Lets Start With the Basics
A laminar flow hood is a device that helps keep contaminants out of your samples and work. It works by creating a barrier of HEPA filtered clean air over your work space which prevents contaminants (competing micro spores and bacteria that can’t be seen by the naked eye) from reaching you or your work. Your HEPA filter removes 99.997% of all contaminants.
Flow Hoods are mostly used in labs but since home mushroom cultivation has started to rise in popularity the flow hoods are starting to get more and more home use.
What is a Still Air Box
Most new mushroom growers use SAB (Still Air Box) to control the air around their medium (grain spawn, bulk substrates, and agar plates) The SAB is supposed to protect your work from contams in the room but its almost impossible to kill all the contam because it lands on surfaces as well as floats through the air. If you’re interested in using a Still Air Box, check out my build here.
The good news is contaminants can’t stay still, and a properly constructed laminar flow hood can give you amazingly clean air conditions in places that aren’t exactly meant to be “clean rooms”, like a basement, garage, or kitchen.
With a flow hood the new mushroom grower can focus on making sure the work area, equipment and culture is clean with 70% isopropyl alcohol and don’t have to try to stop micro organisms they can’t see floating around.
The Specs, From Under the Hood...
Laminar flow hoods and clean benches are classified based on the number and size of particles allowed per volume of air in your work zone. Along with how clean the air is, air flow speed, and air flow patterns are important factors that need to be met.
For mushroom growing, we are looking for ISO 5.
Should you build or buy your Laminar Flow Hood?
The answer lies within. They’re not hard to build if you have some simple wood working skills and a few tools. If you don’t, then you’re easiest path to stress free mushroom growing is to buy one. The good news is, there are a few options for beginners that don’t break the bank. Today we can 24×24 for as little as $450. There’s a 17″X10″option for as low as $200.
Now, for some more stuff you probably don’t care about… If you’re just looking to grow mushrooms, skip this paragraph…
Laminar Flow Hood Types:
As far as Airflow direction is concerned, Clean Benches come either in vertical or horizontal filtered laminar air flow design.
- Horizontal Flow Clean Bench: Clean air moves from a filter located behind the work surface toward operator. Often used for clinical or pharmaceutical applications. Visit Cleatech® Horizontal Laminar Flow Hoods
- Vertical Flow Clean Bench: Clean filtered air moves downward from the filter surface on the top to the work surface. Available in bench-top, free-standing, and portable design that meet cleanliness requirements of ISO4 & ISO5
- Again, if you just want to grow mushrooms, either of these are fine. I use horizontal with and ISO5 filter. Don’t over think if you don’t have to!
- There are performance testing and accessories that flow hoods should meet to be considered compliant to work in many labs. This article is meant to help new mushroom growers understand, we won’t cover the boring intricacies.
This is the best unit you’ll find for your money. This “Shoe boxed” sized flow hood has been tested with agar plates that lasted over 2 months before throwing in trash, with zero contamination.
The HEPA filter is easily removeable from the hard wood exterior box. Making it easy to clean and replace. The fan is also accessible by removing the filter and can easily be changed if needed. They’re also backed by a 30 day money back guarantee.
You can easily pour your own agar into petri dishes, you can do agar transfers without exposing your mycelium cultures to air-born contaminants.
