Guest guest Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Bob said that he made a cabinet for his incubator and drilled holes in it. incubator > >> What about gettting ventilation for oxygen if one sets up an incubator? >- > I use a rubbermaid tub for an incubator and I leave the lid partially open. >This not only gives me ventilation but temperatiure control. More open is >cooler etc. >No fan is necessary beacuse there is ample air movement and it's dry inside >the incubator, not damp. > I use a 25 watt. bulb. Temp outside incubator is low 60s. Inside it's Mid >70s. > >rusty > > Re: heating panels >> >> >> > >> > Hello, >> > >> > Has anyone tried setting up an incubator? You just use a styrofoam >cooler >> or >> > cabinet and set up a light bulb in it for heat. Bob suggested >it >> to >> > me. Of course, you have to tinker a bit to find which size lightbulb >would >> > get the right temp. Could be a 40 watt bulb; I had to settle for a >> Christmas >> > tree light. >> > >> > Also, Bob added a small fan in his cabinet to discourage airborne mold. >> > Mold grows in areas of warm, damp, dark, and still air. The light and >fan >> > overcome that somewhat. >> > >> > > > > >-- >No virus found in this outgoing message. >Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. >Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.6.13 - Release Date: 1/16/05 > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 14, 2005 Report Share Posted April 14, 2005 In message <d3lg1r+8bvheGroups> you wrote: > I bought some " live " KT and loved it! > > I've been trying to use the tea as a culture but the green tea/sugar/KT > mix looks very dormant. Hi , It can take a week at least until there are signs of bubbles and growth. Of course, it could be that the KT you bought was pasteurised which would partially kill of the enzymes and bacteria that make a brew work. This is to prevent fermentation in the bottle, particularly if it is glass, as an explosion would be hazardous and cause a great mess. > I've sent off for a mushroom but I'm very impatient..... ;-) I know the feeling! > I have a chicken-egg incubator running at just below 100F. Is this > temperature likely to damage a culture or is it more likely to > invigorate one? That temperature is far too high for Kombucha brewing. I brew at about 70F; some folk say 77 can be sort of ideal, but that is already stating a maximum. So beware, your Kombucha culture is no chicken! It is a much cooler creature! > (I don't want to risk the new mushroom but it looks as though there's > nothing to lose with the 6-day-old-brew) What does it smell like? Any kind of slight vinegary aroma? Very often, with a first brew you won't get a significant solid culture growing on the top. It's the brewing liquid you have to focus on. Keep us updated about your Kombucha saga. This is exciting! Mrs no-patience, Margret;-) -- +---------------------------------------------------------------+ Minstrel@... www.therpc.f9.co.uk +---------------------------------------------------------------+ We learn to pray by praying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 14, 2005 Report Share Posted April 14, 2005 Hi Margaret, I feel like a schoolboy who can't wait for his frogspawn to hatch. The label attached to the bottle said it had been brewed for several weeks before bottling and that it was a live culture. The bottle is plastic. I put about a cupful of fresh green tea, a couple of heaped dessertspoons of white sugar and a cupful of the KT in a jar with a paper kitchen-towel lid tied on with an elastic band. It's in the kitchen near the back of the freezer but the jar feels quite cold. I imagine it's a bit cloudy and it does have a vinegary smell - is that a good sign or a bad one? Someone said I should play it some music....... Re: Incubator In message <d3lg1r+8bvheGroups> you wrote: > I bought some " live " KT and loved it! > > I've been trying to use the tea as a culture but the green tea/sugar/KT > mix looks very dormant. Hi , It can take a week at least until there are signs of bubbles and growth. Of course, it could be that the KT you bought was pasteurised which would partially kill of the enzymes and bacteria that make a brew work. This is to prevent fermentation in the bottle, particularly if it is glass, as an explosion would be hazardous and cause a great mess. > I've sent off for a mushroom but I'm very impatient..... ;-) I know the feeling! > I have a chicken-egg incubator running at just below 100F. Is this > temperature likely to damage a culture or is it more likely to > invigorate one? That temperature is far too high for Kombucha brewing. I brew at about 70F; some folk say 77 can be sort of ideal, but that is already stating a maximum. So beware, your Kombucha culture is no chicken! It is a much cooler creature! > (I don't want to risk the new mushroom but it looks as though there's > nothing to lose with the 6-day-old-brew) What does it smell like? Any kind of slight vinegary aroma? Very often, with a first brew you won't get a significant solid culture growing on the top. It's the brewing liquid you have to focus on. Keep us updated about your Kombucha saga. This is exciting! Mrs no-patience, Margret;-) -- +---------------------------------------------------------------+ Minstrel@... www.therpc.f9.co.uk +---------------------------------------------------------------+ We learn to pray by praying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 14, 2005 Report Share Posted April 14, 2005 In message <001501c540ea$02217840$37d54e51@cairina> you wrote: > > I feel like a schoolboy who can't wait for his frogspawn to hatch. :-))) > The label attached to the bottle said it had been brewed for several weeks before bottling and that it was a live culture. The bottle is plastic. > > I put about a cupful of fresh green tea, a couple of heaped dessertspoons of white sugar and a cupful of the KT in a jar with a paper kitchen-towel lid tied on with an elastic band. For a starter brew that sounds about right, maybe a bit much sugar. > It's in the kitchen near the back of the freezer but the jar feels quite cold. That need not be negative. > I imagine it's a bit cloudy and it does have a vinegary smell - is that a good sign or a bad one? Definitely a good one! Have a sip then and see that you didn't just imagine the cloudy and vinegary. ;-) Sounds exciting > Someone said I should play it some music....... Ahhh, don't