What an incredible read. I read every single comment for 24 pages. This is my very first post to this site. I'm blown away by the wealth of knowledge being passed around, and I honestly think the debate is a healthy thing. I truly appreciate that there are so many of you extremely experienced farmers who take the time to share your hard earned secrets, successes, and failures. Thank you all.
I do want to compliment the OP
@YarraSparra for opening the topic...all the way back in 2014! Boy does this topic have legs (even if some substantial deviations happened along the way)!
I have to say that I'm going to have to join the other fence-sitters on this issue. Perhaps it's due to my lack of years of experience. Perhaps it's because so many (seemingly) valid points have been made on both sides.
@YarraSparra, I read your post and immediately thought "great, so no flush (or deprivation/reduction of nutrients as it may be) whatsoever for me, ever again" but then I've also clearly understood the opposing position. I'd love to hear your voice back on this topic in further defense of your original posting, but maybe you've run out of steam for the debate. Fair enough play, if so.
I'd like to ask a further question of this forum. A lot of this thread has been a back and forth specifically about nutrients and how a flush (or reduction in nutrient levels...as I think this is what is actually being discussed here...not a flush to remove unwanted salts from media) might or might not improve smoke and make for a safer experience. What are the thoughts of the forum for other additives that may, for example, be added to a DWC? Take Hydroguard or SM-90. If something like one or both of these are added to a DWC and not properly flushed, what would be the outcome? Safety concerns or just less appealing smell, taste, etc.?
I've also noted that
@YarraSparra has another post regarding curing and the positives of a faster cure. Perhaps my next question is better suited for that thread, but since it was mentioned here by
@jumpincactus, I'll go ahead and ask...
Have you (0r anyone else here) seen or tried the 58% RH Bovedas? I just ordered some and they should be here tomorrow. It seems this has replaced their 54% packs that apparently never caught on since they were too low?
Related to the two-way membrane possibly poaching terpenes, would it be better to dry further than ideal (below 58%) and then use the Boveda to bring the RH back up? This way, it's primary function is to add moisture rather than remove it. Would this then stop the poaching of smells?
It seems Boveda suggests to dry a little past prime and then use Boveda to raise RH, but they mention this is best practice simply because it's easier to tell when the Boveda has run it's course when the primary function is to add moisture (
http://www.bovedainc.com/solutions/herbal/curing-with-boveda/). In this case, the Boveda pack turns into a hard wafer, whereas when it's primary function is to remove moisture, the Boveda swells but never gets hard and it's difficult to know if it needs to be replaced. The website, however, says nothing about the robbing of smells (right, why would they purposefully out themselves if this really is the case!).
Just wondering what your (and the forum's) thoughts might be.
Sorry for the two unrelated questions.