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Last post 13 years ago by Rut-Ro!. 31 replies replies.
Mold on Gel Crystals.
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july11 Offline
#1 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 1:27 PM EST
Joined: 06-25-2008
Posts: 1,769
I took all the green foam out of my humi-containers and replaced with gel beads. Saw some black dots after about a week but didn't rub off the gel like you think mold would. Well now I got black spots on more pieces and one container had MOLD. I am now guessing the black is mold as well to. HELP PLEASE! No mold has been found on any cigar not even the ones out of the cello. I open the humidors up to check them all the time and the temp is always 68. Also humidity levels are never above 70%. Thanks for any ideas guys and gals on what could be a fix or the problem.

7/11
july11 Offline
#2 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 1:28 PM EST
Joined: 06-25-2008
Posts: 1,769
also did an advance search and found nothing.
05busa Offline
#3 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 1:30 PM EST
Joined: 01-02-2007
Posts: 97,187
what
05busa Offline
#4 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 1:30 PM EST
Joined: 01-02-2007
Posts: 97,187
its probably from hiding from us for so long!!
july11 Offline
#5 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 1:31 PM EST
Joined: 06-25-2008
Posts: 1,769
hey Anth. you got mail
05busa Offline
#6 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 1:32 PM EST
Joined: 01-02-2007
Posts: 97,187
nothin yet!!
Torpedo1 Offline
#7 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 1:35 PM EST
Joined: 04-08-2001
Posts: 4,768
Could be mold. Did you wash out the container you put the crystals in before you put them in? What about the water? Distilled? I would chuck the crystals, wash out the container with a mild non perfumy soap or rubbing alcohol (assuming it is not wood) then add new crystals and get new distilled water.
july11 Offline
#8 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 1:36 PM EST
Joined: 06-25-2008
Posts: 1,769
check now azz
05busa Offline
#9 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 1:38 PM EST
Joined: 01-02-2007
Posts: 97,187
got it
july11 Offline
#10 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 1:39 PM EST
Joined: 06-25-2008
Posts: 1,769
always distilled water and clean containers. Thought maybe I had put to much water in or to many crystals but I never had any excess water that dripped but some of the containers the gel crystals are not one flat layer. Is that bad?
csiegels Offline
#11 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 1:41 PM EST
Joined: 02-23-2007
Posts: 6,074
How this started I have no idea, but mold grows from high moisture levels.

Move your non-infected cigars to a temporary storage. Throw away the infected ones.

Throw out the crystals, and sanitize what you're using to hold the crystals.

Sanitize the inside of the humidor.

Get new crystals or beads.
05busa Offline
#12 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 1:41 PM EST
Joined: 01-02-2007
Posts: 97,187
how about wood sap???
ARN Offline
#13 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 2:05 PM EST
Joined: 10-14-2005
Posts: 11,393
WE did talk about this before I think it was a couple of years now. I remember because there were a few having mold grow in their gell jars.
fishinguitarman Offline
#14 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 2:10 PM EST
Joined: 07-29-2006
Posts: 69,148
CAT LITTER BABY! PEARL!

Never a prob!
ARN Offline
#15 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 2:11 PM EST
Joined: 10-14-2005
Posts: 11,393
^ until the cat gets in your humi
knokmdwn Offline
#16 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 3:28 PM EST
Joined: 04-13-2008
Posts: 8,849
A couple of questions........

Are the spots only on top of the beads? Meaning no spots down in between the beads?

Is there a chance that if could be tobacco leaf particles/pieces? I have spots on many of my beads, although they are not black. The action of putting in and taking out cigars often times drops very small flakes of tobacco into the beads. Won't hurt anything, just looks bad.

Can you see any fuzz on the black spots? Seriously, get a magnifying glass if needed.

Oh ****........I just realized you are using gel.......n e v e r m i n d.



Toss it and by beads.
pacman357 Offline
#17 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 3:57 PM EST
Joined: 02-27-2006
Posts: 42,596
#14 Oh, man...you is gonna get slim-slapped.
rfenst Offline
#18 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 4:16 PM EST
Joined: 06-23-2007
Posts: 39,278
For heaven's sake. Throw the whole thing out and forget about it!

All the mold I have ever seen on cigars isn't black. It is white or light green/blue and often fuzzy. The humi-packs get black spots too after a several recharges- just throw the spotted ones out too. It's that simple.

