Dry Agar Mix – Pour Your Own Plates

Our four agar formulas, pre-measured so you can pour your own plates.

The same formulas we use for our prepared plates, as shelf-stable dry mix. Each packet is measured for an exact volume of water, so there's no weighing, no guesswork, and no buying four separate ingredients to make one batch.

Choose your formula

• Foundation (low-nutrient): Our lean, everyday formula for isolation, selection, and culture maintenance.
• Contrast (charcoal): The Foundation formula with activated charcoal, for a jet-black plate that makes contamination and sectors easy to see.
• Classic (SDA): A high-sugar, slightly acidic Sabouraud Dextrose formula for fast growth and comparing isolate vigor.
• Vigor (MYPA): A rich malt-yeast-peptone formula for expanding cultures before spawn production.

Not sure which to use? Our prepared Complete Agar Collection lets you try all four before you commit.

Choose your size

• Makes 500 mL: about 25–30 plates at 15–20 mL each
• Makes 1 L: about 50–60 plates at 15–20 mL each

How to use

1. Mix: Add the full packet to the stated volume of water in a heat-safe media bottle or flask filled no more than about half full, and swirl to disperse.
2. Sterilize: Loosen caps or cover openings with foil. Vent your pressure cooker for about 10 minutes before bringing it to pressure, then start timing once it reaches a steady 15 psi: about 40 minutes for 500 mL or 45 minutes for 1 L. Above 2,000 feet elevation, add time or pressure per your cooker's instructions.
3. Cool: Let the cooker depressurize on its own, then let the media cool to about 120–130°F (50–55°C), warm to the touch but comfortable to hold.
4. Pour: In a still air box or in front of a flow hood, pour 15–20 mL per 100 mm plate, lifting each lid only as far as needed. For the Contrast formula, swirl gently before each pour because the charcoal settles.
5. Set and check: Let plates set for at least 30 minutes, then store them upside down. Wait 3–5 days at room temperature before use, and discard any plate that shows growth.

You'll need: A pressure cooker or autoclave, a heat-safe media bottle or flask, and sterile petri dishes. Our surplus 100 mm Nunc dishes are a budget-friendly match.

Storage

Store unopened packets in a cool, dry place. Store poured plates sealed and upside down, ideally refrigerated, and use them within about 2–4 weeks for best results.

For cultivation, hobby, and educational use. Not for food, medical, or diagnostic use.