Pro Tip: instead of the PC fan blowing air into the box, it should pull old air out of the box. This will force air to be pulled in through the poly fill where it can be filtered. Otherwise blowing in unfiltered air renders the poly fill useless.
Went to the comments for that specific reason. He was so adamant about sterilizing everything and taking about the poly fill filtering out spores and unwanted stuff, then mounts the fan pointing in with no filter.
I was going to say the same thing. The purpose of a vent fan is to push old air out and bring new air in through the filtered holes, which I believe should be located lower than the fan around the tub.
@@jdsr4c c02 is heavier than air, co2 is what you want to remove. My logical thinking would make me place the air holes higher and the fan lower. Making the fan able to directly blow out c02 instead of having to "pull" c02 up first. No?
Several things within the first minute that might help you out 1. Get air in the bag so mycelium can breathe and spread faster. 2. When injecting spores, move the needle around to cover more area as it tends to colonize faster. 3. Shake that syringe vigorously for 30 seconds as spores tend to clump together. Separating them tends to offer more opportunity for more surface area. Happy growing✌️
Number 3 should be number 2. First shake, then inject :) I have no idea and have not even started but I seen bag with vents. For CO2 exchange. His bag does not. Confusing. So getting air in there as you said seems required.
@@hou7707 the grain bags tend to have almost a medical fabric pad on the upper side of the bag that is where the air comes in. When mixing unfold your bag & you will notice air will come in as you GENTLY shake the grain upwards. also dont fold the top back down let it stay unfolded I have a UV Air Purifier close by as well. Good Luck Ren!
I’ve never grown mushrooms before hence why I’m watching your video. I DO have a LOT of experience drilling brittle plastics. There are two ways. First is easy, DRILL IN REVERSE. The heat of the friction softens the plastic and gives you a nice smooth cut hole. Option two, use a warn out hole saw, or use a gritted diamond blade. I’ve used these methods on the same tubs for other projects (I am a professional builder and inventor. I have made terrariums for clients raising psychedelic reptiles and amphibians, grow boxes for rare swamp cultures, so on. Give it a shot and tell me your results. ) Happy Harvesting!!
@@adambugher4837 same advice works for hydroponic kratky tubs with rubbermaid 10 and 20 gallons then i use a pool noodle cut into 1-2" sections (with a slice down one side to insert the plant) to hold the plant in place. Learned this from kratky videos and Mike Dunzee growing channel.
Some updates! Here are a few top suggestions from the comment section. We'll keep updating this as more information comes in: Spray Painting bottom vs. Trash Bag Liner- consensus is that using the contractor / trash bag liner method is superior to the spray paint method shown in the video. As the substrate colonizes with mushroom spawn it will pull away from the sides of the tub (as shown in the video at 21:27). When this happens microclimates form that will cause mushrooms to grow along the sides. If an opaque trash bag is used to line the bottom part of the tub the bag will pull away with the shrinking substrate and minimize these microclimates. The one downside I see of the method is the increase in plastic waste. We've never had issues with side pinning or losing mushrooms using the paint method, but we don't use monotubs for our commercial edible mushroom production (we use bags in climate controlled rooms). I agree that if you were doing this at scale (more than one or two tubs) it would be better to use the liner method for ease of cleaning / marginal improvement in yield and ease of harvesting. Drilling the Holes in the tub- Reversing the direction of the drill will minimize any potential of cracking the tub. The friction of the hole saw will burn the hole through the tub. I haven't tried this yet myself, but it's shown up in the comments a few times. Also, using a heated can to melt the holes has been popping up in the comments. Polyfil and Location of Holes- putting the holes 1 inch above the substrate seems to be ideal and less polyfil is needed then demonstrated in the video. The end holes should be slightly higher than the hole sides to help with air flow. There are plenty of alternatives to polyfil including micropore tape. Plenty of other ideas (none of which we have tested) have been suggested in the comments. We use the word 'sterilize' in the video when we should use the world 'sanitize'. You're never going to make the process completely sterile, but you can inhibit microbial activity by sanitizing all your materials and your work space using alcohol! 70% isopropyl is better than 90% . The water content in the 70% isopropyl solution helps in the sanitizing process. A warning about using Isopropyl! Isopropyl alcohol and its metabolite, acetone, act as central nervous system (CNS) depressants. Poisoning can occur from ingestion, inhalation, or skin absorption The needle coming out of the package *should* be sterile, but it is standard practice to flame sanitize after opening. We use a cigarette lighter in the video because they are easy to obtain (and work), in our laboratory we use an alcohol lamp that won't leave any carbon residue. The fan intake filter came with a filter on the outside of it. At the point in the process where you would use the fan (once the tub is fully colonized) there isn't much risk of contaminations taking over your tub. We've tried setting up the fan to exhaust with success too. Don't use the fan during your initial colonization period! Ideal temperatures for colonization / fruiting will vary depending on species and strain. Check the specs on any liquid culture / lineage of the spores that you're using. Usually the hotter the temperatures the faster the colonization and fruiting but the more prone to contamination by mold. Certain species require cooler temps!
North Spore I concur with everything you have here with one possible addition. I used some micro filter discs from a popular competitor of yours, normally used on canning jars with lids for air flow during colonization of grain, instead of polyfill. It’s still excellent air flow filtration but doesn’t seem to fluff out so much, making for cleaner lines, so to speak. Plus, the filter discs can be run through a pressure cooker for sterilization and reuse. It’s worked well for me and I live in the desert in central New Mexico. Just suggestions. I only found your channel about an hour ago with the monotub. I like the way you think! I wanna grow more, expand to supply the local garden market. You’re proof that it can be done!
To prevent contamination you should also wear a surgical mask, maybe a hairnet. I suppose the water in the spray bottle should be distilled water or purified water, because there are micro-organisms & chlorine in tap water
You can use drill in forward direction safely and without cracking tub, just put a flat, thick enough peace of wood that wont let drill pass through quickly and press it from inside of tub (2cm is about enough)
Here's a tip... When drilling holes, reverse the direction of the drill in order for the friction to burn a hole through the tub. This drastically reduces the risk of cracking your tub. You can apply more pressure, which increases the friction to bang out the holes faster and you still won't crack the tub unless you're being extremely careless.
Something I've learned from other videos and research is to place the side holes lower and the holes and the short end higher up. With poly thicker on the bottom and thinner at the top holes creates airflow due to weight differences between the air and Co2 Edit: if you use a hairdresser spray bottle it will give you incredibly fine mist.
@@ThatGuy-ul4nx honestly yes if your FC fruiting chamber is dialed in good then yeah.. some places can b drier climate etc, with.monotub should work jus fine tho. I like using tyvek instead of polyfil for the holes. Misting doesn't contaminate it though. If your substrate is fully colonized, then it's pretty dam contam resistant . I've had substrates on the dirty floor and got rflushes
A small tip to take a better look during that first few weeks; put a bit of cloth between two magnets, one inside, one outside and you can wipe away some moisture to make a window (y)
To help prevent cracking, place a layer of the tape on the tub before drilling and then drill through both the tape and the plastic. A better solution to stop the plastic from flexing/cracking, is to place the tub on a firm surface such as work bench or scrap 2x4 and drill directly into the wood. Both of these methods will help, but the key factor, as you mention, is to keep your pressure light and go slow. Thanks for a great video. Your emphasis on sterility was something I wouldn't have given much thought about.
I don’t drill at all, I just use a thin metall pipe or a warn out hole saw with the size i want that I don’t use for drilling anymore. Heat it up with a torch and just push it through slow by melting the plastic 😊 Smooth clean holes every time and no mess. (Do it outside to prevent breathing in the smoke of the melted plastic)
@Joakim A stencil cutter that uses heat much like a soldering iron is good for cutting some plastics. As with the alcohol, there could seemingly be toxicity issues. I would think a high alcohol % grain alcohol to sterilize would be much safer (such as vodka or Everclear), as rubbing alcohol is toxic when ingested. It depends on the plastic type used, but yes! Don't breathe in plastic fumes. I'm thinking glass is a better container for the substrate, especially when there is BPA and other hormone disrupting chemicals (HDCs) in many plastics.
Very informative, thank you. My Father cultivated but I was to stupid to ask him for tips before he passed. You have a new dedicated subscriber now. Look forward to putting these lessons to the test. Bless you guys.
