I have been following this for awhile. I have grown several different types of mushrooms. This would revolutionize every process I had so much trouble with. I am an amateur. I started growing mushrooms because we found out mom had cancer and I hoped to help in some small way. She died August 29th 2020. So now when I grow mushrooms, it is a way to honor her memory.
I've never grown mushrooms, it seems quite involved. I would try this though, it looks like it's good for a starting grower. The only thing i thought that could be an improvement would maybe have the settings in the control panel be controlled through a mobile app, and have a setting for each type of mushroom, that would then change it's air/humidity settings based on the type.
Honestly, it's not that involved a process. Sure, it's harder than plants, but most of the work is just in the initial preparation of substrate and inoculation. It's pretty hands-off after that as long as you place them in a suitable environment.
I love this! I'm considering starting up the hobby and there are so many factors that this resolves for someone in an apartment with kids in a dry (winter) region. It's clearly not for everyone, but I'd basically be building my own version of this without the technical know-how or farming knowledge, so it's perfect for me. Of course price is usually most people's deciding factor, but for the right price, I'd definitely get this.
I was thinking external reservoir that feed the basin that was clear, maybe with a 1/2 to 1 gallon capacity that was easy to read level and add more water without opening the door.
Living in an apartment i'd definitely be interested in one of these. Price is definitely a determining factor though since it'd potentially be a big investment to just do 1 or 2 blocks at a time when maybe for the same price you could build a bigger chamber yourself. But this definitely has a lot of potential. Good stuff!
Let's start a business where we design custom made rooms, u r welcome to come to my farm in Scandinavia and get going Plus you can help me out on my mushroom farm
This seems like a great idea. You can imagine community-tested settings that could be shared, so for any given species you could just look up the ideal schedule for lights and fresh air, taking some of the guesswork out of it. An external water reservoir that feeds the tray inside would be nice. You mentioned climate control and it feels like it would be fairly simple to add a heat mat below the water tray to at least enable half of the temperature control equation. Still, all in all it looks pretty nice! I'd definitely consider buying one if they made a commercial version.
Never grown mushrooms, simply looked at this video as it looked interesting. One thing which did strike me was the allowance to to use an aquarium dosing pump to supply water from a large reservoir. There's also something called Auto Top Off for aquariums which deal with replacing water lost through evaporation which could serve as an inspiration. Both would bump up cost considerably though. Perhaps simply allowing the possibility of tubing for those who which to rig something up.
Maybe they could offer the bare bones kit with an add on later for the more complex watering system. This would allow more folks to purchase initially. Later they could add the more expensive self watering features.
Yes, would definitely use this! Agree with filter change out, fan cover ideas because you want it to be clean,and efficient. Would like to see settings for specific mushrooms and be sure the controls are easy to understand and manipulate for all of us who are just starting out.
I absolutely would use this!! It would need to be cost effective, however for just starting out or even a seasoned person... I think this is an awesome opportunity... thanks for sharing... blessings
I would buy this and use it, as is. The changes you suggested would be great, but this thing is still very easy enough to use with some maintenance (which is what I enjoy to do, anyway.) I forgot about it having to be connected via a router, make it blue tooth/wireless.
@FirstBuild Regarding the temperature control, i'd suggest to use some peltier modules, since a temp/humidity sensor can be placed without much additional hardware modification, adding the fact that there's already a ventilation system and can be used for both fresh air and heat radiation. And for the watering system, an outside -bigger- container connected to a peristaltic pump, in order to bring the water in via vinil tubes, would add not only control regarding a constant intake of water for an even more automatized process, but also control about the specific amount of water coming in, which would be more difficult to measure if a normal pump was used. And can also add the benefit of being able to see the water levels and recharge without opening the door, which would mean less interruptions and a more smooth operation imo
If the computer program to adjust the settings doesn't already have it, a save settings feature would probably be nice. That way when swapping out fruiting blocks you can just select the setting for type of mushrooms you're growing rather than have to remember to reset each individual value. I'd love a unit like this. It looks so cool and would be great to own for hobby growers like myself!
