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Do you wash your weed?

You know, if you want smooth hits and absolutely PURE flavor, go for a vape. No need to do all this washing and drying.


If you REALLY want to taste your weed, try turning on your vape (if it's a quick-heat model, just turn the temperature low), and taking a puff before the vape is fully heated. The taste . . .is incredible. We call these taste hits, as you wont really get a full hit, so much as a lot of delicious flavor/scent. It even makes stem taste good, if you're of a mind to smoke stem when you're of out bud ;)
 
you lose some plant matter but you don't increase potency. sorry. you'd be better off recuring and waiting a long ass time.
 
I do love that buttery smooth flavor that a vape or *well setup* hookah produces.
 
Nope I do not do this. Why would I wash away all of the trichomes and wet the herb and possibly make it get moldy or rotted with mildew?

I can see why you'd wash herb that was grown to make bubble hash but there's no point in doing it to an 8th or quarter of excellent herb.
 
Looks like washing your weed in cold water is something a lot of people would have to try to believe. But it works and it's easy. Washed weed is more potent and smoother. It's definitely more trippy, more visuals. No need to worry about mold. Just keep it in a place with moving air. (Don't put wet weed in a drawer.) If you doubters were with Columbus, he would never have sailed for the New World. You won't know until you try it.

By the way, I am using native tropical sativa buds. (I live in a poor country. Prices here are a lot cheaper here than a rich country, so maybe I have less concern over losing a tiny bit of actives.) After washing, the color becomes more brown. There is not much flavor either. But this weed is four months old so it had already lost most of that nice "green" flavor it had when fresher. The smoke is smoother so it's a little harder at first to judge the size of your hits.

Here's something else to ponder. We know the actives in weed have extremely low solubility in water. That's good. Otherwise, some actives would be dissolved whenever it rained on the living plant. When washing weed, probaply some crystals do make it through the filter and are lost in the waste water. But it doesn't seem to be significant. On the other hand, washing does take out a lot of inactive stuff so you don't have to smoke as much to get high. I wish I could read a scientific study where a chemical analysis was done on cannabis before and after it's washed.

There's no need to smoke the part that doesn't get you high. Take that out and you have less to smoke. So it is more concentrated, an increase in potency. I didn't claim I created more actives, I simply claim that washing removes a lot of inactives and and only an insignificant amount of actives are lost.
 
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So it is more concentrated, an increase in potency.

It isn't more concentrated...all you seem to be doing is removing some of the dirt, handling junk that is left over.

Higher concentration would mean that by washing your bud, somehow you have a higher % of THC, when that is false.
 
Washing herb does not make it more potent. You're just getting a placebo.

I'd rather have properly cured and stored herb even if it is a few months old than wash away all of the trichomes which people either smoke on the herb or they collect and make kif out of.

If you really want a very high percentage of THC don't wash your herb vaporize it.

You get way more THC when you vaporize than you do from just smoking since when you smoke herb as opposed to vaporizing it you destroy some of the THC and do not get nearly as much as you do from vaporizing.

If you want CBD/CBN from herb you can still get that and vaporize it but it just takes some time figuring out how to do that with a vaporizer as they are all different in how they work.
 
Higher concentration would mean that by washing your bud, somehow you have a higher % of THC (in a smaller amount of plant material), when that is false.



I'm with the Chemist on this one.



Seems to me like something a connect might tell his more gullible customers to get them to buy less potent weed.
 
It isn't more concentrated...all you seem to be doing is removing some of the dirt, handling junk that is left over.

Higher concentration would mean that by washing your bud, somehow you have a higher % of THC, when that is false.


Suppose I have a large jar with 100 pieces of M&M candies in various colors. Suppose I only want the blue colored pieces. There are 10 blue candies in the jar. That's 10 out of 100 which is 10 per cent. If I removed 90 non-blue candies then my jar would contain only 10 candies, all of which are blue. 10 out of 10 is 100% concentration of blue candies. Yes it's true, I have less candy now, but the potency has increased to 100% blue candy. By removing the undesirable, the concentration of good stuff increases.
 
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There are two ways to purify and isolate something (increase potency).
Method #1: Remove only the useless stuff. (Wash out the water solubles)
or
Method #2: Remove only the good stuff. (Wash out the fat/alcohol solubles.)


I think we're trying to say that it seems like you removed a whole lot of useless stuff AND some of the good stuff.


I'm not saying I'm right, though... just my opinion from what I already know. What I don't know about, though, is the science behind water-washing.

So like I said, just an opinion. Not trying to pass it off as fact because I really don't know.
 
People are confusing potency with concentration a lot in this thread, I think, and that's what's causing this disagreement.

Your bud (actives, I should say) may be more concentrated, but it is most certainly NOT more potent than the original volume would have been (more potent/g, obviously, but I'm referring to the overall mass of actives). You may accomplish washing away any unwanted byproducts left by an unscrupulous grower, but that's about it.