@@NorthSpore Stupid question and I know this is an old video, but using this process, how long can you keep your mushroom factory ''alive'' until you have to redo the whole thing? Will they just regrow themselves if you take care of their needs or do you need to inject ''new blood'' so to speak after a while? Great video also!
I tried to grow Portobello mushrooms from a spore print back in college, and ended up with a tub of green mold coffee grounds. This video was quite an eye opener to how little I actually knew!
Just use a still air box. If at first you don't succeed. Try again. It just takes a few attempts and providing you're rigid with your technique your confidence will soon grow. Saves for hundreds of pounds and really isn't much hassle once you realise that the technique, when done correctly, works
It's certainly not necessary. We debated about using it in the video or not. Ultimately we wanted to convey the importance of doing the process in as sanitary a space as possible.
Fellow Mainer here, I live in South Portland / Westbrook area! I was watching this video and I knew I recognized the building when you went outside, what a trip! Awesome video.
I was going to say the same thing lol. I've had to cut plastic many times, and often enough you do need to run the drill backwards to prevent cracking, or chipping etc
Helpful tip when drilling your air holes, hold a flat piece of wood bigger than the hole you intend to make on the opposite side. This will give you a cleaner hole and reduce the risk of cracking.
I’m just getting into shrooms. My gf has chronic illnesses and I want to grow lions mane in addition to many others for the health benefits and we just love eating mushrooms in any dish. I love the mushroom community so far. Everyone seems so wholesome and knowledgeable. Can’t wait to get more into this culture… Pun intended. 😅🍄
I feel like this is the only video I need to watch to know how to grow mushrooms. He chose good products, nothing you might feel is too expensive or too complicated to operate. He explained everything very well and showed it to give you a clear idea of what things are supposed to look like, and with how sterile he was with the alcohol and how through he was at explaining everything from material to process I'd say i feel pretty confident in doing this myself.
This was so incredibly helpful. I have wanted to try growing mushrooms myself for a while but my adhd always makes me believe I can't but this was so so helpful. Thanks.
One tip with working with plastic is if you got a torch like oxy or even just propane heat up your circle or hole tool and you can melt your hole in the plastic and it’ll prevent cracking. I’ve found it really depends on the type of plastic. Clear and white can be brittle and sucks to drill but colored and more thick and more of a rubber feel I’ve found it doesn’t crack like the clear plastic
We have a video on how to try for round 2 with our Spray and Grow Kits that could be applied to your spent monotub cake! northspore.com/blogs/the-black-trumpet/what-to-do-with-your-mushroom-grow-kit-when-its-done
love the modifications to the tub! Quick question. Could you have the fan facing in the opposite direction to create a negative pressure in the chamber which would allow air to flow in through the polyfill which would be more filtered?
Yes this is a perfectly viable and considerably better option, adding additional filtration material between the fan and the tub will also further limit any contamination and chance of unwanted mold
No, absolutely not. We're not perfect, but recognize that the video can't be updated and gives people a place to start. You can see an updated (and we can continue to update if you have suggestions) walkthrough here: northspore.com/pages/mono-tub-cultivation-method-walkthrough
if you add the humidifier, then pulling air from the tub with the fan will fight the humidifier... and the water coming through the fan can't possibly be good for the fan!
i use rainbow wallpaper myself- that way I can sell the strains as "inclusive" varieties. gotta start when they're spores or they just come out regular.
Just built this puppy over the weekend...really excited to start a batch of Oyster mushrooms! Thanks for all the tek info, I also learned a lot from the comments :)
After about a month and a couple weeks, I finished growing my mushrooms using this method. It works well! Thank you for this video demonstration it was super helpful.
Thank you for this very informative and pedagogical video. I will be trying this out soon.I understand that pushing fresh air in the tank helps with CO2 levels, but doesn't that make the tank unusable for the first part of the process, when you don't want any other spores getting into the tank and competing with the mycelium ? I would've thought we would be pulling the air out of the tank, so that fresh air gets sucked in through the fluffy pillow stuff.
The fan intake filter came with a filter on the outside of it. At the point in the process where you would use the fan (once the tub is fully colonized) there isn't much risk of contaminations taking over your tub. We've tried setting up the fan to exhaust with success too. FYI Don't use the fan during your initial colonization period!
@@alphamanchester could work both ways. my understanding from the video is that the polyfill will catch new spores created by fruiting mushrooms in the tub instead of them releasing to the room for us to breath in
Over at the shroomery, best practice advice usually entails covering the free air exchange holes completely during colonization and just let the imperfect lid to allow for gas exchange. Then you open those (except for the polyfill) when you fruit. Any thoughts on that?
If you're wearing out hole saws drilling through plastic, you have bigger problems... A sharp hole saw run in reverse after setting the center hole in fwd will never chip or grab while boring holes in thin plastic
I have watched this video several times as well as a couple others on the subject. I have been purchasing the materials/equipment for this project and have the following observations, comments and requests for comment: 1) I live in the high desert, and so have special concerns about the amount of humidity that my mushrooms receive. 2) I have purchased a small reptile enclosure sonic humidifier for my Monotub which I will control with a humidity controller. 3) The 4" inline fan that Northspore is selling for use with a Monotub moves air thru it at 129 cubic feet per minute (since the fan specs list the air flow at 220 cubic meters per hour) at full power. If the air replacement inside the tub didn't mix, the fan would replace the air in the tub every 1 second. The mushrooms don't need this and the humidifier won't keep up. Yes, there is a speed control, but I suspect it won't work well. The video does show installation of a computer fan. The very smallest fan of this type that I could find replaces the air in the Monotub once every minute..... so it needs to have a short period timer to use this small fan. 4) Should we use the fan to blow the fresh air into or out off the enclosure? The discussions on this video appear to center on the desire to blow air out of the enclosure because blowing air into the enclosure would introduce contaminants that could threaten the mushrooms. In viewing the Martha Tent video, Northspore (and others in the mushroom community) is concerned with allowing spores to escape the enclosure. My understanding is that spores can make a mess, can be harmful to our health, and can even start mushrooms growing on wood elements in your home (like wood house framing members). Their system sucks air out of the Martha enclosure and either filters it or blows it outside the home. This negative pressure system allows replacement air to enter around the bottom of the tent which is, of course, not filtered and possibly full of contaminants. Apparently, during fruiting, the mushrooms are not at much risk from these contaminants. I am therefore more concerned with keeping the spores out of my house. 5) It appears that the simple way to address the concerns listed in 3 and 4 above is to use a very small computer fan on a short period timer, and blow the air into the Monotub enclosure. The air would escape through the filtered holes and through the humidifier (unfortunately unfiltered), or... blow the air out of the enclosure with a filter installed at the small fan, or... somehow put the little fan inline with the humidifier... I am looking for ideas and comments on this thought process. Thanks for any ideas/help with this. John in Flagstaff, AZ
I have a big suggestion: Don't modify your monotub. It's a beautifully passive system and modifying it usually just creates problems. If more humidity is needed during fruiting, it's easier to just mist a little with clean water. The inline fan we sell is for the BoomRoom or larger grow chambers. We prefer to blow air and spores out and pull fresh air in from the bottom edges (negative pressure), but positive pressure works too.
@@NorthSpore Thanks for the heads up. The place in my house that has high enough heat is the boiler room with less than 20% relative humidity. I was planning on humidification with a small reptile model with controller, and a 2 cfm computer type fan. Humidifier blowing in and fan blowing out on a short duration timer. I plan on installing a filter at the little fan. I will monitor the humidity and temperature with remote weather station sensors..... I am an engineer who lost most of my first oyster grow kit to lack of humidity.... I am sure I will make corrections as I go. Thanks for your response! Usually simple is better! Some videos that I have watched all seemed to generate mushrooms with small caps...... too much CO2 was the message. Do you have experience with monotubs in the high desert?
Awesome video! After your 5 or so flushes, are you able to let some mushrooms keep growing to naturally release some more spores into the mycelium, are you able to inject more spores for continued growth, or do you have to dump the mycelium and substrate and restart the process entirely?
It's not spores you have to worry about. As time goes on, the mushrooms naturally digest the substrate. After some time the substrate is used up and has no more bioavailable nutrients. Its why the substrate pulls away from the tub--it's literally being eaten.
🍄 Thank you so much for this video walkthrough. I just transplanted the grain spawn into your brand monotub kit and crossing my fingers that i dont get contaminants. As a first timer, im very excited to see the results. 🧑🔬
That needle is sterile when it comes out of the package. Why are you wiping it off with the alcohol rag you just wiped all over everything else? Alcohol sanitizes - it doesn't sterilize.
