If you have chemistry questions....

[Old Peanut]

Vacuum sealing would do the trick to some extent--but storing under nitrogen atmosphere would be the "chemists" standard.


If I was going to do it I'd build an apparatus as follows:


Glass jar (mason jar) lid modified with self-sealing injector ports (2 ports per lid, 1 in, 1 out):

http://www.mycopath.com/injector-port-strip-of-25-autoclavable-p-69.html


Rig a nitrogen delivery apparatus from a tank that leads from an air line to an appropriate needle. Insert needle into closed jar. Insert needle/tube to exit line to prevent pressure buildup and to allow the expulsion of oxygen.

Pump nitrogen through the jar and allow a minute for the levels to equilibrate. Flame dry the jar (bunsen burner).

Allow to cool. (still pumping nitrogen--only a very light flow is required).

Once cool open the cap (with nitrogen still flowing) and QUICKLY drop material to be stored into the jar). Close the jar tightly and allow nitrogen to flow for another minute.

Remove the exhaust line briefly before cutting the flow (to build slight positive pressure in the jar).

Voila--no oxidation (except that which will occur due to bound water).

Poor Man's Solution:
Get a nitrogen source--shit a bunch into a jar filled with material. Try to use the jet of the nitrogen initially to displace oxygen from the container--and use slower flow near the end of delivery to make sure to fill the container.

Think of filling a glass of water under high pressure vs low pressure--under higher pressure, some of the water will always be knocked off the top--such that there is space left in the glass. If you go slow and steady you can fill the glass to the rim. We want no space in the jar here because it will contain oxygen.

There are also oxygen absorber packets that work fairly well.

Man i meant to reply to this aaages ago but lost totaly forgot all my login details until now. funny how shit just drift up from the recesses of your mind sometimes lol. Anyway thanx for the reply. Dont think i'll be laying my hand of nitrogen anytime soon plus it sounds a little tricky for me / want regular access to my buds without loosing all the gas from the jar. I think maybe oxygen absorbers is a good way to go. or just vaccum sealing...but that has the same access issues that the nitrgeon gas does.

 

[squiggly]

Man i meant to reply to this aaages ago but lost totaly forgot all my login details until now. funny how shit just drift up from the recesses of your mind sometimes lol. Anyway thanx for the reply. Dont think i'll be laying my hand of nitrogen anytime soon plus it sounds a little tricky for me / want regular access to my buds without loosing all the gas from the jar. I think maybe oxygen absorbers is a good way to go. or just vaccum sealing...but that has the same access issues that the nitrgeon gas does.

Nitrogen is actually pretty damn easy to get a hold of and to handle, not very dangerous at all. I'll bet you could find some decent vessels to do it in too. It's also fairly cheap (like 70% ish of the air is nitrogen). You can even buy a generator for a couple grand if that's something that'd interest you. It'll also kick the shit out of oxygen absorbers, and definitely the shit out of vacuum sealing (which is terrible for bud).

 

[cctt]

Squiggly, I've always wondered about the effects of vacuum sealing on bud, but have not been able to notice any subjectively. Can you elaborate?

 

[squiggly]

Squiggly, I've always wondered about the effects of vacuum sealing on bud, but have not been able to notice any subjectively. Can you elaborate?

Terpenes are low boiling (volatile) compounds. They carry much of the taste and smell of good bud. Vacuum sealing puts them in conditions which cause them to evaporate more quickly, it's just not ideal.

 

[Medusa]

Squiggly whats your thought on Sublimination? I recently tried curing this way ...the bud was exceptional when finished.... also after jarred up everyday the smell is more intense compared to just letting it cure in a jar....taste , visual and smoke smooth .. thanks M

 

[FlyinJStable]

@squiggly
I am 50 and just getting back into school , Just finished up Anatomy 1 and 2 Micro biology and Chemistry so Now I am so Dangerous I cant even get net to a Bunsen burner....
I am fascinated non the less by the induction saturation Hell the electrocution of plant cell reactive outcomes and effects on the organic biology that surrounds the roots and what works what dont..
Now I have seen hype on the latest gizmo gadget placed in a field that makes your plant grow 100x better yadda yadda .

My question it this
is it possible to energize the soil around the root bed to:
*control Bugs much in the same way the 12v drives worms up out of soil
* Stimulate the roots growth either by bringing a positive charged organics or chasing away
whats your perspective, what ya think

 

[IndaVI]

Hello all, Squiggly here--resident chemistry asshole here at the farm :)

For the past year or so in my free time I have been compiling some useful chemistry information (and underlying concepts) as it regards cultivation--cannabis in particular (where I'm able to find specifics). I plan to really kick this project into high gear for this year, hoping to have something broad and publishable by the end of 2013.

