Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

WOW! Mushroom biofilter!
I once tried a kit with poor success but thanks for the info it has re-triggered my interest and incorporating it with AP is very exciting!

Got some kits that have been mildly successful and one Bunnings one that is a dud. The boxes that are fruiting are only doing so in a small area of the box. Not sure if I am spraying with water too much or not enough. They are in a cupboard at about 10C constant
Will have a go at cloning some spore on cardboard this weekend
4 harvested for a stroganoff


Boxes with mushrooms only in one side

Nice work Mantis, I havnt had a moment to start mine yet.

those are buttons mushrooms (portabella). I don't think they will spawn on cardboard. Those are a different kind of mushroom (eats compost), whereas oyster mushrooms eat wood. That's why oysters work on cardboard.

We'll see if they work, but if not, you'll have to try another substrate.

What substrate would you recommend for button mushrooms ??
I have a couple of oyster mushrooms kits here to start with them, but its too cold I thought at the moment. I could try them in my temp controlled fermenting freezer, but the air circulation would be poor
Don't think wife would allow them inside the house

check on what type of oysters those are, if they are white, greys, or blues, they want cooler temps (40-60F)

for the button mushrooms, you want partly composted material. A bit of manure is good, composted horse manure is supposedly very good. Look for something of that consistency, partly digested, partly composted. Maybe even composted cardboard. Play with it and see.

Ok thanks will have a play

The oysters I have are white king oysters. I have the kits in the fridge in the shed

Geez Mantis.... giving up beer space for mushrooms? Are you ok?

I'm growing some portabellos at present - yours look massive! Though mine are more numerous and even.

I wanted to try and make my own substrate for those and came to the conclusion it was too much hassle getting horse poo and regularly turning it over several weeks. The second conclusion was to try growing some mushrooms that grow on an easier to prepare substrate, so next project will be Oysters and then maybe Shitakes... Never eaten Oysters - not sure how they go with Bacon and Eggs???

Have put one of the oyster kits in the temp controlled freezer with a bucket with some water in it sitting on a heat mat for humidity. Also put the Portobello kit in there to see if it improves

Mines just out the back on top of the bbq - not sure how much difference it makes, but the instructions on my box said to trim the cardboard down to the level of the soil once the mycellium growing stage was complete.

Mine just said open up the plastic

Oyster mushrooms coming on in a kit. Not sure if the black looking tips are normal

looks like they don't have enough light

Should I just bring them into the house then ?