Silver thiosulfate and colloidal silver

Armillaria caligata

Armillaria caligata

Active Member
I have been reading all of the threads about producing testicles on feminized plants because I want to cross various Purple Kush strains. So far it seems to be an even split between colloidal silver users and silver thiosulfate users. Which do each of you like more and why? I was thinking of buying this brand of STS because it is premixed and somebody (I cannot recall who) around here recommended it: https://www.theneedforseeds.com/products/the-need-for-seeds-silver-thiosulfate-solution

It costs forty bucks for eight ounces but it is still less pricey than Tiresias Mist CS. I am...uneasy about mixing silver solutions on my own, particularly using electricity. Props in advance.
 
CatHedral

CatHedral

Well-Known Member
Armillaria caligata said:
I have been reading all of the threads about producing testicles on feminized plants because I want to cross various Purple Kush strains. So far it seems to be an even split between colloidal silver users and silver thiosulfate users. Which do each of you like more and why? I was thinking of buying this brand of STS because it is premixed and somebody (I cannot recall who) around here recommended it: https://www.theneedforseeds.com/products/the-need-for-seeds-silver-thiosulfate-solution

It costs forty bucks for eight ounces but it is still less pricey than Tiresias Mist CS. I am...uneasy about mixing silver solutions on my own, particularly using electricity. Props in advance.
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I prefer STS. I know what concentration of what species I’m applying. I suspect the dose-response curve for colloidal silver is complicated by the varying potencies of all the different silver clusters.
 
Attikus112

Attikus112

Well-Known Member
I used CS for years and switched to STS a year or two ago. Both are pretty easy to make but I agree with CatHedral that STS is more controlled. The big advantage to STS is the application frequency. With CS, I spray the plants daily but with STS, I spray them weekly. I consider CS a little safer to make because you don't need to work with silver nitrate (just low voltage DC power) but if you're going to buy either I would go with STS.
 
CatHedral

CatHedral

Well-Known Member
Attikus112 said:
I used CS for years and switched to STS a year or two ago. Both are pretty easy to make but I agree with CatHedral that STS is more controlled. The big advantage to STS is the application frequency. With CS, I spray the plants daily but with STS, I spray them weekly. I consider CS a little safer to make because you don't need to work with silver nitrate (just low voltage DC power) but if you're going to buy either I would go with STS.
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As an owner of rubber gloves, I do not fear silver nitrate. I do work hard to keep it from staining.
 
Attikus112

Attikus112

Well-Known Member
CatHedral said:
As an owner of rubber gloves, I do not fear silver nitrate. I do work hard to keep it from staining.
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I made a stock solution of silver nitrate and sodium thiosulfate so I've only had to handle the dry chemicals once, but even with gloves on I found little black dots on my hands after going outside in the sun. I would still prefer 4-6 applications to daily applications.
 
xtsho

xtsho

Well-Known Member
Armillaria caligata said:
I have been reading all of the threads about producing testicles on feminized plants because I want to cross various Purple Kush strains. So far it seems to be an even split between colloidal silver users and silver thiosulfate users. Which do each of you like more and why? I was thinking of buying this brand of STS because it is premixed and somebody (I cannot recall who) around here recommended it: https://www.theneedforseeds.com/products/the-need-for-seeds-silver-thiosulfate-solution

It costs forty bucks for eight ounces but it is still less pricey than Tiresias Mist CS. I am...uneasy about mixing silver solutions on my own, particularly using electricity. Props in advance.
Click to expand...
That will work. The premade STS is going to work but some of the CS you can buy online won't do anything so if you use CS it's best to make your own.

It only takes three 9 volt batteries to make a CS generator. You're not working with high voltage and there's no chance of harm.

STS is easy to mix up from the two separate chemicals. You just dissolve a little of each in water and then mix them together. It's not complicated at all. If you can mix a rum and coke you can mix STS. For under $30 you can get enough chemicals to make 20+ times what comes in the premixed bottles.

If you're not comfortable mixing or making then just get that bottle. It will work.

Good luck.
 
Armillaria caligata

Armillaria caligata

Active Member
xtsho said:
That will work. The premade STS is going to work but some of the CS you can buy online won't do anything so if you use CS it's best to make your own.

It only takes three 9 volt batteries to make a CS generator. You're not working with high voltage and there's no chance of harm.

STS is easy to mix up from the two separate chemicals. You just dissolve a little of each in water and then mix them together. It's not complicated at all. If you can mix a rum and coke you can mix STS. For under $30 you can get enough chemicals to make 20+ times what comes in the premixed bottles.

If you're not comfortable mixing or making then just get that bottle. It will work.

Good luck.
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When I have more room in which to work I may try making my own STS. I have read a couple of recipes here and it indeed seems easy to make. Primarily I want to avoid the ingredients splashing on anything. My bathroom is the size of a fishtank. :lol:
 
xtsho

xtsho

Well-Known Member
Armillaria caligata said:
When I have more room in which to work I may try making my own STS. I have read a couple of recipes here and it indeed seems easy to make. Primarily I want to avoid the ingredients splashing on anything. My bathroom is the size of a fishtank. :lol:
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You definitely don't want to get it on any countertops that could stain. I found out the hard way.
 
GoatSoup

GoatSoup

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the e-bay link for STS. I've been wanting to self some auto's and didn't want to try making CS.

Any tip on the use and timings would be a great help. I've grown off and on for about 10 years but never tried to self a plant. I was thinking that I could 'reverse" one branch and then fertilize the other branches to make seeds from one Auto, there by generating a single pheno type.
I plan to use a White Widow and a Northern Lights Auto's andd maybe make a White Lites and a Northern Widow crosse.
 
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Johiem

Johiem

Well-Known Member
GoatSoup said:
Thanks for the e-bay link for STS. I've been wanting to self some auto's and didn't want to try making CS.

Any tip on the use and timings would be a great help. I've grown off and on for about 10 years but never tried to self a plant. I was thinking that I could 'reverse" one branch and then fertilize the other branches to make seeds from one Auto, there by generating a single pheno type.
I plan to use a White Widow and a Northern Lights Auto's andd maybe make a White Lites and a Northern Widow crosse.
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I like your thinking.
Sts application, I go a little overboard with an every 3 days treatment. Normally starts to show sacs between week 2&3 of treatments. I treat right after lights out. And from that bottle I've treated multiple branches. Just make a shroud to protect the rest of the plant, and keep the drips out of the planter.
 
Armillaria caligata

Armillaria caligata

Active Member
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