Alum Block infected?
- Thread starter dogotogod
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Probably salts. I wouldn't worry about it, give it a rinse and keep going.
No cooties could live on alum.
No cooties could live on alum.
+1. By nature it is anti-septic, so no baddies to worry about.
Yup.
How hard is your water? It's likely something in your water that reacted with the alum, or was left behind when it evaporated.
How hard is your water? It's likely something in your water that reacted with the alum, or was left behind when it evaporated.
- Thread starter
- #6
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Just wash it. I doubt that it is anything harmful. Possibly corrosion from something copper or brass that came in contact?
That is magnesium sulfate crud. I'd know it anywhere. . .seen a lot of it. Your water must have high Mg content. It reacts with sulfate anion of the alum. It isn't water soluble, so scrape it off, and enjoy your alum block. Dry block after use with an old hand towel to get as much wet off as possible.
PS: Copper salts are a pretty blue color. So not Cu. (Elemental Cu in air forms a green patina vis. brass/bronze, but water dissolved Cu always forms salts that are blue.) Calcium sulfate is white and this is not. For future diagnostics.
PS: Copper salts are a pretty blue color. So not Cu. (Elemental Cu in air forms a green patina vis. brass/bronze, but water dissolved Cu always forms salts that are blue.) Calcium sulfate is white and this is not. For future diagnostics.
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That is magnesium sulfate crud. I'd know it anywhere. . .seen a lot of it. Your water must have high Mg content. It reacts with sulfate anion of the alum. It isn't water soluble, so scrape it off, and enjoy your alum block. Dry block after use with an old hand towel to get as much wet off as possible.
PS: Copper salts are a pretty blue color. So not Cu. (Elemental Cu in air forms a green patina vis. brass/bronze, but water dissolved Cu always forms salts that are blue.) Calcium sulfate is white and this is not. For future diagnostics.
Great explanation!
Looks like curry paste. Give it a lick.
But really, a quick rinse should easily address it.
But really, a quick rinse should easily address it.
It might not rinse off, but is not hazardous and you can scrape if it is tenacious.
I sanded my alum block just to smooth it down. Light rinse then paper towel dry. It keeps on chugging.
mineral content in water reacting would be my guess...
That is magnesium sulfate crud. I'd know it anywhere. . .seen a lot of it. Your water must have high Mg content. It reacts with sulfate anion of the alum. It isn't water soluble, so scrape it off, and enjoy your alum block. Dry block after use with an old hand towel to get as much wet off as possible.
PS: Copper salts are a pretty blue color. So not Cu. (Elemental Cu in air forms a green patina vis. brass/bronze, but water dissolved Cu always forms salts that are blue.) Calcium sulfate is white and this is not. For future diagnostics.
That was awesome. My high-school inorganic chemistry classes came flooding back...
And that's just the short version. I majored in Cell and Molecular biology as an undergrad, which meant I had to take physical chemistry.
I can even tell you why I know it wasn't the potassium or aluminum that formed this. :banghead:
