If you are weighing BoomRoom II vs monotub kit growing, you are choosing between automated tent growing and single tub growing. The Mushroom Monotub Large 66Q Grow Kit packs spawn bags, bulk substrate and a 66Q tub into a manual system, while the North Spore BoomRoom II Automated Mushroom Grow stacks trays and blocks across 5 racks inside 18 cubic feet of enclosed space. Your decision comes down to how much hands on care you want, how many varieties you want to fruit at once, and how much floor space you can dedicate.
We evaluated specs and reviewed grower feedback side by side to sort out who each system serves best. If you want a straightforward dung loving batch with minimal gear, the tub approach fits your routine. If you want to run oysters, lion’s mane and medicinal types in parallel with steady humidity, the tent approach fits better. This comparison was updated for November 2026 to reflect current kit contents, and you can see the Monotubs, Martha Tents and Fruiting Chambers archive for more background on these formats.
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Quick Picks at a Glance
Prime MycoLabs 66Q Mushroom Monotub Grow Kit Complete
Prime North Spore BoomRoom II Automated Mushroom Grow
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Pros
- Truly complete kit so you do not need to source tub, substrate, filters or casing separately
- Strong humidity retention and stable airflow praised for reliable colonization
- Large 66 quart capacity supports generous yields in a single run
- Quality sterilized components backed by responsive customer support
Cons
- Spore syringe or liquid culture is not included and must be purchased separately
- Occasional reports of grain bags arriving too dry which can waste inoculant
- Large tabletop footprint needs dedicated indoor space and works best with a separate heat mat
The MycoLabs Large 66Q Monotub Grow Kit is a complete indoor system for growing dung loving edible and medicinal mushrooms. It is designed for beginners and hobby growers who want to start quickly without building a tub or sourcing materials.
Standout features include two sterilized multi grain bags with injection ports, 10 pounds of bulk substrate and a vermiculite casing layer. In real world use, the balanced spawn to bulk ratio promotes even colonization and the filters plus plugs help maintain steady humidity and fresh air exchange.
Build quality centers on a sturdy 22.5 by 15.5 by 12 inch black polypropylene tub with pre cut airflow holes. Included filter disks, black incubation plugs, liner and ultra fine mister give precise control over moisture and cleanliness during incubation and fruiting.
Drawbacks are minor but worth noting. You must supply your own spores or liquid culture, and a seedling heat mat is often helpful but not included. A few users reported dry grain bags, and the large size requires dedicated tabletop space.
Overall, this is a professional grade, beginner friendly kit that delivers convenience, consistency and strong growing conditions. If you want a ready to use monotub with proven components and support, it is an excellent choice.
Capacity is 66 quarts with dimensions of 22.5 inches long by 15.5 inches wide by 12 inches high. The rectangular tabletop tub is made from durable black polypropylene with aeration focused airflow design.
Included are one Growers Select monotub bin, two 5 pound bags of bulk substrate, two 2.25 pound sterilized grain bags with injection ports, plus vermiculite casing, filter disks, plugs, mister and liner.
Designed for indoor fungus cultivation with humidity and contamination control features. Spore syringe or liquid culture and optional heating accessories are not included.
Pros
- True plug and play automation eliminates constant hand misting and fanning
- Vertical 5 shelf layout maximizes yield per square foot in a small footprint
- Clear vinyl walls make it easy to monitor pins, canopies and harvest timing
- Built in spore containment and runoff tray for cleaner indoor growing
- Purpose built for mycology with balanced airflow, humidity and spacing
Cons
- Large 18 cubic foot tent still needs dedicated floor space plus power and ventilation
- Clear vinyl interior requires regular cleaning to prevent fog residue and buildup
- Beginners may need time to dial in humidity and FAE settings for different varieties
The North Spore BoomRoom II is a fully automated 5-rack Martha tent designed to replace messy monotubs with a controlled indoor biosphere. It is built for culinary growers, hobby mycologists and anyone ready to move from manual misting to consistent, high yield fruiting.
Standout performance comes from the paired Myco-Mister II and FAE fan system. The mister holds humidity at 90 percent plus for strong pinning, while the fan exhausts CO2 to encourage thicker stems, larger caps and fewer aborts across flushes.