In the mean time I have a few requests of you guys:

1. If you have a chemistry question--please either post it here. There is no such thing as a stupid question, if its something you want to know and don't, there is a high degree of certainty which says there are many people out there who are in that same situation. I want this guide to help all growers, beginning and expert, so its important for me to get an idea of what people do/don't/want to know.

2. If you know of any great resources which helped you to understand a chemical concept, a link to that in my inbox would be helpful. While I am pretty darn good at chemistry I am not ALWAYS good at teaching (although I like to think I take a piece-wise, one-concept-into-the-next approach). For this reason it will be helpful for me to check out methods that help people learn about chemistry and those which don't.

3. If you have a piece of chemical literature which you would like "translated" I would be happy to facilitate that. The scope and amount of material I can cover will be limited--I still have studies to pursue--so choose wisely.

As a thank you for helping me here, the fruits of my labor will be released for free (in a thread) here at the farm when it is completed. I'd like to offer, also, to answer any and all questions about chemistry here in this thread. I am more than willing to help those of you with more specific questions on an individual basis as well--as many farmers will certainly attest.

If your question is broad, please post it here so that everyone may share in the discussion. If it is a specific question relating only to your situation, please contact me through the message system.

Thanks!!!

P.S.

Topics open for question in which I have expertise:

Chemistry (my specialization is in organic synthesis--but I am knowledgeable elsewhere)
Biochemistry
Molecular Biology (intermediate)
Physics (intermediate)
Genetics (cursory)


This discussion is not limited to only the act of growing. Extractions, assays, other tests, lighting questions, etc, all apply here.

Be assured, if I am not fairly certain of the answer I am providing you--that I will say as much. It is not my intention to pretend I know more than I do, but rather to share that which I do know.

My inbox is ALSO open to submissions to this document--and as it will be in a thread when released, it will be a living document which can be added to and corrected over time if other information is found.

PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CORRECT ME IF I GET SOMETHING WRONG--THIS PROCESS IS ABOUT FINDING REAL TRUTH, AND REAL EXPERIMENTAL/LITERATURE VALUES THAT ALL FARMERS MAY BENEFIT FROM. THERE IS NO "BEING CORRECT" IN THIS THREAD, THERE IS ONLY "PROVING CORRECTNESS."

Glad to have you as a resource squig

 

[IndaVI]

I wish I could trow out all my hps lights and replace them with indagrow par 420's. They are the bees knees .

 

[squiggly]

They are great.

Induction is a perfect middle ground between LED and HPS in my opinion. As such it's not really suited for commercial scale growing, but if you're just growing for yourself and friends/family I can imagine a lot of scenarios where the induction would give you considerably more bang for your buck over the long term. Both financially and in terms of hassle. All for the benefit of (in my experience) slightly danker bud. Also, it's probably the best type of light on the market for mothers/clones in terms of ease of use and efficiency.

The tradeoff is only worthwhile if your space under the inductions provides more weight than you need or want to consume. If there is need for bigger yields then HPS is going to be the standard for awhile yet indoors. Using these as supplemental lights in a HPS setup might be the optimal choice in terms of overall quality and yield, but that introduces more complexity and hassle to the party.

People often think of growing in soil, hydro, growing trees, etc--all of these choices--are what defines the grow. My view is that the lighting is really the baseline. It changes your needs the most and the optimal solutions depend the most what your room (or not room) conditions are. It dictates everything from ventilations needs, to cooling needs, to rates of nutrient uptake, feeding, etc.

When I advise friends looking to get into growing I always tell them to start with the light and work from there.

In addition to the room conditions indoors, light is the thing that is going to:

1. Cost you the most (and modulate related costs the most, such as ventilation)
2. Present the biggest safety concern.
3. Get you caught.

 

[IndaVI]

W

They are great.

Induction is a perfect middle ground between LED and HPS in my opinion. As such it's not really suited for commercial scale growing, but if you're just growing for yourself and friends/family I can imagine a lot of scenarios where the induction would give you considerably more bang for your buck over the long term. Both financially and in terms of hassle. All for the benefit of (in my experience) slightly danker bud. Also, it's probably the best type of light on the market for mothers/clones in terms of ease of use and efficiency.

