1st closet grow, need advice

MelloW · 08-27-09, 15:06

Hey guys,

finally got stuff going! Incubating went well and had hardly any contams in the jars. i set up the closet yesterday and it seems to be doing well except for the temp. drop during the night.

this is what my set up looks like:

I have a 75 watt florescent, small heating pad, and also a small fan heater to keep things warm.

Do you think a 75 watt covered w/ 2 plastic bags will provide enough light or too much??

Right now the only trouble I have is keeping the closet warm enough through the night but other than that everything seems to be OK.

One tub is full of non-dunked cakes my roommate set up. The other is mine which I dunked overnight and used the double case tek.

How many days should pass until I should worry about not seeing any fuzz/pins?

MelloW · 08-27-09, 15:09

Oh yea forgot to add that the strain is Golden teacher

boots420 · 08-27-09, 15:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by MelloW

Do you think a 75 watt covered w/ 2 plastic bags will provide enough light or too much??

that 75 watt will provide enough light.
mushrooms dont use light light plants ie photsynthesis.

yet, they mainly use light to initiate pinning. although there are other factors - light is one of the factors that "tells" the substrate that the conditions are right for fruiting.

a fluorescent lamp or indirect sunlight is plenty of light.

plantman21 · 08-27-09, 15:41

You could see pins in a couple of days or it could take a couple of weeks.
Plantman

MelloW · 08-27-09, 15:49

thanks for the quick response.

been checking the temp every so often and its around 73 F.

the small heater fan seems to have some auto shut off which is fine but its not keeping the closet warm enough because of it.

any ideas on how to keep the temp more stable?

plantman21 · 08-27-09, 15:52

Try useing a TIT = Tub in tub
Tub with a aquarium heater

MelloW · 08-27-09, 20:12

I noticed the humidity dropped and stabilized around 90% in the tub w/ the DEC tek cakes.

Is because the vermiculite absorbed the surrounding moisture?

Should I syringe some water on the verm. so it won't lower the humidity anymore?
How often do you have to rehydrate the verm?

BuckarooBanzai · 08-27-09, 21:41

Why do you have the plastic bags around the lights? That seems like a fire hazard to me.

DON'T run a space heater in such a small area. It cut off because it got overheated - if it didn't cut off, it might have started a fire.

What are your room temperatures?

MelloW · 08-28-09, 14:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckarooBanzai

Why do you have the plastic bags around the lights? That seems like a fire hazard to me.

DON'T run a space heater in such a small area. It cut off because it got overheated - if it didn't cut off, it might have started a fire.

What are your room temperatures?

Yea, I'm going to replace the space heater and pad with an aquarium tub heater.

The temp in the room is about 77-81 when the dryer is on. 68-74 when its off. Drops more during the night.

BuckarooBanzai · 08-28-09, 17:07

If the light keeps it warmer in there, just leave the light on all the time. The mushrooms won't mind at all.

MLBjammer · 08-28-09, 19:33

That is damn good advice, Buck. Cheap heat!

BuckarooBanzai · 08-28-09, 20:51

Using a low wattage light for heat and pre-pinning is an old invitro trick I learned right here. I can remember the pic but I'm not at all sure how to find it...

A Christmas tree bulb puts a lot of warmth into a small area and giving light from day one speeds up invitro pinning quite dramatically.

bozefonce · 08-28-09, 23:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckarooBanzai

Using a low wattage light for heat and pre-pinning is an old invitro trick I learned right here. I can remember the pic but I'm not at all sure how to find it...

A Christmas tree bulb puts a lot of warmth into a small area and giving light from day one speeds up invitro pinning quite dramatically.

What do you count as day one, the day of inoculation? I've seen this written before but no explanation. Just wondering, since you mention it here.

BuckarooBanzai · 08-29-09, 10:57

If you are going to fruit invitro, it is helpful to give the cakes light from the very moment of inoculation.

If you wait until the cakes are fully colonized before giving them light, it takes a lot longer until they finish.

This is for invitro grows only. For spawn, bulk and cakes that you will fruit in a terrarium, it is best to incubate them in the dark to avoid early pinning (bulks will start pinning before they are fully run if they get light and too much fresh air).

MelloW · 08-29-09, 13:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckarooBanzai

If the light keeps it warmer in there, just leave the light on all the time. The mushrooms won't mind at all.