I used to grow mushrooms all the time in my apartment in the midwest because my apartment kept having it's dehumidifier breaking from bird nests and squirrels. Now that I moved back to a dry desert climate I miss that convenience.
This is pretty close to something that I have been thinking about building for a long time, ideally i'd want full climate control that I can program entirely with a small rasberry pi or something. The dream being that you could experiment with different settings and then download and share extremely well optimized entire life cycle programs for whatever mushrooms you want to grow.
Willymyco does a "set it and forget it automated monotub " build on YT using a mister, fan and timer w/ second hand sure beats the $500 price tag for this Mella " mini farm"
Hearing your thoughts on possible upgrades was worth it I hope some of that gets considered. I like it and I'd buy it. I want one actually but not the way it's currently set up. The chamber needs to be roomier or even a double decker. If they kept it slim but able to accommodate 2-4 at a time then I'd definitely buy it.
I'll wait for 2.0 just for the mods you mentioned. I think this is probably cost prohibitive as well... You didn't mention price but I can see this being very expensive! The commercial version would be my weapon of choice just due to the volume of mushrooms I can grow. I think a larger consumer version that houses more than 1 block easily would be an upgrade for 2.0 as well.
Love your channel. Always very informative. I was thinking of making a fruiting chamber out of 24" x 48" Gorilla grow tent or similar. Then I thought this might be a better project for your channel. If you would? I was thinking of having a small shelf inside for blocks. Vented with a humidifier. Something someone could grow 4 to 6 5lb blocks. Maybe even more. Anyway thanks again for the great content.
an external water supply that works on the same principle as a pet waterer. Maintains the level effortlessly. Change the orientation / location of the fan with some built in ducting if necessary so that the fan was not in line with spore fall.
If they're going for like a nescafe kind of style (like coffee machines that use capsules for convenience), they might want to sell this allong side specialised growing kits to make it apeal to a wider audience. Also for the humidity they would need a system to keep the tank full, like an upside down bottle that blubs more water in when the level drops.
I would 100% buy one. I think having more water so you dont have to fill it as often. Maybe have a outside water storage that can hold a gallon and has a tube to fill the tray. Then the only other thing would be temp control.
I love the machine, probably would buy one if it wont be too expensive. The only issue I see is the water refills. Not only you need to do it every 2-3 days but you don't really see the water levels too good. A water reservoir on one of the back corners with an automatic dosing system (you could use a system similar to the ones in toilets to save on costs) would be nice. So you could refill it once every week or two and see at a glance when water levels are getting low.
This system is clearly intended for new growers, keeping that in mind I believe the SS version would put it out of the range of what most people will want to pay. Maybe a plastic version would be more marketable.
Considering I'm still a novice when it comes to mushrooms, something like this would be great, but having a guide for the mushrooms you want to grow would be great too. Say Lion's Mane for example, how much fresh simulated would I need, how much humidity, that kind of thing. If it's able to control that, then I think it's important for a guide to come with it.
Thank you a lot for every thing you share here. If you may use the ultrasonic humidifier and don't want to see fog or water drops on chamber's surfaces ; you can use nano coating special for anti fog or hydrophobic depend on your surface material. it's better to be glass or poly cabonate. it's cheap and easy to use. And one thing more , I feel comfortable if there is a tiny pump for fulling the water chamber. when the water chamber out of water I should see it outside of the hole mushroom chamber. I mean it's even goes simpler if I don't need to check the water level and fill it every day. Wishing you health and happines.
This is a mid tower pc case! Which is actually a really dope thing because of all the innovation in the pc case arena. I just got like 15 ideas on how to use pc case mods to build perfect mushroom growing habitats.
