Restarting flasking after 20 years

[littlefrog]

So... Been wandering through search results for a while now and some of it is quite old. Not nearly as old as the last time I flasked seriously. I had quite a bit of success in graduate school flasking paphs and phrags, but that was 20+ years ago. I also had an entire research hospital's worth of equipment, but I can fake that part.

I have a few questions:

1) What media (that I can purchase in the USA) gives you good results? I used to use Sigma P668 + banana, but I can switch. There must have been some advance in the last two decades. I could make my own but I lack an analytical balance and can't afford one - so pre-mixed is probably the easiest way to start.

2) Where do people buy those nice plastic wide-mouth flasks - the ones that Orchid Inn's plants come in (I think they come from Mrs. Root). I have a hundred or so used ones but I suspect I'll need more... Plus it is quite expensive to buy them with plants in them.

Thanks for any info you care to share.

Rob

 

[fibre]

I have started flasking for the first time recently. As far as I can see there is no advance in the last 20 years. I guess P668 + banana is still a good medium for Paphs.
I also would be interested to know where to get this kind of flasks that Sam Tsui's seedlings grow in. But I guess this kind of flask will not be available in Europe.

 

[Hien]

hi Rob,
maybe you can talk to

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafael-acosta-jaramillo-73097b38

http://www.orchidsource.com/pindex.asp

http://www.orchidsource.com/category_s/1814.htm

http://www.orchidsource.com/Hair_Care_s/1554.htm

 

[TrueNorth]

I put in an order to Orchid Source in Jan 2016 which was never shipped. I never got a reply to my emails or even a phone call. I had to get my money back through Paypal. I'd like to know what happened to them, since I like their medium and have ordered from them a couple of times before with no problem.

Now I order from P668 Phytotec. They also have containers.

https://phytotechlab.com/equipment/culture-vessels/plastic-culture-vessels.html

The Orchid Seedbank also sells medium

http://www.orchidseed.com/media/media.html

 

[TyroneGenade]

Just use regular deli containers. You can get them cheaply off Ebay. Surface sterilize with H2O2.

I would spray the inside and outside of the tubs, snap the lids on, and place them inside a big plastic bag (which I would spray H2O2 into again) and then seal the lot and leave it in the sun. 100% sterile on use. I never had any problems using the tubs so long as I was careful to sterilize the outer surface of the bag when taking it into the hood.

 

[littlefrog]

Do you vent the deli-containers? I have access to more of those than you might be able to conceive of - we use them for dart frogs.

 

[littlefrog]

Is Orchid Seedbank still a thing? I haven't heard from Aaron in years and his website is pretty out of date...

Thanks
Rob

I put in an order to Orchid Source in Jan 2016 which was never shipped. I never got a reply to my emails or even a phone call. I had to get my money back through Paypal. I'd like to know what happened to them, since I like their medium and have ordered from them a couple of times before with no problem.

Now I order from P668 Phytotec. They also have containers.

https://phytotechlab.com/equipment/culture-vessels/plastic-culture-vessels.html

The Orchid Seedbank also sells medium

http://www.orchidseed.com/media/media.html

 

[TyroneGenade]

Aaron sells on Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/usr/ajorchids?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

When I was using the deli containers I didn't vent them. The poly plastic allows for some exchange of O2 and CO2. If you need to vent, heat a piece of metal in a flame and punch a hole in the sterile tub and then with sterile fingers apply a sterile band aid over the hole in the tub. You need the little round band aids.

Hope that helps.

 

[NYEric]

Good luck.

 

[kiwi]

Funnily enough the container Sam uses is produced by Labserv here in New Zealand.

 

[littlefrog]

Funnily enough the container Sam uses is produced by Labserv here in New Zealand.

Maybe I can write off a trip as a business expense...

 

[kiwi]

I think that is a fair call. You wouldn't regret it.