Is there such thing as too much light? Or light too strong that it will mess up the growth of the shrooms?

kcmoxtractor · 08-29-09, 13:11

I am sure that there is a point where they are getting too much light, I'm not sure where it is but you can find it around here somewhere. The caps would probably bleach lighter and get a little dry if they are getting too much light. A heatbomb would be a pretty good heater for this application also.
I am thinking of using a rope light in my tubs for a heat and light source, any of you have experience with that?

MelloW · 08-29-09, 15:25

Yea I guess thats true, which is why I decided to diffuse the light w/ the bags.

Do I start fanning the chambers now or do I wait until I start seeing pins?

BuckarooBanzai · 08-29-09, 17:36

Get the bags out of there! Those bags are a fire hazard.

Cakes can't get too much light. 24/7 light is just fine. No need to try and diffuse the light.

Cakes could get too hot but they can't get too much light.

You should be fanning the tubs at least 2 or 3 times a day.

Make sure the humidity is very high inside the tubs.

You should see condensation on the tub walls every time you open it to fan. If you don't see condensation on the walls, mist the walls. Don't mist the cakes, just the walls. Evaporation will raise humidity quickly in a sealed environment.

MelloW · 09-01-09, 21:05

Well I took off the plastic bags.

Been fanning 2-3 times daily with misting.

Starting to see a bunch of white fuzz!!! Now at day 6/7 since birth.

Hippie3 · 09-01-09, 21:33

BuckarooBanzai · 09-01-09, 21:35

White fuzz is a good sign.

Cakes and subs will frequently "fluff up" right before the real fun starts.

Beaming the good pin vibes you way man...

Hoping ya see 'em within 48 hours!

Thanks for getting rid of those plastic bags. I freak on fire hazard stuff!

MelloW · 09-03-09, 15:09

whoohoo!!!

first signs of pinning!!

here are some pics.

Dr-Octagon · 09-03-09, 15:24

Right on! Pinnage. Cool beans!

BuckarooBanzai · 09-03-09, 21:08

Congratulations, man!

Happy pin dance time!

Just keep doing what you are doing and you will be harvesting very soon....

bozefonce · 09-03-09, 23:35

We celebrate wit ya dude!

Hippie3 · 09-03-09, 23:49

MelloW · 09-07-09, 14:21

Here's some more pics

This one cake is going crazy compared to the other ones.

This cake just has one huge pin growing.

This one doesn't have any pins yet but the fingers on it look crazy!

So far after about 12 days there are 5 cakes with pins.

Anyone know why the other cakes haven't pinned yet? Do you think it's b/c my temps fluctuate? Temps drop during night so I plan on getting some weather stripping to seal the room better.

BuckarooBanzai · 09-07-09, 14:46

Just be patient and keep things as you are doing them. Sometimes cakes can just take forever to pin - blame it on the variety of multispore inoculation.

Those little rhizo fingers are pretty cool looking.

MelloW · 09-07-09, 22:31

Could someone identify this. Possible contaminant?

Haven't touched the cakes really to cause bruising.

kcmoxtractor · 09-08-09, 00:46

Looks like bruising, humidity could be low or it could be dry. Does it smell like ammonia?

weeeeeee · 09-08-09, 07:43

looks like bruising from over here cakes probably drying out a little bit you could dunk now or dunk after you harvest but dunking is highly recommended

weeeeeee · 09-08-09, 07:45

Quote:

that is a sweeeeet looking cake

P4ulada · 09-08-09, 12:31

Hey mellon, how do you do the FAE?
It´s a big tub ^^

MelloW · 09-09-09, 23:28

I just fan with the lid.

Here is part of the 1st flush harvest.

About 40 g wet.

Embrace · 09-10-09, 00:25

Nice Teachers you have there.

frozensandglass · 09-10-09, 01:24

Nice job for your first try!

viewer6922 · 09-10-09, 07:15

Very nice !!!!!

Oister · 09-10-09, 07:43

So nice to see people having a successful first grow!

Also - just my 2 cents here...although it may not be ideal, I grow in my room during the winter with terrible temperatures. Like, in the 50's, and mine still grow like CRAZY. I wouldn't worry too-too much about the temperature man :]

TVCasualty · 09-10-09, 08:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by MelloW

Is there such thing as too much light? Or light too strong that it will mess up the growth of the shrooms?

The main issue that can arise with a lot of light is excessive radiant heat. The light might not seem like it's heating up the tub very much, but it could be driving moisture off your cakes (hence the bluing).

Fluorescents give off much less heat than incandescents, obviously, but even fluoros can be intense enough to dry cakes out. You could get a lower wattage fluoro bulb if that's a problem and you can probably boost tub temps a good bit by putting some foam board insulation under and around the tubs (the cakes generate their own heat, so if you contain it with insulation they really don't need external heat unless the room is unusually cold).

