CP TC media problems

From: Carl Mazur (ccp@vaxxine.com)
Date: Thu Sep 18 1997 - 18:26:31 PDT


Date: Thu, 18 Sep 1997 21:26:31 -0400
From: "Carl Mazur" <ccp@vaxxine.com>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg3590$foo@default>
Subject: CP TC media problems

OK all you TC type folks, I'm looking for help :-)

The last 3 batches of media I have made have had the consistancy of runny
pea soup when cooled. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I have made the
same media successfully 2 or 3 times previous with no problems. The other
times, I made it 500ml batches, no problem, the last 3 batches were 1 litre
batches. I can't believe that making 1000ml instead of 500ml is going to
do that unless my agar measurements are out of line! Anyway, here's the
mixture, any help would be greatly appreciated.

1/2 strength MS Salts 2.2g/L
6g/L agar
25g/L sugar
1000 mL distilled water

Could it be the preparating thats the problem? I put 950ml of water in a
1L beaker. Warmed the water to about 80C, added salts, dissolved them,
added sugar, disolved it, added agar, dissolved it. Brought the mix to
almost a boil (it was starting to show definite convection patterns). Then
we dispensed hot media into jars, about 1cm deep, put in a pressure cooker
at 15psi, and cooked for 20 minutes! The next day, after all cooled, it
was runny like pea soup. As a control, thinking it was the cooking
process, we put two jars in the fridge overnite and it was runny too. I'm
lost! Who knows, maybe its suposed to have that consistancy, and the first
few times when I made half litre mixes, I put 6 grams of agar in by
accident, who knows!

Best Regards,

Carl J.Mazur
Cherryhill Carnivorous Plants
Grimsby, ON Canada
http://www.vaxxine.com/ccphome



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