How to Make Silver Thiosulfate
Silver Thiosulfate is made through a reaction between Silver Nitrate and Sodium Thiosulfate. Both Silver Nitrate and Sodium Thiosulfate are colorless and odorless compounds which can make using them in a reaction somewhat difficult to the beginning chemist. To add to that, precise measurements are key to making and using Silver Thiosulfate spray successfully. Luckily, here at Cannabinology we make the process easy with ready to use stock solutions at the ideal concentration for making feminized seed spray.
First, we should mention, you can buy Silver Thiosulfate already made. If you’re looking for the easiest and most convenient way to use STS spray and make feminized seeds, a pre-made spray is certainly the way to go! Check out Cannabinology Feminized Seed Spray for more information!
Cannabinology Silver Thiosulfate Spray
Just add water and you’re ready to begin!
For more experienced breeders or for those looking to hold stocks of ingredients for long periods of time, making your own Silver Thiosulfate out of stock ingredients can be a great option. We recommend a liquid (aqueous) form of stock ingredients for ease of use. You won’t need any special equipment to measure out precise amounts of powders and water or deal with mixing solutions yourself which can be tedious and quite messy. Further, with aqueous stock solutions like Cannabinology Stock Solutions, which are of course in liquid form, all you need are simple and inexpensive tools like syringes or graduated cylinders for measuring.
Part 1: Sodium Thiosulfate
Check out Cannabionlogy Stock Solutions here to learn more.
Before we begin a few notes and warnings about making Silver Thiosulfate. Firstly, do not consume any plant directly sprayed with STS solution and STS gets on your skin wash immediately with soap and water. As usual when doing science, do not consume anything you are making including any plant you are spraying and finally, keep everything out of the reach of children and pets. We also recommend covering your skin and mouth with gloves and a facemask as STS has no listed toxicity but can be an irritant and/or stain fabrics. With the warnings out of the way, here’s how to make Silver Thiosulfate for yourself!
Synthesis of Silver Thiosulfate:
1. Clean and rinse a reaction vessel (e.g. wide mouth jar, beaker, or other glass container) with distilled water. It is very important that the reaction vessel be clean as contamination can cause the reaction to fail.
2. Using a syringe or graduated cylinder, carefully measure and add the appropriate amount of Part 1: Sodium Thiosulfate to the reaction vessel.
3. Swirl or mix the solution in the reaction vessel to create movement before adding Part 2
4. Using a separate and/or cleaned syringe or graduated cylinder, add an equal amount of Part 2: Silver Nitrate.
5. Continue to swirl or mix for at least 30 seconds to allow the compounds to react. There won’t be any visible change in the solution. In fact, if there is a visible change it could indicate that the reaction hasn’t worked.
Now that you’ve successfully synthesized your own Silver Thiosulfate you must dilute it before using it on your plants. The Silver Thiosulfate solution that you just made is considered a concentrated stock solution of Silver Thiosulfate. It is many times stronger that is necessary for sex reversing female plants and making feminized seeds. Below are instructions on how to properly dilute STS stock solution to the appropriate concentration for feminized breeding.
Dilution of Silver Thiosulfate
1. Using a clean syringe, carefully measure STS solution and add to a spray bottle. Then carefully measure and dilute with the appropriate amount of distilled water. Accurate measurement and proper dilution are crucial to success. Refer to the chart below for dilution ratios.
Refer to this chart for dilution ratios.
2. Add a drop of soap per 1 - 2 ounces of solution as a surfactant to help the solution spread across the plant.
3. Mix by swirling to prevent the soap from forming bubbles until the soap is fully dissolved.
Now that you’re successfully synthesized and diluted your Silver Thiosulfate, you’re ready to start your feminized seed breeding journey! Check out our other tutorials on how to use Silver Thiosulfate to breed feminized seeds!
