Inexpensive, Wet/Dry, Veg/Flower, 8-Minute CBD Test You Can Do At Home!

[bigbadbiddy]

Has anyone been able to confirm this by running lab results against their home test results?
Or has anyone home tested a strain where they already had the lab results?

The guy who wanted to compare the lab against the home test results hasn't replied in a while now...

 

[Ringodoggie]

I have a question for anyone who is/has done this.

How long until your color stops changing and stabilizes?

With the "extreme" activated carbon I used in the previous tests after about 15 minutes the purple was as dark as it was going to get. Even after sitting all night, the colors stayed the same.

This time I used regular activated carbon and the purple kept getting darker and darker as time passed. After sitting all night, they are all real dark and it's almost hard to tell that they were different gradients yesterday.

Just curious if it's the carbon or something else.

I have run over 100 of these tests so far and there's a lot of variables. Wet and dry both work but the difference in results is dramatic. Different brands and types of carbon is inconsistent. Even the Sodium Hydroxide is all different from source to source. And, these quantities are difficult to keep consistent as well. I have a nice scale and it's still hard to get the exact same amount every time.

Still, when run against a no CBD pot, you sure can tell the difference.

Anyway....... Just curious if anyone was having color change after an hour or so.

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

I've noticed the color changes overnight to a more reddish tint, on the dark purple tests. The non-cbd samples don't seem to change for me overnight. Using Rooto Sodium Hydroxide and Active Aqua activated charcoal. Color change is within 8 minutes, and full is about 15 minutes. So extreme works 'better,' at least with the brand you bought. Good to know!

Scooping and measuring the sodium hydroxide is easier with a carefully cut scoop from a straw. Seal off one end of the straw and cut the other end in a scoop shape. You can scoop and hold sodium hydroxide in the straw and tap/bump/measure it out easier.
Probably the worst part of the test.

 

[Ringodoggie]

Same with me on the no CBD results. They never turn purple.

I bought the same brand carbon both times. One was Acurel Extreme Activated Carbon Pellets 11oz and the other was Acurel Premium Activated Filter Carbon Granules (You know all marketing executives go to hell. There is now 38 different types of Marlboro cigarettes. LOL).

I'm not impresses with the 'granules'. They are all different sizes with the largest ones being almost as big as the extruded pellets.

I am going to run identical tests on all the different flavors of carbon that I have and maintain all the other variables. This will tell us just how much difference the carbon really makes.

I am going to crush the pellets and sift it to 3 basic sizes. I'll sift out the powder as well. From what I was reading, the powder contains the most oxygen of all the available forms. I'll try the 3 different sizes from both the 'extreme' and the 'premium'.

If I were a gambling man, I would bet the brand and 'extreme' or whatever crap means very little. And, that the size makes all the difference. But...... we'll see.

As for the Sodium Hydroxide, I bought https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sodium-Hydroxide-100-Pure-4oz-20-Lb-Caustic-Soda-Lye-Food-Grade/182387887733?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=484957997241&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

and it is very granular. Very easy to work with.

I just use a 1/8 tsp measuring spoon from my kitchen for scooping and dispensing. I put some of each ingredient in small jars and place them right in from of me and use the tiny spoon for scooping and dispensing.

I bought a scale on eBay and I gotta say I am impressed. For as inexpensive as this was, it is 1mg accurate (and seems to be damn close). It actually has a level bubble and adjustable feet.

Really makes it almost seem like a real lab balance. LMAO However, at under $30 it is about 1/10 of a low end or used real lab balance.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Jewelry-Sc...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

The Active Aqua granules I'm using are very uniform, so apparently it varies by vendor/product.(Edit: So it would depend on settling, as they're actually two different size granules) Hrmmm...
All of this is extremely useful and I appreciate it greatly.

 

[Ringodoggie]

Information helps us all. The more the better.

I have yet another carbon variable...... LOL

My carbon container/label does not use the actual word 'granules' on it. Does yours?

If the size and shape does make a difference worth considering, people would need to know that there are many different flavors of carbon available and they need to use only one kind.

If, indeed my tests show that there's any real difference.

My carbon granules are actually called 'filter carbon'. I have attached some pics of the labels and the contents of the jars.

 

[Ringodoggie]

Here's a shot of my rig

The vial cradle seems like an overkill, being steel and all but I use it in a pan of hot water when I'm making e-juice.

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

The Active Aqua simply says "Activated Carbon." The granule sizes are two different sizes as well, just like your photos. Settling of contents would change the ratio of sizes, I think. Perhaps I need to do more tests now that you've made us aware of the differences.

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Test results are finished in color changing, in 8 minutes... when a completely dry and powdered sample is used.

When the sample is wet or not powdered enough, the extraction isn't full in the first 2 minute shake. A slow extraction of the remaining CBD in the sample is what's causing the darkening over time.

 

[Ringodoggie]

I wish you hadn't posted that. LOL

I had the opposite effect. Wet samples finished immediately and the dry samples took overnight. LOL

The wet samples were done with the 'extreme' carbon and the dry samples were done with the newer 'granules'.

