Making shoeboxes with coir/vermiculite (CV) substrate and a single layer of spawn.

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[@MutantMycoGenix]

This is how I've been doing for 2 years. Single layer works amazingly!

[@GreenTableGardens]

hey guys... Dr. Shroom is back in actin. oh... hell...yes

[@marcthumm3960]

Always picking up little tips & tricks, really appreciate the no-bullshit conversational style to your vids 😊 Love your work

[@legendno1]

"today on looking at shrooms.." Julia Childs!! yes! i dont think you drink enough wine hahaha so i make 2 layers of spawn but will try this next. ive also removed spent coffee ground and gypsum from my grains and also went to just coir no verm or gyp in my sub. i think my Field capacity could use the verm at times. im very greatful for you sir. i left the music world because of mental health and this hobby has really reinvented my personal existence and i can honestly say youve been encouraging the whole time. someday i hope to repay the universe❤❤ ps my wife is annoyed...perfect😂

[@edwardgrand]

It makes me very happy to hear that I encourage you. We all need a bit of help sometimes. Comments like this make it all worthwhile. Say sorry to your wife for me 😀

[@jtheatom]

I love the amount of "cam convo" that you have. It's not all business and it's fun.

[@edwardgrand]

I love talking about mushrooms :)

[@Houseofmycology]

I’m definitely going to try this layering technique!

[@Mike458_]

Great video. The information and education you continually produce is very much appreciated

[@SPORE_SPORTS]

Wearing a shirt while working? What did you do with Ed?......😆

[@edwardgrand]

Yeah. It was very uncomfortable. The shoeboxes will probably contam. 😆

[@klausheinherfaur6932]

Thank you for sharing moments of vulnerability with your statement regarding mycology being the main thing "going on" in your life right now, and then wanting to turn it into a job. Regardless of proficiency, I imagine at one time or another all of us have felt that way or been made to feel that way about mycology. I haven't done anything a fraction as complicated and impressive things in this field as you have shown us on this channel, but I also have felt that way about mycology being the main thing in my life. I wish you well in making it into a job, and I'll be sure to be a regular customer at your sporeswaps vendor catalogue soon enough. Thanks again for a great video.

[@edwardgrand]

Thank you for the comment. It feels good to share my real emotions and feelings with some people out there in the world. I'm glad others feel the same way. This can be a bit of a lonely hobby by it's very nature (and legal status... LOL).

[@klausheinherfaur6932]

​@@edwardgrand I'm glad, and I recently found out about the loneliness as I've lost four friends suddenly after mentioning growing, so I suppose my only friends interested in mycology will remain online. Even more so as i'm in an illegal state unfortunately. I have a question though as someone who has not done any breeding but only growing and some unintensive agar work, would you recommend the microscope purchase to be able to get into cross breeding? It seems quite interesting to me, yet I'm uncertain what else the microscope would be useful for

[@edwardgrand]

@@klausheinherfaur6932That's too bad about losing friends. I would think you might gain some new friends once you start growing :) There are a lot of people online into this hobby. Breeding doesn't absolutely require a microscope. The main purpose is to verify monokaryons. You can still breed doing 'double swabbing', but you will always be uncertain about the results. I use it to check if spores are mature before I swab, and occasionally to look at some wild mushrooms for identification, but TBH, there isn't a whole lot to do with them other than that.

[@Houseofmycology]

Hey Edward thanks for showing us what liners you use! That was my question! Lol

[@gwaters8067]

