FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hello everyone,

I am in the early stages of starting my own plant tissue culture at home and need some advice. I am starting off with putting together a work stations. I purchased a vented balance hood for practically free from a local lab that was going out of business. I have attached a picture of it. It is from flow sciences and made of 3/8″ acrylic. I was really looking to purchase a laminar flow hood, but the prices are just to much for me at this time.

I would be interested to hear every ones opinions on what else I should purchase?

Here is a list of items I also gathered...

91% isopropyl
Clorox Bleach
Distilled Water
23quart Presto Pressure Cooker
A large quantity of empty clean baby food jars
A tissue culture "Super Start Kit" from planttc.com
A large variety of beakers, flask, dishes, graduated cylinders, wash bottles (for free when I purchased the hood)

I was looking to purchase a alcohol lamp too, but I was hoping someone could comment on a brand or model to use?
Also if someone could also suggest how I should lay out everything with in the hood since its so large (3'x2') and what I should use to clean the inside?

This is only the beginning of my questions so I appreciate all your help

Any luck? I am just starting as well. Are you doing actual TC or aseptic seed propagation?

I would bleach the inside initially. Let it soak for 10 or 20 minutes. Then routinely spray and wipe it down with alcohol. Allow the alcohol to sit for a minute or two before wiping it off.

You will need some tweezers or forceps and possibly a knife/razor blade for dividing cultures. Also think about what vessels you will use for sterilizing explants/seeds and what you will rinse them in. I use autoclavable, flat-bottom, centrifuge tubes because I can sterilize several of them with water inside and have them ready to go in the hood for rinsing. Oh, you might also want some labeling tape to label your jars.

I don't know if you can effectively use an alcohol lamp in a hood like that. Flames are used for 2 things: 1) creating a protective updraft near your work area that prevents contaminate particles from falling onto your work. I don't know if an alcohol lamp generates enough heat for that in the first place, but in an enclosed hood, it's just going to cause air circulation which may actually draw in contamination. 2) For flaming tools. I keep my tools in alcohol when I'm not holding them and flame them after removing them from the alcohol to burn it away. I use a hand-held butane pen torch for that. It has a starter switch on the end so I can easily use it with only one hand.

I'm definitely not a TC pro, but thought this might give you some things to think about.

Haven't you forgot scales?

Frank Tromble has some tissue culture YouTube videos that might be helpful. Bill Graham does as well. Dr. Carol Still has a website for the hobbyist that would be of interest to you.

I would also suggest the use of disinfectant wipes over any spraying of your transfer box, etc. Aerosols create more problems than simple mechanical cleaning.

Also, unless you have prior chemistry or scientific experience, always buy prepared PGRs, so you won't have to deal with any potentially dangerous solvents, such as KOH or HCl . . .