Yes, flame sterilizes - but the needle was already sterile in the package. If you're injecting multiple bags, then flame sterilize in between bags - but no need to wipe or flame a needle that just came from the package. Wiping it will only add potential contaminants.
I've taken medical microbiology and its standard procedure to heat needle and any equipment till red hot all the time when dealing with fungi. Who knew this class would have gave me a head start in my own magic mushroom adventures.
@@agoraphone Heat denatures any enzyme rendering any cell useless. It destroys the cell wall,fatty acids, and most importantly their protein. Without a protein in the cell it is not one bit possible for any organism to survive. It is the most strongest and effective means of destroying any organism. Except thermophilic organisms of course. Ironic how the only thing needed to kill those is bringing them to room temperature or colder. Alcohol on the other hand is an amphiphile compound meaning it bonds quite easily to water and fat(lipids). When alcohol is first introduced to a cell it starts by bonding with the out most layer of the cell (lipid bilayer). Thus damaging the integrity of the cell wall and weakens it to the point it dissolves. Because single celled organisms like bacteria and viruses are primarily composed of just water, with some fatty proteins inside them, alcohol’s amphiphile traits make it a great effective sanitizing tool. When the cell wall is damaged the inside of the cell just fall out, and the alcohol dissolves that too when it bonds with the water and lipid agents. Its like someone getting stomach torn open guts falling out and pouring acid over guts on floor. I've seen it under a microscope. Its cool. This is also the reason why microbiologist prefer and practice using weaker concentrates of alcohol for sanitation. Not anything under 60 though because there are plenty of micro organism that can withstand this. The ideal ratio is 70 percent alcohol for greatest bonding to single celled micro_organisms and denaturing. I know so much lmao damn sounding like an encyclopedia. I love microbiology man its so cool. It is funny cause when you look up stuff like this on google most of the information is wrong. The only downside of becoming a microbiologist. You have to genuinley just know this with your heart due to a love of science man.
As a beginner, let me say this video brought a visual representation to much of the forum threads I have read. Pictures do justice, but this full featured tutorial is wonderful. Q's. Once substrate is colonized and onset of pinning begins, you cased with little attention to cleanliness. Everything at that point is clear of danger? With the addition of the fan and fogger, no cares about contamination or the fan filter is enough? Water, tap or something bottled/RO? Just curious and thanks for the great info. Subbed for sure.
Thanks for your support! At the casing step, there is little risk of contamination. You should definitely be using a filter on your fan, but that should be enough in terms of filtration.
Great video, thank you! Question- once the coco coir is added and you spritz 1-2 times daily, do you continue doing that until harvest? Or is that adjusted once fruiting begins?
I've read every single comment and I'm surprised to see that no one has yet recommended to run the drill in reverse in order to avoid cracking the plastic tub.
lol, we get that comment at least every week since the video came out. We can't edit the video, but have included that and a number of other changes in the walkthrough on our website. Thanks though!
You absolutely don't have to do this or even use alcohol after the inoculation. If your bulk spawn contaminates 95% of the time your grain was contaminated before it even went in, 4.99% of the time its because you're not using coir and didn't pasteurize properly. Coir is naturally contm resistant. I grow weed in it too and its moist almost 24/7 yet no fungal or bacterial activity.
Sterilization reduces the risk of contamination in your tub so that another fungus doesn't grow instead of what you are intending. The alcohol evaporates quickly so it wouldn't affect the mycelium.
Oh NO! I ordered 3 boomr bags and 3 Sterilized Grain Bags. You use 1 grain bag per 3 boomr bags? I figured that being that the grain bags are 3lb and the boomrs are 5lbs i'd do 1 for 1. Am I about to make a mistake? Also, spraying the tub with iso after its been filled with the colonized substrate isn't an issue? the alcohol on the sub does not affect the mycelium?
You're still in good shape! We recommend 2-4 Boomr Bags per 1 Injection Port Bag to achieve the correct level of subsrate in this video. Don't spray ISO directly on your mycelium, but you can use it liberally for sanitization of your entire process.
The products I ordered held up very well. I am currently just about ready to case my first tub, the second spawn bag I did one mix on vs two so its colonizing slower but still steady. Going to leave a review on the website soon but I will be returning for future purchases and recommend them wholehearted! I'll be doing a few logs this year and definitely will be getting my additional supplies from you guys. Thank you for the video it was very helpful! Edit: when you buy a tub don't make a mistake I made and get one with a red top. It makes it annoying if you want to take pictures or time lapses
I think you're probably right! I haven't tried it though. The fan is probably excessive because another thing you can do is just shift the lid off to let more air in.
Five star review☆☆☆☆☆ I love this video. Thank you for including the written walk through and materials used. Seriously, so helpful in every way. This video is a staple!
Thanks for the great video! When reusing the mono tub, what do you recommend to do with the fan and hose? Remove and plug all holes with monofil until colonization is finished? Or simply tape them shut and sanitize from the inside?
It's awesome how inexpensive and accessible you guys are making it to grow your own delicious mushrooms! I've been trying to grow more of my own food, but have always had problems with space living in a small studio apt. Eventually I'll upgrade to a grow tent with some lights and then I can start growing a wider variety of veggies!
Why do you put the fan as I take to bring in unfiltered air? If it was reversed it would suck air thru the polyfil first and would risk contamination less .
The fan has an air filter attached to it, though it's really just to keep bugs out of the tub. At the stage that you would need to regulate CO2 with the additional fan there isn't much risk of contamination effecting your grow. You'd want to use it during the fruiting stage when the substrate has been completely colonized. The real time period where there is significant risk of contamination is during the colonization period when the grain spawn hasn't completely taken over the bulk substrate.
Hi Sala, there are certain mushrooms that grow well in monotubs and others that do not! In a classic monotub with the boomr bag, oysters would do really well. Species like nameko and chestnuts may be better used with our wood lovrs substrate!
Hey, I am very new to all this, but excited to start growing! I noticed that after you topped off the bed with the inoculated grain you sprayed the edges and top of the tub with alcohol...but presumably some of this hit the spores. I assume that the 70% isopropyl alcohol isn't harmful to the wanted spores, but kills the other unwanted microbes? Or is it the benefit of killing other microbes, that outweighs the spores that may be lost?
good observation. Yes it probably kills live cells. Also had alcohol all over hands when mixing (killing live cells) Needle is sterile so no need to flame it. good video otherwise.....fungi are pretty tough. just trying to keep the bad boogie out!
Ok two questions.....during the two week incubation period I understand temps.....but what about light? Should it be kept dark or no? Also does the alcohol damage the spawn when you douse the inside once your sub/spawn is already in there!? I'd imagine you'd not want to get ANY alcohol on the sub/spawn!?
Yes, another video shedding light on going from all in one grow bag to tub. So basically, I'm already in good shape at day 6. I can't contaminate my spawn mixing into my substrate unless I wanted to. At a certain point, I'll mix the mycelium and substrate from my all in one bag together and with sterilization and then GO STRAIGHT INTO THE TUB. That's awesome. I'm going to top/case/frost with coco and vermiculite, but no other video has had these visuals and instructions and I APPRECIATE IT dude. lmk if I'm wrong, but this hobby is starting out to be mad easy and I love it
Recognize that this video is a little dated and we've added to is on the walkthrough on our website. See that here: northspore.com/pages/mono-tub-cultivation-method-walkthrough
Great video. I used the same sterilite tub that you did. I found it was a lot easier to use a hefty leaf bag instead of painting the bottom part. You just pull it up like a loose sock. Not only can you adjust it but it blocks out more light because it is heavily crinkled up.
Can you specify what tech was used computer fan, fogger, light, and timers? Also, what recommendation do you have as far as the seedling heat mat? Thanks by the way your video helped out alot!
Thanks for this video and the written walkthrough! Just a heads up, the LED bar you linked will not work with a timer. It has a touch switch and can’t be left on. Each time the power is turned off, the touch switch has to be physically touched to turn it back on.
I did this method and I gave up hope at first because there was no pinning. But now after 2 weeks there are pins, but they are all very close to the fresh air holes (with micropore tape) and growing towards the holes. Should I do anything about that? I think maybe they will try to grow through the micropore lol.