kill it....unless you like classical music. :-) Thanks for making me laugh! You have a good sense of humour! BTW, if that experimental batch of yours is sort of tasting alright, cider-vinegary and on the whole pleasant, you can use the job lot as a starter for your bigger brew. If you are generous with your starter you will reap the reward later by harvesting enough brew for the drinking later and still having enough for a decent starter. Have you got a proper Kombucha recipe? :-)) Marg;-)ret -- +---------------------------------------------------------------+ Minstrel@... www.therpc.f9.co.uk +---------------------------------------------------------------+ Carpenter of Nazareth requires joiners ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 14, 2005 Report Share Posted April 14, 2005 Hi Marg_ret, Sorry! I've got a whole internet full of Kombucha recipes - what's a proper one? Good sign eh!!!!! I went to a boot sale last Sunday (?garage sale). When everyone was packing up to go home I came across a big polpropylene brewing bin with a five-litre glass bottle in it. I asked if they were for sale and was told thare was another pair inside the car. Two 25Litre plastic bins and two " demi-johns " . I could take the lot for £1. They look ever so empty waiting for me to get my brewing act together. I expect I'll need some advice on how to scale up from a freshly bought mushroom and a little jar of new-brew. I'm reluctant to mix them in case they are slightly different - I know they shouldn't be but finding out will be fun. Re: Incubator In message <001501c540ea$02217840$37d54e51@cairina> you wrote: > > I feel like a schoolboy who can't wait for his frogspawn to hatch. :-))) > The label attached to the bottle said it had been brewed for several weeks before bottling and that it was a live culture. The bottle is plastic. > > I put about a cupful of fresh green tea, a couple of heaped dessertspoons of white sugar and a cupful of the KT in a jar with a paper kitchen-towel lid tied on with an elastic band. For a starter brew that sounds about right, maybe a bit much sugar. > It's in the kitchen near the back of the freezer but the jar feels quite cold. That need not be negative. > I imagine it's a bit cloudy and it does have a vinegary smell - is that a good sign or a bad one? Definitely a good one! Have a sip then and see that you didn't just imagine the cloudy and vinegary. ;-) Sounds exciting > Someone said I should play it some music....... Ahhh, don't kill it....unless you like classical music. :-) Thanks for making me laugh! You have a good sense of humour! BTW, if that experimental batch of yours is sort of tasting alright, cider-vinegary and on the whole pleasant, you can use the job lot as a starter for your bigger brew. If you are generous with your starter you will reap the reward later by harvesting enough brew for the drinking later and still having enough for a decent starter. Have you got a proper Kombucha recipe? :-)) Marg;-)ret -- +---------------------------------------------------------------+ Minstrel@... www.therpc.f9.co.uk +---------------------------------------------------------------+ Carpenter of Nazareth requires joiners ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 28, 2009 Report Share Posted April 28, 2009 depends on the desired temperature and the prevailing temperatures. if you need to increase you can use a cooler with a low wattage light bulb, 5-25 watts depending on the increase needed. if cooler, then you might need to find a spot in your basement or something like that. hi!! have received some koji starters from gem cultures a while ago, but looks like the temperature conditions are too specific. does anyone know how to make a home-made incubator or get a cheap one? thanks, a. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 28, 2009 Report Share Posted April 28, 2009 I haven't used an incubator for cultures, but I have one for hatching eggs, which are even pickier. What works well, if you want to spend the money, is a thermostat designed for regulating reptile cages. The one I got has a plug-in that you can plug a light bulb or heating coil or whatever you want into, and a probe on a wire that you put into the " cage " . There are several designs for sale and you can get them at pet stores. On Tue, Apr 28, 2009 at 1:44 AM, Moneta <angelamoneta@...> wrote: > > hi!! > > have received some koji starters from gem cultures a while ago, but looks like the temperature conditions are too specific. does anyone know how to make a home-made incubator or get a cheap one? > > thanks, a. > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 29, 2009 Report Share Posted April 29, 2009 I've used a small 5 gallon aquarium that you can get cheap at a pet shop with a heat pad for incubating other things so that might work. You could get a lid but I just throw towels over the top. -- ________________________________ From: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 29, 2009 Report Share Posted April 29, 2009 Tonio Epstein wrote: >depends on the desired temperature and the prevailing temperatures. >if you need to increase you can use a cooler with a low wattage light >bulb, 5-25 watts depending on the increase needed. if cooler, then you >might need to find a spot in your basement or something like that. +1 on the light bulb. You might find that the light in your oven will be sufficient - just remember to check the oven before turning it on :/ -- Ross McKay, Toronto, NSW Australia " Let the laddie play wi the knife - he'll learn " - The Wee Book of Calvin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 thanks for all the advice. i´ll try the oven and if itdoesn´t reach the temperature i´llgtthe aquarium great! a. > > > > >depends on the desired temperature and the prevailing > temperatures. > > >if you need to increase you can use a cooler with a low > wattage light > > >bulb, 5-25 watts depending on the increase needed. if > cooler, then you > > >might need to find a spot in your basement or something > like that. > > > > +1 on the light bulb. You might find that the light in > your oven will be > > sufficient - just remember to check the oven before turning > it on :/ > > -- > > Ross McKay, Toronto, NSW Australia > > " Let the laddie play wi the knife - he'll > learn " > > - The Wee Book of Calvin > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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