MelloW · 09-10-09, 16:33

Thanks guys, I'm JUST as excited as you.

After plucking those the other cakes just exploded with growth. Patience is a good.

Day 13ish pics

I have a feeling this cake below is going to be amazing.

Today I made some upgrades. Had some jars ready so I decided to try out the flat cake method. Might have been too early but I live with it.

'New and improved' closet:

Flat cakes made in aluminum loaf pans:

BuckarooBanzai · 09-10-09, 18:01

The new setup looks nice, man.

Never count a cake out...sometimes they take their own sweet time...

MelloW · 09-22-09, 00:22

Well back from a busy weekend. Things are going GREAT!

Here's a nice cake

The tub couple days later

The nice cake close up

Now here's a MONSTER!

Decided to clone this using the cardboard tek. I've followed the directions but the ribbed part always seems to come off. Maybe the glue in this cardboard is really weak??

Anyway here's the setup as of today. Added a new tub with 4 cakes. 1 cake is made old cakes that were dunked overnight.

The top right tub is starting to pin now. Can't wait to see it in 3-4 days

0omnidirectional · 09-22-09, 00:33

I am very happy to have witnessed that.

kcmoxtractor · 09-22-09, 01:42

Holy shit dude, that is one BEASTLY cake!

The cardboard technique that I use is hydrating it to field capacity, just taking the inner wavy layer out, and laying it like agar in a Tupperware container, nice and flat. When you do this you can see the mycelium spread out on the cardboard and you get a nice look at it on a flat surface. I didn't PC mine, and they didn't contaminate. They took off pretty quickly to!

apokalypse · 09-22-09, 01:52

Did you find that the tubs on the shelf beside the light had shrooms that grew towards the light?

MelloW · 09-22-09, 03:19

Not really, most of them grew upwards.

I'll look into it more with these flatcakes tough.

BuckarooBanzai · 09-22-09, 11:39

Beautiful friggin' cakes there, man. Really nice!!!

I get annoyed with people who think cakes can't produce a nice harvest...cakes can kick ass!!!

MelloW · 09-23-09, 15:36

Alright so here's the fastest flatcake this afternoon

These cakes are the size of loaf pans you use to make pound cake.

This one looks really weird. Seems like the gills are consuming the whole top cap.

The other cakes aren't as big as this cake but they are starting to pin.

BuckarooBanzai · 09-23-09, 15:55

Nice big cake!

That funky fellow probably has a rosecomb mutation. Makes for some weird looking shrooms but they are perfectly safe to eat.

Lysol has been known to cause that, but it also happens spontaneously. If it is just one mushroom, I wouldn't worry about it.

GadgetGuy · 09-23-09, 16:03

I love Golden Teachers. Nice work man!

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08-27-09, 15:06	#1 (permalink)
MelloW Mycophiliac Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 25	1st closet grow, need advice Hey guys, finally got stuff going! Incubating went well and had hardly any contams in the jars. i set up the closet yesterday and it seems to be doing well except for the temp. drop during the night. this is what my set up looks like: I have a 75 watt florescent, small heating pad, and also a small fan heater to keep things warm. Do you think a 75 watt covered w/ 2 plastic bags will provide enough light or too much?? Right now the only trouble I have is keeping the closet warm enough through the night but other than that everything seems to be OK. One tub is full of non-dunked cakes my roommate set up. The other is mine which I dunked overnight and used the double case tek. How many days should pass until I should worry about not seeing any fuzz/pins?

08-27-09, 21:41	#8 (permalink)
BuckarooBanzai Prone to ranting... Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 6,050	Why do you have the plastic bags around the lights? That seems like a fire hazard to me. DON'T run a space heater in such a small area. It cut off because it got overheated - if it didn't cut off, it might have started a fire. What are your room temperatures? __________________ Banzai Institute for Higher Education (a collection of growing Teks & threads)

08-28-09, 17:07	#10 (permalink)
BuckarooBanzai Prone to ranting... Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 6,050	If the light keeps it warmer in there, just leave the light on all the time. The mushrooms won't mind at all. __________________ Banzai Institute for Higher Education (a collection of growing Teks & threads)

08-28-09, 20:51	#12 (permalink)
BuckarooBanzai Prone to ranting... Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 6,050	Using a low wattage light for heat and pre-pinning is an old invitro trick I learned right here. I can remember the pic but I'm not at all sure how to find it... A Christmas tree bulb puts a lot of warmth into a small area and giving light from day one speeds up invitro pinning quite dramatically. __________________ Banzai Institute for Higher Education (a collection of growing Teks & threads)

