Before Water extraction bags became popularized and even existed, many people knew about Dry Sifting. The size of the screen used for Dry sifting could be anywhere from 80MESH or LPI, or 180µ down to as low as 140µ or around 100LPI or MESH. When Water hash bags first came to market, there were two bags, a 200µ, and a 70µ. Bubblebags came out within months and added a third bag to the mix which was a 25µ. The purpose of this bag was obviously to capture the resin that was being lost when filtered thru only a 70 or 73µ in the case of the bubble bags. This small discrepancy you see between my company and many of the companies who have come after is that I use a 73µ because of the year that I was born. The original kit was a 220µ for extracting the largest possible heads. Having a larger hole works with water extraction due to the water acting as a transfer chamber, and keeping the majority of contaminant that would otherwise make its way thru the screen holes. " Afloat". The catch screen was a 73µ Micron, and below that was the 25µ. The kit also came with a 25µ pressing screen.
The next screen to be added was the 160µ, a bag that was really the first contaminant catch bag. This bag was removing larger size particles that somehow managed to sink thru the water. It wasn't long however that we realized there were some good size heads in there as well with certain cultivars. So the 190µ was added to remove the larger particles and reveal the heads in the next bag. I have only seen full melt come out of this bag on a hand full of occasions but the fact it can happen is good enough reason for me to have the bag in the kit. Next up we are relieving the 25µ bag of all those heads that were falling from below the 73µ. This 45µ bag was born to relieve the 25µ bag to further isolate glands into an another diameter. This bag has been one of the most consistent bags in the kit, almost always producing a very similar quality and grade of gland head. 99% of the time it is high in oil content, and will easily light a flame if being smoked in a bowl with a flame. Never a small yielder, the 45µ bag often yields a good chunk of the headies in this bag from a wash.
I added the 120µ after this, the Orange bag. Although the larger size heads sometimes have the sweetest terpene profiles, it really raised the level in the 73µ. Back then I would smoke 73µ, then 120µ, then 45µ. The final bag we added was the 90µ bag, and although it robbed the 73µ of much of its goodness, it created a mother level of glandular trichome profile. Each time I've separated out the grades, (which really are micron diameter increments) These heads fall into different size screens, producing unique and different profiles from within the single cultivar or even plant. The 90µ bag was the crown jewel on bubble bags, and we have not added a single bag to the kit since.
Bubble Bag System & Grading Scale
220µ Blue Bag = Work Bag.
190µ Green Bag = Mainly Captures Contaminant
160µ Red Bag = Minor Contaminant & Larger Heads
120µ Orange Bag = Large Oily Sized Heads "Genetics play a big influence these heads melt rating"
90µ Black Bag = Ideal Sized Heads Balanced Oil to Potency "Crown Jewel" "Headiest of the Heads"
73µ Yellow Bag = Ideal Sized Heads Higher Potency to Oil "Most Popular"
45µ White Bag = Small Heads & High Yield "Very rarely 6 star, but great for Rosin"
25µ, Purple Bag = Smallest Heads Low Potency "Generally for joints, bowls, edibles, very rarely 6 star"