Cabinet Incubator?

[Alex]

This may be a little off topic but when I asked about centrifuges you guys told me one that I should look for that was affordable (epp 5414c) and I'm kind of hoping someone can provide the same sort of advice for a cabinet incubator. I'd like to be able to grow some bacterias, molds, yeasts, mushrooms, etc in Petri dishes. My range of use would probably be 90-110F maybe? Preferably desk sized.

I've had a heck of a time finding one and am thinking I may build my own but I'm wondering if you guys can offer any tips like you did with the centrifuge. Looking to stay, and it may be pretty impossible, under $50 hopefully including shipping.

Thanks guys!

Alex

[Cathal Garvey (Android)]

What's 90-110F in C? I use a polystyrene box with a pet thermostat and a terrarium heater mat, I get a nice stable 30C. Enough to grow most stuff comfortably!

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[Cathal Garvey (Android)]

I should add that the heater mat is inside, not under, the box, and is pinned to the rear wall of it.

[Alex]

Right around there, 32 to 44C ish. Sorry, F is native to me though I have been trying to use C more naturally. That sounds a lot like what I was planning on building  with a glass tank, PID controller (cheapo Amazon one) and some undetermined heat source. However, if the heating pad reaches close to that temperature that would work with the PID controller saving some trouble. Anything is better than a high wattage lightbulb in a loose socket in a styrofoam cooler waiting to catch fire!

Alex

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[Dan]

For a more sophisticated incubator: How would you maintain 5% CO2? Any cheap solutions? 

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[Alex]

Not able to do any helping but what's the advantage of 5% CO2?

Asked

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[Dan]

This is usually done in mammalian cell cultures, as our bodies contain 5% CO2 as well. Having the concentration of CO2 at physiological conditions helps control the pH of the culture, preventing it from becoming too alkaline. 

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[Mega]

It's not necessary, but there's carbonate in the cell culture medium. So you get a carbonate buffer. I guess the cells would grow well also without that much CO2.

[Nathan McCorkle]

On Tue, May 28, 2013 at 8:02 PM, Dan <djwr...@gmail.com> wrote:
> For a more sophisticated incubator: How would you maintain 5% CO2? Any cheap
> solutions?
>

http://www.co2meter.com/collections/co2-sensors/products/k-30-co2-sensor-module

and some food grade (soda pop) CO2 with an electronic valve