Would totally buy this!! Specially as a beginner who’s trying to grow mushrooms for the first time. I’ve seen people in the comments suggest a pre-programmed system that would adequate the settings depending on the shroom they’re trying to grow... maybe just a manual with some tips and do’s and don’ts would be enough. I feel like that’s better so people can learn through experience and not just press some buttons til they get results... that’s my humble opinion.
Pretty neat concept major change I'd make 1)deeper water resivor... less frequent water changes. 2) implementing temp control would be super slick! Price would reflect that obviously but well worth that added feature of any mushroom anytime! 3) possibly a way to make the grow space bigger yes for in home grow settings smaller usually is better but only 2 standard blocks may keep people from buying maybe a double in size either horizontal or vertically... maybe even adapt to full on corner hutch style cabinet? Could be something tho.
Honestly, i think that is very cool, but i think that's small. For example: I can grow a bag like this with a simple plastic box as my terrarium. I just need to care about humidity and temperature manually. If this is going to commercialization, which i think is great and really support it. I think it should be nice to think about size and practical use of it. I really admire what you're doing and i support it.
As someone who is on the fence about growing mushrooms. This looks really good! The main issue is space for me, and this seems compact enough to fit on a desk. I am worried about the price though, it looks pretty expensive. Personally, I would not spend more than 200$ CDN
I'd worry about bacteria getting into that absorbent sponger (or whatever material that is absorbing water) or even the reservoir. I use an air purifier that has a similar mechanism to raise humidity in the room, and it always smells if I don't rinse it daily. Even then I replace it every few months. The base where the water sits sometimes gets pink with Serratia marcescens.
Also put filters outside the chamber in the tank of water like an espresso machine Why not have a filter like patches for the fan...you can buy packs of them for the fan. This way you can simply throw them away after each grow (or toss them on agar)
If you want a one way fan then look at a snorkel air valve next to the mouth port. It uses soft rubber flap so air can escape but water doesn’t go in your mouth. One way air valve Theoretically you could use the same technique for your fan.
You could try cooling/warning with a couple of Peltier elements and some fans. That would work like a charm if the difference with the room temperature is not too big I think.
Awesome information, Thank you fresh cap. Currently in summer and I will have to steal your idea 🙈 and upgrade with a cooling temperature hopefully I will succeed would be my first time growing mushrooms but I will take all your advices and amazing explanations. Oh and I will be adding a Tec1 125.. . something, lol it's called a peltier cooler.
Hello, could you make a video showing your mini greenhouse? I live in another country that doesn’t have chiken of the woods, and I’m trying in the same greenhouse that you do.
If the price point was right, I’d consider purchasing multiple units. Super handy to dial in different environments for different species. It would be great to be able to expand functionality over the base unit if needed (ie. add co2 sensor, heating etc.) I’m just waiting for the commercial version, so much more convenient than other methods.
Visually attractive starter display. I would like to see a mushroom displays cabinet for 3 to 4 blocks. Easy removable parts for the cleaning setup. Then they can progress to commercial unit with all the bells and whistles.
Wow! Well, definitely a lot of room for improvement. First, besides being entirely too small except for doing a science project, it needs to be about 5 times larger (in length). Then, and automatic watering system from a 2 liter bottle or even a water hookup. Otherwise, the concept is good. It is just too small to be practical for anything. If you have a larger unit, you can set your substrate on intervals so you always have plenty of fresh shrooms (of whatever variety you like). Plus, how does it regular temperature? I don't keep my house at 71°, otherwise, I'd have a really high electric bill. A larger unit, with some type of cooling system, and an automatic water feed system would be nice. I also agree about the CO2 sensor to help regulate timing of the fan on and off. Yes, I think a commercial version might be good, depending on the price, but all things being relative, if it is scalable, that would be even nicer.
Hm I dont know anything about growing mushrooms but I would put the fan externally at the back in front of that ( inside ) I would put a wicking Material which goes down to the tank which sits underneath the whole thing . I would also put a externall filling port with a window like a waterkettle.
