FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Can anyone tell me where I can buy some Gelcarin GP 812 (Carrageenan) that want cost a lot of have high shipping prices.
Any knowledge is welcome.

I usually get mine from Caisson labs:
http://www.caissonlabs.com/product-C034 ... php?id=860

I think it's the least expensive place to purchase it, but there may be other non-TC lab sources with lower prices.

Phytotech also carries it:
http://www.phytotechlab.com/detail.aspx?ID=200

But their prices are higher.

I got Carrageenan and MS media without vitamins. Can you suggest a solution for aseptic germination with these components?

I am doing my reading but I realized Carrageenan is not the very popular agent. What do I need to know when preparing it?

I bought it because they say it is soluble in water in room temperature.

polyakov wrote:I got Carrageenan and MS media without vitamins. Can you suggest a solution for aseptic germination with these components?

That's what I use. But I add back in MS vitamins at full strength. My recipe is 33% MS media, 8.5g/L Carrageenan, 100% MS vitamins, pH = 5.8. Mix well and pour into jars then sterilize at 15 PSI for 20 minutes and remove from pressure cooker to gel in the sterile hood.

Looks like I am wrong about vitamins in MS, they should be in there but no sugar. Do you add any for the seeds? Also, curious wouldn't vitamins break down during sterilization?

Another thing about MS, when you say 33% you mean of what the packaging suggests per liter? Mine says 4.43 grams, so 33% is 1.46 grams for me. Is that right?

As for storing, should I have kept any of these in the fridge?



Finally, what would you add to this mix for Nepenthes basal shoots?

polyakov wrote:Looks like I am wrong about vitamins in MS, they should be in there but no sugar. Do you add any for the seeds?

Oh, I forgot about the sugar. I use 25g to 30g per liter.

polyakov wrote:Also, curious wouldn't vitamins break down during sterilization?

Basal salts and vitamins and hormones do lose potency when sterilizing. That's why it's ideal to minimize the time media spends at high temperatures and under pressure. But they retain enough integrity on a 20 minute sterilization cycle (at 15 PSI) to allow the plants to grow well.

polyakov wrote:Another thing about MS, when you say 33% you mean of what the packaging suggests per liter? Mine says 4.43 grams, so 33% is 1.46 grams for me. Is that right?

That's correct.

polyakov wrote:As for storing, should I have kept any of these in the fridge?

Yes, all TC ingredients, with the exception of gelling agents, should be stored in the fridge or freezer (in the case of some hormones).

polyakov wrote:Finally, what would you add to this mix for Nepenthes basal shoots?

I can't answer that question, as I've never done TC work on Nepenthes.

Thanks. I am almost ready for my first batch.

My MS sat at room temperature for some months. Has it went off?

As for autoclaving, I don't have a pressure cooker and reluctant to buy one. How to work it out in a microwave oven or maybe regular cooker?

edited: Will cane sugar work?

Regarding the original question, it is widely available on ebay.

polyakov wrote:My MS sat at room temperature for some months. Has it went off?

Probably not, but I don't know for sure how long it can be stored at room temperature.

polyakov wrote:As for autoclaving, I don't have a pressure cooker and reluctant to buy one. How to work it out in a microwave oven or maybe regular cooker?

I wouldn't recommend even attempting TC without a pressure cooker.

polyakov wrote:Will cane sugar work?

Yes, that's fine.

Can that TC Media be added to regular media?

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Remained liquid for me with 8.5g/L of Carrageenan... What I am doing wrong?

Ok, if I double the concentration it does solodify BUT it does not attach to jar surface! If I flip it over the whole blob just falls out...