United Art and Education Original Project: Grow your own crystals with alum! Great for science lessons! Purchase Alum Here: www.unitednow.com/jacquard-1-...
Hello! Might you be able to recommend a salinity tester? I want to dial in to certain concentrations as it affects the type of crystal growth. Online I see models that test to 25% but doubt this would be suitable. Thanks!
when you say room temp alum and water solution, do you mean the same solution the seed crystals grew on? Or do you need to prepare a new solution? How much alum do I add to that one?
It is best to use a newly prepared solution at room temperature. Crystals grow because the solution is super-saturated. Reusing a solution may still grow crystals, just very slowly, because some of the alum has already been taken out of the water. You would prepare the solution in the same manner as explained 0:22 - 0:42. Ensure that your container is very clean. Any alum crystals left on the bottom will lead to the crystals growing there, not on your seed crystal.
I’m considering making a quite large batch of this solution to create a table centerpiece! Would the crystals be too delicate to hold shape if I create a sturdy armature to keep them steady?
What a fun use for it! That should work, but growing a large crystal may take several batches of solution to grow large enough for a table centerpiece. Between batches, when removing the armature, just be careful not to jostle it too much. When finished growing, consider sealing the crystal with a spray sealant such as Krylon Crystal Clear.
Alum is one of many crystalline materials that can be used to grow crystals. Sugar, Epsom salts and borax are some other options. We found alum made beautiful crystals the quickest. As for letting it set for a week or longer, the crystals will grow on the seed crystal and make it larger. They will also grow on the bottom and sides of the jar until most of the alum from the water has been turned back into larger crystals. For best results making a larger crystal, gently remove the one you are growing daily or every other day, discard the old solution, and place it back into a clean jar with new solution, making sure none of it touches the sides of bottom of the jar.
I seen other videos with pipe cleaners to shape it round or whatever shape and even the different color pipe cleaner to hide that color if you had a dark blue or rich dark purple put in dark color food coloring matches the color of the pipe cleaners. Seen someone made geodes out of them, and one video this lady made a small geode out of a deep red color pipe cleaner then very deep red food coloring after she made it she dried it off the paint all over it with clear fingernail polish. On the back she got this very shiny metallic gold color paint probably acrylic or embossing paint that's gold painted the back of it then she got ringbacks got hot glue and glued the geode onto the the ring back and made a beautiful ring out of it or made necklaces out of them I'm making silver backs to make it more realistic like a geode she made an amethyst. So many ways to make them but wondering could mix in very fine powdered glitter with the solution to make an even more sparkling crystals, or will prevent growth of the crystals? If anyone has tried it or even knows it will or will not plz let me know I will appreciate it very much and have a wonderful and blessed day and stay safe!
I saw similar diys using borax and pipe cleaners as the base, but unfortunately can't find borax in my country. Do you think that if I deep pipe cleaners in the solution, the results will be the same, or does the "base" needs to be an alum crystal? Thank you
Hi Gwen - yes, any crystal-growing solution (salt, sugar, borax, alum) will grow crystals on chenille stems. We did that with our "Make your own Geode": www.unitednow.com/make-your-own-realistic-geode-project-236
The crystals will not dissolve over time as long as they are kept dry. To make them more permanent, we suggest using a clear spray varnish, such as Krylon Crystal Clear, www.unitednow.com/krylon-crystal-clear-acrylic-coating to protect and seal the crystals. We do not recommend alum crystals for long-term skin contact, such as for jewelry, as it could have adverse skin reactions.
hi just wondering if theres a way to grow these crystals without immersing the entire object in solution.. Becase u want to try it on bigger objects like dried plants which are much bigger .. is it possible to paintbrush on alum solution and crystals grow?
Is it durable?...seems like it would erode over time and does the color fade?... In such case which do you recommend is stronger- alum or borax crystals?
We have crystals here that are several years old and have stayed in good condition. Granted, they are also in a climate-controlled environment and do not get handled. To make the final crystals more stable, you can seal it with a clear, protective sealant like Krylon Crystal Clear. We're not sure which is stronger; you can experiment with different solutions to see which works best for you- alum, borax (even sugar and salt may work)..
