Black Plastic bags (spawning)

[Wild-find-I.D.]

ok so I am about to toss my corn & coir together in a turkey baking pan with a clear lid gonna make it kinda thick layer of spawn

I've been seeing post that have black plastic bags under there spawn in the tubs I want to case the corn & coir right into the pan

what roll does the black plastic play?? are they just using it to colonize the trays in pure darkness???

[BuckarooBanzai]

I'm moving this to fungi - you will get more responses.

The black plastic bags serve a couple of purposes. Cleanup is easier and side pinning is reduced because of darkness.

Also, if you are growing in aluminum pans, the myc will eat aluminum, leaving small holes. Not such a great thing from a number of perspectives.

[Wild-find-I.D.]

Originally Posted by BuckarooBanzai

the myc will eat aluminum, leaving small holes. Not such a great thing from a number of perspectives.

REALLY HOLY SHIT!!!! First time ever hearing that myc can eat aluminum looks like I am lining my pans now I'm glad I asked last thing I need is more metal in my system then what I already get from food

I have been planning to spawn here soon in the next day or so but I'm glad I didnt yet I need black plastic bags now

Ty for moving my post wasnt sure were to post it at

[MLBjammer]

I would suggest buying some plastic bins instead of aluminum trays--they are reusable and eliminate any issues with the mycelium eating through. And the black plastic really helps reduce side pinning, which is a PITA especially with a big sub.

Visit your local Dollar Tree-type store, and you can get cheap everything.

[Wild-find-I.D.]

I have black bags I'm gonna do this grow in them & then get plastic boxes

I've never seen any warnings on myc eating aluminum as a type of corrosive just always seen black plastic in aluminum trays

there are a few grow log post here too with mycellium in aluminum & no warnings on myc eating aluminum

any preps for the plastic should be clean fresh out of the box right? use the inside for the mycellium side

[BuckarooBanzai]

Just take the plastic bags out of the box they came in and use 'em.

I'm too lazy and search lame to look up any of the threads on myc eating aluminum pans, but I do remember it happening. I did a bunch of research on aluminum uptake into cubensis mushroom fruit.

I found out, actually, that cubensis mushrooms are amazingly "clean" despite the substrate they are grown in. There is almost nothing toxic you can put in the substrate that cubensis will uptake and concentrate in the fruit. Including PCBs, heavy metals and most of the other "known" persistent organic pollutants.

Mushroom mycelia is an incredibly effective filter for toxic materials. There is some really interesting bioremediation thoughts about this in Paul Stamet's "Mycelia Running."

That, incidentally, is the primary reason I don't have any fear of using polyacrylamide in my substrates.

[Moose]

My first bulk grow was done in aluminum trays and yes, the myc did eat little holes all over the bottom. I found it very undesirable, especially when you are growing on multiple levels above one another, myc piss and water can drip through those holes onto grows below and make a mess plus possibly spawn contams. Since that I've just lines my trays with plastic food wrap, works great plus the plastic wrap is sterile right off the roll, a definite advantage.

Moose

[BuckarooBanzai]

True dat and cheaper.

If your trays are small enough, plastic wrap is way cheaper than trash bags (and the aluminum will already block light to prevent side pinning).

Good call, Moose.

[eatyualive]

Originally Posted by Wild-find-I.D.

ok so I am about to toss my corn & coir together in a turkey baking pan with a clear lid gonna make it kinda thick layer of spawn

I've been seeing post that have black plastic bags under there spawn in the tubs I want to case the corn & coir right into the pan

what roll does the black plastic play?? are they just using it to colonize the trays in pure darkness???

allows the water to pool under the substrate without having the substrate sit in pooling water. often during fruiting the condensation will drip to the bottom of the tub. this helps to prevent the sub from sitting in that water. it also helps during a dunk. just lay some heavy gallon jugs on your substrate and keep it together with the black plastic. when you fill the bin with water generally the black plastic will stick to the substrate. this will also help water from getting underneath the substrate.

