FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hi
I now use gelcarin and made some pics for you to see the difference.
First of all this is very easy to use.
Just made your media as usual and putt the gelcarin in the cold media and adjust the PH. thats all.
I then just autoclave the media and everything is ok.

left agar right gelcarin




you also see the difference if you use charcoal
left agar and right gelcarin

Charcoal have time to settle down to the bottom of the jar if you use agar but not if you use gelcarin. It is more thick when its warm as agar....

Does gelcarin dissolve at room temperature, or does it only dissolve when heated?

i dissolved it at room temperature....

Nice discover Jens. Where did you get yours? How's the mixture?

hb

That looks like good stuff Jens. I'm going to have to buy some to try. Have you tested pH before and after to see how much it changes the pH? Does it affect it so little that you could you add gelcarin after adjusting the pH?

hackerberry wrote:Nice discover Jens. Where did you get yours? How's the mixture?

Jun, gelcarin is also known as Carrageenan. You can get some from Phytotech:
http://www.phytotechlab.com/Detail.aspx?ID=200
It's quite a bit more expensive than agar though.

Thanks Matt, I'll make more experiments with regular Jello.

hb

Hi
about PH. i never care about this.
I just add the gelcarin and adjust to the PH i want.
When i uses agar i first adjust the PH and what happend then i dont no. Maybe it go down or not. I dont care.

That is really interesting, thanks for the info!

A bit pricey for the beginner still, but its good to know what other options are out there.

yes thats right

how about gelrite?
Does the plants like it(i heard Cephalotus dont like it)? easy to use?

That's pretty Neat, Nep!

The specifications says partially soluable in cold water, soluable in boiling water, but You don't boil Yours?

It looks clear as water so might be easier to monitor for early signs of trouble indicated by discoloration, etc.
Also, might be better for the Vitamins if only heated once and not twice like I'm doing now.
Gonna check into it.

Thanks,

Gary

goldslinger wrote:It looks clear as water so might be easier to monitor for early signs of trouble indicated by discoloration, etc.

I've heard from other TCers that it is much clearer which does allow for easier detection of contamination, phenolic bleeding, etc.

That's good to know, Matt.

I also hope that it doesn't leach out the water as bad as My agar does, I see the line on the jar where it was full, but it dehydrates out over time, getting lower, harder and concentrating the media. I have the ventable caps.

I wonder if I should put tape over the vents or something.

Gary

gary
yes i just boil it once when i sterilize.
because i dont fill my jars before i sterilize. i fill my jars after sterilizing

nepaholic wrote:gary
yes i just boil it once when i sterilize.
because i dont fill my jars before i sterilize. i fill my jars after sterilizing

Yea, that's what i do, too. I think I'm going to try Gelcarin at some point, but right now, I just need a strike and I have been wasting alot of material, so it might as well be the cheaper Agar.

I need to edit My last post.

I don't sterilize, then dispense into jars.

Nep,

Would it be alright if I stir it in real good, dispense into jars, cap, then autoclave?

I think it would be alright.

BTW, how many Grams of the Gelcarin do You use per Liter?


Gary