Hi NS I hope you can clarify something for me. I’m not super clear on the use of the ISO because of potential time lapse from video editing. Many times while wiping his hands with the ISO he goes straight into the substrate to check for field capacity and spread everything around. Also that last little sprits of Iso of the sides and top before the lid goes on to spawn to bulk. … my question is, is it necessary to let the iso dry before contacting the grain spawn or the substrate? After the final sprays and the lid went on, do the alcohol vapors remaining inside the box harm the growth of the mycelium? My assumption was that iso will kill any microbes INCLUDING the myc you’re trying to grow. Im probly way off, but I’m having a hell of a time figuring out how careful to be with the iso contacting everything. Thanks for your help!
Also curious on this, bottom was still damp when I filled and then like Chris said the vapors and final sprays… does this cause harm and or kill off myc. Thanks!
Great video! Can't wait to get started. My first attempt was not the best but I learned a lot for the next time. I really loved just how energetic I was after eating fresh oyster mushrooms.
@@kevinanderson9752 sorry so late on the response. And yes the sanitation is a must! I got a good first harvest and then I tried to innoculate a second time but I wasn't as careful. So it got contaminated. I'll be trying again soon! The energy is amazing and I'm wanting to feel that again!
Been researching a lot because I LOVE mushrooms and want to grow them. I put them in all my food dishes. What’s funny, I already have a LOT of substrate since I own tarantulas. 😂🤣 So I guess I can check that off the list. Once I get paid definitely buying a kit so me and the kids can grow them. Then once I’m more experienced, I’ll upgrade. But this is so very helpful.
Using the drill at a high speed in reverse will give you cleaner cuts and will help not crack the plastic. Try starting the hole in reverse and then going forwards halfway thru drilling. Like you mentioned zero pressure at all times.
Pro Tip: instead of the PC fan blowing air into the box, it should pull old air out of the box. This will force air to be pulled in through the poly fill where it can be filtered. Otherwise blowing in unfiltered air renders the poly fill useless.
i like that
Went to the comments for that specific reason. He was so adamant about sterilizing everything and taking about the poly fill filtering out spores and unwanted stuff, then mounts the fan pointing in with no filter.
I was going to say the same thing. The purpose of a vent fan is to push old air out and bring new air in through the filtered holes, which I believe should be located lower than the fan around the tub.
@@jdsr4c c02 is heavier than air, co2 is what you want to remove. My logical thinking would make me place the air holes higher and the fan lower. Making the fan able to directly blow out c02 instead of having to "pull" c02 up first. No?
Don’t think you’ll run the fan until fruiting stage and the mycelium is pretty resistant at that stage.
Several things within the first minute that might help you out 1. Get air in the bag so mycelium can breathe and spread faster. 2. When injecting spores, move the needle around to cover more area as it tends to colonize faster. 3. Shake that syringe vigorously for 30 seconds as spores tend to clump together. Separating them tends to offer more opportunity for more surface area. Happy growing✌️
Good advice, thank you!
how would you get air into the bag without contaminating?
Number 3 should be number 2. First shake, then inject :)
I have no idea and have not even started but I seen bag with vents. For CO2 exchange. His bag does not. Confusing. So getting air in there as you said seems required.
@@hou7707 the grain bags tend to have almost a medical fabric pad on the upper side of the bag that is where the air comes in. When mixing unfold your bag & you will notice air will come in as you GENTLY shake the grain upwards. also dont fold the top back down let it stay unfolded I have a UV Air Purifier close by as well. Good Luck Ren!
hell ya
I’ve never grown mushrooms before hence why I’m watching your video. I DO have a LOT of experience drilling brittle plastics. There are two ways. First is easy, DRILL IN REVERSE. The heat of the friction softens the plastic and gives you a nice smooth cut hole. Option two, use a warn out hole saw, or use a gritted diamond blade. I’ve used these methods on the same tubs for other projects (I am a professional builder and inventor. I have made terrariums for clients raising psychedelic reptiles and amphibians, grow boxes for rare swamp cultures, so on. Give it a shot and tell me your results. ) Happy Harvesting!!
Absolutely wonderful advise. The same technique works for hydroponic cloning tubs, as well.
@@adambugher4837 same advice works for hydroponic kratky tubs with rubbermaid 10 and 20 gallons then i use a pool noodle cut into 1-2" sections (with a slice down one side to insert the plant) to hold the plant in place. Learned this from kratky videos and Mike Dunzee growing channel.
I made a mono tub today, and found that using a blunt hole saw definitely works really well
You can't just bring up psychedelic reptiles without explaining what in the fuck that's supposed to mean
@@dogbless9306 yeah 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 what he said
This dude is the best, he explains everything so well. Doesnt ramble on but gets to the point while still being thorough
Good job duder
totally AGREED!
Some updates! Here are a few top suggestions from the comment section. We'll keep updating this as more information comes in:
Spray Painting bottom vs. Trash Bag Liner- consensus is that using the contractor / trash bag liner method is superior to the spray paint method shown in the video. As the substrate colonizes with mushroom spawn it will pull away from the sides of the tub (as shown in the video at 21:27). When this happens microclimates form that will cause mushrooms to grow along the sides. If an opaque trash bag is used to line the bottom part of the tub the bag will pull away with the shrinking substrate and minimize these microclimates. The one downside I see of the method is the increase in plastic waste. We've never had issues with side pinning or losing mushrooms using the paint method, but we don't use monotubs for our commercial edible mushroom production (we use bags in climate controlled rooms). I agree that if you were doing this at scale (more than one or two tubs) it would be better to use the liner method for ease of cleaning / marginal improvement in yield and ease of harvesting.
Drilling the Holes in the tub- Reversing the direction of the drill will minimize any potential of cracking the tub. The friction of the hole saw will burn the hole through the tub. I haven't tried this yet myself, but it's shown up in the comments a few times.
Also, using a heated can to melt the holes has been popping up in the comments.
Polyfil and Location of Holes- putting the holes 1 inch above the substrate seems to be ideal and less polyfil is needed then demonstrated in the video. The end holes should be slightly higher than the hole sides to help with air flow. There are plenty of alternatives to polyfil including micropore tape. Plenty of other ideas (none of which we have tested) have been suggested in the comments.
We use the word 'sterilize' in the video when we should use the world 'sanitize'. You're never going to make the process completely sterile, but you can inhibit microbial activity by sanitizing all your materials and your work space using alcohol!
70% isopropyl is better than 90% . The water content in the 70% isopropyl solution helps in the sanitizing process.
A warning about using Isopropyl! Isopropyl alcohol and its metabolite, acetone, act as central nervous system (CNS) depressants. Poisoning can occur from ingestion, inhalation, or skin absorption
The needle coming out of the package *should* be sterile, but it is standard practice to flame sanitize after opening. We use a cigarette lighter in the video because they are easy to obtain (and work), in our laboratory we use an alcohol lamp that won't leave any carbon residue.
The fan intake filter came with a filter on the outside of it. At the point in the process where you would use the fan (once the tub is fully colonized) there isn't much risk of contaminations taking over your tub. We've tried setting up the fan to exhaust with success too. Don't use the fan during your initial colonization period!
Ideal temperatures for colonization / fruiting will vary depending on species and strain. Check the specs on any liquid culture / lineage of the spores that you're using. Usually the hotter the temperatures the faster the colonization and fruiting but the more prone to contamination by mold. Certain species require cooler temps!
North Spore I concur with everything you have here with one possible addition. I used some micro filter discs from a popular competitor of yours, normally used on canning jars with lids for air flow during colonization of grain, instead of polyfill. It’s still excellent air flow filtration but doesn’t seem to fluff out so much, making for cleaner lines, so to speak. Plus, the filter discs can be run through a pressure cooker for sterilization and reuse. It’s worked well for me and I live in the desert in central New Mexico. Just suggestions. I only found your channel about an hour ago with the monotub. I like the way you think! I wanna grow more, expand to supply the local garden market. You’re proof that it can be done!
North Spore another question please: growing in summer temperatures of 30-35C (86-95F) with fairly high humidity.... is this a problem?
Nick Anderson paddy straw shrooms grows at that temp. Look them up, otherwise you will experience contamination hell
To prevent contamination you should also wear a surgical mask, maybe a hairnet. I suppose the water in the spray bottle should be distilled water or purified water, because there are micro-organisms & chlorine in tap water
You can use drill in forward direction safely and without cracking tub, just put a flat, thick enough peace of wood that wont let drill pass through quickly and press it from inside of tub (2cm is about enough)
Here's a tip... When drilling holes, reverse the direction of the drill in order for the friction to burn a hole through the tub. This drastically reduces the risk of cracking your tub. You can apply more pressure, which increases the friction to bang out the holes faster and you still won't crack the tub unless you're being extremely careless.