The design uses a sturdy metal frame with ultra clear heavy duty vinyl and five reinforced racks offering 18 cubic feet of vertical growing space. A negative pressure layout with filtration plus a Spore Floor tray helps contain spores and catch runoff for cleaner home use.
There are tradeoffs to consider. You will need a dedicated corner with power and ventilation, and the vinyl interior requires regular wiping to stay clear. Beginners may also need a few cycles to dial in placement and airflow for their specific varieties.
Overall, the BoomRoom II is a serious upgrade for growers who want automation, scale and visibility in one system. If you want dense canopies without daily fanning and spraying, this purpose built tent is an excellent long term investment.
How They Compare
Growing Space and Yield Style
The Mushroom Monotub Large 66Q Grow Kit centers on a single bin that measures 22.5” L x 15.5” W x 12” H and is designed to hold a 3 inch colonized layer made from two 2.25lb grain bags mixed with bulk substrate. That footprint suits a closet shelf, a spare table or a corner where you can leave the tub undisturbed through colonization and fruiting. The North Spore BoomRoom II Automated Mushroom Grow takes the opposite approach with 5 reinforced racks inside 18 cubic feet of vertical growing space. You can stack trays, jars and blocks on separate levels instead of committing all your substrate to one tub.
You will harvest differently from each setup. The Mushroom Monotub Large 66Q Grow Kit is built for one large flush at a time from its manure loving bulk substrate, which is simple to track and easy for a beginner to understand. The North Spore BoomRoom II Automated Mushroom Grow is described as growing up to 9x more than a standard tub setup because you use vertical levels for multiple projects at once. If you like focusing on a single variety until harvest, you will prefer the tub. If you like staggering projects and harvesting a little from several shelves each week, you will prefer the tent.
Automation, Humidity and Airflow
The Mushroom Monotub Large 66Q Grow Kit relies on passive airflow and manual care. It includes 6 self adhesive 2.5” filter disks and 6 incubating plugs that fit the lid holes to support gas exchange while limiting contaminants, plus an 8oz ultra fine spray mister for keeping the casing hydrated. You manage humidity by watching the surface and misting as needed. The North Spore BoomRoom II Automated Mushroom Grow automates that job with an integrated Myco-Mister II and FAE fan that work together to hold relative humidity at 90%+ while stripping carbon dioxide. You refill and monitor the system rather than fanning and misting by hand.
In daily use, that difference shapes your routine. With the Mushroom Monotub Large 66Q Grow Kit, you check surface moisture, adjust plugs or filters, and learn to read pins and aborts with your own eyes, which builds skill but demands attention. With the North Spore BoomRoom II Automated Mushroom Grow, thicker stipes, larger caps and fewer aborts are the goal of steady humidity and fresh air, and you spend more time arranging racks and observing through clear vinyl. For context on tent routines, see this fruiting chamber kit vs martha tent before you decide how automated you want to be.
What Is Included and Setup Time
The Mushroom Monotub Large 66Q Grow Kit arrives as a spawn to bulk package. You get the 66Q Grower’s Select monotub bin, two 5lb bags of manure loving bulk substrate, two sterilized 2.25lb multi-grain bags with injection ports, a quart of vermiculite casing layer, liner, filters, plugs and mister. You inoculate the grain bags with your own spore syringe or liquid culture, mix with substrate once colonized, then add vermiculite only once fully colonized and pinning. The North Spore BoomRoom II Automated Mushroom Grow arrives as a chamber system with clear heavy duty vinyl, 5 racks and a Spore Floor bottom tray to catch runoff and protect floors. You supply your own colonized blocks, trays or jars, then load the shelves.
Setup time reflects those contents. The Mushroom Monotub Large 66Q Grow Kit needs no wiring and no high tech additions, and growers commonly report that mixing and leveling the 3 inch layer is the most hands on step. You will need clean inoculation habits and patience during colonization. The North Spore BoomRoom II Automated Mushroom Grow needs more initial assembly, placement near power, and tuning of humidity and airflow, but then it runs with less manual misting. If you are new to tubs, this how to use a monotub for oyster mushrooms walkthrough shows the manual rhythm you should expect.
