
compost/verm/cob
compost/verm/coir

From what i gather, cow compost seems to be hit or miss regionally.

Then i got ahold of some field aged Hpoo for free from a farm an hour or so away. Filled my truck-bed up bout half and layed it all out in the sun to dry and i've been storing it in bins in my carport.

I leach it before use but i have yet to try pasteurization. It's all been pc. I have been fruiting in 90+ temps spiking over just over 100 sometimes and doing well enough for the time-being.

Anyway, the 12x12's haven't been colonizing well enough so i've added some cob again to aid colonization. I use crumbled brf cakes as spawn. I did use a brf/wbsf combo but it's darker and the lighter brf only cakes make spotting contams easier. I use 12oz quilted jellies and they dont make it any easier to spot funky shit before it gets out of hand. I started using them since i figured it'd help cut down on my verm bill since they're taller.

"Shut up and make with the pics Jack!!!"

Alright, these were spawned the 14th or so. Bout 1:4 spawn-sub. Sub is Hpoo/Verm,Cob,Coir, 70/30 roughly. (I don't measure when i cook either) Equalish parts of the verm,coir,cob 30% or so of the total volume. Bit on the wet side.

First one is Pesa and the second is Koh Samui from a clone that was 43.5 wet. The Pesa was a multispore lc. That cap is a 'zon that I picked this morning off a 12x12 str8 hpoo sub next to a "AA" baterry............the cap not the sub of course, lol

[RITTER]

WoW! those both look fantastic! & thats one hell of a "Lunker" cap you got there! Now i didn't know you could use cob? thats awesome I love the way Cubensis grow on just about anything! are you gonna case it?
Looking great dude!!!
"Ritter"

[mycowarrier]

Yea nice growin Dr.
Nice to see others using GCC [ground corn cob] in their subs. I am now using a 50/50 GCC and WBS spawn. Separates better and holds more moisture. I sterilize all my substrates including straw. It is actually cheaper electricity wise.

[Dr-Octagon]

Thanks a bunch guys!

I did some cob/ cow compost subs that were mostly cob and it colonized great and looked really promising but it barely fruited at all. However, i got lazy and didn't just toss them.

Eventually they did a couple fruits a piece. Nice lookin fruits too. One of those "hey lemme just look down here" surprises.

I could barely find any info on cob besides the slurry threads. What i did find said exactly what i found tho about the colonization. That's why i only wanted to add a small amt. I could probably go with less.

I just needed to up the colonization speed since i was losing subs at an increasing rate. I still have some 12x12's that have been eeking along and they're not going to make it. Some upwards of prolly 6-8wks.

I'm prolly going to keep them case-less since it's so hot tho. I kinda wanna be able to keep an eye on them.

But hey, i'm no pro and i'm up for suggestions always.

This board rocks!

[Dr-Octagon]

Got some pinnage goin on in the 'Zon tub.

This is a 'zon off one of those 12x12 gladware containers. Wish i could throw together some agar plates but i got people in from outta town.

Maybe i'll clone it dry later, i dunno yet.

[MLBjammer]

Nice grow, man.

You should start pasteurizing your dung. If you are sterilizing it, that is a big reason you are have so many contam issues (leaves poo wide open to bacteria and moulds), plus you lose valuable nutrients to the mycelium in the poo when you sterilize it. You can do the old pillowcase pasteurization, which moisturizes, pasteurizes and leeches all in one shot. Just make sure you wring the living hell out of the pillowcase after it has drained for several hours, so as to remove excess moisture.

As far as casing bulk subs, you do not have to. I don't think the difference in yield is all that much, and you can better see any contams if you can see the surface.

Good luck, and thank you for sharing. Peace!

[seymorebunz]

Looking good Doc Oc!

[Sidestreet]

Originally Posted by Dr-Octagon

Then i got ahold of some field aged HPoo for free from a farm an hour or so away. Filled my truck-bed up bout half and layed it all out in the sun to dry and i've been storing it in bins in my carport.

Wow, nice haul! Good stuff, hope your colo' times pick up for you.

[~Hippie3]

nice biggun there

[BuckarooBanzai]

Nice. You can dry that big fellow and clone it later. Dry tissue clones very effectively.

Are you incubating your trays? You will tend to loose a lot more bulk projects in the heat of the summer, so anything you can do to speed them up helps.

More spawn speeds things up. Incubating trays at 81F-82F speeds things up as well. Speed is critical when it's hot and sticky outside.

