watertrade

Thanks bluemeanie, that would be good of you.

Nightcap NP was great, I was there for about 3 days a few years back. I didn't really do much while I was there but there is heaps of stuff to see. When I was there it was in early January. So if you go this summer you could find the same type as me. watch out for the local hippys rolling around naked on the rainforest floor. !

Thanks for the exciting replies guys. If anyone does come across any wild specimins please let me know! I came across bioluminescent fungi when while walking around protester falls late one night. the ones I found were tiny 1 cm across capped mushrooms. It was pretty amazing finding them scattered around the place. it was all fun and games until I came across a naked couple huddeled in a ball trying not to be seen.

thanks mate....

Hi Guys, A friend found these pics somewhere on the net and I was just wondering... Does anyone recognize the dark rings on the caps? The darkness went away while the mushrooms were drying - So I think just overly wet caps from misting. ? Also they are either Cub GT or Mexican. The Author forgot. I think Mexican - the caps were quite small... any ideas... Cheers Jim the pic : http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/inde...=si&img=985

sorry to come back to this guys... do you think this darkening could be the bacterial blotch I have read about? in which case they probably shouldn't be eaten... hmm

oops .. welcome Jagger... Not TransDi.. Hi TransDi...

What’s the recipe for Milo agar? I have received Milo plates a few times. You guys like it?

Welcome aboard TransDi

I had to make a dehydrater on the spot the other day without any chance to buy materials. I managed to find a tiny computer fan (9v .19A ) - I fitted this to a piece of cardboard with a hole in it. which sits over a clean plant pot, blowing air down into the pot and out of the drain holes. inside the plant pot the mushies are suspended on a chicken tire rack. it works pretty well, I switch it on before work then come home to dry mushrooms which go into a big plastic tub which has a damp rid container. I luckily had a 'batery replacer' from jay car that could power the fan I will probably build something more perminant but I'm pretty happy with my '20 minute' dehydrator. Never throw anything away!

Someone once told me about building a a little structure with skewers and having thick sticky tape suspended from the sticks. acting like the sticky fly traps - but with heaps of tape. good luck

If I was you I would use the syringe right away and not worry about the contams - if you have sterilized the jars you shouldn't have a problem. When the mycelium does start growing you can transfer some onto agar and never run out again.! Good luck

The Reject shop has a small range of preserving jars - the 1 litre ones are are $2 and have a very wide opening - almost straight sided...

Sure, stainless is sexy and durable but in my opinion you can't beat size. I bought the 22lt Hawkins when they were on sale at the pressure cooker centre. My only complaint is the 'lid inside the cooker' design of the Hawkins range. Although I can still fit 8 one liter jars of grain in the cooker. I've often wondered if someone with good welding skills (a pro) could weld a pressure safe lid on a beer keg.. I once saw a few pressure safe openings at a scrap metal place.. But they were gone by the time I went back

Hi Naja, if it was me I would increase FAE exchange and let them get some more light. most of my indoor grows are near a window with the light diffused through the lid of the terrarium. I think light would help those caps develop. How do you allow air exchange?? Jim

how much honey/molasses would you add to teh soak? about 2%w/w at a guess? approx a teaspoon in 500lm?

Hi Guys, I recently moved house and haven’t really had much time to take care of some of my mushroom cultures. I have a little collection of cultures that I would like to archive and store long term while I concentrate on just a few types. I will be storing them in distilled water once I get a few good agar plates growing. I started to sort out the different Petri dishes and some of the cultures I have are pretty sad looking. I think I have back ups of most things in some form, syringe, agar etc. Anyway my question is about strain health. Mainly sectoring, one of the cultures is sectoring on agar which I have never seem before on this particular culture. From what I have read this is a bad sign that pro mycological libraries start to get worried about(?). If this particular strain is on its way out, should I consider collecting spores and start getting back to some new strains…? Could I just culture up the best sectored bit? If anyone has any tips I would like to hear them. One tip I have is label everything.! I once could tell the difference between two very similar cultures.. now I’m not so good… Cheers Jim

The Botanic Gardens are a regular spot but beware the rangers, they really get the shits with people tramping through the gardens searching for mushrooms, They will come and get you! Namadgi National park can be ok too. I havn't looked for years but we have had some heavy rains in the last few weeks. ! I'm sure they are waiting to be found! Its good to have another ACT person on here.

The good people at Livingstone scientific are pretty Reliable. www.livingstone.com.au

Hi, does anyone know what the difference is between a vented and a non vented petri dish?? It obvious what the difference is but where is the vent?? I'm thinking the vent is actual on the lid that holds the top surface of the lid off the edges of the bottom bit? I just bought some and am wondering if I should change my order... Vented is good as long as the plates can still be sealed with cling wrap... no vent , single,double and triple vent.. ! Jim

I don't know if it was a bacterial infection like wet spot. The 'foaming up' sounds pretty weird. As long as it worked... just make sure your isolate a clean culture for next time. When I leave grains in jars too long they excrete a liquid which from what I hear is normal - just don't leave them too long or they get pretty horrible. It looks like you have been busy! - Just wait until I get some spare time! Then I'll show you pics1!1!!! Jim

good work Naja, It must be much warmer where you than here in canberra at the moment! It that from a plastic tub?? Straw? Jim

Cool..... quick REV !1! I wanna get started!

enoki is a cooooolld mushroom, but particulary fiddely I think. all my attempts to cultivate it have failed

what species will Funky Fungus be offering this cold season Rev?