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Slowing down agar plate growth?
Posted: 16 Mar 2023, 13:00
by Merilyn1
Hello Brains Trust!
I have a Year 10 student doing his SRP using agar plates. They were put in the incubator yesterday. He checked them and took photos today. He won't be here tomorrow as Year 10 have an activities day.
If I leave them over the weekend, they will potentially be looking very overgrown.
Does anyone see a problem with me taking the plates out tomorrow, putting them in the fridge, then on Monday dropping them back into the incubator?
Tried to convince him to get a lift home and drop in tomorrow after school, but he wasn't able to.
Appreciate your thoughts!
Re: Slowing down agar plate growth?
Posted: 16 Mar 2023, 13:17
by RosalieL
Are you able to take a photo of them for him? or one of the teachers? The only potential "problem" I can think of would be if condensation formed inside it might go a little weird... are there other plates in the incubator? Can you just turn it down to whatever the lowest setting is or will that still be too warm (or in the "danger zone" for growth?).
Re: Slowing down agar plate growth?
Posted: 17 Mar 2023, 08:45
by Merilyn1
RosalieL wrote: ↑16 Mar 2023, 13:17
Are you able to take a photo of them for him? or one of the teachers? The only potential "problem" I can think of would be if condensation formed inside it might go a little weird... are there other plates in the incubator? Can you just turn it down to whatever the lowest setting is or will that still be too warm (or in the "danger zone" for growth?).
Good point about the condensation. I thought of just turning it off over the weekend but they've forecasted a hot couple of days. The kid has 20 plates, so don't really feel like having to photograph them all. Maybe I'll feel more sympathetic as the day goes on. He is a good kid and very super organised.
Re: Slowing down agar plate growth?
Posted: 20 Mar 2023, 09:12
by macca
In the past I've taken a photo, then put in the fridge over the weekend upside down so no condensation.
Re: Slowing down agar plate growth?
Posted: 20 Mar 2023, 10:52
by Merilyn1
I ended up taking them out of the incubator, putting in the chem store which is the coolest part of the prep room. We had a scorcher of a weekend for March - high 30s so I'm not sure if it was any different to being in the incubator, although it would have been cooler at night.
Anyway, results were good. Certainly more growth but not so much they were overgrown.
Thanks all for your suggestions!