First Bulk Grow Questions

hungryhippo999 · 09-29-09, 13:53

My FOAF is thinking of attempting Floppy Peter Bulk Substrate Tek
http://forums.mycotopia.net/grow-cha...trate-tek.html (Floppy Peter Bulk Substrate Tek)

FOAF has never done a bulk grow. His only experience is PF jars and Hongus Tek. My FOAF was thinking of using Hippie3's pre-pasteurized donkey poo. He wonders about mixing in ingredients that are not sterile into a pasteurized substrate. He read to soak the brick of coir in a gallon of 170 degree water, but for how long? Can he just use hotter water than that? Like boiling water since he is really not pasteurizing the coir itself? Also would it be best to get the verm to field capacity and microwave it to sterilize it before mixing with the poo? Also he wonders if if he can just use 2 gallons of poo along with the brick of coir and gallon of verm or would that be too much? He only has 18 (possibly 17) PF jars well on their way. (the one has a rusty colored spot he is not sure if its a contam).
Basically just trying to clarify last minute concerns before he delves in. He wants to know what procedures to follow to a "T". He has a basic grasp on the concept on paper, but this is the first real attempt. Thanks!!!

thatgreenthumb · 09-29-09, 14:17

That sounds like a ton of substrate for 17 PF jars. the more spawn the faster it colonizes but most ppl like a ratio from 1:1 - 1:5 (spawn:substrate)

Hips poo is good as is but adding some coir or verm will increase available moisture content and help stretch your poo out.
ive had 0 contams with coir hydrated with boiling water and just let it sit till cool. its essentially pasteurizing the coir.

if you have pics of the possible contam we can help you know for sure.

Good luck!

MLBjammer · 09-29-09, 15:13

For your first try at bulk, you should probably spawn 1:2 or 1:3 to bulk. This gives you a much better chance of success. Whatever your bulk is (and donkey doo is awesome all by itself), just mix it together before you pasteurize. If you pasteurize in a sealed bag, let it go for at least a couple hours to ensure the core temp is above 140 F.

If you were using coir (the pet-store stuff, not the hydro store coir, which is usually full of trich and must be sterilized) by itself, you could just hydrate it with hot water for about 30 minutes, break it up and spawn.

Just make sure your moisture content is about at field capacity. Too wet and it won't colonize well or could contaminate.

Good luck, and ask a lot of questions.

hungryhippo999 · 09-29-09, 15:35

Thanks for the tips! How much size does a brick of coir expand to so I can calculate my 1:3 ratio of spawn:substrate? !7 or 18 PF jars is 4 1/2 quarts of spawn. So I have 1+ gallon of spawn. So then I will spawn this 1+ gallon to 1 gallon of poo, 1 gallon of verm, and one brick of coir (which equals how much?)
Assuming it expands to a gallon that is a 1:3 mix. So prob not as good of an idea to throw in the second gallon of poo then, correct?
Also these 17 or 18 PF jars all added up equal 4 1/2 quarts, but I didnt think to consider how much less than half pints they are in actuality because they all have a top layer of verm...

shroom57 · 09-29-09, 15:47

The bricks of coir come in different sizes, but I think your average size brick expands to roughly 8 quarts...

MLBjammer · 09-29-09, 16:47

You don't have to be exact when spawning, just approxiamate. 1:3 is a good ratio. Just make sure to crumble the cakes as much as possible for that many more inoculation points. Use a cheese grater if you have one--if not, a platic baggie works every time.

hungryhippo999 · 10-07-09, 10:56

awesome! FOAF thinks he may just use 18 jars for the tub with 1 gallon hippies donkey doo, 1 gallon verm, and maybe half a brick of coir since it expands to approx 2 gallons. He is going to dump boiling water into the coir and allow it to expand, miix it in with the pre-pasteurized poo, and is it recommended to get verm to field capacity and nuke it to sterilize? That was FOAF biggest concern was mixing non sterile AND non pasteurized ingredients into ingredients that ARE pasteurized....

MLBjammer · 10-07-09, 11:45

You can nuke wetted vermiculite and just hydrate the coir with boiling water. Just be clean when mixing and make sure the mix is at field capacity--a few drops of moisture when you squeeze a handful.

Good luck!

