Look what I found growing in my Mag!

[Habib]

Once you're near the saturation state by evaporation, small fluctuations in temperature can make it crystallize and redissolve again.

A lower concentration salts and a lid will avoid this from happening.

If I understood your question correctly then , Yes adding water will dissolve the crystals and evaporation will cause them. You can go on doing that as often as you would like to do.

Habib, your synopsis of what's happening make the most sense to me. The container is an open top with a large surface area exposed to the atmosphere. I had no idea that the mix would evaporate and become supersaturated. I will have to keep an eye on this and make tops for the containers.

The crystals are forming at a much more rapid rate than described. Over night the solution has developed a layer of small crystals that float on top. I want to see how big I can make the crystals so I will add the crystal back in the solution. Am I correct that if I ad more water to the solution it will start the process over once the water evaporates?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Now Randy, how the heck would you make calcium anything from Mag sulfate and mag chloride?

Reefing alchemy? :lol2:

Close

Calcium is often a high enough impurity in magnesium chloride to cause precipitation when it is mixed with magnesium sulfate even if both solutions are clear. That has been noted by a number of folks making the DIY, and I referred to it in the original article.

That said, such precipitation is usually very rapid resulting in fine white powder, not nice crystals like that shown above.

FWIW, that crystal may dissolve into a puddle if kept out on a humid day.

 

[disc1]

Close

Calcium is often a high enough impurity in magnesium chloride to cause precipitation when it is mixed with magnesium sulfate even if both solutions are clear. That has been noted by a number of folks making the DIY, and I referred to it in the original article.

That said, such precipitation is usually very rapid resulting in fine white powder, not nice crystals like that shown above.

FWIW, that crystal may dissolve into a puddle if kept out on a humid day.

Aha. I just assumed you meant magnesium and wrote calcium.

Kryptonite weakened Randy.

I like the Randy as Superman explanation better.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

:lol:

FWIW, I just rewatched a portion of the National Geographic show on the crystal cavern in Mexico. Those are up to 30 feet long and weigh 30 tons, and are calcium sulfate.

 

[Habib]

:lol:

FWIW, I just rewatched a portion of the National Geographic show on the crystal cavern in Mexico. Those are up to 30 feet long and weigh 30 tons, and are calcium sulfate.

That's nothing compared to icebergs.

 

[Acronic]

I've got a second big crystal to show you guys, I will take a pic when I get home from work in a couple hours.

 

[Sport507]

:lol:

FWIW, I just rewatched a portion of the National Geographic show on the crystal cavern in Mexico. Those are up to 30 feet long and weigh 30 tons, and are calcium sulfate.

I saw that one too. Beautiful and amazing things happen on this blue planet. I thought I was rolling back in 4-H geology when I found my first piece of calcite. It was so cool how it would break into a parallelogram with a rock hammer.

No bows please!

 

[mathusala]

That is seriously cool, you should try to grow them and make key chains or something lol

 

[Yogre]

That's nothing compared to icebergs.

Icebergs are hard on ships.

I only like ice in my Jack Daniels. :lmao:

 

[Acronic]

this guy is a little bigger

 

[Garage1217]

:lol:

FWIW, I just rewatched a portion of the National Geographic show on the crystal cavern in Mexico. Those are up to 30 feet long and weigh 30 tons, and are calcium sulfate.

Just watched the same thing and thought the same thing when I saw this post!

 

[aleonn]

Very cool, you should sculpt it into something and sell it =P

 

[thecoralreefer]

So as Haqbib says It's like Ice cream So cool

 

[MandM]

You don't even need to sculpt those. You could sell them to crack heads for $20 a pop. :lol:

Cool looking crystals.

 

[Acronic]

haha, yes I've often joked about the sump/mechanical room being a meth lab when people come over and check out the system. This just sweetens the joke.

 

[RedTurboMr2]

cool crystals