Hey Ed, everyone uses Coco coir but do they take the time to understand Coco Coir..? Most horticultural coir has undergone process to get it stable, pH and salt buffering for example. Here is an excerpt from a paper, We should never forget that coconut trees are capable of actually ‘drinking’ sea water. They have developed the ability to concentrate excess ions in the areas surrounding the cells, which allows osmosis to continue and water to move into the plant from the high-EC sea water. It is this ability that gives coco its characteristics, both positive and negative, when used as a plant growth medium. This attribute also allows the husk tissue to be very stiff and slow to decompose so that it is able to protect a developing embryo and future tree as it floats around the ocean for a long period before germinating and landing on a new beach. In so doing, it allows the coco tissue to have both a known content and a known path for decomposition of acceptable duration, enabling the development of a system for usage. It also allows for a known structure to exist for a known amount of time giving the physical attributes necessary of a good medium. These physical characteristics include fibres and a break-down product known as coco peat. Once the edible part has been removed, the husk of the nut is softened and then the fibres are torn away. This produces long fibres that are very stiff and can be used to make items such as door mats and brooms, as well as shorter fibres that provide a ridged structure and give the coco its characteristic porosity. Dust or coco peat is also released; this is made up of smaller particles that act like tiny sponges. The coco peat component of coco growing medium not only improves its structure, it also provides a great deal of water retention. After the right amount of time being composted and processed by movement and regular rinsing, the consistency of the peat reaches its best and its chemistry is more stable and suited for growing. However, its chemistry is still not fully correct and needs to be adjusted. Once the husks have been soaked and torn apart, the decomposition process accelerates. The concentrated ions (salts) begin to be released very rapidly. Careful processing and timing assist this process until the rate of release falls back into acceptable limits and the coco can be used for growing. In the process of this break-down, the sites that release ions such as potassium, and sodium remain in place and function as Cation Exchange Sites (CEC) to which a useable plant nutrient can attach itself, as also occurs in good mineral soils. At this point, the medium needs to be processed by buffering with a product designed to control pH and protect the ratios required to maintain the availability of these elements for plants. This process was also mentioned in the previous article. These excess ions or salts are released for as long as the coco continues to decompose and the process must be managed continuously. www.canna-uk.com/problem_solving_coco More info can be found searching "Coco" in the article section. Hope this has piqued your interest, all the best

[@edwardgrand]

It's definitely a complex medium and more than just the inert moisture reservoir that we treat it as usually.

[@gwaters8067]

@@edwardgrand for sure. It is also a different media as to which coir quality we use. Reptile bedding bricks will be of different physical size of coir than horticultural and will have undergone less treatment than horticultural. Horticultural will probably have it's pH fixed at 5.8 to 6.2 and will have undergone some sort of salt buffering with a calcium and magnesium product. The brick style coir is produced using steam, for Mycology this may be beneficial but for plants it's not preferred as it alters the beneficial microbe ability of the media, that's why most "Weed guys" quality Coco is in bags. My point is we use coir as a standard but there are a few factors which make coir different (horticultural Vs bedding) and as a novice Mycologist how do I address them? If I use horticultural should I adjust the pH to a higher level than 5.8 to 6.2? Do the added salts from buffering provide a nutrient source? Which coir is better for Mycology, the cheaper bedding coir or the expensive weed guys stuff? The expensive stuff should be processed cleaner and have less physical and biological contamination (I have found a 6" nail in a brick before) Sorry for the long winded comments but it's something that has been on my mind and I haven't seen a deep dive into coir on any Mycology channels yet. Ps Albino Chode Wave x B- is throwing beautiful rhizo ropes, now on grain 😁

[@edwardgrand]

@gwaters8067 I think for my use, I like to start with a neutral pH and as little salts as possible. That is why I add excess water to the boil and squeeze out as much as I can. The leftover usually looks pretty funky and dark. I don't want any of that in my shoeboxes.

[@enigma1487]

Thanks Ed ❤

[@Houseofmycology]

I love this channel!!!

[@jonasr.584]

Great to see you back home! Thank you for the great content and spores.

[@laurieedeburn2449]

thanku very much

[@Mushels]

Thank you

[@luismigelgb]

Thanks for sharing these videos of you actually doing the work without cuts and with the commentary. I've learned a ton.

[@MacCelium]

Thanks for the pp5 bag tips. I see you have them available on your Spore Shop...definitely adding some to the cart. Thanks!

[@itsquirkey1017]

Ive recently took up mycology as a hobby your videos have helped me alot keep up the good work

[@edwardgrand]

Glad they could help. Welcome to the hobby :)

[@alexandertanski]

Star fish is from James Cruz, lucid gates isolation

[@jonasr.584]

Sounds interesting, thanks for the explanation. Happy if they will show up in the store some day.

[@duwayne9393]

I always wondered about those bits of agar when S2B. Out they go!

[@theoldboy70]

I’ve never heard of boiling the substrate, this may be the answer to my contamination issues. 👍🏻

[@edwardgrand]

I've got another video about it. Basically, I mix my sub, cover it with water, and boil it covered for 30 minutes. I let it cool 12 hours, squeeze it a handful at a time while I mix it with spawn. It virtually eliminates Trich and other contams. My coir supply is much dirtier and needs more heat than bucket tek.

