1 A do-it-yourself approach for basic basement steps starts around $250-$350 for materials, and takes about 3-4 hours. 2  That's with standard lumber, such as pine; costs can go much higher with more expensive wood, such as oak.
Pour enough melted agar into each sterile plastic petri dish to cover the bottom - about 1/8 to 1/4 deep. Replace the lid immediately. Place agar plates on a counter top to cool and set. Agar medium will set like stiff gelatin at room temperature. The agar medium is now ready for storage or use.
Inoculation of GST tubes (maintain pure culture conditions). 1  Melt the agar (this heating also drives out oxygen so anaerobes can grow) 2  Cool to 44 C. in water bath (cooling to avoid killing bacteria) 3  Add 3 to 5 drops of a 24-hour liquid culture or bacteria from a slant. 4  Mix tube by rollling between hands. Don't get air into medium.