How Much Water Should I Put in a Bong?
You’ve just bought a new bong, and you can’t wait to fill it up with water, so you can take a huge rip off your favorite cannabis strain. Unfortunately, bongs don’t come with an instruction manual, and getting the water level just right can be quite a bummer.
Bongs come in all shapes and sizes, and the amount of water you put in them all comes down to the size and design of the bong. However, we don't have a general rule of thumb on the right amount of water you should put in the bong.
In general, you'll want to ensure that your bong’s downstem is completely submerged in water for that smooth, cool taste. But, if you overdo it, it will significantly affect the quality of your draws, along with the smoke's flavor. This begs the question; how can you find the perfect water level for your bong? Read on to find out. But first, let’s look into the importance of bong water.
What Does Bong Water Do?
If you started off smoking blunts or from a bowl, you might be wondering what all this hype around bong water is all about. Well, bong water acts both as a filter and percolator. The water provides cooler and smoother hits and helps filter out some of the harmful elements in the smoke.
Percolation is the process by which air is cooled on its way from your mouth to your lungs. If you add water in moderation, it will be pretty difficult to draw. Likewise, if you don't put enough water in your bong, you'll get an unpleasant, dry hit.
If you are an avid smoker, the chances are that you've taken a dry hit from a bong thinking you've already added water, only to get hit by dry, harsh smoke. Water is what makes your bong hit smooth and clean. So, the next time you're taking a bong hit, make sure you've added some water.
How Exactly Does the Water in a Bong Work?
As smoke passes through the water in your bong, it loses most of the heat generated from lighting the bong. The resulting effect is cool smoke that will not feel harsh on your lungs. This gives your bong hits a nice cool taste, which is probably the main reason why you chose to use a bong in the first place.
What If I Want to Add Ice?
Some bongs feature an ice catcher, which comes in pretty handy for an extra chilled smoke sesh. If you decide to utilize this extra feature in your bong, you have to be very keen on when the ice melts.
As the ice melts, it begins to raise the water level in your bong. Eventually, the water rises up to unwanted levels. Therefore, if you decide to use ice in your bong, you need to pour out some water as the ice melts. While you're at it, ensure you don't pour out too much of it.
So, How Much Water Should You Put in Your Bong?
There's no general thumb rule for this. It all comes down to the shape and size of your bong. That being said, one thing remains consistent. As you fill up your bong with water, you have to ensure that the bottom of the downstem is submerged. For the best results, raise the water level such that the downstem is about half an inch into the water.
If your downstem isn't submerged enough, the smoke will not get properly filtered before you inhale it. But, if you add too much water, you might find the water splashing into your mouth every time you attempt a draw. You will also struggle to get a hit, and ultimately, it will affect your smoke's flavor.
How Do I Fill a Bong With Water?
Filling up a bong with water is pretty simple, but if you do it wrong, it might result in quite a mess. So, to make things a little easier for you, here is a simple guide on how to fill different types of bongs with water.
Filling a Beaker Bong
These are by far the simplest types of bongs out there, so the process of filling them up with water is straightforward. If you’re using a beaker bong, all you have to do is fill it up with water through the mouthpiece until the downstem is about half an inch into the water.
Filling a Straight Tube Bong
Like beaker bongs, straight tube bongs only need to be filled up with water until the downstem is submerged. However, due to their unique design, you can also opt to remove the downstem and pour water through it rather than pouring through the mouthpiece.
Filling a Percolator Bong
Percolator bongs provide the ultimate percolation experience, but there’s a catch; you have to get the water level right in order for the bong to do what it does best – percolate.
If you're using a single or double percolator bong, you have to make sure that its bottom is completely submerged in water. Doing this allows the smoke to filter through the water in all the percolators.
Filling a Round Base Bong
Getting the right water level for a round base bong is pretty simple. All you need to do is ensure that the downstem is submerged enough into the water for the smoke to bubble through as it is filtered.
If your bong has an ice catcher, you’ll also need to account for the fact that the ice will eventually melt. In this case, you have to ensure that your pulls are not changing. If they are, pour out a bit of water for a seamless smoke sesh.
Filling a Silicone Bong
Most silicone bongs are colored, so you won't be able to see the water level. Therefore, instead of trying to look into the bong from the top, you'll want to measure the amount of water you put into it.
Alternatively, you can look through the slits on your bong and fill it up until the downstem is covered. If your bong doesn't have any slits, just make sure that the water level is at least half an inch from the bottom.
The Bottom Line
Getting your bong’s water level right is one of the most underrated skills. It requires a bit of knowledge and precision, and it will always be a seamless undertaking if you know what you're doing. All you have to remember about filling up a bong with water is that the downstem always has to be submerged.