Also a good suggestion!
*Pro tip
Or heat a nail. Or better yet, a half inch pipe.
I came here to suggest the same thing, I've drilled holes in plastic a bunch, and in reverse is the way to go.
Made similar comment before I saw this one. So I second your opinion.
Good stuff. Thank you!
A pro tip for drilling holes with a hole saw in the totes: Run the drill backwards and you will never crack them!
Thanks!
Just make sure you start the pilot hole with the drill going "forward"
Nice tip. This will save a Massive amount of plastic :). Good job
@@danielengsvang3126 or you can heat up a soup can and hot punch them. No cracks or burs.
Can confirm, this works with hole saws as well as paddle bits. It prevents the blade from biting into the plastic.
Something I've learned from other videos and research is to place the side holes lower and the holes and the short end higher up. With poly thicker on the bottom and thinner at the top holes creates airflow due to weight differences between the air and Co2
Edit: if you use a hairdresser spray bottle it will give you incredibly fine mist.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Microphone tape works better in my opponion
Does the water in the bottle need to be sterilized? Bcuz without it would have contamd
Never mist, never open your tub, nail your FC perfectly and you will never need to risk contamination by spraying.
@@ThatGuy-ul4nx honestly yes if your FC fruiting chamber is dialed in good then yeah.. some places can b drier climate etc, with.monotub should work jus fine tho. I like using tyvek instead of polyfil for the holes. Misting doesn't contaminate it though. If your substrate is fully colonized, then it's pretty dam contam resistant . I've had substrates on the dirty floor and got rflushes
A small tip to take a better look during that first few weeks; put a bit of cloth between two magnets, one inside, one outside and you can wipe away some moisture to make a window (y)
That's a great idea! Thank you.
I agree, I’ve made numerous containers for hydroponics and it’s recommended to reverse. The other comment is undoubtedly a lack of education.
Hospital: "We've just sterilized the whole place!"
North Spore: *runs finger across floor* "Yeeeea, I don't think so"
hahahahahaha
Does anyone know what the stuff u inject is how do i buy it whats it called?
cxed spores I basically shroom seeds
Lmao
@@THIRTEENTH13TH ive seen tons on etsy but i havent ordered yet, i ordered colonized substrate from amazon will start tomorrow
To help prevent cracking, place a layer of the tape on the tub before drilling and then drill through both the tape and the plastic. A better solution to stop the plastic from flexing/cracking, is to place the tub on a firm surface such as work bench or scrap 2x4 and drill directly into the wood. Both of these methods will help, but the key factor, as you mention, is to keep your pressure light and go slow. Thanks for a great video. Your emphasis on sterility was something I wouldn't have given much thought about.
The best way is to run the drill in reverse.
@@FullCircleTravis I was going to comment that exact thing. Never had a crack when running in reverse
Just what I was thinking it's the way to go the bit won't bite in it melts through the plastic making a clean hole
I don’t drill at all, I just use a thin metall pipe or a warn out hole saw with the size i want that I don’t use for drilling anymore. Heat it up with a torch and just push it through slow by melting the plastic 😊 Smooth clean holes every time and no mess. (Do it outside to prevent breathing in the smoke of the melted plastic)
@Joakim A stencil cutter that uses heat much like a soldering iron is good for cutting some plastics. As with the alcohol, there could seemingly be toxicity issues. I would think a high alcohol % grain alcohol to sterilize would be much safer (such as vodka or Everclear), as rubbing alcohol is toxic when ingested.
It depends on the plastic type used, but yes! Don't breathe in plastic fumes.
I'm thinking glass is a better container for the substrate, especially when there is BPA and other hormone disrupting chemicals (HDCs) in many plastics.
Very informative, thank you. My Father cultivated but I was to stupid to ask him for tips before he passed. You have a new dedicated subscriber now. Look forward to putting these lessons to the test. Bless you guys.
We're happy to help!
@@NorthSpore Stupid question and I know this is an old video, but using this process, how long can you keep your mushroom factory ''alive'' until you have to redo the whole thing? Will they just regrow themselves if you take care of their needs or do you need to inject ''new blood'' so to speak after a while?
Great video also!
Most detailed monotub walkthrough I've seen yet. Awesome job guys. Thanks a bunch!
Thanks for watching it! There are a number of great suggestions from viewers in the comments too
And now it doesn’t show up in RUclips’s search. Weird huh?
...shrooms or mushrooms
look up Willy Myco for advanced tek's
I tried to grow Portobello mushrooms from a spore print back in college, and ended up with a tub of green mold coffee grounds. This video was quite an eye opener to how little I actually knew!
Glad to give you a little refresher!
@@NorthSpore it was not about you. it was about the video. so you are glad that the video gave him a little refresher.
@@emmagrigorian5822 He made the video?
@@mightybrake4850 some of these people man 😂, they need to chill out on the shrooms.
Sure, portobello 😂
> at home technique
> positive pressure flow hood
Lmao precisely
lol
Jokes aside, a flow hood is actually pretty simple to build yourself and not ridiculously expensive. Tons of guides online for them.
Just use a still air box. If at first you don't succeed. Try again. It just takes a few attempts and providing you're rigid with your technique your confidence will soon grow. Saves for hundreds of pounds and really isn't much hassle once you realise that the technique, when done correctly, works
It's certainly not necessary. We debated about using it in the video or not. Ultimately we wanted to convey the importance of doing the process in as sanitary a space as possible.
Fellow Mainer here, I live in South Portland / Westbrook area! I was watching this video and I knew I recognized the building when you went outside, what a trip! Awesome video.
Legend maintains that no matter what time you read this he is sterilizing something somewhere.
It's the truth!
Remember to really get in there
He is... the most sanitary man in the world
make sure to massage that bag
they alcohol doesnt negatively effect the spawn or substrate at all? i know some people use water with hydrogen peroxide does it make a difference?
I feel like this can only be done really high at 3 a.m.
currently watching at 2:35 am
True
You never know when inspiration will strike!
3:41am close enough
2:15 a.m.
A tip when drilling the holes is to actually use the holecutter in reverse to help prevent cracking the tub
I was going to say the same thing lol. I've had to cut plastic many times, and often enough you do need to run the drill backwards to prevent cracking, or chipping etc
or just burn it. he clearly buys better quality plastic containers than you. not everything is walmart grade plastic.
Helpful tip when drilling your air holes, hold a flat piece of wood bigger than the hole you intend to make on the opposite side. This will give you a cleaner hole and reduce the risk of cracking.
reduce it entirely by just heating a drill bit. nothing a little duck tape doesnt fix anyway.
I love how you replied to almost every comment
There's been a bunch of great suggestions, hoping the comments add to the video
I’m just getting into shrooms. My gf has chronic illnesses and I want to grow lions mane in addition to many others for the health benefits and we just love eating mushrooms in any dish. I love the mushroom community so far. Everyone seems so wholesome and knowledgeable. Can’t wait to get more into this culture… Pun intended. 😅🍄
You got this! Keep the passion going.
I feel like this is the only video I need to watch to know how to grow mushrooms. He chose good products, nothing you might feel is too expensive or too complicated to operate. He explained everything very well and showed it to give you a clear idea of what things are supposed to look like, and with how sterile he was with the alcohol and how through he was at explaining everything from material to process I'd say i feel pretty confident in doing this myself.
Thanks for your support!
How did it go
Same! This video was the final catalyst for me.
Soooo do I have to use all substrate for it? Can I use my own human substrate?😂 cause I'll harvest if it it actually works🤣
@@endyrodriguez4854 no
This was so incredibly helpful. I have wanted to try growing mushrooms myself for a while but my adhd always makes me believe I can't but this was so so helpful. Thanks.
Awesome, we're happy to hear that!
Your doubt holds you back 😉 grow hard, dude
99% of people diagnosed with adhd, do not have it. Its all about the money.
Got my tub, my spawn bag is almost completely white!!! Super excited to get to the next step! Thanks guys.
Send it!!!
how’d it go? thinking about getting myself a kit!
How did it go? How long after the initial culture injection do you massage the bag again?
You have a next level understanding of the grow process. You're helping countless people, and saving lives.
Happy to be of service! Reach out with questions anytime!
i don't even intend on growing shrooms, but this was so entertaining to watch from start to end.
glad you enjoyed it!