The tradeoff is only worthwhile if your space under the inductions provides more weight than you need or want to consume. If there is need for bigger yields then HPS is going to be the standard for awhile yet indoors. Using these as supplemental lights in a HPS setup might be the optimal choice in terms of overall quality and yield, but that introduces more complexity and hassle to the party.

People often think of growing in soil, hydro, growing trees, etc--all of these choices--are what defines the grow. My view is that the lighting is really the baseline. It changes your needs the most and the optimal solutions depend the most what your room (or not room) conditions are. It dictates everything from ventilations needs, to cooling needs, to rates of nutrient uptake, feeding, etc.

When I advise friends looking to get into growing I always tell them to start with the light and work from there.

In addition to the room conditions indoors, light is the thing that is going to:

1. Cost you the most.
2. Present the biggest safety concern.
3. Get you caught.[/quot

 

[IndaVI]

Well said friend!

 

[IndaVI]

I pay 60 cents a kilowatt hour for power so if you take in consideration the electrical cost of cooling the hps lights and their higher energy consumption, it tips the scales even more in favor of induction lighting.

 

[squiggly]

I mean even think further down the line.

Let's say I want a recirc DWC system. Under HPS I absolutely HAVE to insulate my pots, I probably also need to cool the water and place the res outside the room. All of that is time and money. Furthermore we're looking at higher temps which means more transpiration-->more uptake-->more nute cost-->more changeouts/more water cost. This same reasoning goes all the way down the line. Unless it's winter, the major enemies of a good grow are heat and pests. Most everything else takes care of itself if you water and feed properly.

Something that doesn't produce a lot of larf and doesn't make a bunch of heat is A okay in my book.

 

[cctt]

-->more nute cost-->

Not to nitpick, but with higher heat/transpiration (VPD) should come a reduced need for nutrient concentration (EC) to balance against how quickly water is moving into the roots.

That said, I think you're right on as usual and I'm just nitpicking.

 

[certainti420]

I have question about the use of CO2. I am currently researching the best way to go about turning my old saltwater reef aquarium into a small hydro system for personal use. The problem is I'm not rich by any means and some of the equipment can be very expensive. So my question is instead of buying co2 pumps and tanks could you simply mix a large amount of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) with simple white vinegar since the by product of that chemical reaction is pure CO2.

 

[squiggly]

Actually that reaction creates H2CO3 which rapidly decomposes to H2O and CO2 :)

Umm, to answer your question: Hell no that won't work.

You would have to use soooooooo much vinegar and baking soda so as to make it ridiculous.

 

[Fresh Starts]

Hi squiggly!
I've been running bleach (sodium hypochlorite 8%) in my EZcloner to keep everything sterile through the rooting process and it's been working nicely. I'm wondering what effect Sodium has on my hydroponic fertilizer or plants if any because I add the bleach regularly to my EZcloner. I know that chlorine at high levels can oxidize iron out of solution but i'm not using that strong of a dose. (.5- 2ml per gallon)

 

[colostoney]

I got a serious chem question for ya squig. In your opinion whats next for MJ concentrates
just got a feelin some knock out method of concentratin thc will show up soon and all the other stuff will be history
bein an insulin user I wouldn't doubt a purified injectable form a thc that goes to the dome in one heart beat zero waste is coming
almost every time I slam my insulin lately and taste n smell it instantly I think of this
lol a weed junkie
serious though the buzz from something like this might surpass even heroin and people will go nuts

 

[squiggly]

What's next?

Either gmo bud that produces more oil, or straight up transplantation of the gene/affiliated genes for thc synthase into another strong oil producing plant (like tobacco).

Doing it this way will provide a commercial source that can meet demand for a smaller capital investment and less overhead over long timescales 10-20 years.

You would also be able to easily isolate cannabinoids and active terpenes to formulate your own mixes.

We are headed this way whether we like it or not. This is part of commercialization.

Far as extraction, I think you're basically looking at what's coming already. Extraction science is pretty well investigated.

You'll probably see better machinery and instrumentation creep up but I don't think there is any big break on the horizon.

As regulations are relaxed I think you'll see more purifications (chromatography) becoming very common. As it stands now doing chemistry like that for commercial purposes is in a dubious place legally. Gains in quality would be enormous, though.

I think the next big thing really is the race to scientifically legitimize this whole ordeal. It's happening right now, and fast.

For decades mj has been relegated to mostly junk and hippy science. Money has now come to the party (legal money) and that has attracted respected scientists to this field.

The effects of this will be FAR reaching and broad in scope.

 

[caveman4.20]

Best of wishes on your job search I hope colorado hires you and congratulations on the degree. I know your presence will be felt in the industry!