[@Houseofmycology]

I left a comment asking about smelly mushrooms earlier in a different video I believe Because I can’t find it! But never mind I figured it out! Lol😂I didn’t realize the sink had some water in it and it sat there and started smelling bad! 😂 so it’s not my apes that smell bad! 😂

[@jessytinsley3285]

Inspirational

[@themushroombloke]

Ed could you do an instructional video on how to do the Julia child's impersonation

[@andyshelly3473]

i actually prefer things over hydrated because it seems like it saves me in the long run . if you get dry you are never able to play catch up successfully , im able to have several flushes with just average misting .

[@Loader138]

I've been using the loose coir since I started a couple years ago. I've found that it requires far less water than bricks. It was frustrating at first, because no matter how carefully I measured, the batches were never consistent. I believe the reason is because, loose coir has more initial moisture than bricks. That aside, loose coir is far more flexible, and easier than bricks. I'm definitely going to try your stove top pasteurization technique. Thanks for the brilliant content Dr Ed!

[@edwardgrand]

I've used a lot of different types over the years, and they definitely need adjustment. The hand thing is tedious, but it makes me feel more confident in the end. I've had very little contam, expected Trich, since I started boiling the substrate.

[@PPP-on3vl]

​@@edwardgrandYou boil coco coir? For how long

[@edwardgrand]

@PPP-on3vl It's more like steaming after I let the water absorb. About 30 minutes.

[@psysurreal8513]

I threw down on some canna (brand) coco to see if I noticed a difference with my tubs vs the bricks. High grade coco just feels and looks so much better than those bricks. I have also heard horror stories of cannabis gardeners having weird issues from those pre filled coco brick bags. I hear ya about dialing in FC though, not as easy as starting with the bone dry stuff !

[@Loader138]

@@psysurreal8513 for sure. Trich is actually an anti fungal, that's why it kills myc so effectively and it's also why it's added to some of the cannabis substrates. The company Eco Earth, who makes the coir bricks sold at pet stores, also makes bags of loose coir. I contacted the company directly and found that their loose product, is exactly the same as their bricks and they add nothing to the mix. Loose coir is incredibly flexible as you can make substrates in any quantity you need. There's no wasted time or heat, in breaking down blocks and it becomes usable faster. Using Ed's stovetop pasteurization tek, means you can premix any quantity, have near perfect field capacity and not sacrifice the time savings or convenience factor of loose coir. It's brilliant!

[@Houseofmycology]

I’ve been experimenting with the layering tek and it’s blowing the mixed bag out of the water

[@jackjr1]

Hi Ed, thanks so much for all your knowledge. Was wondering if you are still doing the layering substrate method or found an even better way? Also, can you go into more detail about what you do after S2B? What is your process all the way through fruiting? Would love to see a video on that piece. For example, do you leave the shoebox alone until you see pins? How are you controlling moisture levels through the steps? What is your process during fruiting stage, etc...thank!

[@edwardgrand]

I will work on it, but I got a warning from YT a couple months ago. I'm kind of afraid to show anything too close to fruit.

[@andyshelly3473]

use a mop bucket to compress the excess water out , i put the compost in feed bags and squish out excess water to reach field capacity

[@edwardgrand]

Thought about that, but I don't want to clean/sanitize more stuff.

[@themushroombloke]

​@@edwardgrandcider press would be awesome for the wringing out!

[@jerrymc9495]

I use a square 3x3 of fiberglass screen . Easy to remove excess water, to clean simply rinse and spray with isopropyl or bleach solution. Easy to

[@ThePFunkdawg]

I’ll give that layering technique a go. Looks like an ice cream sandwich. 🤔 Ice Cream Sandwich Tek by Ed.

[@edwardgrand]

Good name. I'm sure someone must have a name for it already though. I don't want to infringe on anyone's intellectual property. 😀

[@psysurreal8513]

@edwardgrand your videos are always great, technical and ya got a good sense of humor..! Question: I have tubs in a closet (door shut due to having 3 cats) and am wondering if I m not getting enough FAE - I m getting fuzzy feet but haven’t really implemented a fanning schedule. Do you think fanning would be enough or should I try to setup an actual fan on a timer to exhaust / intake air from the room the closet is in ? It’s a normal size closet not a walk in. I even have one of those cheesy dual box fans that you can set to intake, exhaust, or circulate. I ve had success with most varieties but kooked like multiple enigma tubs that looked over layed…. Sorry for the long winded question hope that makes sense !

