Every tek I have read so far I believe calls for grain and wood chips, but is there any other substrate that anyone has had success with while growing these mushies? Could the PF tek would for this strain?

Nope, the PF tek could be used to get spores going, but these babies are wood-lovers. They seem to grow best on alder chips, but any hardwood chip should do. They do like other fibrous material, though. They grow in dune grass naturally, but wood chips are like prime food for them.

If you have any left over shredded caapi from aya brews, they LOVE this. It may be the best thing I've seen, but it's not terribly practical other than just being a good way to get rid of spent caapi.

google the following words:

nature scapes scotts azures

edited to add:
here is a link:
https://mycotopia.net/fo...woodlover-substrate.html
also PF method works, but many add some lignin source to it for woodlovers and this means that a PC is just about mandatory.

SWIM has never grown before, and was looking into this for a first try. SWIM was hoping that it could be done with the PF tek, as that seems the simplest way to go, and still wants to use the PF tek. If these don't grow very well with the PF tek or not at all, then what is the best strain for PF tek that would be ideal for a first timer? Something thats very potent yet has a somewhat fast colonization time compared to others?

I fixed it.

Cubensis can be potent enough, most any strain will do, there are a few that people like more than others but that is a reflection of personal choice. Read a cubensis strain guide and decide for yourself...
http://www.fungiforum.com/index.php?showtopic=78
http://mycotopia.net/arc...us/messages/5/28557.html

etc

Azures are NOT the way to go for a beginner. They are easy enough to grow mycelium, but to fruit they pretty much need to be grown outdoors. Even with that, they need the right climate, substrate, and season. Even with all of these things, it can still take a year or two for them to decide to fruit.

Go with cubes! They are the most popular mushroom because they grow so easily.

Is there any strain of cubes that are known to produce more visuals or have less of a body load?

i would recommend starting with cubies too..

I hear good things about Penis envy, though I have never had them. People say they are smooth, visual and as much as twice as strong as your usual cube by mass. They're definitely in my next order of spores!

There is a thread called "Your favorite cubensis strain" which was made for just such a query!

I have penis envy 6 spores on the way. Hope they are as good as the origional penis envy.

If I was going to grow fungi I would grow PE cubies too, but lots of strains are great.
Amazons are another good strain.

I tried P.E. once, they were pretty good compared to most that I have had, but then again so are a lot of the ones I have had lately.

Try to get some Friscosa spores. They're the easiest wood lover to grow, and just as potent as azures.

I like to start spores a few kernels of sterile popcorn. That way you can isolate healthy mycelium by grabbing a few colonized kernels. From there transfer to Naturescapes or other hard wood chips.