tks guys!!! i'll have to give it a try

(09-05-2012 1:05 AM)Fly So Hi Wrote:  tks guys!!! i'll have to give it a try

Oh, reading up on blacklights now. The flourescent lights have a shorter wavelength and create a better effect than the LEDs. If purchasing a blacklight, the shorter the wavelength of its spectrum, the better the effect. There's even some variation among LEDs.

Okay, so I have about 5 jars that I've filled half full with coffee grounds or vegetable matter. They have metal pipes in the top. I autoclaved them then attached plastic tubing to the metal pipes so that the material inside can get air without being contaminated. I have a HEPA filter which I run to clear the air (fume hoods are beyond me right now) unscrew the lid and pull it up the slightest bit and then put in several drops from a syringe that's supposed to contain the P. stipticus spores (from sporeworks.com, which seems reputable enough) then close the lid. Then I put the jar in a plastic bin out in the yard (where the air undoubtedly is filled with contaminants, so hopefully my setup will keep them out.)

I don't see any mycorrhiza yet. The oldest samples are about 10 days old or so. I may have to go back to 2soon2 care's method of starting a ton of agar plates and transferring the growth only after a few have gotten started and proved successful.

I did try a few test tubes as well using the same method, but those aren't aerated so I don't know if they'll work. No apparent growth on them either, yet.

Do I just need to wait more? Or am I missing something here.

This is southern cali, so it's fairly hot during the day. I'm hoping the spores won't cook.

Spores can sometimes take forever to germinate. Especially if the spores are taken from the fruitbody of a culture of which the substrate does not match what you are growing in.

The agar blitz method is very effective and you can select the most vigorous strains. Its been awhile but I think the stringy mycorrhiza is more favorable compared to the cottony type in many species. With this method you can select very hearty strains and even cut out contaminants from the agar with a sterilized exacto or scalpel to salvage a culture. Just make sure if you are using heat to sterilize after each cut that you let the blade cool some before you cut. Otherwise the "burst" upon contact can spread contaminants. Had to learn that one the hard way.

Agar culture is very needy though. You can make a box to do the transfers in. Take a rubbermaid container. Cut 2 holes in the sides enough for your hands to slip through. Get some heavy duty dishwashing gloves and stick them in the holes. overlap the edges and run a bead of silicone around the inside and duct tape the outside. see thru acrylic lid that I hinged and lined with foam rubber weatherstripping. Poke one hole midway on side of box and run the tip of some airline tubing about an inch in. Other end of tubing to small aquarium pump. Layer coffee filters over the intake hold of the pump. This creates positive pressure in the box while transferring specimen from plates. Ill see if I can hunt that thing down and Ill take a pic of it.

As far as the tubes go, do not seal them tight. Gas exchange is needed for growth. Another good place for cotton and some coffee filters and a rubber band or tape.

@thundr

Excellent advice. Thanks!