[@edwardgrand]

It does make sense. I wouldn't do the fans. It is hard to get them on the right timer schedule and it will dramatically affect your substrate surface. I have a 4x8 tent that is probably a bit bigger than a typical closet, but I definitely need to get in there twice a day to get the CO2 out. I would also do some pretty aggressive fanning/wafting with a lid twice a day. CO2 is heavier than normal air, so it will be near the bottom of the closet. Maybe give the closet door a quick couple of open/shut swings to clear the CO2. When I went away for 4 days and wasn't able to fan or open the door, it really had a negative affect on my growing pins and babies. They don't like that CO2 near the sub surface. Think of it like wiping away some fog from a dry ice machine. Dry ice is solid CO2. It tends to go to the floor where the water 'fog' is. You just need to get it off the surface and out of the closet. Sorry for the long answer! LMFAO

[@psysurreal8513]

@@edwardgrand no apologies necessary that makes a lot of sense! I ve been rocking ‘set and forget’ style since starting - I guess it was fear of opening my tubs like at all 😂. I was getting overlay and did fan and I guess I noticed it helped get some tubs to pin and fruit. Thanks so much for answering that question I really appreciate it !

[@etownKeystoned]

So I have been getting that turquoise colored Mold lately and mostly it's been when I've spawn.Ed a grain that wasn't ready or that stalled out and I I'm just frustrated, so I went ahead and responded.And everything was going well in fact somewhat great and... the fluffy white pops up, im like "nooo, its just tomatose!!" But inside, i know... and sure enough, within 24 hours, the green demon... but im having trouble putting my finger on it, i use the same process, bucket tek CCV that i always use, except i did just add the V and just ran out & chose not to get more because, fuck it. No I am confident that spawning weak grain.That isn't all the way colonized and or slightly bacterial has been a book of the issue but I just did a run of Cambodian, a old faithful culture that is aggressive & not picky, and it did its thing, the grain was maybe 85% colonized but it colonized the 15qt tub quick & looked great! Then, with 100% surface colonization got 1 little fluff patch, then two, and although the myc was able to almost keep it at bay, i had to try and remove it (i would toss it immediately but with my bad luck lately, and 15 empty tubs, im trying to fruit ANYTHING.) And as anticipated it intensified & i tossed her. However, in the process of trying to surgically remove that fluffy white mold w/ the turquoise/green (i know theres 90some species of trich) i realized that in the 2 spots where it began were pieces of agar.... and i found the same on a previous failure - you reckon the left over piece of agar is the culprit? I mean ive gone through just about every contam pitfall & have been gettin balls deep into this which has made this bout with trich (im used to post-first flush trich, sure, but this bullshit is showing up on healthy cakes) particularly infuriating!

[@edwardgrand]

I've finally realized after many years that 99% of my problems have been with contaminated grain. Sometimes, the contamination doesn't show until it's broken up and mixed with substrate.

[@etownKeystoned]

@@edwardgrand thanks for pretending you understood whatever the hell i was going on about - i mean i remember it, but i was using talk to text for the first half and thats just about the pinnacle of failed technology in modern history at least.It gets progressively worse too, its incredible. but I think my point was that I was noticing the left over piece of agar, that was used to innoculate the grain, was found at or near the spot of initial mold appearance

[@retropursuit992]

Cheers for the video ed, just wondering where you get those pressure cookable PP5 bags can’t find them in the UK

[@edwardgrand]

I get them locally. 12x18 inches. PP5

[@retropursuit992]

@@edwardgrand thanks, do you think microwave steam bags would work? Made from polypropylene

[@edwardgrand]

@retropursuit992 Yes. They should work if they are PP5.

