Hey everyone, just wanted to add a note to this...after making MANY of these, I don't see any reason to have more than one injection port. Save yourself some time and money and limit it to ONE port and ONE gas exchange hole.
Ive done one I've also done three and four. Myc growing on four sides shaved bas time /colonization time by a week ime. I'll use 2 ml's across the four holes in a qt jar. I haven't experienced wet spot or soggy bottom using this Tek. 🤞. Where'd you pick up those plugs at they are cool.
@@philipholman9898i think one central hole should be sufficient for injecting smaller jars, you can angle the needle to hit different spots. But u agree about evenly spacing out the 2mls to encourage more uniform growth.
Same just got done cooking rye after 17 hrs soak overnight. Drying now one more hour in jars to be 15 psi cooker and finally inoculate jars. This is awesome as I no longer drink. Need more hobbies.
@@odinskolnationragnar9528 time is such a funny thing. I can never find enough time to do half of what I should be doing and almost no time for hobby, others have all the time in the world and can’t find anything to fill the day. It’s fun to watch boomers, standing around in their garage just waiting for someone to come outside do they can come “help”
Yeah, it isn't necessary to use more than one port. I was thinking that for PF Tek it would be nice to have multiple ports, but it's not necessary. Thanks for watching!
I drill 2 holes 1/2" diameter evenly spaced.. 1 I give a gob of silicone RTV cement to make an injection port, I cover the other w/ 1" micropore, great idea on folding the corner (DUH) I lay a piece of aluminum foil on the lid and then put on the ring, it can be a little 'loose' on top, just ripthe foil out when ready to use..
I first started with an old lid and found out right away that a step drill was superior. I like the idea of drilling them on the jar. I did it over wood. It works, but doing it on the jar is definitely better. Like you said, the lid doesn't try to spin and the drill doesn't have to go through wood below
Scott, I recently discovered that a 1/4" hole punch is even easier! It took me a few tries to find one that is sturdy enough, but it's a lot easier and cleaner than drilling.
i luv that idea of folding a micropore tape corner because my number one 'argh' is after sterilization having to peel back the micropore to inoculate the jars. It can become a major pain in the A&*^!
I've got a bunch of strains growing out on agar at the moment, I'll be shooting some footage soon of slicing and agar to agar work. Also going to be making some liquid cultures!
Yes! I just figured this out a few months ago. Took me about 6 tries to find a hole punch that was sturdy enough, but it's so much easier and cleaner than drilling.
It holds up pretty well. About 10% of the time, I'll notice a bubble under the tape as it comes out of the P.C. but I just press it back down. Haven't had any contam problems with the micropore tape.
that might differ with type and manufacturer... mine is shrinking to half the size, which makes me doubt its qualities for gas exchange. (so i just put the micropore on in a SAB after sterilizing)
If you have a problem with your micropore tape, buy air filters or use autoclave tape. Might still need to stick them down with RTV but they’ll last a few cycles through the PC.
More inoculation holes made zero difference. I recommend having only one inoculation point, it's just a waste of time and injection port plugs to do more than one. The vent...jury is still out on that. I've done a few (not well controlled) experiments where I didn't use a vent at all and the jars still colonized. The big problem with that though...the cooling after pressure cooking causes a vacuum to be created inside the jar...and then when you poke a full syringe into it, the entire syringe gets sucked into the jar!!! Haha I should have expected that, but it surprised me when it happened. Long story shorts, I'm going to continue using a vent to prevent this, and to provide limited gas exchange during spawn colonization. Thanks for the great question!
@@OneEarthMushrooms I’ve seen someone flip the lids upside down and the just crack the ring before steaming. It makes it so you don’t have to put anything but one injection port in it and you still get gas exchange because of the imperfect seal with the lid flipped over. Removes the chance of the vacuum affect. Just a suggestion!
@@OneEarthMushrooms oh also, instead of 4 holes for good distribution I’ve seen people just use one and then lower the amount of substrate in each jar just enough to shake them up like you would do with a bag. I know this lowers the amount of spawn but it may be a good trade off if it helps colonizing efficiency. It’s an interesting method for sure! Take care man, great vids!!
Is one injection s.h.i.p hole-plug enough? I have some coming from Amazon and they also come with 64 synthetic filter discs .03 microns! I just want more points to inoculate so they speed up colonization! I’ve read one hole is good? Also,should you sterilize the needle in between each plug injection? My needle is still in sterile packing so I am sure I should atleast sterilize with torch in between each jar at the very least,correct?
