Does it matter if a seed floats, at least for the first few hours. Does it have to sink? Does it matter if the seed is small. Someone else said this does not matter. Does it matter if the stripes come off the seed to reveal a dark gray seed underneath. (I have also seen seeds, not this batch, where the stripes are normally part of the seed and do not come off). The seed is hard. I am deciding whether to go to attitude or m-seeds.nl asap or wait and see.
The float-sink test is somewhat accurate, but I wouldn't trash a seed just because it floats. Only way to tell is to germ it. Seed size doesn't matter. Spots/stripes or lack thereof doesn't matter. Look for grey or brown seeds that do not crackle when you roll it firmly between thumb and forefinger. Avoid seeds that are white, green, or black, or that do crackle when you roll firmly between fingers.
I've got some fem Super Silver Haze seeds that at least half of them don't sink, or sprout in wet paper towel, but (since I'm a cheap bastard and hate just tossing them until I have to), when I put them in soil, at least 25% of the ones that never took off (so about 10-12 % of the original stock) actually sprout...after close to 2 weeks since they were originally floated. It seems weird to me, but hey, I'll take 'em! I dunno if its a trait of this strain, but now I'm sticking every seed into soil, no matter what. Just some info on my experience, to add to your knowledge base.
I have always just placed my seeds into the soil and waited. I have 95% success rate doing it this way. I germed my last two seeds in paper towels and that worked fine as well. but i don't like having to always check if the seed cracked. I want to see the plant growing from the dirt and both my seeds floated and both are growing just fine
I use the cup of water method and I never worry if some float for a day or two, most of mr Mr Nice super silver haze didn't sink but they all germmed
My Cannabisseeds SSH only have about a 60% germ rate, no matter what I do...Water in cup, then paper towel, then soil or eliminate either of the first two...pretty much the same results. Straight into the soil only gets about 40% germ w/ these seeds, though. Hell, my bagseeds get better than that! For the OP - I suspect it has more to do w/ the quality of the source of the seed, than its appearance, but I'm not experienced enough yet to state so, categorically. This SSH didn't sink, nor sprouted in wet paper towel - in fact it was light-colored, which is 'supposed' to indicate an immature or non-viable seed - but evidently nobody told this seed all that...!