So for most of us, this is a pointless exercise, as it's just unnecessary effort to accomplish a meager goal.
 
I don't know the science either. There are dozens of cannabinoids and their proportions in a sample will change over time. For example, some of the CBD becomes THC and some THC becomes CBN as the weed ages. Maybe some Delta-?-THC changes into Delta-9-THC ? I do know that after washing out the green crap, the weed weighs less, smokes smoother and a similar amount gets me higher than unwashed weed. Washing works and it may be improving the weed on some chemical level. I would like to read some science on this.
 
I would not call chlorophyll something left by an unscrupulous grower.
 
People are confusing potency with concentration a lot in this thread, I think, and that's what's causing this disagreement.

Your bud (actives, I should say) may be more concentrated, but it is most certainly NOT more potent than the original volume would have been (more potent/g, obviously, but I'm referring to the overall mass of actives). You may accomplish washing away any unwanted byproducts left by an unscrupulous grower, but that's about it.

So for most of us, this is a pointless exercise, as it's just unnecessary effort to accomplish a meager goal.


So why do people make hash? That's the same goal - make the end product more concentrated with actives and thus more POTENT. I feel like I'm beating my head against a wall. I like washed weed. I'm not preaching a new religion here. I tried something and had good results. If skeptics don't believe me and don't want to try this, okay. That's not my problem.
 
The following is an extract from the now defunct Overgrow site.

Introduction - What is the water cure? Why would I want to do it?

The water cure has only recently come to light as a widely accepted form of curing (mostly because of this thread). Water curing uses osmosis to flush out the chemicals, chlorophyl, pesticides, pests, and anything else you would rather not be smoking. The water cure is also very fast (about 7 days) with optimal quality (as compared to 30 days air curing), and as well does not stink like an air cure does. Water-cured buds are also more potent than air-cured (however there is proportional weight loss to potency increase).

THC is not water soluable, and the bud is protected from air/light, enabling potency to be maintained at it's highest levels, while the nasty chemicals are flushed out. Some growers report being able to add nutes all the way up to their harvest date because the water cure takes care of the built up chemicals.

Because of its speed, stealth and clean taste, water cure is very inviting to most non-commercial growers. The commercial grower might not be attracted to the water cure, as the weight of the bud is diminished.

Water cure can also be attractive to those smoking/cooking with suspect cannabis (schwag), moldy bud, pest infested bud, unflushed bud, etc.


How will my bud taste/smoke/smell/look?

Properly water-cured buds (submerged for 7 days and properly dried) will have a clean, thick taste when smoked, as well as being more potent than air-cured buds. This is one of the major advantages to the water cure; a quick drying process that retains potency and has a clean taste a flavor.

Smoking reports vary, however most people agree that water curing provides a very clean, smooth taste. Those with hashier, sandlewood/piney and harsher strains will find this method enjoyable for the clean, thick flavor without the edge (like a fine whisky).

However, those with frutier tasting strains have mixed results. They report the smoke is almost too smooth - much of the fruity/citrussy flavor removed.

The smell of the bud is greatly diminished, which many believe is one of the positive side-effects of water curing. Some also report a diminished smell in the smoke itself.

Water-cured buds tend to look more earthy and dark in tone. Some say the bag appeal is decreased, however proper care while water-curing can improve bag appeal.


What do I need for this? What is the process?

1. A container hold your bud and appropriate water (about 4 times as much water as amount of bud). A cooler with some kind of drainage works great.

2. A dehydrator or low-impact heat device. Dehydrators work great and cost about $40 from walmart. Radiators work well (as long as it isn't too hot), and some report using hair dryers.

3. A cool, dark place to put the water-curing container.

You need at least 7 days to do this, any less than seven can result in undesireable quality. Even 5 days in water is not enough - you need seven!!!

Plop in your freshy cut buds (or schwag, whatever, but fresh buds work best) into enough water to completely submerge the buds. The buds will float to the top for the first few days of this, so you need something to hold them down (a block of wood, a plate, etc). Change the water every day for 7 days, any less than seven could result in undesirable results (trust me). Try not to disturb the buds when changing the water as plant material can break off more easily (read: trichomes). Always keep the lid of the cooler open, do not seal off the container.

The water may take on a yellowish/greenish (even brownish) tint each day, moreso as the bud becomes completely saturated with the water. It will probably also stink. This is good, as it is the nasty chlorophyl and salts exiting your plant.

After 7 days remove the buds from the water. They will be sopping wet, and can be dried relatively quickly. MPD (and many more of us) purchased a food dehydrator from wal-mart for about $40 and consensus tells us this may be the best method for drying. Put the dehydrator on the lowest setting and dry for about 5 hours or so.

Radiators and other low-impact heating devices can also be used. Users have reported hair dryers working with some success, as well as hanging the wet buds on a clothes line with a fan circulating air. The important thing to do is to ensure the buds dry quickly enough to not become moldy, but with as low-impact of a drying environment as possible.