Good stuff! So you can pressure cook these without any glue needed? I guess the gas exchange whole takes care of any pressure build up. Also you mentioned using them multiple times. This includes the plugs?
Yep, I pressure cook them. You can pressure cook sealed jars even without holes, the jars are designed for canning so they hold up pretty well. I'm not sure what you mean by "This includes the plugs?". Can you please elaborate?
@@OneEarthMushrooms I mean you pressure cook them after installing the plugs. What I meant by the "this includes the plugs " was when you mentioned using these multiple times you also meant that you reuse the plugs- meaning that you inject through the plugs multiple times? For example, you sterilize some substrate, inoculate it, and use it for mushroom cultivation. Then using the same Lid and inject port you start the process over again? Just not clear to me how reusable the action injection ports are.
@@grantaylward7125 Thanks for the clarification! Yes, I pressure cook them after installing the plugs, I haven't noticed any deterioration or deformation during the pressure cooking process, they seem to hold up quite nicely. As far as using the plugs multiple times, yes, I use them multiple times. I think the most I've used the same lid/plug setup is five times, but I'm still using that with no need to change the plugs out yet. I've haven't been using these plugs long enough to tell you how many uses they will be good for, but it seems like they'll be good for quite a long time. Hope that answers your question! Thanks for watching!
Hi there. Just trying to make sense of this. Would this method cut out having to use a still air box or glove box for inoculation? I'm not very coordinated so using a still airbox may be a problem for me if I was to follow this method could I bypass the box method completely? Thanks man
Hi! Nope, a still air box isn't required if you're using injection ports on your jars. One of the big reasons I like using this method! I did my first few grows without a SAB at all, and had only one instance of contamination.
@@OneEarthMushrooms thanks mate. Also wondering if this is the size you are using in the video www.aussimushroomsupplies.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=123
Great Channel! I have seen some tutorials where a line of silicone is added to the plugs/injection ports to seal them. However from watching the video and reading the comments, it sounds as though adding silicone to help seal the ports is unnecessary step?
Why are these ports necessary at all? I'm a noob, but I just inject through the tape and replace the tape. With liquid I just make one small hole for a needle and use a little tape. None of these additional mods are necessary, in my opinion.
Hi Glen. Grain jars should typically have a method for gas exchange. In my experience, a single 1/4" hole covered with micropore tape should do the trick. With that said, I recently colonized a few grain jars without gas exchange holes...they still colonized but they took about a week longer than usual. Hope this helps!
When injecting spores do you inject them when needle is still hot (after heating it with lighter) or do you wait for it to cool down and then inject it so it doesn't melt the rubber?
I usually spray out a few drops to cool the needle. It cools off really quickly. I'm hesitant to touch the needle with anything to cool it because that introduces potential contamination.
Hey I forgot to ask,if the hole is tight enough to seal it up properly when installing the SHIP plugs,does one still need to use epoxy or silicone under it in order to seal it up 100%? Or would a nice snug fit work just fine? Thanks!
Good question, I just made my first batch of grain spawn lids and included the high-temp epoxy bead around the underside of each SHIP. I saw it on another youtube tutorial so I did it but would love to skip it next time....
@@SquishyMit yeah I agree,I would try to skip it if possible also. Just an extra step that may not be necessary. But then again I’m worried if I skimp out,it’ll come back to bite me lol
Hey thanks for the vid. Just for clarification, the tape for gas exchange it that to put the gas back in the container and the plugs is for the air coming out?
Hi! The tape allows gasses (CO2 mainly) to exit the container, while preventing contamination from entering the container. The rubber plugs allow you to utilize a syringe to inject a liquid culture into the spawn substrate. They reseal themselves after being penetrated with the needle, and are reusable many times. Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions :)
![[Easiest Ever Grain Tek] No Soak, No Boil, Grain Spawn for Growing Mushrooms](/img/n.gif)
Hey everyone, just wanted to add a note to this...after making MANY of these, I don't see any reason to have more than one injection port. Save yourself some time and money and limit it to ONE port and ONE gas exchange hole.
Thanks for the update. I was trying to have that question answered by a more experienced grower. Thanks for sharing 👍🏼
Ive done one I've also done three and four. Myc growing on four sides shaved bas time /colonization time by a week ime. I'll use 2 ml's across the four holes in a qt jar. I haven't experienced wet spot or soggy bottom using this Tek. 🤞. Where'd you pick up those plugs at they are cool.
