Day 1: This experiment only took one day, but it was vital for the following experiments as it literally set the foundation on which the bacteria will grow.
First, I sterilized my gloves to ensure that no contamination could be put into the plates. Then, I measured the LB agar media in a small plastic container over a small scale to measure 5.25 g. I proceeded to put the contents into a glass bottle, followed by 150 mL of water. This step is crucial, as the concentration of the agar plates should be the same to yield plausible results and cause fewer errors later for other issues with bacteria growing.
Once that was done, I put the lid on the bottle (not sealing it shut) and shook it until the agar powder mixed with the liquid water created a cloudy yellowish liquid. Then, it was time to place this mixture into a microwave. To make sure that this concentration does not boil over and explode, I made sure to heat it in 30-second intervals and checked each time how cloudy it was. The first time attempting this experiment, the mixture boiled over and spilled all over the inside of my microwave. I can only describe the smell as distinctly very, very similar to that of urine in the toilet stalls of an overused public bathroom. For the second attempt, I made sure to wait a little longer between heating and paying more attention to the mixture while it was in the microwave. In the end, I ended up getting a dark yellow liquid.
Finally, after waiting for the glass bottle to cool down a bit, I was able to prepare the agar plates. The first step is to open up the Petri plates and pour the liquid evenly into each plate with enough thickness for the bacteria to grow. I ended up making eight plates with one batch. To make sure that you are pouring into the right plate, make sure that you are using half of the plate that is smaller in radius than the other one. The one with the larger radius is the top half of the Petri plate. When all is poured, I put the top half back on the bottom half of the plates.
After 30 minutes, the agar on the Petri dishes should be done and dry. To avoid condensation, I flipped them over with the bottom half up and let them out on my table counter overnight. In the end, I used some of them for experiments the following day, and the rest I stored in the fridge. These plates can typically last 2-3 months, so it was possible for me to make a few batches so that I wouldn't run out of plates in the middle of an experiment.