7 DO'S and DON'TS of water curing

1. Do not close the lid on the cooler. As the chlorophyll bleeds off into the water it evaporates - this is good and sealing the cooler just puts the crap back in the water.

2. Keep out of direct sunlight. I just put the cooler in the garage and that's the end of that.

3. Don't stir or agitate. This serves no useful purpose.

4. Don't bother straining the water for trichomes when you change it each day. I've tried it countless times and have yet to get enough trichones to make it worth the effort, though some hairs will break loose.

5. I've water cured as long as 9 days, but there was no real improvement over the 7 day mark - so why bother?

6. Do use a dehydrator. They cost $35 over at Walmart and you set it on the lowest possible setting. Mine takes about 5 hours to dry out a 1/2 pound of sopping wet buds. If you line dry make sure there is a drip tray or tarp for them to drip on.

7. DO NOT water cure seeded buds that were intentionally seeded so you can harvest seeds. Air cure these buds only...


What is the dry-weight ratio comparison with air curing?

Dry weight using air cure usually returns about 25% of the freshly cut bud weight. That means if you had 10 grams of freshly cut plant, you would get about 2.5 grams dry.

Water cure, on the other hand, returns about 15% from wet to dry. In our 10 gram example, that would be about 1.5 grams.


So why is there less weight using water, but more potency?

THC is not water soluable. When the buds are underwater, they are protected from environmental conditions such as humidity, over exposure to air, temperature, and light. This consistent state is something not easily achieved through the traditional air cure, which can be prone to a harsher smoke with decreased potency if everything isn't just so.

Water cure enables the removal of undesireable elements from your bud while retaining potency.


How potency is increased through the water cure

I should explain this so that the conspiracy theory kooks don't land on me like a ton of bricks. Here's the "magic" behind the increased potency you get by water curing. For the sake of making it simple, I'll use an example of 100 grams of bud going into the pot. Now, you had this bud assayed and know that 15% of it is pure THC. 15% of 100 grams is 15 grams. So in our example the 100 grams of fresh bud has 15 grams of THC in it.

You water cure it and dry it. Now you have only 70 grams of bud left. WTF?

But you are deceived because the 15 grams of THC is part of the remaining 70 grams of bud. 15 divided by 70 equals 21.42%.

Sooo....

The mass didn't change, just some of the things that were there - aren't there anymore, so what is left becomes a bigger proportion of the entirety. You go assay your water cured bud and find out it has 21.42% THC content - a 50% increase in potency.

Not bad, eh?


How osmosis leaches nasties, saves trichs

In air, chlorophyll breaks down at a rate that is only slightly faster than the breakdown rate of the resin - hence the reason the pot is dried for a short time then placed in jars and burped - but always out of direct sunlight because sunlight plus air equals an ideal situation for the THC is to break down and thus a loss of potency may ensue.

In water, the chlorophyll breaks down (out of the plant) while the THC remains suspended in the resin and is relatively unaffected by the surrounding water medium.


More on chrlorophyll removal

Water curing and air curing are doing exactly the same thing except you retain flavour and smell with air drying and with water curing you lose that flavour and smell but you have a smoothe smoke....

The Chloryphyll in the plant leaves through either the water evaporating (air cure) or through osmosis into the water around it...Water curing is obvously more affective at removing chloryphyll because you are adding more water, and
the smoke is smoother (chloryphyll is a big factor in bad tasting and bad burning weed)....however smell and taste come from terpenes in the plant that are also water soluble so they are lost in the water curing process....

In air curing the chloryphyll has to leave by the evaporating water in the bud....this is less affective but you keep those smell and taste terpenes.....so why after going through the trouble to preserve and develop them through air curing would you dunk them in water and lose them?

Its either one or the other


I only soaked mine for three days with no water changes. Next time maybe I'll try soaking it for a week and change the water daily.
 
Man, I'm high as shit right now. This is the way to smoke. It's smooth and potent. A water cure makes the smoke almost odorless. Stealth smoking is especially useful in countries with insane penalties for possession.
 
Higher concentration would mean that by washing your bud, somehow you have a higher % of THC, when that is false.

That's exactly what he is doing. Removing water-solubles decreases the overall mass of material without decreasing the mass of THC present within the material, thus increasing the percentage of THC in relation to the total mass of plant material..

The governing principle is quite simple; realistically most 4th graders possess the intuition to understand it.

5/100 = 0.05

5/80 = 0.0625

5/60 = 0.083333333333333333333333333333

5/40 = 0.125

See a trend there? 0.05 < 0.0625 < 0.0833 < 0.125. Imagine the number on the right as your water-soluble components, and the number on the left as THC.

The percentage goes up, bro.

By washing the bud, one does increase the % of THC. They don't increase the total mass of THC, but the percentage certainly increases!
 
^Thank you.

It is more potent relative to the amount of material.

....it's all relative
 
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