Great video thanks…. Are these ok in the pressure cooker and how much water do you put in the base of the pressure cooker 🙏
@@philipholman9898i think one central hole should be sufficient for injecting smaller jars, you can angle the needle to hit different spots. But u agree about evenly spacing out the 2mls to encourage more uniform growth.
I have no idea how I got so into growing Mushrooms. It all started from a recommended video and two months later...can't stop.
Same here, I’ve got myself an entire lab now😂
what did you use to grow it? did you use vermiculite and brown flour or rice
@@addy3133 use rye berries unmillled
Same just got done cooking rye after 17 hrs soak overnight. Drying now one more hour in jars to be 15 psi cooker and finally inoculate jars. This is awesome as I no longer drink. Need more hobbies.
@@odinskolnationragnar9528 time is such a funny thing. I can never find enough time to do half of what I should be doing and almost no time for hobby, others have all the time in the world and can’t find anything to fill the day.
It’s fun to watch boomers, standing around in their garage just waiting for someone to come outside do they can come “help”
Damn that step drill bit tip is cluth. I really wish I'd watched this video exactly 24 hours ago. Thanks for sharing.
Yeah, step drills are the way to go. Love them!
Nice vid. I use one port near the center and just angle my needle to 4 or 5 different spots in the jar.
Yeah, it isn't necessary to use more than one port. I was thinking that for PF Tek it would be nice to have multiple ports, but it's not necessary.
Thanks for watching!
I drill 2 holes 1/2" diameter evenly spaced.. 1 I give a gob of silicone RTV cement to make an injection port, I cover the other w/ 1" micropore, great idea on folding the corner (DUH) I lay a piece of aluminum foil on the lid and then put on the ring, it can be a little 'loose' on top, just ripthe foil out when ready to use..
Me too rtv much easier to use than port plugs!
Can you explain a bit better?
@@davonbc th-cam.com/video/qZxF0GnguRU/w-d-xo.html
@@zombiegirl71 I've litteraly had it fall off ! and come loose! i went around edges ddid top and bottom, bad experience i guess!
I first started with an old lid and found out right away that a step drill was superior. I like the idea of drilling them on the jar. I did it over wood. It works, but doing it on the jar is definitely better. Like you said, the lid doesn't try to spin and the drill doesn't have to go through wood below
Scott, I recently discovered that a 1/4" hole punch is even easier! It took me a few tries to find one that is sturdy enough, but it's a lot easier and cleaner than drilling.
@@OneEarthMushrooms Awesome! Thanks
@@OneEarthMushrooms you can also use a hole punch which is nice and clean.
i luv that idea of folding a micropore tape corner because my number one 'argh' is after sterilization having to peel back the micropore to inoculate the jars. It can become a major pain in the A&*^!
That's what the injection Port is for
Thank you so much for teaching us how to do this. You rock!
Great video, would love some future agar work.🤙
I've got a bunch of strains growing out on agar at the moment, I'll be shooting some footage soon of slicing and agar to agar work. Also going to be making some liquid cultures!
Great video! Thank you for taking the time to make them! 🙏🏼♥️🍄
Thanks - very easy to follow and clearly presented video
Thank you!
Great video!
Does the microporous band not get wet during sterilization?
Does it matter if it's wet?
When sterilization is taking place you can use foil while sterilizing
Absolutely love your videos I find them the absolute best! Thank you
Question, what's your contamination rate using just the micro pore tape?
1/4" paper hole punch works best IMHO. Fiskars also makes 1/16 " and 1/8" punches that are great for injection holes for PF Tek jars
Yes! I just figured this out a few months ago. Took me about 6 tries to find a hole punch that was sturdy enough, but it's so much easier and cleaner than drilling.
How does the micropore tape hold up in sterilization? Ever had any issues with it coming off is a pressure cooker?
It holds up pretty well. About 10% of the time, I'll notice a bubble under the tape as it comes out of the P.C. but I just press it back down. Haven't had any contam problems with the micropore tape.
that might differ with type and manufacturer... mine is shrinking to half the size, which makes me doubt its qualities for gas exchange. (so i just put the micropore on in a SAB after sterilizing)
If you have a problem with your micropore tape, buy air filters or use autoclave tape. Might still need to stick them down with RTV but they’ll last a few cycles through the PC.
Did you find that having more inoculation holes and/or more/larger ventilation holes makes a difference in growth? Thanks!
