Hello all. I'm considering doing an acid/base extraction, up to this point I've been a straight to base guy. The rule of thumb for basing a STB as I have come to understand it is one gram sodium hydroxide per one gram bark. From the teks I've read it appears an A/B takes less lye. Is there a general rule? How much NaOH per hundred grams of bark worth of solution? Thanks kindly.

The interesting thing about extracting DMT is that the solution itself is like a pH indicator. So add lye till the whole thing is black, then add a bit more just for good measure, and you're good to go

Specially in STB extractions people recommend excess lye not because you need to freebase DMT, you need way less lye for that, but because the lye helps break down the plant material and further release the DMT. Since with A/B the plant material has been previously removed from the solution, it is not necessary to add so much. That being said, adding more then necessary doesnt hurt, so dont worry about overshooting. And if everythinh turned black, you wont be undershooting, so you're fine.

Sorry I cant give exact numbers

Thanks endlessness.

(assuming single pKa) the rule of thumb for A/B: compound's pKa +/- 2 = >99.9% basified/salted.

Thanks benz. I am reading about pKa and pH.

Something that might limit to adding lye excessively:
https://www.dmt-nexus.me...&m=945326#post945326

Thanks for bringing that to our attention Jees, I wasn´t aware. I never ran into this problem though. Do you think viscosity necessarily = problematic layer separation?

Hi endlessness,
If we take Cyb's salt tek as a reference it end with 700ml volume with 50gr lye for 50gr bark. It's max 7% lye strength end not going to suffer elevated viscosity problems. More a theoretical than practical concern in that regard. Yet I ran into it once and diluting was the only chance to recover.
If it wasn't lye's viscosity rising as the thickening boogieman, at least the whole acted as such.

Thanks Jees

Checked it out in a test tube with 25ml naphtha + 25ml water and recording settling times.
Then increasing caustic content in the water. Taking average over 3 shakes.

mol NaOh ---- settling time in seconds
0 (water) ---- 7 - 8
1 ------------ 4 - 5
2 ------------ 5
3 ------------ 6 - 7
from here on the caustic visually makes the water less liquid, there is affection
8 ------------ 6
now a syrup effect begins to set in.
10 ---------- 6
12 ---------- 7
definitely syrup effect taken place, looks like a thick heavy water.

In this test tube it did not slow down settling times just on the base of the clearly risen viscosity. In case of the other day where too much of lye sabotaged the separation in a brew should be seen as anecdotal and very likely result of probably too less water/bark ratio, making it sensitive for separation problems. It was a STB on mimosa. In the short run I thought that keep poring lye isn't going to solve all problems you might have at hand.

I love your researcher spirit, thanks so much for that

Just for the reference ... Freebase percentage AND pH calculator

Thanks all of you very much for your help.

Hey Fam, so by far not definitive, but my Hybrid-Hybrid Tek was built trial n error off all of Cyb's work n Trav's BBnG. I found that 75% Sodium Hydroxide was good enough. So 75g to 100g acidified bark. Not a rule, it what I found through many variances. Everything else here is correct to my knowledge. Been awhile out of the loop here... Hope all my Nexians are well!

Peace n Love,
A-K

@Alev-Kev: Reading the STB teks, I am seeing ratios more to the tune of 1\4 (original Thicklight uses 150 grams NaOH per 500 grams bark) to 1\8 (lextek and marsofold). Remember that we are talking about a complete A/B, not a boil and base or a cybs hybrid. I love those kinds of extractions, my first spice extraction was a Cyb tek and the results changed my life forever. I am trying to expand my skill set a little.