Question on drying with silica gel

[CheckTreck]

Hi,

I'm looking for a way to dry weed smell free (or close enough) indoors and I've read that some people use silica gel, but others discourage it. Reading about the reasons for advicing against it, I was thinking about modifying what I've read to something like this:

Big glass jar, say 4 liters.
Add food grade silica gel, perhaps around 1 liter at the bottom covered in meash to keep it from sticking to the buds.
Add buds to be dryed but a maximum of around 1 liter of volume, leaving plenty of space for air.
Insert a small moisture meter and a small battery powered fan to keep the air circulating.
Close it up, burp it occassionally, and if need be, replace silicca gel until prefered moisture level is reached.

I reckon I could have that in the basement without any smell other than when burping the jars.I realize that drying it slow is preferable but if one has no alternative would this method be doable, i.e. not creating mold and hopefully not producing hay? Any input on this would be appreciated.

/CT

 

[Digger102]

You need to stop growing if your concern for smell is that great or if you cant get or invest in a legitimate carbon filter and fan. What you posted is a very bad idea.

 

[CheckTreck]

You need to stop growing if your concern for smell is that great or if you cant get or invest in a legitimate carbon filter and fan. What you posted is a very bad idea.

Care to elaborate on why is is a bad idea?

My other options are drying it outdoor, which I rather avoid, or drying in some sort of dry box. Dry box would be an alternative but I haven't found any good solutions on that (though I might be searching for the wrong stuff). The cost is not the issue here, odur is. Any hints on dry box solutions would be great too.

 

[chakras]

oops wrong board

 

[cfl...KING]

Buy a grow tent for 50$ an put in a car on filter an 4in online fan for another 50$. Hang bud in said tent an no smell. Done

 

[CheckTreck]

The silica itself in silica gel packs is reported to be non-toxic.
Not sure I would want to use it for drying anything like herb though. Why?
Hanging on string with a room heater(s) is your best bet to fight odor. 2-3 day drying.
However, you do not want to heat what you are drying. Just the air nearby and around it.
After drying in this manner let it continue to hang after fully drying and it should re-hydrate.
Especially if it is a lower area like a basement, etc, or perhaps an unheated but not frigid room.
This will eliminate much of the smell and definitely shorten the amount of time it needs to hang.
When hanging them it is best to try to keep the string taught, and it needs to be strong enough.
Last thing you want is something wet falling to the ground unaware, or being too close to each other.
Good luck!

The reason for silica gel as a possible alternative is simply because it is a way to extract moisture in a completely sealed space. As it doesn't let let air out it is odur free. There might be tons of downsides with this option and it was those that I wanted input on.

I can take a lot of time to dry it but if I do take time it need it to be completely odur free. If it is completely odur free I can do this in a cool environment (just below normal room temperature, at stable temperature). I can handle a little bit of odur but only during a limited time, perhaps a day or two. But I can't handle both longer times and a little odur at the same time. I also don't have a power outlet where I would dry it for an extended period of time.

I might try to build a dry box instead. A 50 liter food grade sealable black plastic box, two battery-driven computer fans (one for input and a slightly more powerful for output) and carbon filters might do the trick. Parallell-connect a couple of 9v batteries to increase up-time and I would just need to exchange batteries every now and then: If that could be done odur free (and it dependes on the carbon filter I suppose) I would have all the time in the world to dry it. If I set the fans, filter, batteries on the inside and black fan filters to cover the in- and outlet it would just look like any normal storage box. Silent fans and nobody would notice the humming. I basically have everything I need exept for the carbon filters, which would need some research.

 

[cfl...KING]

The reason for silica gel as a possible alternative is simply because it is a way to extract moisture in a completely sealed space. As it doesn't let let air out it is odur free. There might be tons of downsides with this option and it was those that I wanted input on.

I can take a lot of time to dry it but if I do take time it need it to be completely odur free. If it is completely odur free I can do this in a cool environment (just below normal room temperature, at stable temperature). I can handle a little bit of odur but only during a limited time, perhaps a day or two. But I can't handle both longer times and a little odur at the same time. I also don't have a power outlet where I would dry it for an extended period of time.

I might try to build a dry box instead. A 50 liter food grade sealable black plastic box, two battery-driven computer fans (one for input and a slightly more powerful for output) and carbon filters might do the trick. Parallell-connect a couple of 9v batteries to increase up-time and I would just need to exchange batteries every now and then: If that could be done odur free (and it dependes on the carbon filter I suppose) I would have all the time in the world to dry it. If I set the fans, filter, batteries on the inside and black fan filters to cover the in- and outlet it would just look like any normal storage box. Silent fans and nobody would notice the humming. I basically have everything I need exept for the carbon filters, which would need some research.