You and I need to be in the same lab. LOL

I am going to test the different carbon types today. The samples I have are fresh picked yesterday. I don't have any dry samples so I'll pick some today and re-run the tests again later this week when the samples dry.

I could oven dry the samples but then we are adding yet another variable.

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Heh, I haven't done any wet samples yet... I guess I should have clarified. Completely air dried samples, which presents an unwanted time delay. So wet samples, snipped finely, works in the 8 minutes yes?

 

[Ringodoggie]

Yes, wet/fresh samples completed immediately WHEN I USED THE EXTREME CARBON.

I have not tried fresh samples with the standard carbon granules, yet.

One thing (a little off topic) that I am seeing in repeated experiments is that the amount of cannabis in the sample is pretty variable. I ran a full set of 6 tests with 3 pheno samples. I used 35mg samples in one run and I used 70mg samples in the second run. Test results were identical. The larger sample size did not make the color darker. Results that were light with 35mg samples were also light with 70 mg samples.

Not real sure why that is but, it's something to look at down the road. Perhaps it's reading % of content, rather than actual bulk amount.

 

[Palindrome]

Mystic Funk got a thread with a DIY THC test

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=349475

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Mystic Funk got a thread with a DIY THC test

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=349475

Good find! Awesome information. He also included the CBD information, sort of. Anyway, good looking out.

 

[Palindrome]

Good find! Awesome information. He also included the CBD information, sort of. Anyway, good looking out.

Your welcome mate

 

[dank.frank]

Curious, why you say, sort of? It seems like he is more or less performing the same test for CBD?



dank.Frank

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Curious, why you say, sort of? It seems like he is more or less performing the same test for CBD?



dank.Frank

1. Not sure if he means sodium hydroxide, instead of potassium hydroxide. He mentions lye, yet all the lye I've found is sodium hydroxide.
2. No mention of using activated carbon to speed up the reaction, leaving it a "wait and see" type test.

Almost the same info clearheaded posted in the original thread I read. The thread which started this journey to create a quicker and more accurate test.

So yeah, sort of...

 

[dank.frank]

However, it seems that the activated charcoal has too much product variability to produce a reliable result?

Is there not another inert substance that could be used to [insert oxygen into the reaction?] speed it up?



dank.Frank

 

[Ringodoggie]

I was hoping to run those carbon tests but I spent the day chasing the stuff I need to the THC test.

Yes, the carbon is an undefined variable but that's what experimenting is all about. Once we determine though our tests which one is best and most consistant, we can pass that information on.

That's what's nice about the tests you buy. They have the exact everything all figured out and they provide you only that amount of that product to make it idiot proof.

We'll get it figured out.

Just like the substitution of muriatic acid for hydrochloric acid in the THC test. Muriatic is real real easy to find and if we can make that work in lieu of the HC, it will save people a lot of hassle.

That's what makes it all fun.

 

[clearheaded]

Yes, I see the pictures now. Awesome! I'll be clipping some various parts of veg plants and doing some highly accurately weighed wet samples. The digi scaled I linked does grains, as well as grams.


Thank you for posting this, your thread helped significantly in the creation of the test methods I've posted here. It's much more accurate and there's a definite reason for using granules instead of a pellet. Awesome to have you in the thread, thank you again!

not sure what changes you made to original protocol lol, and I just passed on info I had found, as to me it was amazing it had not caught on more. Alot of CBD beans being sold and no way to know for sure without a test, so ya just great for home folks finding 'good' meds or thinking are using a high cbd but are not. Anyway, super happy you are running with it and keeping it active as again super awesome the materials are a bit more attainable which is KEY compared to standard BEAM test.

I dont know if its o2 persay but giving surface area. its absorbing ability does sort of hinder the ability to make it an 'accurate' but if can get an idea of 3-4 ranges ie 0-1 . 1-4, 4-8, 8+ or even 0-1% 1-10 and 10%+. cause if you know its over 10% you could make an educated guess based on trichs and effect if you have a 10%CBD and 10THC or 10%+CBD and 0-4% THC.

Someone asked if another way besides charcoal to get O2. you could simply bubble air through the solution. or if really wanted to go just for O2 could react peroxide in a container and pipe and bubble that through solution. Also remember O2 stays in solution better, in water at least, at cooler temps.. so could be a balance....... lol prob over thinking it but ya could do a couple side by side reactions to compare results if you think its worth the effort.

remember if you are attempting to narrow down % its very important to stay consistent with MASS of materials. so wet material obv makes it nearly impossible to start narrowing that down and you want bone dry same weight same amount of liquid same ground texture same temps. for example if your sample is 15% moisture that first will put out the %mass of CBD compared to total vegative material but also add water to reaction which will change things aswell. lye is very hydroscopic so try and keep that dry and away from atmosphere. Why someones suggestion of stock solutions is a good 1, to help keep things consistent!

perhaps the next thing would be prepare standard BLOTTER paper with solution similar to the current at home cbd thc tests.......