08-27-09, 15:09	#2 (permalink)
MelloW Mycophiliac Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 25	Oh yea forgot to add that the strain is Golden teacher

08-27-09, 15:41	#4 (permalink)
plantman21 Mycotopiate Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 384	You could see pins in a couple of days or it could take a couple of weeks. Plantman

08-27-09, 15:49	#5 (permalink)
MelloW Mycophiliac Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 25	thanks for the quick response. been checking the temp every so often and its around 73 F. the small heater fan seems to have some auto shut off which is fine but its not keeping the closet warm enough because of it. any ideas on how to keep the temp more stable?

08-27-09, 15:52	#6 (permalink)
plantman21 Mycotopiate Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 384	Try useing a TIT = Tub in tub Tub with a aquarium heater

08-27-09, 20:12	#7 (permalink)
MelloW Mycophiliac Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 25	I noticed the humidity dropped and stabilized around 90% in the tub w/ the DEC tek cakes. Is because the vermiculite absorbed the surrounding moisture? Should I syringe some water on the verm. so it won't lower the humidity anymore? How often do you have to rehydrate the verm?

08-28-09, 19:33	#11 (permalink)
MLBjammer Addicted to Invitro Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,864	That is damn good advice, Buck. Cheap heat!

08-29-09, 10:57	#14 (permalink)
BuckarooBanzai Prone to ranting... Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 6,050	If you are going to fruit invitro, it is helpful to give the cakes light from the very moment of inoculation. If you wait until the cakes are fully colonized before giving them light, it takes a lot longer until they finish. This is for invitro grows only. For spawn, bulk and cakes that you will fruit in a terrarium, it is best to incubate them in the dark to avoid early pinning (bulks will start pinning before they are fully run if they get light and too much fresh air). __________________ Banzai Institute for Higher Education (a collection of growing Teks & threads)

08-29-09, 13:11	#16 (permalink)
kcmoxtractor Satan's Helper Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,349	I am sure that there is a point where they are getting too much light, I'm not sure where it is but you can find it around here somewhere. The caps would probably bleach lighter and get a little dry if they are getting too much light. A heatbomb would be a pretty good heater for this application also. I am thinking of using a rope light in my tubs for a heat and light source, any of you have experience with that? __________________ "It was the straying that found the path direct" - Austin Osman Spare

08-29-09, 15:25	#17 (permalink)
MelloW Mycophiliac Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 25	Yea I guess thats true, which is why I decided to diffuse the light w/ the bags. Do I start fanning the chambers now or do I wait until I start seeing pins?

08-29-09, 17:36	#18 (permalink)
BuckarooBanzai Prone to ranting... Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 6,050	Get the bags out of there! Those bags are a fire hazard. Cakes can't get too much light. 24/7 light is just fine. No need to try and diffuse the light. Cakes could get too hot but they can't get too much light. You should be fanning the tubs at least 2 or 3 times a day. Make sure the humidity is very high inside the tubs. You should see condensation on the tub walls every time you open it to fan. If you don't see condensation on the walls, mist the walls. Don't mist the cakes, just the walls. Evaporation will raise humidity quickly in a sealed environment. __________________ Banzai Institute for Higher Education (a collection of growing Teks & threads)

09-01-09, 21:33	#20 (permalink)
Hippie3 DUNG DEALER Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 43,266	__________________ visit dial-a-hippie .

09-03-09, 23:35	#25 (permalink)
bozefonce Ni arte, ni maña Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 287	Pins are so dang NICE!!!!! We celebrate wit ya dude! __________________ If thoughts are things, then dreams are bigger things…

09-03-09, 23:49	#26 (permalink)
Hippie3 DUNG DEALER Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 43,266	__________________ visit dial-a-hippie .

09-01-09, 21:05	#19 (permalink)
MelloW Mycophiliac Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 25	Well I took off the plastic bags. Been fanning 2-3 times daily with misting. Starting to see a bunch of white fuzz!!! Now at day 6/7 since birth.

09-01-09, 21:35	#21 (permalink)
BuckarooBanzai Prone to ranting... Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 6,050	White fuzz is a good sign. Cakes and subs will frequently "fluff up" right before the real fun starts. Beaming the good pin vibes you way man... Hoping ya see 'em within 48 hours! Thanks for getting rid of those plastic bags. I freak on fire hazard stuff! __________________ Banzai Institute for Higher Education (a collection of growing Teks & threads)

09-03-09, 15:09	#22 (permalink)
MelloW Mycophiliac Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 25	whoohoo!!! first signs of pinning!! here are some pics.