More inoculation holes made zero difference. I recommend having only one inoculation point, it's just a waste of time and injection port plugs to do more than one. The vent...jury is still out on that. I've done a few (not well controlled) experiments where I didn't use a vent at all and the jars still colonized. The big problem with that though...the cooling after pressure cooking causes a vacuum to be created inside the jar...and then when you poke a full syringe into it, the entire syringe gets sucked into the jar!!! Haha I should have expected that, but it surprised me when it happened. Long story shorts, I'm going to continue using a vent to prevent this, and to provide limited gas exchange during spawn colonization.
Thanks for the great question!
@@OneEarthMushrooms I’ve seen someone flip the lids upside down and the just crack the ring before steaming. It makes it so you don’t have to put anything but one injection port in it and you still get gas exchange because of the imperfect seal with the lid flipped over. Removes the chance of the vacuum affect. Just a suggestion!
@@OneEarthMushrooms oh also, instead of 4 holes for good distribution I’ve seen people just use one and then lower the amount of substrate in each jar just enough to shake them up like you would do with a bag. I know this lowers the amount of spawn but it may be a good trade off if it helps colonizing efficiency. It’s an interesting method for sure!
Take care man, great vids!!
Where do you get the ports and tape?
where does one find micropore tape ?
Can you pressure cook with these lids on?
Ssearching now for a proper step dril bit, much better than the normal drill bit!
thx
Very Nice video,
I hope you are doing well.
Will the tape survive steam sterilization? I can’t decide to do this or flip the lid upside down.
Thank you for the video. What brand step drill do you use? When searching for drill bits- there are none that seem to max out at 1/4.
I think the biggest step on my bit is 7/8". But with a step drill you can stop in 1/8" or maybe even 1/16" increments.
do you wear eye glasses when drilling ?
Is one injection s.h.i.p hole-plug enough? I have some coming from Amazon and they also come with 64 synthetic filter discs .03 microns! I just want more points to inoculate so they speed up colonization! I’ve read one hole is good? Also,should you sterilize the needle in between each plug injection? My needle is still in sterile packing so I am sure I should atleast sterilize with torch in between each jar at the very least,correct?
Yep each jar sterilize just to be safe only a few seconds let it cool or touch agar agar mix.
The sterile needle good for one injection I spray little bit of isopropyl on the rubber injection wipe down inject let alcohol dry first then inject
@@odinskolnationragnar9528 thank you for the reply 👌🏼🖤
Good stuff! So you can pressure cook these without any glue needed? I guess the gas exchange whole takes care of any pressure build up. Also you mentioned using them multiple times. This includes the plugs?
Yep, I pressure cook them. You can pressure cook sealed jars even without holes, the jars are designed for canning so they hold up pretty well.
I'm not sure what you mean by "This includes the plugs?". Can you please elaborate?
@@OneEarthMushrooms I mean you pressure cook them after installing the plugs.
What I meant by the "this includes the plugs " was when you mentioned using these multiple times you also meant that you reuse the plugs- meaning that you inject through the plugs multiple times? For example, you sterilize some substrate, inoculate it, and use it for mushroom cultivation. Then using the same Lid and inject port you start the process over again? Just not clear to me how reusable the action injection ports are.
@@grantaylward7125 Thanks for the clarification!
Yes, I pressure cook them after installing the plugs, I haven't noticed any deterioration or deformation during the pressure cooking process, they seem to hold up quite nicely.
As far as using the plugs multiple times, yes, I use them multiple times. I think the most I've used the same lid/plug setup is five times, but I'm still using that with no need to change the plugs out yet. I've haven't been using these plugs long enough to tell you how many uses they will be good for, but it seems like they'll be good for quite a long time.
Hope that answers your question! Thanks for watching!
@@OneEarthMushrooms Thanks!! and Great video!
@@grantaylward7125 You're welcome, and thank you for watching!
What size step drill did you use ?
I use a dremel to clean up after I drill
Great video! What size injection ports do you use?
Thanks! The hole I drill is 1/4"...I think thats the best way to describe the size of the port.
Hi there. Just trying to make sense of this. Would this method cut out having to use a still air box or glove box for inoculation? I'm not very coordinated so using a still airbox may be a problem for me if I was to follow this method could I bypass the box method completely? Thanks man
Hi! Nope, a still air box isn't required if you're using injection ports on your jars. One of the big reasons I like using this method! I did my first few grows without a SAB at all, and had only one instance of contamination.
@@OneEarthMushrooms thanks mate. Also wondering if this is the size you are using in the video www.aussimushroomsupplies.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=123
Yeah but would the injection ports melt if you put them in the pressure cooker for sterilizing grain spawn
Is 5 holes too much air? 1/8 inch diameter
Will any glass jar do?