Below is a coir:castings bulk sub. Spawned 1:3 with popcorn. Incubated at 81F, it finished in 6 days.



Pic is from:
http://forums.mycotopia.net/compost-...oto-essay.html (Bulk substrate, spawning through full colonization: a photo essay)

[Dr-Octagon]

Thanks guys! As far as incubation, I've been Putting a few big black garbage over my tubs and setting them out on my covered porch. The porch has been peaking @ 85 or so and it drops down to about 80.
I know 5 degrees is a bit of a swing for incubation temps. I have 6 of these tubs out there right now and i dont have anywhere that is large enough and more consistent and/or high enough temp-wise.

I cant wait till it cools off a bit. It's been a bitch keeping the temps under 100 in my growspace while fruiting. For instance, right now it's 3pm ish and 98.4 degrees. It's like a wind tunnel in there too. Lol

I had a thread on high fruiting temps:
http://forums.mycotopia.net/fungi-gr...tml#post726308 (Highest fruiting temps you've experienced?)

I can't complain too much. I've pretty much got it wide open airflow wise in the heat of the day and i fan 3-4 times. Sometimes if it clouds up i can stay under 90. Toyed with Hip's evaporative cooler idea as well. Have it sketched out and everything. One idea with ice in a cooler to be used as a recovery reservior and recirculated.
I toyed with the idea of air conditioning the space but as long as i'm not cooking things, i'm a happy camper. Yield would be nicer i bet.

BuckarooBanzai, That looks awesome dood. The clone tub i have, the material came from a dried fruit. http://forums.mycotopia.net/727389-post9.html

It weighed 43.5 wet if i remember right.

Wierd thing is, and this is gonna sound odd, the fruit i cloned looked like a bigass abort. But, i grew some test cakes and the fruits looked like pretty little umbrellas which is good for Koh Samui. So it musta been the conditions it was grown in i guess. I'm curious to see what this tub will do. No pins on it yet. The sub it came off of tho was cow compost/sawdust/verm too. It only produced a few fruits.

[Dr-Octagon]

Well coming along well in the 'zon tub. Mostly edge action. Think the surface could use a little scratching?

[BuckarooBanzai]

Looks maybe a little dry and wants more fresh air exchange. Long stems with small caps usually point to a high concentration of CO2.

I think scraping is a mostly a myth.

[Dr-Octagon]

More Fae and a nice bath? Can do.

I've been flooding my trays for 18-20 or so hours. These tubs haven't been but i think i will be from now on. Things were mighty moist when i put them out to fruit so i was hesitant to flood them at the time.

Since the Koh tub hasn't pinned yet i think i'll flood that bad boy and the 'zon tub as soon as i pick it.

Sounds like a winner. Gonna be reading up some more an pasteurization. Think that's gonna be my next step.

[Dr-Octagon]

Well, harvested the 'zon tub. 270.6 wet. Not too shabby. This board rocks!

[BuckarooBanzai]

Nice harvest, man.

All the info is here if anybody is willing to do a little research...

Growing mushrooms is really pretty surprisingly easy.

[Dr-Octagon]

Thanks! Seems like the more i simplify it the better it is. Thanks to everyone @ topia for the help.

I lived in the archives for like a year and so many threads by people still active and many who have left.

[Dr-Octagon]

Second flush on that zon tub worked out to 191.3g. The Koh tub hasn't done anything yet. I dunked it, fanning 4-5 times a day. It's knotting, guess we'll see.

I know my hands are awful. I had to convert a car with air suspension to coil springs yesterday and my hands get pretty funky. Saved myself some money tho. Lol

[Om shanti]

Nice grow!

[AGAMA]

Originally Posted by Dr-Octagon

Second flush on that zon tub worked out to 191.3g.
I know my hands are awful. I had to convert a car with air suspension to coil springs yesterday and my hands get pretty funky. Saved myself some money tho. Lol

I get the pleasure of working on cars too, on a "need to" basis only.
What's "in" your hands is often more important than what's "on"them, according to that pic!!!
And those are respectable flushes. Will be watching for pics of the Koh bulk. Will also be looking to see what you do with the big 'Zon.
From my experience so far, pasteurizing bulk substrates is the way to go. Contams will drop off when you do. I lost a 13 bag bulk grow as I was starting this hobby back up again recently, in large part due to me PCing the poo(that's what I believe, anyway).
Best of luck.
You're moving in the right direction.

P.S. Thanx for marking the spot for cloning from dried fruits in the archives. Gives me an idea for another project.