I really did search this question the best I could with this search engine, and didn't find a definitive answer. So here goes:

Ok, so now I'm finally doing an A/B on MH powder, and so far, what I've done is, put 50 g of MH into a glass jug and then put 250 ml of white vinegar (that is somewhat old but definitely still acidic) in too, and that's been in my warm garage (about 85 F) overnight now. After a while, I'll add water in the right proportions (actually, I'm using more vinegar by proportion than the usual teks call for, to make SURE it's of high enough acidity) to this solution and simmer it on the stove for 1.5-2 hours, let the sludge settle, decant and repeat with smaller amounts of vinegar/water, twice. (I'll have to use more lye to basify than marsofold's tek requires, I know).

Question:

After that's done and the sludge has settled, what should the solution above the sludge look like? Right now the sludge keeps falling to the bottom and a vinegar/whatever else solution which is basically black is on top (again it's nothing but 50 g MH powder + 250 ml white vinegar).

This was not answered in the FAQ..correct me if I'm wrong?

I mean, when the acidic solution has successfully extracted the DMT from the powder, what will the vinegar/DMT-acetate solution look like? What color?

it's usually a dark red solution. it's very dissolved in water .. so you wont see anything (just like mixing salt into water). the color comes from pigments in the MHRB powder

assuming the acid you are using is good, this shouldn't be a complicated step. decant and filter your acidic solution through a coffee filter and repeat 2 more times (the acid soak).

once you combined all your acid washes add NaOH until the pH is 14. then you can start pulling with your NPS.

I'll post pics sometime in the next few hours (if I can find my cam..). It actually does look RED/brown now that I checked it; funny, I coulda sworn it was pure black/brown an hour ago, but then it is on top of a freezer that is of course releasing heat through it's top.

And I have no PH testing supplies.....goddamn it :/ How do I know if the PH is at least 12.5? (I know it doesn't necessarily have to be quite 13 or 14 for sizable yield).