[@dgu8240]

hey man great video as always. 2 questions why is layering spawn and sub instead of mixing it better? And what's the configuration of the holes in the shoebox? Just 4 holes each on the two long sides or more? Keep up the amazing work.👍🔥

[@edwardgrand]

I have been doing the mixing and then pseudo-casing thing for years. I was in a bit of a hurry weeks ago and just decided to throw spawn in a shoebox and give it a thick pseudo-casing. The result were phenomenal! So now I've decided to try to give it a bit more water by making a layer of sub on the bottom, then only spawn, then the pseudo-casing. It seems to have eliminated my problem with excessive fruits that would stop growing about halfway through the fruiting. It's also just faster. Why it works??? I'm not sure. Maybe the consolidated spawn is able to communicate with itself better and concentrate on making less, better-formed fruits? Could just simply be a water thing. If the spawn is homogenously mixed with sub, maybe the little islands of spawn don't actually have access to that much water (only the bit that surrounds them)? I'm not sure, but all the years I've seen of people mixing spawn into the sub and then evenly dispersing it seem to have been flawed. If you look at some of the Agaricus growers, they do their stuff in layers too. One thing to remember is we are not actually 'colonizing' the substrate and the babies don't eat it. It is just a water reservoir. That makes me think there is no real reason to disperse the spawn throughout the sub. Like many things, there are many ways to "skin a cat". The holes come with the showboxes. I'm not sure if they have any effect. The liner kind of covers them after I put the lid on, so I don't think it matters.

[@ibberz]

Ehhh, very interesting. Never seen a cake made that way, ahha will give it a try next time. Sandwich-Cake :') Maybe you could try what I do and compare results:- I mix the coir and grain the old fasioned way, then it gets one layer of just grain spawn and then the pseudo casing Bit similar to your cake Best of both worlds!

[@edwardgrand]

That does sound like a good way. That was actually what I originally had written on that post-it note I showed in the video. I got lazy though and decided to just do the one layer.

[@ibberz]

@@edwardgrand Yeah! We was talking about this topic in a previous LIVE aha :) There's always next time

[@basilroland]

I made a big order from you a few month ago, all went well exept your classic strains, AA+ and another one (don't remember) did not go at all on the plate. You latest on the contrary are quite agressive. maybe it is on my side but i made quite a lot of inoculations and all went well.

[@basilroland]

B+ i think the other one was. maybe you should repop them

[@edwardgrand]

@basilroland some of the classics might be getting old. Please contact me through the sporeswaps site, and I will replace them with something fresher.

[@basilroland]

@@edwardgrand It's ok don't worry. :D

[@CeeBee-jk9mk]

Any thoughts on putting your hands in your clean sub after getting mycelium on your hands?

[@edwardgrand]

I used to be quite paranoid about it, but after thinking about it and doing it for a few months now, I haven't seen any problems. I was worried about mixing strains, but the amounts of mycelium that could be transferred is so minimal. The only thing I would worry about would be transferring contamination, but I give my spawn a very good smell before mixing with substrate. I haven't had any troubles for several months, so I think it's ok. I also only get about 4-6 shoeboxes out of one pot of sub, so if it gets contam'd, it wouldn't be the end of the world. Before I do more boxes, everything gets heated/boiled again.

[@psysurreal8513]

So staples and no filter patches !? Are those Turkey bags essentially !?

[@edwardgrand]

Yes. 6 staples across the top after folding it down on itself 3-5 times works great for air exchange/O2 and leaves enough room for the break and shake. Yes. They are essentially PP5 turkey bags. I've got a few videos with the bags. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnnSln6Gn9WtnKcsi=tB4C4lzRoSiXiBCO kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioK1iomkacxrfJYsi=o49HeaPWP1hChPAD kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZuWaaqpnqhqsLssi=j6ycANx2PE123oSj

[@MrWheatable]

What the process for boiling the substrate?

[@edwardgrand]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpayhX1-ZbRreNEsi=lMkq7cnaIoF548Ts

[@Bentwambus]

you dont mist your casing layer? love the vids btw!

[@edwardgrand]

not anymore. The tent and diaper tek makes it unnecessary.

[@Bentwambus]

@@edwardgrand do you hit them with water once or do you top off the pads occasionally? I will be utilizing this tek

[@Bentwambus]

@@edwardgrand any special type of incontinence pad? Or just the cheapest ones you can find?