While we haven't tried all paints, the consistency of liquid watercolor works nicely, such as those found here: www.unitednow.com/search/?q=liquid+watercolor You may be able to water down acrylics enough, but we haven't tried it.
Hi Clare Lewis - If applying glue and alum to a string or starter object, make sure the glue is completely dry before submerging into the solution. Also make sure the solution is allowed to sit completely undisturbed. Any bumping, stirring or moving will cause the crystals to fall. Also, try letting them sit a little longer to grow more. When removing them from the solution, be very gentle and allow them to dry undisturbed overnight or longer. They will harden over time. Without knowing what you are using as your object, I'm not sure how else to help. We got it to stick to string, wire, plastic, glass, etc.
Here are a couple things that might help: Make sure the jar is completely clean before adding the super-saturated solution; rinse it our several times with hot water to remove any residue. Make sure the solution is super-saturated. Make sure the water is heated to almost boiling, add alum a little at a time while stirring until no more will dissolve. If there is not enough Alum added, the crystals won’t be able to grow. Make sure the jar is undisturbed while the crystals grow. Try letting them grow longer. Good luck!
There is no limit , I guess , you just have to decide when to stop it growth and you can make crystals with everything that dissolves in water and that dissolves more when the water temperature raises
Yes! Duty Hall is correct. Crystals can continue to grow as long as there is a crystalline material (i.e. alum) in the water. They will also grow on the bottom and sides of the jar until most of the alum from the water has been turned back into larger crystals. If the crystal has already grown to the desired size, it’s fine to remove it at any time. If you are going for a larger crystal, for best results, gently remove the one you are growing daily or every other day, discard the old solution, and place it back into a clean jar with new solution, making sure none of it touches the sides of bottom of the jar.
No matter which method you use (growing seed crystals or using the glue method) you will need hot water to dissolve your alum and get the solution ready.
UnitedArtAndEd yes, it will dissolve as powder but no idea about the crystallisation. Well, I will try this method because powder is not available here. Thank you 😊
Hi Yudhi - the package does have a Caution on it to Avoid unnecessary contact and Do not ingest. However, their Safety Data Sheet states: "This product is not considered to be or contain hazardous chemicals". You can view the entire SDS from the product page: www.unitednow.com/jacquard-1-lb-powdered-alum
Using a glue gun, such as one here www.unitednow.com/classroom-office/glues/hot-glue you can melt the "hot glue" stick and make it into a ball. Wait for it to cool off before adding the white glue.
I love crystals so much thankyou I'll give it a try
this will help me alot for my science project thanks
Thanks a lot. Now I am able to make crystal
It was amazing
‼️❤️AWESOME ❤️‼️
Hello! Might you be able to recommend a salinity tester? I want to dial in to certain concentrations as it affects the type of crystal growth. Online I see models that test to 25% but doubt this would be suitable. Thanks!
when you say room temp alum and water solution, do you mean the same solution the seed crystals grew on? Or do you need to prepare a new solution? How much alum do I add to that one?
It is best to use a newly prepared solution at room temperature. Crystals grow because the solution is super-saturated. Reusing a solution may still grow crystals, just very slowly, because some of the alum has already been taken out of the water. You would prepare the solution in the same manner as explained 0:22 - 0:42. Ensure that your container is very clean. Any alum crystals left on the bottom will lead to the crystals growing there, not on your seed crystal.
I’m considering making a quite large batch of this solution to create a table centerpiece! Would the crystals be too delicate to hold shape if I create a sturdy armature to keep them steady?
What a fun use for it! That should work, but growing a large crystal may take several batches of solution to grow large enough for a table centerpiece. Between batches, when removing the armature, just be careful not to jostle it too much. When finished growing, consider sealing the crystal with a spray sealant such as Krylon Crystal Clear.
I want to try this so bad!!!!
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..