One tip with working with plastic is if you got a torch like oxy or even just propane heat up your circle or hole tool and you can melt your hole in the plastic and it’ll prevent cracking. I’ve found it really depends on the type of plastic. Clear and white can be brittle and sucks to drill but colored and more thick and more of a rubber feel I’ve found it doesn’t crack like the clear plastic
Heat up the top rim of an empty soda can works nicely
Can you do a video on how to use the spent mushroom substrate to start an outdoor bed?
yes !
We have a video on how to try for round 2 with our Spray and Grow Kits that could be applied to your spent monotub cake! northspore.com/blogs/the-black-trumpet/what-to-do-with-your-mushroom-grow-kit-when-its-done
THIS is EXACTLY what I have been looking for. Super clear, basic but not too general = you just got a customer. Thank you!
Thanks for your support!
Boy, he's really getting in there!
A clean environment is very important!
So, at the 22:00 mark, you are done with the sterilization process? No need to worry anymore?
Yes, once colonized, your tub is quite resilient against contamination!
Ive grown for a long time, just popping by to say hello give some watch hours and comment to boost analytics. Great job on the video!
Thanks for the kind words and for watching the video!
love the modifications to the tub! Quick question. Could you have the fan facing in the opposite direction to create a negative pressure in the chamber which would allow air to flow in through the polyfill which would be more filtered?
Yes this is a perfectly viable and considerably better option, adding additional filtration material between the fan and the tub will also further limit any contamination and chance of unwanted mold
I'm very disappointed they did it a different way. Are the undermining makers so they'll buy kits and ready-made solutions instead? I wonder. lol
No, absolutely not. We're not perfect, but recognize that the video can't be updated and gives people a place to start. You can see an updated (and we can continue to update if you have suggestions) walkthrough here: northspore.com/pages/mono-tub-cultivation-method-walkthrough
Or just do the passive method, that's all you should need.
if you add the humidifier, then pulling air from the tub with the fan will fight the humidifier... and the water coming through the fan can't possibly be good for the fan!
Black craft paper instead of spray paint seems a way to make the container dark too. That’s especially helpful for HSPs.
i use rainbow wallpaper myself- that way I can sell the strains as "inclusive" varieties. gotta start when they're spores or they just come out regular.
I'll try this with some straw instead of the boomr bags since i'm kinda broke but the technique itself seems flawless! Thanks a looot.
Just built this puppy over the weekend...really excited to start a batch of Oyster mushrooms! Thanks for all the tek info, I also learned a lot from the comments :)
Awesome! Let us know if you have any questions! Enjoy.
Me: will never do this
Also me: emotionally invested in this video and channel
You can do it! But thanks for the emotional investment!
I've watched a 100 videos on this subject, and so far, this video is the best.
Martin Dennis me too
Thanks!
You guys rule. I ordered a buncha grain bags and boomer bags a while ago. Had an issue with two grain bags that were replaced quickly. Solid company.
Thanks for your support and understanding!
Thanks for the great materials and sharing somuch knowledge! I will remain a faithful custy! Long live northspore!
After about a month and a couple weeks, I finished growing my mushrooms using this method. It works well! Thank you for this video demonstration it was super helpful.
Thanks for the update!
Instead of risking cracking my tubs I put an empty tin food can on the stove, get it hot, and push it through the tub.
So many great suggestions for cutting the poly holes! Thanks.
Or use a piece of wood on the other side of the plastic when drilling.
200 IQ
Tyann where do you order your stuff from and whats a good way to start for a beginner
You just saved me 30 or so bucks 😅
Thank you!
Hands down the best video on the subject. Thanks very much.
Thanks!
What a great hobby for those with the OCD!
truth
Thank you for this very informative and pedagogical video. I will be trying this out soon.I understand that pushing fresh air in the tank helps with CO2 levels, but doesn't that make the tank unusable for the first part of the process, when you don't want any other spores getting into the tank and competing with the mycelium ?
I would've thought we would be pulling the air out of the tank, so that fresh air gets sucked in through the fluffy pillow stuff.
The fan intake filter came with a filter on the outside of it. At the point in the process where you would use the fan (once the tub is fully colonized) there isn't much risk of contaminations taking over your tub. We've tried setting up the fan to exhaust with success too. FYI Don't use the fan during your initial colonization period!
@@NorthSpore ok found my answer, and also don’t use the fogger till the pin/fruit/add lime to the coconut stage ?
You want the fan pushing air out of the tub. This will create a negative pressure in the tub and the air will flow into the tub through the filters.
@@alphamanchester could work both ways. my understanding from the video is that the polyfill will catch new spores created by fruiting mushrooms in the tub instead of them releasing to the room for us to breath in
@@NorthSpore I would assume this is the same for the fogger for humidity control? Do you have to have poly fill in the initial stage?
Over at the shroomery, best practice advice usually entails covering the free air exchange holes completely during colonization and just let the imperfect lid to allow for gas exchange. Then you open those (except for the polyfill) when you fruit. Any thoughts on that?
Great suggestion! Definitely an option for those who want to go as simple and low tech as possible!
Could also use micropore tape over the air holes, instead of the polyfill.
Love that you added the high speed/little pressure tip for the hole saw part! Lots of folks dont know that! A good way to save drill bits too ✌🏽
If you're wearing out hole saws drilling through plastic, you have bigger problems... A sharp hole saw run in reverse after setting the center hole in fwd will never chip or grab while boring holes in thin plastic
This is great! Thanks for doing this. Could you make another video with the upgraded mushroom results so that we can see the difference?
Thanks for your support! We may release an update in the future!
I'm surprised you don't have a shoebox tek video. I mean I know it's so simple it wouldn't really take a video, but they are so easy and fun!
Great suggestion!
Can you use this method for magic mushrooms?
I have watched this video several times as well as a couple others on the subject. I have been purchasing the materials/equipment for this project and have the following observations, comments and requests for comment:
1) I live in the high desert, and so have special concerns about the amount of humidity that my mushrooms receive.
2) I have purchased a small reptile enclosure sonic humidifier for my Monotub which I will control with a humidity controller.
3) The 4" inline fan that Northspore is selling for use with a Monotub moves air thru it at 129 cubic feet per minute (since the fan specs list the air flow at 220 cubic meters per hour) at full power. If the air replacement inside the tub didn't mix, the fan would replace the air in the tub every 1 second. The mushrooms don't need this and the humidifier won't keep up. Yes, there is a speed control, but I suspect it won't work well. The video does show installation of a computer fan. The very smallest fan of this type that I could find replaces the air in the Monotub once every minute..... so it needs to have a short period timer to use this small fan.
4) Should we use the fan to blow the fresh air into or out off the enclosure? The discussions on this video appear to center on the desire to blow air out of the enclosure because blowing air into the enclosure would introduce contaminants that could threaten the mushrooms.
In viewing the Martha Tent video, Northspore (and others in the mushroom community) is concerned with allowing spores to escape the enclosure. My understanding is that spores can make a mess, can be harmful to our health, and can even start mushrooms growing on wood elements in your home (like wood house framing members). Their system sucks air out of the Martha enclosure and either filters it or blows it outside the home. This negative pressure system allows replacement air to enter around the bottom of the tent which is, of course, not filtered and possibly full of contaminants. Apparently, during fruiting, the mushrooms are not at much risk from these contaminants. I am therefore more concerned with keeping the spores out of my house.
5) It appears that the simple way to address the concerns listed in 3 and 4 above is to use a very small computer fan on a short period timer, and blow the air into the Monotub enclosure. The air would escape through the filtered holes and through the humidifier (unfortunately unfiltered), or... blow the air out of the enclosure with a filter installed at the small fan, or... somehow put the little fan inline with the humidifier... I am looking for ideas and comments on this thought process.
Thanks for any ideas/help with this. John in Flagstaff, AZ
I have a big suggestion: Don't modify your monotub. It's a beautifully passive system and modifying it usually just creates problems. If more humidity is needed during fruiting, it's easier to just mist a little with clean water. The inline fan we sell is for the BoomRoom or larger grow chambers. We prefer to blow air and spores out and pull fresh air in from the bottom edges (negative pressure), but positive pressure works too.
@@NorthSpore Thanks for the heads up. The place in my house that has high enough heat is the boiler room with less than 20% relative humidity. I was planning on humidification with a small reptile model with controller, and a 2 cfm computer type fan. Humidifier blowing in and fan blowing out on a short duration timer. I plan on installing a filter at the little fan. I will monitor the humidity and temperature with remote weather station sensors..... I am an engineer who lost most of my first oyster grow kit to lack of humidity.... I am sure I will make corrections as I go. Thanks for your response!