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09-29-09, 13:53	#1 (permalink)
hungryhippo999 Mycophage Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 123	First Bulk Grow Questions My FOAF is thinking of attempting Floppy Peter Bulk Substrate Tek http://forums.mycotopia.net/grow-cha...trate-tek.html (Floppy Peter Bulk Substrate Tek) FOAF has never done a bulk grow. His only experience is PF jars and Hongus Tek. My FOAF was thinking of using Hippie3's pre-pasteurized donkey poo. He wonders about mixing in ingredients that are not sterile into a pasteurized substrate. He read to soak the brick of coir in a gallon of 170 degree water, but for how long? Can he just use hotter water than that? Like boiling water since he is really not pasteurizing the coir itself? Also would it be best to get the verm to field capacity and microwave it to sterilize it before mixing with the poo? Also he wonders if if he can just use 2 gallons of poo along with the brick of coir and gallon of verm or would that be too much? He only has 18 (possibly 17) PF jars well on their way. (the one has a rusty colored spot he is not sure if its a contam). Basically just trying to clarify last minute concerns before he delves in. He wants to know what procedures to follow to a "T". He has a basic grasp on the concept on paper, but this is the first real attempt. Thanks!!!

09-29-09, 14:17	#2 (permalink)
thatgreenthumb Mycoholic Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 214	That sounds like a ton of substrate for 17 PF jars. the more spawn the faster it colonizes but most ppl like a ratio from 1:1 - 1:5 (spawn:substrate) Hips poo is good as is but adding some coir or verm will increase available moisture content and help stretch your poo out. ive had 0 contams with coir hydrated with boiling water and just let it sit till cool. its essentially pasteurizing the coir. if you have pics of the possible contam we can help you know for sure. Good luck! __________________ Today's mighty oak, is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

09-29-09, 15:47	#5 (permalink)
shroom57 Papa Smurf Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 294	The bricks of coir come in different sizes, but I think your average size brick expands to roughly 8 quarts... __________________ If the doors of perception were cleansed, every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite - William Blake

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09-29-09, 15:13	#3 (permalink)
MLBjammer Addicted to Invitro Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,877	For your first try at bulk, you should probably spawn 1:2 or 1:3 to bulk. This gives you a much better chance of success. Whatever your bulk is (and donkey doo is awesome all by itself), just mix it together before you pasteurize. If you pasteurize in a sealed bag, let it go for at least a couple hours to ensure the core temp is above 140 F. If you were using coir (the pet-store stuff, not the hydro store coir, which is usually full of trich and must be sterilized) by itself, you could just hydrate it with hot water for about 30 minutes, break it up and spawn. Just make sure your moisture content is about at field capacity. Too wet and it won't colonize well or could contaminate. Good luck, and ask a lot of questions.

09-29-09, 15:35	#4 (permalink)
hungryhippo999 Mycophage Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 123	Thanks for the tips! How much size does a brick of coir expand to so I can calculate my 1:3 ratio of spawn:substrate? !7 or 18 PF jars is 4 1/2 quarts of spawn. So I have 1+ gallon of spawn. So then I will spawn this 1+ gallon to 1 gallon of poo, 1 gallon of verm, and one brick of coir (which equals how much?) Assuming it expands to a gallon that is a 1:3 mix. So prob not as good of an idea to throw in the second gallon of poo then, correct? Also these 17 or 18 PF jars all added up equal 4 1/2 quarts, but I didnt think to consider how much less than half pints they are in actuality because they all have a top layer of verm...

09-29-09, 16:47	#6 (permalink)
MLBjammer Addicted to Invitro Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,877	You don't have to be exact when spawning, just approxiamate. 1:3 is a good ratio. Just make sure to crumble the cakes as much as possible for that many more inoculation points. Use a cheese grater if you have one--if not, a platic baggie works every time.

10-07-09, 10:56	#7 (permalink)
hungryhippo999 Mycophage Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 123	awesome! FOAF thinks he may just use 18 jars for the tub with 1 gallon hippies donkey doo, 1 gallon verm, and maybe half a brick of coir since it expands to approx 2 gallons. He is going to dump boiling water into the coir and allow it to expand, miix it in with the pre-pasteurized poo, and is it recommended to get verm to field capacity and nuke it to sterilize? That was FOAF biggest concern was mixing non sterile AND non pasteurized ingredients into ingredients that ARE pasteurized....

10-07-09, 11:45	#8 (permalink)
MLBjammer Addicted to Invitro Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,877	You can nuke wetted vermiculite and just hydrate the coir with boiling water. Just be clean when mixing and make sure the mix is at field capacity--a few drops of moisture when you squeeze a handful. Good luck!