[@edwardgrand]

@@Bentwambus cheapest

[@edwardgrand]

@@Bentwambus keep them saturated

[@ChrisPBacon710]

hello - at the end of the video you mention that bucket tek can cause trichoderma and contam - ive been getting a few contam'd tubs. what do you mean by boil the substrate? if you could give me alittle more info that would be great - im pretty new to all this ! TY!

[@edwardgrand]

I've got another video on it. Basically, I put all my substrate with excess water, boil it for 30 min, let it cool, and then squeeze it to field capacity one handful at a time.

[@ChrisPBacon710]

@@edwardgrandawesome tyvm for the reply. i will look for the other video and continue learning! thanks for the help !!

[@Houseofmycology]

Damn brother this cvg stinks when it’s being steamed! 😂 when you grow apes do they have a slippery film on the caps? Do you stir the coco anytime during the steam?

[@edwardgrand]

Smells like money ;) Not really. Depends on rH and if they are bacterial. No stirring.

[@MycoAlan]

Hey Ed, at 3:25 you said “think that will be good” and pointed at something green, was it a mushroom or contamination??

[@edwardgrand]

That color was the inside of a popcorn grain the has been totally permeated with mycelium. The blue color is an indication that alkaloids are being produced and oxidizing to the blue color after it was damaged. It looks a bit green on the video, but it's the blue oxidation product on a cream starchy background of the inside of the popcorn kernel. In other words, it is showing that the cultigen is producing high levels of alkaloids that we want. It's a good thing :)

[@MikeNaples]

These little pearls of wisdom potentially save us a lot of grief. Had I seen a blue chunk of spawn, I would have panicked then wasted time on the internet looking for an explanation ultimately tossing the bag. Thanks! Please keep doing what you're doing.@@edwardgrand

[@Houseofmycology]

How long do I let the coir cool for? If I do it at night can I just leave it on my stove until morning and then make my shoeboxes? Do I steam it on high?

[@edwardgrand]

I use a pretty big pot, so it needs at least 12 hours to get back to room temperature. I live in a country that is constantly at >80F though, so it might cool faster for you. I steam on high for 30 minutes. I try to get it so the whole pot is full of steam (lid on) and actually shooting out the sides of the lid. I make new substrate as soon as the last batch is finished and let it sit on the burner until I use it (within a week usually), lid on.

[@Houseofmycology]

@@edwardgrand oh ok awesome so after I make it, it can sit on the stove with the lid on for a week and not get contaminated again? I live in Florida so it’s about 80 here too!

[@edwardgrand]

@@HouseofmycologyA week should be fine if you don't open it and the lid is kept on.

[@Houseofmycology]

@@edwardgrand nice! Thanks Edward you are a lot of help! I’m about to start streaming my cvg!

[@MonsterMushhead]

Ed my all in ones have been in fruiting for a week and now they have a very faint sour smell and still no pins I’m so worried man really want some Xmas GT 😢

[@edwardgrand]

That doesn't sound good. Smells other than that earthy mushrooms smell are usually bad news. The all-in-one bags are notoriously difficult to adjust because of their very nature. Starting with good spawn is pivotal in the whole process. If that very crucial step is done in one bag, there are just so many things that need to be perfect. Timing, inoculation, break and shake, substrate moisture, fruiting conditions, etc. All very hard to control/adjust in a bag. Next time try getting a grain bag and making your own substrate. It is really quite straightforward. You can microwave small amounts of sub to 'sterilize' it. If you get good spawn, the rest of the process is a lot more forgiving.

[@MonsterMushhead]

Yea I have a 3# grain bag and two 5#subs on deck an a PE LC in the fridge gonna put my tent up do a few shoebox’s an diaper tek

[@Xp3rmnt]

I boiled my sub last time, but i think i put too much water. I did squeeze each hand full until only a few drops came out. But there was like 3 inches of water above. I dont think i did it right, but im sure it boiled lol

[@Xp3rmnt]

Fuck the bucket tek we need the Boil tek 😅

[@edwardgrand]

It's more like steaming. I just fill the pot up to about half with water so there is enough to absorb, and then the rest steams it during the boil.