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If you left it untouched for weeks or longer. Would the crystals get larger.. do you think that alum is the best for this project....
Alum is one of many crystalline materials that can be used to grow crystals. Sugar, Epsom salts and borax are some other options. We found alum made beautiful crystals the quickest.
As for letting it set for a week or longer, the crystals will grow on the seed crystal and make it larger. They will also grow on the bottom and sides of the jar until most of the alum from the water has been turned back into larger crystals. For best results making a larger crystal, gently remove the one you are growing daily or every other day, discard the old solution, and place it back into a clean jar with new solution, making sure none of it touches the sides of bottom of the jar.
❤
this is great but could i ask if these could be added to resin to make a resin geode please
We're not sure; we've never applied resin to alum crystals and are not sure how it will react.
I seen other videos with pipe cleaners to shape it round or whatever shape and even the different color pipe cleaner to hide that color if you had a dark blue or rich dark purple put in dark color food coloring matches the color of the pipe cleaners. Seen someone made geodes out of them, and one video this lady made a small geode out of a deep red color pipe cleaner then very deep red food coloring after she made it she dried it off the paint all over it with clear fingernail polish. On the back she got this very shiny metallic gold color paint probably acrylic or embossing paint that's gold painted the back of it then she got ringbacks got hot glue and glued the geode onto the the ring back and made a beautiful ring out of it or made necklaces out of them I'm making silver backs to make it more realistic like a geode she made an amethyst. So many ways to make them but wondering could mix in very fine powdered glitter with the solution to make an even more sparkling crystals, or will prevent growth of the crystals? If anyone has tried it or even knows it will or will not plz let me know I will appreciate it very much and have a wonderful and blessed day and stay safe!
I saw similar diys using borax and pipe cleaners as the base, but unfortunately can't find borax in my country. Do you think that if I deep pipe cleaners in the solution, the results will be the same, or does the "base" needs to be an alum crystal? Thank you
Hi Gwen - yes, any crystal-growing solution (salt, sugar, borax, alum) will grow crystals on chenille stems. We did that with our "Make your own Geode": www.unitednow.com/make-your-own-realistic-geode-project-236
After crystalizing will the dissolve with time? Can we use this for making pendants ?
The crystals will not dissolve over time as long as they are kept dry. To make them more permanent, we suggest using a clear spray varnish, such as Krylon Crystal Clear, www.unitednow.com/krylon-crystal-clear-acrylic-coating to protect and seal the crystals. We do not recommend alum crystals for long-term skin contact, such as for jewelry, as it could have adverse skin reactions.
You put the seed crystal in room temp. solution? Ive never heard that. If you spray a sealer will it keep?
Yes, we recommend Crystal Clear Acrylic spray coating to strengthen and protect your crystal.
Thanks! It that crystals not melting later?
It will melt if the temperature is very high so you must put clear varnish or clear nail polish
hi just wondering if theres a way to grow these crystals without immersing the entire object in solution.. Becase u want to try it on bigger objects like dried plants which are much bigger .. is it possible to paintbrush on alum solution and crystals grow?
It's doubtful that this will work, as the solution really needs to sit very still while the liquid evaporates and crystals are forming.
Is it durable?...seems like it would erode over time and does the color fade?...
In such case which do you recommend is stronger- alum or borax crystals?
We have crystals here that are several years old and have stayed in good condition. Granted, they are also in a climate-controlled environment and do not get handled.
To make the final crystals more stable, you can seal it with a clear, protective sealant like Krylon Crystal Clear. We're not sure which is stronger; you can experiment with different solutions to see which works best for you- alum, borax (even sugar and salt may work)..
Hey there! Alum holds color better than borax does. I hope this helps!
Can I cut them into a diamond shape? I'm planning to use this as a prop for my cosplay one day.
No, they aren't that stable. If you try to re-shape, they would probably crumble.
You can’t the creator said no but next u could put in crystal mold
I did it but the alum didn't want to dissolve will it work⁉️
Do you need to cover the jar or no???
No need to cover the jar.