Usually simple is better! Some videos that I have watched all seemed to generate mushrooms with small caps...... too much CO2 was the message. Do you have experience with monotubs in the high desert?
Awesome video! After your 5 or so flushes, are you able to let some mushrooms keep growing to naturally release some more spores into the mycelium, are you able to inject more spores for continued growth, or do you have to dump the mycelium and substrate and restart the process entirely?
It's not spores you have to worry about. As time goes on, the mushrooms naturally digest the substrate. After some time the substrate is used up and has no more bioavailable nutrients. Its why the substrate pulls away from the tub--it's literally being eaten.
Eventually you have to start over as the nutrients in your substrate have been used up.
🍄 Thank you so much for this video walkthrough. I just transplanted the grain spawn into your brand monotub kit and crossing my fingers that i dont get contaminants. As a first timer, im very excited to see the results. 🧑🔬
How did it turn out?
How did it go?
How did it go bro?
how'd it go brotendo?
Bro let’s us know
That needle is sterile when it comes out of the package. Why are you wiping it off with the alcohol rag you just wiped all over everything else? Alcohol sanitizes - it doesn't sterilize.
Gabriel Rafi Fire , flame sterilizes .. gets so hot that it kills all the stuff that could potentially cause a contam
@Gabriel Rafi It kills any unwanted contaminates.
Yes, flame sterilizes - but the needle was already sterile in the package. If you're injecting multiple bags, then flame sterilize in between bags - but no need to wipe or flame a needle that just came from the package. Wiping it will only add potential contaminants.
I've taken medical microbiology and its standard procedure to heat needle and any equipment till red hot all the time when dealing with fungi. Who knew this class would have gave me a head start in my own magic mushroom adventures.
@@agoraphone Heat denatures any enzyme rendering any cell useless. It destroys the cell wall,fatty acids, and most importantly their protein. Without a protein in the cell it is not one bit possible for any organism to survive. It is the most strongest and effective means of destroying any organism. Except thermophilic organisms of course. Ironic how the only thing needed to kill those is bringing them to room temperature or colder. Alcohol on the other hand is an amphiphile compound meaning it bonds quite easily to water and fat(lipids). When alcohol is first introduced to a cell it starts by bonding with the out most layer of the cell (lipid bilayer). Thus damaging the integrity of the cell wall and weakens it to the point it dissolves. Because single celled organisms like bacteria and viruses are primarily composed of just water, with some fatty proteins inside them, alcohol’s amphiphile traits make it a great effective sanitizing tool. When the cell wall is damaged the inside of the cell just fall out, and the alcohol dissolves that too when it bonds with the water and lipid agents. Its like someone getting stomach torn open guts falling out and pouring acid over guts on floor. I've seen it under a microscope. Its cool. This is also the reason why microbiologist prefer and practice using weaker concentrates of alcohol for sanitation. Not anything under 60 though because there are plenty of micro organism that can withstand this. The ideal ratio is 70 percent alcohol for greatest bonding to single celled micro_organisms and denaturing. I know so much lmao damn sounding like an encyclopedia. I love microbiology man its so cool. It is funny cause when you look up stuff like this on google most of the information is wrong. The only downside of becoming a microbiologist. You have to genuinley just know this with your heart due to a love of science man.
I'm late to the party but glad as hell I started the journey. Your content is informative and has helped me get started!
When he starts the time laspe you can see how the mycelium is breathing like lungs from the condensation on the bag :) it's so cool!
The whole process is so interesting and fun.
Could you detail the lighting and temperature ranges for the various stages? Great video, btw.
Thanks for watching!
Yes please!
As a beginner, let me say this video brought a visual representation to much of the forum threads I have read. Pictures do justice, but this full featured tutorial is wonderful.
Q's.
Once substrate is colonized and onset of pinning begins, you cased with little attention to cleanliness. Everything at that point is clear of danger?
With the addition of the fan and fogger, no cares about contamination or the fan filter is enough? Water, tap or something bottled/RO?
Just curious and thanks for the great info. Subbed for sure.
Thanks for your support! At the casing step, there is little risk of contamination. You should definitely be using a filter on your fan, but that should be enough in terms of filtration.
keep on growin' all! Fantastic people taking charge of these opportunities
Any advice on how to initiate a second flush? i.e. how to soak, how much water, etc.
Just heavily mist between flushes
Simply keep your medium hydrated!
To prevent it from cracking just run the hole saw in reverse. That’s a good technique used to put lights into thin soffits in a house.
or just use a soldering iron instead.
Thanks!
Great video, thank you!
Question- once the coco coir is added and you spritz 1-2 times daily, do you continue doing that until harvest? Or is that adjusted once fruiting begins?
Yes, you'll need to continue to introduce humidity until harvest. The amount you spray depends on the growing conditions in your area.
I've read every single comment and I'm surprised to see that no one has yet recommended to run the drill in reverse in order to avoid cracking the plastic tub.
lol, we get that comment at least every week since the video came out. We can't edit the video, but have included that and a number of other changes in the walkthrough on our website. Thanks though!
Got some drunk mushrooms there... Just curious do they need that much sterilization and does that much alcohol bothers the mycelium?
He lets the alcohol dry out before adding everything else.
@@BlahBlah-ep6hc you can visibly see moisture from the alcohol still in the monotub when he adds the substrates
You absolutely don't have to do this or even use alcohol after the inoculation. If your bulk spawn contaminates 95% of the time your grain was contaminated before it even went in, 4.99% of the time its because you're not using coir and didn't pasteurize properly. Coir is naturally contm resistant. I grow weed in it too and its moist almost 24/7 yet no fungal or bacterial activity.
Sterilization reduces the risk of contamination in your tub so that another fungus doesn't grow instead of what you are intending. The alcohol evaporates quickly so it wouldn't affect the mycelium.
Oh NO! I ordered 3 boomr bags and 3 Sterilized Grain Bags. You use 1 grain bag per 3 boomr bags? I figured that being that the grain bags are 3lb and the boomrs are 5lbs i'd do 1 for 1. Am I about to make a mistake?
Also, spraying the tub with iso after its been filled with the colonized substrate isn't an issue? the alcohol on the sub does not affect the mycelium?
The alcohol will kill the mycelium.
You're still in good shape! We recommend 2-4 Boomr Bags per 1 Injection Port Bag to achieve the correct level of subsrate in this video. Don't spray ISO directly on your mycelium, but you can use it liberally for sanitization of your entire process.
BOOMER BAGS haha OK BOOMER
Lol, the "under your bed" tek, loves it
Whatever works!
loves it!
- gollum
The products I ordered held up very well. I am currently just about ready to case my first tub, the second spawn bag I did one mix on vs two so its colonizing slower but still steady. Going to leave a review on the website soon but I will be returning for future purchases and recommend them wholehearted! I'll be doing a few logs this year and definitely will be getting my additional supplies from you guys. Thank you for the video it was very helpful!
Edit: when you buy a tub don't make a mistake I made and get one with a red top. It makes it annoying if you want to take pictures or time lapses
Your support is mush appreciated!
With the spraying of alcohol once you have the substrate in the tub, is there a chance that could hurt the colonized grain at all?
You should not spray alcohol once the spawn has been introduced, only water. That said, the alcohol would probably not cause much of a problem.
Best video on this subject by far
Thanks Ian, it was quite the undertaking!
Not really lol
@@robertyoung8871 wheres the better one then? . . .
@@robertyoung8871 Yes please enlighten us master Tang-Wu. Your fruit growing skills are remarkable.
This is a lot of great information. I ordered two bags of grain spawn, would love to connect with you guys.
Thanks for your support!
The high tech stuff is right up my alley, so excited!
Awesome video! Question, is the air intake fan still needed when you have the fogger running? The fogger will also ingress a lot of oxygen, no?
I think you're probably right! I haven't tried it though. The fan is probably excessive because another thing you can do is just shift the lid off to let more air in.
Five star review☆☆☆☆☆
I love this video. Thank you for including the written walk through and materials used.
Seriously, so helpful in every way. This video is a staple!
Thanks for your support! Let us know if you have any questions!
Thanks for the great video! When reusing the mono tub, what do you recommend to do with the fan and hose? Remove and plug all holes with monofil until colonization is finished? Or simply tape them shut and sanitize from the inside?