Yep! I've used old jam and pickle jars.
i did it. thank you man. it's working well.
Great Channel! I have seen some tutorials where a line of silicone is added to the plugs/injection ports to seal them. However from watching the video and reading the comments, it sounds as though adding silicone to help seal the ports is unnecessary step?
Hey man did you try it without the silicone? Did it all go fine?
@@0x45Swims No not yet but I'm about to. I'll reply with an update when I do. I was hoping OP would reply though...
Just here for an update
Does the micro pore tape stay on when sterilizing in the pressure canner?
Yep!
Do you put these lids in your pressure cooker does the tape still stick if not how do you sanitize them
silicone isn't necessary if the ports are tight fit right?
Correct!
So no need to add glue to the self healing ports and the lid?
Nope! As long as you drill the holes to the right size, the ports will seal the holes.
Better safe than sorry
Nice video. What size needle did you use for these ports?
Thank you! I use 18ga needles.
very good video!
Seems like a lot of work when high temp silicone (red) works great
I'll give it a shot!
Does the micropore tape stay on when sterilizing grain jars in pressure cooker?
It does!
Doesnt the micropore tape just come off in the pressure cooker?
No. But I always replace the tape before the next use.
Why are these ports necessary at all? I'm a noob, but I just inject through the tape and replace the tape. With liquid I just make one small hole for a needle and use a little tape.
None of these additional mods are necessary, in my opinion.
Do you still need a SAB when injecting your LC ? Or does this skip that step as long as you take proper sanitizing precautions
You don't, he answered to earlier comment.
Where do you get the rubber plugs and what keywords do you use to search for them.
I'd check Etsy or eBay. "Self healing butyl rubber stoppers" should get you there!
Thanks for watching!
OneEarth Mushrooms thank you very much.
Do grain jars need ventilation
Please respond I inoculated jars with no ventilation and nothing happened
Hi Glen. Grain jars should typically have a method for gas exchange. In my experience, a single 1/4" hole covered with micropore tape should do the trick. With that said, I recently colonized a few grain jars without gas exchange holes...they still colonized but they took about a week longer than usual. Hope this helps!
If we use micropore tape do we have to cover the lid with something like aluminium foil or does it prevent contamination entirely?
Yes
Cover w foil during sterization
When injecting spores do you inject them when needle is still hot (after heating it with lighter) or do you wait for it to cool down and then inject it so it doesn't melt the rubber?
Use an alcohol swab to cool it off first
I usually spray out a few drops to cool the needle. It cools off really quickly. I'm hesitant to touch the needle with anything to cool it because that introduces potential contamination.
Hey I forgot to ask,if the hole is tight enough to seal it up properly when installing the SHIP plugs,does one still need to use epoxy or silicone under it in order to seal it up 100%? Or would a nice snug fit work just fine? Thanks!
Good question, I just made my first batch of grain spawn lids and included the high-temp epoxy bead around the underside of each SHIP. I saw it on another youtube tutorial so I did it but would love to skip it next time....
@@SquishyMit yeah I agree,I would try to skip it if possible also. Just an extra step that may not be necessary. But then again I’m worried if I skimp out,it’ll come back to bite me lol
you should use liquid culture instead of spores
Why would you want so many self healing injection ports in one jar
What mm micron tape are you using?
I'm using 1 inch (25.4mm) here. I also use 2 inch tape (50.8mm) for other projects.
@@OneEarthMushrooms thanks✌
@@OneEarthMushrooms Can you link to it?
Hey thanks for the vid. Just for clarification, the tape for gas exchange it that to put the gas back in the container and the plugs is for the air coming out?
Hi! The tape allows gasses (CO2 mainly) to exit the container, while preventing contamination from entering the container.
The rubber plugs allow you to utilize a syringe to inject a liquid culture into the spawn substrate. They reseal themselves after being penetrated with the needle, and are reusable many times.
Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions :)
Question, with the ventilation through the top, do you loosen the lid during colonization? I would think not
Lid stays on tight so no contaminated air gets in
Have multiple injection ports makes zero sense imo
This is just a lot of work for nothing 😕
Oh shoot! Are you using a different method? This has worked pretty well for me so far.
@@OneEarthMushrooms are you using this technique for brf cake or grain spawn?
@@infectedpuddle9906 both. Definitely don't need this many holes for either though!
Micropore tape doens't leak whater inside? If you have air exchange ports can I use just some cotton?