bead problem
 

A buddy just text me briefly saying he just found mold on his beads.. wondering if i knew why.. i dont have much info.. i know its a cabinet and i know he keeps it between 65-70%.. think its possible the temp is too high?

Re: bead problem
 

I think he might want to check calibration on the hygrometer. Adding too much water could be the culprit as well as not using distilled water.


MCS

Re: bead problem
 

How does he have them contained? I have had beads in a small tupperware dish develop mold, I was told it was due to oversaturation and standing water at the bottom of the dish. (I was using distilled.)

Re: bead problem
 

yea thats how he has them... he has a few of them

Re: bead problem
 

Is he sure it's mold?

If he's adding water to the beads by pouring or squiting it on them it could be a few beads shattering into a powder and he's seeing the powder forming a crystaline structure (I've seen this with my beads).

If he's not using distilled or deionized water, then he could be looking at impuritues plating out from the water.

Re: bead problem
 

The mold that formed on mine was actually blue mold.

Re: bead problem
 

*sniff*sniff*

Hey icehog, how come your cigars smell like Roquefort dressing?

Re: bead problem
 

It didn't smell bad, but actually looked just like your avatar! :r

Re: bead problem
 

Schweet!

The elder ones will be proud.

Re: bead problem
 

I guess the next question could be.....If you get moldy beads, can they be cleaned and reused? Or are you stuck with trashing them and buying more?

Re: bead problem
 

if u have to get new beads shilala beads are the best! :tu

Re: bead problem
 

I quit spraying distilled water on my 65% beads about one year ago. Now I just set a small cup of water next to the beads. I'm using 1/2 lb of beads in each of my 120 quart coolers. I do have plenty of cigar boxes in each cooler to help stabilize the humidity and computer cooling fans on a timer to keep the humidity on an even keel.

WyoBob

Re: bead problem
 

might be "plume"...

i never ever got mine wet...like wyobob i found the best method was to put wet florists foam in the cooler for a week or so when moisture is/was required...saturates the smokes and beads and no mold ever.

derrek :hm

Re: bead problem
 

Indirect filling of the beads is the best.

I have never dunked or sprayed my beads to fill them. I keep the beads in tied-off woman's nylons. When RH in my humis drops a couple percent I place a wet (NOT dripping) anti-microbial sponge (such as o cello brand) into the humidor. The water evaporates from the sponge and the beads soak it up and fill. A great thing about indirect filling is that you don't need to use distilled water; all the impurities remain in the sponge.

Re: bead problem
 

That my BOTL is a great idea. +1

Re: bead problem
 

That's only true for solids and liquid impurities that require significantly more energy to evaporate than water.

Unfortunately, a good portion of the industrial chemicals and some pesticides found in tap water will actually evaporate before the water does. Whether these chemicals will be absorbed or not by the beads, I can't answer, but you are still introducing a number of pollutants + things like chlorine into your humidor.

If you would like to see just how bad the tap water is in your area, enter your zip code on the following website:
http://www.ewg.org/tapwater/yourwater/

Explanations of the pollutants are hyperlinked from the results page for your area.