Contamination Control, Cleaning and Daily Care
The Mushroom Monotub Large 66Q Grow Kit controls contamination with physical barriers. Self adhesive filters and black hole plugs cover lid holes to maintain humidity and airflow while keeping out foreign spores, and the liner helps with cleanup and side pinning. The tradeoff is that every opening, misting and casing adjustment is a chance to introduce contaminants if your habits slip. The North Spore BoomRoom II Automated Mushroom Grow is designed to run negative pressure to filter spores from air before they escape, which helps keep your home cleaner when you fruit heavy spore producers like oysters. Its Spore Floor tray contains drips, though you still need to wipe vinyl, racks and trays between runs.
For cleaning, the tub is simpler because you have one bin, one liner and a small set of parts to wash and dry. The tent has more surface area, including vinyl walls, five racks and trays, so reset day takes longer. Rated feedback also differs, with the Mushroom Monotub Large 66Q Grow Kit holding 4.6 out of 5 from 295 reviews, while the North Spore BoomRoom II Automated Mushroom Grow holds 4.1 out of 5 from 12 reviews, which means less long term feedback to draw on. If you dislike maintenance, factor in that extra wiping and monitoring before you choose vertical growing.
Which One Should You Get
Choose Mushroom Monotub Large 66Q Grow Kit if you want a self contained, low intervention start for dung loving edible or medicinal mushrooms. You get grain bags, bulk substrate, vermiculite, filters, plugs, liner and mister in the same box, and you only add your own spore syringe or liquid culture. This is the better fit when you have a small table or closet shelf, you prefer to learn colonization and fruiting on a single 3 inch bed, and you are comfortable checking moisture and airflow yourself. You will build core skills without managing a powered tent.
Choose North Spore BoomRoom II Automated Mushroom Grow if you want to fruit multiple blocks, trays or jars at once with automated humidity and fresh air exchange. This higher-end pick suits you when you have a dedicated corner, you want 18 cubic feet of vertical space with 5 racks, and you prefer to dial in 90%+ humidity with a mister and fan rather than hand misting. It is also the better fit when spore control matters in a shared living space, thanks to negative pressure design and the runoff tray. You trade a larger footprint and more setup for steadier conditions and higher parallel output.
Who Should Skip Both
If you only want a tiny countertop project or you have no space for a 22.5 inch tub or an 18 cubic foot tent, these systems are not ideal for you. Both assume you will handle live cultures, sterile grain and bulk substrate with careful hygiene, so they are not a good fit when you want no maintenance or you cannot monitor humidity for several days at a time. In that case, start with all in one bags or a small ready to fruit block, then revisit tubs and tents once you have a routine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the North Spore BoomRoom II Automated Mushroom Grow better for beginners than the Mushroom Monotub Large 66Q Grow Kit?
For most first time growers, the Mushroom Monotub Large 66Q Grow Kit is easier to understand because you manage one bin, one substrate layer and a simple mister routine. The North Spore BoomRoom II Automated Mushroom Grow reduces daily fanning and misting, but it adds assembly, power needs and more surfaces to keep clean. Choose the tent when you already understand colonization and want parallel grows, not as a shortcut around sterile habits.
Can the Mushroom Monotub Large 66Q Grow Kit grow oysters and lion’s mane, or only dung loving varieties?
The Mushroom Monotub Large 66Q Grow Kit is formulated for dung loving edible or medicinal mushrooms with manure loving substrate and grain bags. Oysters and lion’s mane often prefer different substrates and more fresh air, so you might get better results in a tent with steady exchange. See this Martha tent kit vs Martha tent comparison for how growers house those species.
Does the North Spore BoomRoom II Automated Mushroom Grow replace grain bags and bulk substrate?
No, it does not replace them. The North Spore BoomRoom II Automated Mushroom Grow is a fruiting chamber, so you still need colonized grain, substrate, blocks or jars to load onto its 5 racks. The Mushroom Monotub Large 66Q Grow Kit includes two 2.25lb grain bags and bulk substrate, which is why many growers start with the tub to learn spawn to bulk work before moving that skill into a tent.
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