sometimes, the substrate does pull away from the bag. as long as you drain well after a dunk. you should be fine. if you feel a few hours after your dunk that you didn't drain well enough. just pour out the extra water.

it also helps for cleanup. once your substrate is spent. you just flip the bag inside out with the substrate and the bag becomes a trash bag.

basically your laying your substrate on the outside of the trash bag. you just unfold your bag you pulled from the box once. and it should be exactly half the bag. a 30 gallon bag fits nicely in tubs of sizes from 18 quarts to about 64 quarts. this is with a 3 to 4" sub depth.

below you can see the trashbag laid out. this is unfolded one time from the box. some brands will fold about 3 to 4" of the bottom of the bag as well. just unfold that and it should be the entire bag is unfolded but still stuck together.



in this pictures you can see the water dripping under down the sides of the chamber.



here is some illustrations of this idea.





also ive always said this.

sticking the black plastic to the sides of the bin when its dripping water. or even taping the plastic to the sides seems to help the flush. not sure why. just always seems to help.

[tricktek]

Several years ago I thought I fell in love with the aluminum turkey trays with the clear tops and couldn't understand why other folks weren't using them, until the dreaded holes eaten by the mycelium occured (1st flush). Now I use a dub tub system with the inner tub being a a cardboard box filled with substrate and innoculum. The cardboard is slowly comsumed by mycelium but prevents side pinning and is certainly cheap considering I pick them up at liqour stores when otherwise shopping. GL

[mydarling]

i was gonna direct you to this post --> http://forums.mycotopia.net/fungi-gr...tml#post712440 (Non Cased: Compressed vs Loose subs) but i think eats mostly covered it...heh

[GadgetGuy]

Another good thing about the black trashbag is that when you dunk you can lift the entire sub out of the tub and let it drain properly. It makes it so much easier to handle between flushes and when doing maintenance. Pull it out, set on counter, pick off all the side pins if there are any and drain the tub. Easier than cakes.

[hungryhippo999]

http://forums.mycotopia.net/fungi-gr...-spawning.html (Black Plastic bags (spawning))
FOAF is about to attempt his first bulk spawn ever soon. He has been reading many teks and trying to compile the best info together. He has seen teks with the black trash bag inside the tub, and then teks without it. Which is the best to do? Should he use a trash bag? And if so, is it just laid open flat inside the tub and then the subtrate and spawn all mixed on top while you try to keep the bag flat on the bottom? Or just mix it all right in the tub without the bag? Just getting anxious since this is first time spawning.... thanks

[hungryhippo999]

http://forums.mycotopia.net/fungi-gr...tml#post712440 (Non Cased: Compressed vs Loose subs)

actually foaf found this tek to explain it better. so the bag is the preferred method then, correct? does this eliminate the need to paint the box black on the bottom? Drain holes are preferred then? thanks. last minute tweeks...

[MLBjammer]

The black plastic bags work well for me (I do tape them to the sides of the tub with clear plastic tape, though). I mix in a big clean tub and then distribute the mix on top of the bag--just seems less messy than doing it in the monotub. If you want to make a drain hole, there certainly isn't anything wrong with that. As far as blacking out the outside of the tub, I don't find it necessary, but again it cannot hurt.

You have done your research. I think you will do quite well. Good vibes.

[BuckarooBanzai]

^^^ What he said.

Trash bags Do make cleanup a lot easier.

[GadgetGuy]

I prefer the bag in the tub because after harvest I can lift the whole sub out of the tub with the sides of the trash bag and set it on the counter to pick off all side pins etc. before dunking. It also keeps water from pooling up under the sub as much which can lead to issues. I don't do drainage holes in the bottom of the tubs, I just hold the sub with one hand and tilt the tub to dump all the water out. Trash bags inside tubs are the shit.

[eatyualive]

put these two together. similar threads.

[MLBjammer]

That is a valuable illustration you did in this this thread, Eats.