Go on Amazon they have carbon filters an fan combos pretty cheap. Also consider using a grow tent as a drying tent. I did this when I lived in an apartment, worked amazing.

How many plants are you drying that you are so concerned with smell?

 

[exploziv]

Fans on batteries?? You must be rich, man. Cause they won't last for many hours before needing replacement.

 

[cfl...KING]

Fans on batteries?? You must be rich, man. Cause they won't last for many hours before needing replacement.

From what I gather he's planning on growing outdoors an hasn't actually grown anything yet. Not hating just think he's a little over his head. Weed isn't legal in Germany (I believe that's what language he was speaking in another thread).

I just noticed he said run them on batteries lol.

Just an Fyi a computer fan isn't going to be strong enough for a carbon filter they aren't made for resistance.

 

[CheckTreck]

Fans on batteries?? You must be rich, man. Cause they won't last for many hours before needing replacement.

No, a couple parallell 9v will last days at least, maybe a week, not hours. I have rechargables. It won't cost me anything.

 

[CheckTreck]

From what I gather he's planning on growing outdoors an hasn't actually grown anything yet. Not hating just think he's a little over his head. Weed isn't legal in Germany (I believe that's what language he was speaking in another thread).

I just noticed he said run them on batteries lol.

Just an Fyi a computer fan isn't going to be strong enough for a carbon filter they aren't made for resistance.

Yes, I'll grow it outdoors. And yes, I have no idea about the outcome yet but it would be rather stupid to stand come autum with plants and no way to dry them. But I don't plan on growing a lot, maybe put out 10-15 plants I assume that at most halv will make it to harvest, probably fewer.

The computer fan being too weak was something I suspected but I've read about people using it. I used active carbon to clear away smell from moonshining I made a long time ago. Worked surprisingly well but all it rally requires is pipes with active carbon on the yeast containers. Adding air flow is a bit trickier.

 

[Three Berries]

Calcium Chloride works better and you can use it on the plants too.....

Silica gel desiccants for moisture absorption: things you need to know

Silica gel desiccants remove moisture from the air by adsorption. Their performance in tough conditions can be lower than other desiccants.

absortech.com

 

[CheckTreck]

Calcium Chloride works better and you can use it on the plants too.....

Silica gel desiccants for moisture absorption: things you need to know

Silica gel desiccants remove moisture from the air by adsorption. Their performance in tough conditions can be lower than other desiccants.

absortech.com

Thanks, very helpful. How would you rate the idea in the OP if the silica gel is exchanged with calcium chloride? (given the restraints I have)

 

[Three Berries]

I think you will need a lot of silica gel and then what do you do with it? Why not a dehumidifier?

 

[exploziv]

Why not a dehumidifier?

Maybe he hasn't got enaugh 9 V batteries to make mains voltage?

 

[@peace]

@CheckTreck What about water curing, then drying in your basement? I haven't water cured so it's a suggestion to look at, not an answer from my own experience. I remember growers saying how much it reduced smell though. Could be enough smell reduction to dry it out in the open/ in a cheap tent or box without having to look at desiccants. There are some threads on this site about it.

 

[CheckTreck]

I think you will need a lot of silica gel and then what do you do with it? Why not a dehumidifier?

Because there is no power on the location I had in mind to dry it.

 

[Three Berries]

Because there is no power on the location I had in mind to dry it.

I use to grow outside and had huge plants. The creek was usually dry at that time of the year and I would string a wire in the big culvert pipe under the road and hang them there.

Maybe time for some solar power and a battery?

 

[CheckTreck]

@CheckTreck What about water curing, then drying in your basement? I haven't water cured so it's a suggestion to look at, not an answer from my own experience. I remember growers saying how much it reduced smell though. Could be enough smell reduction to dry it out in the open/ in a cheap tent or box without having to look at desiccants. There are some threads on this site about it.

Thanks, new method to me so I'll read up on it.

 

[CheckTreck]

I use to grow outside and had huge plants. The creek was usually dry at that time of the year and I would string a wire in the big culvert pipe under the road and hang them there.

Maybe time for some solar power and a battery?

Yeah, drying it outside is actually one of the alternatives I'm looking at.