[@Xp3rmnt]

I was using my presto pressure cooker. It's I think 24 quarts. I remember you saying half way and I think my presto is too big to fill half way lol

[@TIMMICFPV]

Hey I had another question. i was looking at the cheap bags you use on amazon. I have a sealer but the only ones i can find have a self seal flap. Just wondering if yours do and if its air tight. Do you seal before you steralise or after? Im usually using unicorn bags and they are too expensive. I dont seal until after ive pressure cooked because they kind of suction self seal. Going to try the grain water agar too. 😎

[@edwardgrand]

The bags I get locally are just open at the top. I staple them before PC and after inoculation. Just make sure you miss the inside part of the bag.

[@TIMMICFPV]

@edwardgrand Sweet can get 100 for £10 .Will try out.

[@oh_thank_heaven_707]

Trippy floor looks like u might be home? Hell ya!

[@edwardgrand]

@@oh_thank_heaven_707Yes. Back home. I was only in Malaysia for a visa run. Thailand is my home :) Sorry if the floor gives you an HPPD. LOL

[@Deltaforce650]

Where are these bags on Amazon? When ever I look up bags that can be pressure cooked they are 20$ for not even 10

[@Deltaforce650]

Hey Edward when running your tent when do you change out your pee pads I've tried to copy your setup and don't want mold or any contaim starting

[@edwardgrand]

I usually wet them 100%, then maybe top them up one time, then when the edges start looking manky, I toss them. They only cost like a quarter here, so I change them whenever they look dirty or I've had a spore drop. I reckon it's about once every 2 weeks?

[@Deltaforce650]

@@edwardgrand ah OK thank you I was just lightly wetting them everyday because I dident want too much standing water dripping on the floor of my tent so I'll just put a dry one on the floor below the rack to catch the overflow thank you your tent setup up is very automated I love it

[@edwardgrand]

@Deltaforce650 It is a joy now. I hated spraying and constantly worrying about the humidity level. It is so consistent now. I rarely think about it except to change the manky looking pads.

[@droidnick]

At the end of the video he said to try to get away from bucket tek. Id like to know another way! Can anyine help

[@edwardgrand]

Boil coir with vermiculite in a big pot. Cool. Squeeze out excess water a handful at a time. It gives you a much better understanding of field capacity and less prone to contam. I have other videos about it.

[@droidnick]

I've got a ton of perlite from some flower grows, I'm very low on vermiculite. I know perlite does not hold as much water as verm, but can i use it instead. I mean, I'm sure i "can" use it, but would it actually help, rather than just leaving it out and doing pure coco​, or coco and a little verm? *Edit* Michaelphilia talks about how good it is to pasteurize, that you keep beneficial microbes. I'm torn between sterilizing or pasteurizing...

[@edwardgrand]

@@droidnick I played with some perlite too because I had it leftover. I would just leave it out and stick with the coir at the right hydration level. I would sterilize. I'm not sure what microbes 'help' in a 2-3 week cube grow. They aren't symbiotic plants and we aren't using compost or anything that would encourage beneficial 'extra' organisms.

[@droidnick]

​@@edwardgrand ahh, that makes perfect sense. So if mushies are not symbiotic, are they parasitic or sac....something? I forget the word..

[@edwardgrand]

@@droidnick Saprophytic heterotrophs

[@onesuavestudio]

where is the 1k patreon???

[@edwardgrand]

Don't know how to do Patreon :) Maybe I should look into it.

[@JB-wx1mz]

You need to do a video just talking like Julia Child 😆

[@edwardgrand]

I'll have to watch some old videos of her. Not sure I'm getting her real accent or the one that people mimicked throughout the years. :)

[@benink5690]

Wait you added paper towel to an uncolonized grain bag? Wild, I'd be worried about contam no? Expound? Thanks for another vid Ed!

[@edwardgrand]

I add it before PCing if the grain is too wet on the surface. Any excess, free, liquid water is bad news.

[@benink5690]

@edwardgrand OK I figured! Thank you! I might try that! I use a scale for my grains, water and grain. But there's been times I've added a bit too much lol

[@edwardgrand]

@@benink5690 My grain source is extremely variable, so I have to adjust it every time. I use an excess of water to boil my grain (like pasta), so I never really keep track of the numbers. I do the 'al dente' tooth test to gauge my hydration level. Then I put it in the colander for about 30-60 minutes. Sometime it still seems a bit wet. If the grains are kind of 'sticking' to the side of the bag, I'll throw in a dry paper towel (before PCing). It seems to really help absorb that extra water floating around that is a lovely place for bacteria to swim.