09-03-09, 15:24	#23 (permalink)
Dr-Octagon Mycophiliac Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 38	Right on! Pinnage. Cool beans!

09-03-09, 21:08	#24 (permalink)
BuckarooBanzai Prone to ranting... Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 6,050	Congratulations, man! Happy pin dance time! Just keep doing what you are doing and you will be harvesting very soon.... __________________ Banzai Institute for Higher Education (a collection of growing Teks & threads)

09-07-09, 14:21	#27 (permalink)
MelloW Mycophiliac Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 25	Update Here's some more pics This one cake is going crazy compared to the other ones. This cake just has one huge pin growing. This one doesn't have any pins yet but the fingers on it look crazy! So far after about 12 days there are 5 cakes with pins. Anyone know why the other cakes haven't pinned yet? Do you think it's b/c my temps fluctuate? Temps drop during night so I plan on getting some weather stripping to seal the room better.

09-07-09, 14:46	#28 (permalink)
BuckarooBanzai Prone to ranting... Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 6,050	Just be patient and keep things as you are doing them. Sometimes cakes can just take forever to pin - blame it on the variety of multispore inoculation. Those little rhizo fingers are pretty cool looking. __________________ Banzai Institute for Higher Education (a collection of growing Teks & threads)

09-07-09, 22:31	#29 (permalink)
MelloW Mycophiliac Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 25	Could someone identify this. Possible contaminant? Haven't touched the cakes really to cause bruising.

09-08-09, 00:46	#30 (permalink)
kcmoxtractor Satan's Helper Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,349	Looks like bruising, humidity could be low or it could be dry. Does it smell like ammonia? __________________ "It was the straying that found the path direct" - Austin Osman Spare

09-08-09, 07:43	#31 (permalink)
weeeeeee humanoid Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,850	looks like bruising from over here cakes probably drying out a little bit you could dunk now or dunk after you harvest but dunking is highly recommended __________________ -p.l.u.r

09-08-09, 12:31	#33 (permalink)
P4ulada Mycotopiate Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 696	Hey mellon, how do you do the FAE? It´s a big tub ^^

09-09-09, 23:28	#34 (permalink)
MelloW Mycophiliac Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 25	I just fan with the lid. Here is part of the 1st flush harvest. About 40 g wet.

09-10-09, 00:25	#35 (permalink)
Embrace Former Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 37	Nice Teachers you have there.

09-10-09, 01:24	#36 (permalink)
frozensandglass Mycophiliac Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 19	Nice job for your first try! __________________ Francis Bacon

09-10-09, 07:15	#37 (permalink)
viewer6922 Mycotopiate Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 351	Great! Very nice !!!!! __________________ expandable...

09-10-09, 07:43	#38 (permalink)
Oister Mycophiliac Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 21	So nice to see people having a successful first grow! Also - just my 2 cents here...although it may not be ideal, I grow in my room during the winter with terrible temperatures. Like, in the 50's, and mine still grow like CRAZY. I wouldn't worry too-too much about the temperature man :]

09-10-09, 16:33	#40 (permalink)
MelloW Mycophiliac Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 25	Thanks guys, I'm JUST as excited as you. After plucking those the other cakes just exploded with growth. Patience is a good. Day 13ish pics I have a feeling this cake below is going to be amazing. Today I made some upgrades. Had some jars ready so I decided to try out the flat cake method. Might have been too early but I live with it. 'New and improved' closet: Flat cakes made in aluminum loaf pans:

09-10-09, 18:01	#41 (permalink)
BuckarooBanzai Prone to ranting... Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 6,050	The new setup looks nice, man. Never count a cake out...sometimes they take their own sweet time... __________________ Banzai Institute for Higher Education (a collection of growing Teks & threads)

09-22-09, 00:22	#42 (permalink)
MelloW Mycophiliac Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 25	Well back from a busy weekend. Things are going GREAT! Here's a nice cake The tub couple days later The nice cake close up Now here's a MONSTER! Decided to clone this using the cardboard tek. I've followed the directions but the ribbed part always seems to come off. Maybe the glue in this cardboard is really weak?? Anyway here's the setup as of today. Added a new tub with 4 cakes. 1 cake is made old cakes that were dunked overnight. The top right tub is starting to pin now. Can't wait to see it in 3-4 days

09-22-09, 00:33	#43 (permalink)
0omnidirectional 0omnitologist Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 135	I am very happy to have witnessed that. __________________ The Atman is that by which the universe is pervaded, but which nothing pervades. . . Shankara Viveka-Chudamani