Help, first time with jackfrost/pearly gates fungi......struggling. Contamination...issues

hydroScript.js

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Sooo, I'm a few weeks into my first run...I struggled....if anyone knows me i do dump shit on first grows...I get to excited and Doo too much! Anyways, I built a still airstillairbox1.jpg box for 30 bucks, I used spoor syringes from MushLove.....#1 they r crazy expensive, #2 Spore syringe was super thick I huge dark purple clumps of spores...I hear that has high chance of having contaminants...I have a grow box with a heat mat and the temp set at 80 so it ranges from 78-88....20230501_071621.jpg...I did the dumbest shit on the first six jars, I was over cautious and shot the spores on top of the vermiculite....so only one of six grew...... BTW i'm using 8oz Ultimate substrate jars from midwest grow anyways.....stfu i know better now, only one of those grew because the last jar enough leaked into the substrate and grew and it was doing great!!!! The second time I squirted everything past the dry layer AND against the glass jars so I could see it growing and it worked out much better. Every jar grew something, but 3 of them grew contaminates..But those all happened early, like I saw both fungi growing and i could toss the jar early.... Yesterday I had healthy growthyesterday.jpg in everythingyesterday1.jpg 1 JackFrost Jar (the largest and oldest growth top left) and 3 pearly gates....I thought I was in the clear and good to go to fruit once it filled up, and then I woke up this morning to this, 20230501_063433.jpg FML!!!! What Do I do? Can I save it? How did the contaminate get way down there? Can the healthy mycelium compete? Should I toss the jar? Should I wait and see? Should I give it some antibiotics? lmao but seriously I would toss it but it's the only jar of that strain...should I cut a healthy piece and put it into a new jar inside the still air box?

BTW i'm switching to the 24 oz Premium Super Quick-Colonizing 5-grain Jar for the next run and I switched to @mushroommanmycology I hear his syringes or more homogenous.....Anyways would that matter? Would using a faster Colonizing jar make a difference? Should I switch to grow bags? I Need to know what i'm doing wrong, if anything, and how i can fix it, if possible. @bk78 help brah u know everything
 

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Richard Drysift

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First lose the heat mat; it’s not doing anything helpful or necessary. Your still air box design is overkill and looks very uncomfortable to work in. No need for the gloves just cut two large holes slightly wider than your shoulders so you can easily move gloved hands in and out without stirring up the air too much. When you have a SAB that is easy to work in then focus on building up your sterile technique.
A SAB is not a completely sterile environment… it is only supposed to be used as a temporarily sanitized area where you can knock up your jars without introducing contamination. The key I found is to spray the inside of your SAB with a water, 10% bleach, and a drip or two of dish soap. Spray until the walls are soapy and dripping. I use a towel underneath with my tote upside down so the only air that can get in is through the arm holes. Soapy bleach water will kill anything inside the SAB and most contaminants will stick to the walls. Once you have a sanitized SAB load your jars or whatever you are working with; wiping down everything with iso alcohol. Then wait about 10+ mins for the air to settle before working.
In this 10 mins or so go wash up/shower, brush your teeth, and put on fresh clean clothes. Long sleeves or using Tyvek sleeves along with nitrile gloves is a good idea. Some folks tape their sleeves to prevent any contamination from swooshing out into the SAB but if you go with the tyvek elasticized sleeves it is not really a problem. Wear a mask while working in a SAB: most contams come from your mouth/nose. Finally wash your gloved hands with straight 90% ISO alcohol.
Now you are ready to work. You’ll need a small bowl with iso and a paper towel placed inside the SAB. Wipe down everything you touch just before working with it: jar lids, agar dishes etc. Always flame the needle each time you go to nocc up another jar. Make it orange hot outside of the SAB then go inside and squirt a bit out to cool the needle. Then stab the jar and squeeze.
Using jars you bought premade is never a good idea. Brf jars are stupid easy to make. No need for a dry layer if you add a polyfil filter. Get yourself a cheap ass hypoallergenic pillow from Walmart or wherever; tear it open and use the polyfil inside. Drill a 1/4” hole in the lid of your jar or smash a screwdriver through it if you have no drill; stuff it tight with polyfil. Easy. You’ll need a pressure cooker; it is essential or you’ll need to keep buying premade jars.
Those jars that are stalled are almost guaranteed to be contaminated. The one with green stuff is definitely trash just toss it. Time to start over. Starting out on agar is usually more forgiving because you can clean up contams through transfers but doing it the way you are going will help you better understand the process. You will learn more and be more successful if you build your own jars. You probably still have good spores …keep trying. This is the learning curve.
 
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