Thanks again for the PP5 tip a while back. I bought a bunch instantly and I've poured dozens since then. A couple additional thoughts on these kinds of plates and plates in general. Yeah, the fridge is a bad idea unless you have let your cups sit in warm conditions for several days to a week. If there is any contamination on the plate or in the agar, the fridge will likely slow its incubation and there is a good chance you won't catch it until you have inoculated your plates. Condensation occurs when there is moisture and a temperature differential, usually triggered by quick changing temperatures. Since most people store their plates on a solid surface, the bottom (the agar) will hold a bit more heat due to thermal mass. Even just a little bit more base heat than the lid will cause condensation. This is especially true as the temps cool down at night and the cold air impacts the lids more than the bases. Storing plates upside down can help because the cool air can't impact things as quickly (and because water vapor rises). If you don't have a temperature stable area to store plates, using a cooler or double cardboard box can help a lot. I even cover plates with a towel or blanket. I keep dozens of plates with several types of agar ready to go, and these strategies usually work pretty well. Mug Tek - If you pour plates but do not PC them, you might struggle with condensation. In this case, stack your plates and fill a mug with boiling water. Place the mug on top of the stack, wait a couple hours and presto, no more (or much less) condensation. I often do this in the oven over night as the oven has a pretty stable thermal mass. If I have a bunch of plates I'll fill a porcelain baking dish and cover multiple stacks at once. On a side note, I recently found some "crystal clear" plastic petri dishes that are apparently autoclavable. They should arrive soon. If they are any good, I'll let you know.

@KitchenMycology

6 ай бұрын

Awesome tips! How many PP5 Cups can you stack under the mug? And yes! Let me know how those clear cups work. 😎👍🏼

@toddwmac

6 ай бұрын

@@KitchenMycologyThanks and will do. I typically do 6 or so, but I've done as many as 24 with a baking dish (4x2x3). The key is to let everything get to the same temp, which is why I often use the oven now that it is winter, and we keep our house pretty cold. I'll keep you posted here.

@KitchenMycology

6 ай бұрын

@@toddwmac Thanks! I like the baking dish tek. I'm going to try that one. I don't make many at a time so I may stack 2 or 3 under a Pyrex baking dish. 😎👍🏼

@KitchenMycology

6 ай бұрын

@@MB-sn8sf yeah, but you'll need a lot of dishes. I've used the glass brownie oven mold over several PP5 Cups and it works great.

@duytu2134

6 ай бұрын

I bought the PP5 plates as well; is using the Mug Tek better than storing the plates in a cooler/double cardboard box with towels/blanket? Or are they two different things? Also what do you feel about using a sterilized cotton swap and wiping away condensation in front of a flowhood?

I like in a humid and high temp country, so leaving them out may cause issues.

👍🏻