The best way would probably be to tape them shut, replace the polyfill and sanitize the tub as did for the first round.
It's awesome how inexpensive and accessible you guys are making it to grow your own delicious mushrooms! I've been trying to grow more of my own food, but have always had problems with space living in a small studio apt. Eventually I'll upgrade to a grow tent with some lights and then I can start growing a wider variety of veggies!
Why do you put the fan as I take to bring in unfiltered air? If it was reversed it would suck air thru the polyfil first and would risk contamination less .
The fan has an air filter attached to it, though it's really just to keep bugs out of the tub.
At the stage that you would need to regulate CO2 with the additional fan there isn't much risk of contamination effecting your grow. You'd want to use it during the fruiting stage when the substrate has been completely colonized. The real time period where there is significant risk of contamination is during the colonization period when the grain spawn hasn't completely taken over the bulk substrate.
North Spore gotcha . Appreciate the info . Just figured you’d want good filtered air through all stages of the grow .
Yeah, pulling the air through the poly and venting out the fan port would be more logical to me as well.
Great video, my question is, can you use the monotub to grow ANY kind of mushroom or are there only specific ones that can grow?
Hi Sala, there are certain mushrooms that grow well in monotubs and others that do not! In a classic monotub with the boomr bag, oysters would do really well. Species like nameko and chestnuts may be better used with our wood lovrs substrate!
Some mushrooms such as lions mane doesn't do well in a high co2 environment like this!
@@Alchem1stt hes probably talking about shrooms. he said ANY for a reason
Hey, I am very new to all this, but excited to start growing! I noticed that after you topped off the bed with the inoculated grain you sprayed the edges and top of the tub with alcohol...but presumably some of this hit the spores. I assume that the 70% isopropyl alcohol isn't harmful to the wanted spores, but kills the other unwanted microbes? Or is it the benefit of killing other microbes, that outweighs the spores that may be lost?
ive been trying to find an answer to this myself. It seems like that would kill off whatever mycelium it touched.
good observation. Yes it probably kills live cells. Also had alcohol all over hands when mixing (killing live cells) Needle is sterile so no need to flame it. good video otherwise.....fungi are pretty tough. just trying to keep the bad boogie out!
Alcohol evaporates quickly so there is no issue as long as you aren't spraying the substrate directly.
Best video I've seen to date. Incredibly helpful with clear instruction. I ended up buying your Boomr Bag Monotub Mushroom Grow Kit. Thank you!
Hey do these mushrooms need light to grow?
Sanitizing. Not sterilizing. It’s good enough, but it’s not sterile.
True true
Sorry.
I would comfortably call this 'asceptic technique', where you aim to minimize exposure of a controlled area to pathogens. Great video!
Does this smell? Looking to do an under the bed grow.
Yes it will smell strong. Do not grow if you are not in a friendly home
You're adorable.
Very little. If anything it's the humidity that creates a smell from the manure. I've filled a room with mono tubs and could bearly smell anything
@@f.r.etling holy horse shit Batman
Not at all
Ok two questions.....during the two week incubation period I understand temps.....but what about light? Should it be kept dark or no? Also does the alcohol damage the spawn when you douse the inside once your sub/spawn is already in there!? I'd imagine you'd not want to get ANY alcohol on the sub/spawn!?
Alcohol won’t damage the spawn and should be placed in indirect sunlight.
You do not need to spray alcohol inside the tub once spawn has been introduced.
Yes, another video shedding light on going from all in one grow bag to tub. So basically, I'm already in good shape at day 6. I can't contaminate my spawn mixing into my substrate unless I wanted to. At a certain point, I'll mix the mycelium and substrate from my all in one bag together and with sterilization and then GO STRAIGHT INTO THE TUB. That's awesome. I'm going to top/case/frost with coco and vermiculite, but no other video has had these visuals and instructions and I APPRECIATE IT dude. lmk if I'm wrong, but this hobby is starting out to be mad easy and I love it
Recognize that this video is a little dated and we've added to is on the walkthrough on our website. See that here: northspore.com/pages/mono-tub-cultivation-method-walkthrough
@@NorthSpore thank you 🙏 I'll read up
edit: I like the updates, thank you I will forego the vermiculite in my casing and update my notes!
Best video I have ever seen. The editing too! NICE
Thanks for watching!
Great video. I used the same sterilite tub that you did. I found it was a lot easier to use a hefty leaf bag instead of painting the bottom part. You just pull it up like a loose sock. Not only can you adjust it but it blocks out more light because it is heavily crinkled up.
You're totally right. The painting thing is outdated and the liner is the way to go.
What size of tub is it
Can you specify what tech was used computer fan, fogger, light, and timers? Also, what recommendation do you have as far as the seedling heat mat? Thanks by the way your video helped out alot!
Thanks for your support! Here is a link to the walkthrough with a list of supplies: northspore.com/pages/mono-tub-cultivation-method-walkthrough
Thanks for this video and the written walkthrough! Just a heads up, the LED bar you linked will not work with a timer. It has a touch switch and can’t be left on. Each time the power is turned off, the touch switch has to be physically touched to turn it back on.
Thank you for letting us know!
I did this method and I gave up hope at first because there was no pinning. But now after 2 weeks there are pins, but they are all very close to the fresh air holes (with micropore tape) and growing towards the holes. Should I do anything about that? I think maybe they will try to grow through the micropore lol.
Hey man I’m from Maine so cool getting a tutorial so close to home
The way life should be!
Hi NS I hope you can clarify something for me. I’m not super clear on the use of the ISO because of potential time lapse from video editing.
Many times while wiping his hands with the ISO he goes straight into the substrate to check for field capacity and spread everything around.
Also that last little sprits of Iso of the sides and top before the lid goes on to spawn to bulk.
… my question is, is it necessary to let the iso dry before contacting the grain spawn or the substrate? After the final sprays and the lid went on, do the alcohol vapors remaining inside the box harm the growth of the mycelium?
My assumption was that iso will kill any microbes INCLUDING the myc you’re trying to grow. Im probly way off, but I’m having a hell of a time figuring out how careful to be with the iso contacting everything.
Thanks for your help!
Also curious on this, bottom was still damp when I filled and then like Chris said the vapors and final sprays… does this cause harm and or kill off myc. Thanks!
So the light doesn't have to be a grow light? Just any random light will do?
Right! Anything that can mimic a day-night cycle.
Use the drill in reverse and you don’t have to worry about cracking in the tote. Yes, it will still create the hole
Great video! Can't wait to get started. My first attempt was not the best but I learned a lot for the next time. I really loved just how energetic I was after eating fresh oyster mushrooms.
If you don't mind me asking , what was not ideal about it? Any contam ? Asking because I'm considering doing it for the first time soon.
Glad you weren't dismayed! Keep trying. You'll get better at it!
@@kevinanderson9752 sorry so late on the response. And yes the sanitation is a must! I got a good first harvest and then I tried to innoculate a second time but I wasn't as careful. So it got contaminated. I'll be trying again soon! The energy is amazing and I'm wanting to feel that again!
Great video! No need to flame up a sterile needle.
Thanks!
Is that a 3lbs bag of sterilized grain bag? How much of the spore did you squeeze out the syringe into the bag?
We recommend using 2.5cc-5cc per 3 lb grain bag. Using too much spore can cause anaerobic issues, making the colonization difficult.
@@NorthSpore Thank you. I was looking for this!
"Other types of mushrooms in tubs will enjoy a casing layer as well."
It all depends on the species!
A lot of oyster farmers out there
Been researching a lot because I LOVE mushrooms and want to grow them. I put them in all my food dishes. What’s funny, I already have a LOT of substrate since I own tarantulas. 😂🤣 So I guess I can check that off the list. Once I get paid definitely buying a kit so me and the kids can grow them. Then once I’m more experienced, I’ll upgrade. But this is so very helpful.
Awesome! I'd love to see some tarantula x mushroom content come from this.
@@NorthSpore I mean random mushroom's do grow inside enclosures sometimes haha
Really great job explaining every step of the process. Thank you for the effort!
Thanks for the kind words and for watching the video!
Using the drill at a high speed in reverse will give you cleaner cuts and will help not crack the plastic. Try starting the hole in reverse and then going forwards halfway thru drilling. Like you mentioned zero pressure at all times.
Hands down best mushroom growing video. Going to be trying this out soon! Thanks for the great info!
Mush love!