This I wanna imitate
can we use paints instead of food colourings?
While we haven't tried all paints, the consistency of liquid watercolor works nicely, such as those found here: www.unitednow.com/search/?q=liquid+watercolor
You may be able to water down acrylics enough, but we haven't tried it.
hi.. i am loving this but my crystals keep falling off the object they have grown on.. any ideas ??.... many thanks
Hi Clare Lewis - If applying glue and alum to a string or starter object, make sure the glue is completely dry before submerging into the solution. Also make sure the solution is allowed to sit completely undisturbed. Any bumping, stirring or moving will cause the crystals to fall. Also, try letting them sit a little longer to grow more. When removing them from the solution, be very gentle and allow them to dry undisturbed overnight or longer. They will harden over time. Without knowing what you are using as your object, I'm not sure how else to help. We got it to stick to string, wire, plastic, glass, etc.
thank you so much, i will persevere as it is such a great project.
I did this exactly, but it turns out to be a sandy texture on the bottom of the jar, any suggestions?
Here are a couple things that might help:
Make sure the jar is completely clean before adding the super-saturated solution; rinse it our several times with hot water to remove any residue.
Make sure the solution is super-saturated. Make sure the water is heated to almost boiling, add alum a little at a time while stirring until no more will dissolve. If there is not enough Alum added, the crystals won’t be able to grow.
Make sure the jar is undisturbed while the crystals grow.
Try letting them grow longer.
Good luck!
Thank you! (I love your shop and you´re great at communicating with customers and I appreciate that!)
Thank you!!
Hi can you please respond, how do you know when a crystal is fully grown
There is no limit , I guess , you just have to decide when to stop it growth and you can make crystals with everything that dissolves in water and that dissolves more when the water temperature raises
Yes! Duty Hall is correct. Crystals can continue to grow as long as there is a crystalline material (i.e. alum) in the water. They will also grow on the bottom and sides of the jar until most of the alum from the water has been turned back into larger crystals. If the crystal has already grown to the desired size, it’s fine to remove it at any time. If you are going for a larger crystal, for best results, gently remove the one you are growing daily or every other day, discard the old solution, and place it back into a clean jar with new solution, making sure none of it touches the sides of bottom of the jar.
1:48 do we have to boil the water again pls answer me
No matter which method you use (growing seed crystals or using the glue method) you will need hot water to dissolve your alum and get the solution ready.
Is there anyway to preserve them?
Yes, we recommend Crystal Clear Acrylic spray coating to strengthen and protect your crystal.
You can also use clear nail polish.
Can I use solid alum instead of powder?
I'm sorry, I really don't know and have never worked with it. I would assume it would dissolve in water just like the powder?
UnitedArtAndEd yes, it will dissolve as powder but no idea about the crystallisation. Well, I will try this method because powder is not available here. Thank you 😊
@@habibasultana6435 I only have solid alum at home I powdered it and carried out the experiment it came out really cool!
@@readingreverie wow! that's great. Unfortunately, I couldn't try this yet. Will try now.
@@habibasultana6435 🙂
Is the alum dangerous?
Hi Yudhi - the package does have a Caution on it to Avoid unnecessary contact and Do not ingest. However, their Safety Data Sheet states: "This product is not considered to be or contain hazardous chemicals". You can view the entire SDS from the product page: www.unitednow.com/jacquard-1-lb-powdered-alum
What do you mean by “hot glue”?
Using a glue gun, such as one here www.unitednow.com/classroom-office/glues/hot-glue you can melt the "hot glue" stick and make it into a ball. Wait for it to cool off before adding the white glue.
@@UnitedArtAndEd Скажите пожалуйста, как называется белый клей?
@@UnitedArtAndEd Скажите пожалуйста как называется белый клей?
@@user-vr2bk6ws5p White glue is any kind of all-purpose liquid glue, such as Elmer's: www.unitednow.com/classroom-office/glues/glue/elmer-glue-all
Nothing happens
ya did it wrong then b
You might have needed more alum