What about using the rooms air con. To have it in the unit and if you only want a small temp offset, evaporative cooling some how, larger insulated remote ress or a Peltier if you don't mind power usage. To bump it up small fish tank heater in the res maybe, so the air moves around gently steaming the block. Heated glass would be a massive bonus, small strip heaters at the base to keep it clear all the time. Programmable RGB so cheap to do and could really show off your shrooms
EASY FIX for the spore drop issue. Tell them to move the humidity system to the TOP of the appliance. Since moist air is heavier than dry air, it would not be an issue inside. It's not like it will be blocking the top view, since there is none already. Not only would this work more efficient, but you could now have a flat bottom that would be easy to clean after each flush. Also, they need the door to open so that all the atmosphere, that you are trying SO HARD to maintain, doesn't pour out when it's opened up. Like have side panels on the door and have it open from the top with the hinge at the bottom.
Neighbor up the street blew the bottom out of her reptile tank, 25 gallon. Took it home and set it in the driveway. Dropped in a block of blue oyster mushrooms, and there going like crazy. Huge caps. Not too bad for free. = )
The solution for heating and cooling is simple. Add a peltier module(thermoelectric heat pump) with a heat sink on either side (one of which is external). It would require a separate fan to circulate the cooled or heated air internally in order to not interfere with the humidity level and perhaps a separate dc power supply, plus added circuitry to reverse the polarity supplied to the peltier module as that determines whether the heat flows in or out of the grow chamber. But overall I could see it being relatively easy to add and control with the existing software.
This reminds me of those all-in-one grow boxes for cannabis. It can do a lot but you pay over 400 bucks to house one or two plants. Somehow the design and concept of this shroombox gives me similar vibes.
There are peizo-electric heater cooler wafers now they use them in these electric coolers for the beach...they have a heat and cool setting snd it is enough to manage a few degrees difference. Probably perfect for that machine. Also suggest adding a tank with a few liter capacity for water.
This gives me an idea on converting old wine rack fridges or a mini fridge into one of these. Its literally 3 or 4 pc fans, 2 rigged for fresh air intake, and 2 for water wicking from a resovior. The app is nice but I see my self just salvaging the humidity and temp sensors from my old green houses.
Never grown mushrooms....love them though! Wondering where to purchase the blocks that get the ones you want to grow started?🤔 I really am excited to try growing them.🙂
I’d add a water fill valve or larger external reservoir and preprogrammed setting for different mushrooms. Then probably a drain port for quick rinse out when necessary nothing crazy something similar to a front loading washer. After that different size options based off what could comfortably fruit 5lb blocks maybe a one, three, and five block units. Looks good but I probably wouldn’t use it. I like to tinker so it’s more fun for me and the kids to build our own.
I would definitely use this after several generations. Humidity gage, fan cover, and space. Different sizes and shapes. I would want something big enough to fit at least four mushroom blocks.
Since 1B builds a clear ice maker (Forge), it's on my shopping list. First Build is in the perfect position to cool this unit. Temperature control is critical, unless you like solmanila. I'll be buying this cultivation hood as soon as possible. 🍄SoCo🍄
i think that one of the biggest issues would be scaling the unit itself to units of bags. I think that for the most part bags are somewhat universal and if the unit itself had a bag (yay aftermarket add-ons) that fit it properly that would be a big deal to managing what it can handle. I think that accommodating at least two bags would be the optimal growth. The only increase would be mostly in sheet metal and maybe a few LEDs but it would essentially double the growing capacity which would make the process that much more enjoyable. I mean you can whip up one batch in a single dish, I think people would hope for at least double of that return on investment. They could even make this functional for small scale growers in the niche mushroom growers scenes. I think temperature control is huge, at the very least increase temp should come standard. Cooling isn't usually as warranted and is needlessly complicated since most people have thermostats and prefer cooler temps in the summer.
I can see how this could improve growing for those that are growing from kits for personal consumption , however I would think the cost may be somewhat restrictive . myself I normally have 15 to 20 7lb. blocks fruiting at any given time so for me its a no go
