funker
Senior Member
Registered: Feb 2002
Posts: 690
|
THE WATER CURE COMPENDIUM - FAQ
===============================
As this thread has become very large, and much of the information
redundant, I thought I'd make a quick FAQ pointing out some of the more
informative areas and highlighting the main points. Both the original
poster of this thread, and MPD, have deleted their accounts. MPD is the
expert on this, so much of the information contained within comes from
his research.
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.
PhatDaddyNugzYo's water cured NLK bud:
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.
MPD's 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.
MPD explains 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 is the chlorophyll/nasty chemicals removed while potency preserved?
PhatDaddyNugzYo shows us some water-cure scum that came out of his buds:
MPD explains 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 by JBC Grower
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
|
What about already dried buds/shwag/moldy buds?
MPD and others have reported success in re-curing nasty buds of one
kind or another. Dry schwag that is still in a nugg-ish form can be
water-cured, as well as semi-moldy buds (however, no miracles here).
Good luck!
Updated: Easter, 2005
-funker
Last edited by funker on March 31st, 2005 at 03:21 PM |
November 23rd, 2004 08:58 PM |
|
|
|
BigSensiSkunk
Senior Member
Registered: Mar 2004
Posts: 641
|
Originally by MPD:
Water curing is the simplest, safest, stealthiest curing method you can use.
Here's how it works.
When you harvest your plants, place the trimmed buds (and trim if you like) in a beer cooler.
Fill the beer cooler with cold tap water. So not stir or agitate the
plant material - EVER. When the plant material is floating about an
inch above the bottom of the cooler you have enough water.
Weight down the plant matter so it stays submerged. I use blocks of
wood. Once the air has bled out (takes 3 days) you don't need to weigh
them down anymore, but they must remain submerged for the entire time
they are being cured.
Change the water every day for 6 days. On the seventh day, drain off
the water and hang your plants to dry. Once dry they are ready for
immediate consumption - I use a dehydrator so I can process batches
quickly.
Keep the lid off the cooler, but place the cooler out of direct sunlight.
It is really that simple. No fuss, no muss, no big odor problem, no long wait, and no mould.
What's not to like?
Wonderful, does it work??? I would deffinitely do this!
|
November 23rd, 2004 09:04 PM |
|
|
|
Ima_freak
[removed]
Registered: N/A
Posts: N/A |
[account removed]
|
November 24th, 2004 12:37 PM |
|
|
|
The Skipper
Edge Member
Registered: Sep 2004
Posts: 235
|
|
| Ok, I'm always game to try new things, so here goes a small scale test.
One small Thai bud freshly cut from the vine, slightly trimmed, and
immersed in water (filtered). I put a small block of wood over it
(forgot to take pic of that - plain old pine). Using Corning Wear, as
the cooler is outside in the rain, besides, I'm lazy by nature
Day1 ! |
"I've
dones a bit of smugglin', I've run my share of grass. Made enough
money, to buy Miami, but I pissed it away so fast - never mean't to
last. Never mean't to last..." - Jimmy Buffett
What if the Hokey Pokey really is what it's all about... |
|
November 24th, 2004 02:18 PM |
|
|
|
Unregistered
Guest
Registered: Not Yet
Posts: N/A |
curing time
I'd
be curious about the length of time in the water. Suppose the longer
its submerged the "cleaner " the weed will be, but at a loss of flavor?
Maybe try several batches and pull them out at diff times, like 1 each
day and find a time length that still leaves taste. Or maybe someone
already did this, hence 1 week.
|
November 24th, 2004 02:39 PM |
|
|
|
The Skipper
Edge Member
Registered: Sep 2004
Posts: 235
|
As
for changing the water, I wasn't planning on doing that, just for the
reason of not agitating it. Doesn't seem to me like that would really
change anything in the way this should supposedly work. I'm sure I will
need to add some though, throughout the week to keep it submerged
properly.
I don't really have a dark place to put it, so I constructed () a leanto of sorts to keep any direct light off it.
I think the key is going to be in the drying after it comes out of the
water, so as to prevent mold from forming. So, I plan on hanging it
with some direct/indirect air from a fan blowing on and around it.
I don't think anything should form while under the water in that short of time...
I also have some dryed outdoor weed that I'm going to try as well, as it has not been cured.
"I've
dones a bit of smugglin', I've run my share of grass. Made enough
money, to buy Miami, but I pissed it away so fast - never mean't to
last. Never mean't to last..." - Jimmy Buffett
What if the Hokey Pokey really is what it's all about... |
|
November 24th, 2004 04:09 PM |
|
|
|
All times are GMT. The time now is 01:06 AM. |
|
|
|
Provided & Serviced by Heaven's Stairway
|