I am not saying it isn't mold, it you are still concerned,keep your humidity 3-5 percentage points lower. Also, lowering the temperature a few more degrees should help to reduce the risk of mold. One hypothesis is that freezing the cigars exposed to mold will kill off spores...
Thunder.Gerbil Offline
#19 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 4:22 PM EST
Joined: 11-02-2006
Posts: 121,359
"One hypothesis is that freezing the cigars exposed to mold will kill off spores... "

Nope, it won't. All freezing will do is force mold colonies into a dormant state, but it won't kill the spores. This is very well documented.
jaytothen Offline
#20 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 10:04 PM EST
Joined: 12-31-2007
Posts: 2,156
I have several of these jars, two of the small 2 oz size and two of the 4 oz size. 2 oz are white while the 4 oz are blue. One of the white ones crystals have turned black but I haven't had any issues with mold in the humi or with the cigars and the humidity never goes above 70%. And it's been in there for a year at least. I was worried at first but decided to just leave it and keep an eye on it. I'm eventually going to get rid of all the Gel's for beads but until then they work fine, even the one with mold.
july11 Offline
#21 Posted: Wed, Feb 17 2010, 11:18 PM EST
Joined: 06-25-2008
Posts: 1,769
I cleaned all my gel containers with water and bleach to kill any mold spors. Letting the containers airout now and am going to try a smaller amount of gel this time to see if that helps and hopefully my humidity levels will stay where I want them. Two of the containers are the large hygro system. Think I will buy some of the attachable fans to spread the humidity out better. anybody know a place to get some of those Oust fans of got some extras to trade for sticks or a cutter. thanks again all.
Stinkdyr Offline
#22 Posted: Thu, Feb 18 2010, 3:14 AM EST
Joined: 06-16-2009
Posts: 9,948
It is mold. You will get this forming in your plastic containers more often than your wooden humi, cuz the plastic seals much tighter. Also, aim for a lower rh%, more like 63 than 70.

Just clean out your containers, refill with new kitty litter......and........BE SURE TO OPEN your plastic every 3 days to breathe going forward. Otherwise, the mold will return. It is a high maintenance hobby.
july11 Offline
#23 Posted: Thu, Feb 18 2010, 3:41 AM EST
Joined: 06-25-2008
Posts: 1,769
I do have some coolidors but when I am saying plastic container I mean just the container the gel is in inside my tower and two small wood humidors. I did an outside c-bid search and found that if you have a (tight area) shelves and cigar boxes surrounding the humudity source. Humidity will stay in that area longer causing mold. Solution-Give humidifier more room/make humidity move to all areas in the humidors with the new fan kits I just ordered and the new oust fans as well. If this doesn't work I am buying beads.
rfenst Offline
#24 Posted: Thu, Feb 18 2010, 4:17 AM EST
Joined: 06-23-2007
Posts: 39,278
19. Author: Thunder.Gerbil

Prove it!
Thunder.Gerbil Offline
#25 Posted: Thu, Feb 18 2010, 5:42 AM EST
Joined: 11-02-2006
Posts: 121,359
^
"Freezing is not a drying method, nor can it be expected to kill mold spores, but it is highly effective in controlling mold growth by inducing a dormant state in the spores. If mold damaged material is frozen it is important that the drying method chosen must prevent mold spore activity during the drying process. For this reason it is important to segregate such material during removal and packing operations."

http://www.archives.gov/preservation/conservation/library-materials-06.html


-------

" 4. Freezing stops mold growth and will kill active growth, but not spores. "

http://www.mold-help.org/content/view/163/
see numerous references cited at bottom of page above.
Stinkdyr Offline
#26 Posted: Mon, May 10 2010, 7:14 AM EST
Joined: 06-16-2009
Posts: 9,948
it's mold, yes, it happens to beads if damp and no air circulation.
andytv Offline
#27 Posted: Mon, May 10 2010, 7:32 AM EST
Joined: 10-23-2002
Posts: 40,991
It's mold.........no big deal. If it makes you feel better, let the beads dry out for a few weeks in a freezer or other very low RH area.
Chilly9321 Offline
#28 Posted: Mon, May 10 2010, 8:35 AM EST
Joined: 05-21-2007
Posts: 2,018
I've been using the gel humidifiers lately and some of the "crystals" have turned a brownish color, but it appears to be staining from tobacco getting on them as opposed to mold growth.

Nothing has spread to the cigars and they've been in there for about a year with the ugly brown crystals.
whodeeni Offline
#29 Posted: Mon, May 10 2010, 12:23 PM EST
Joined: 08-11-2009
Posts: 508
U know those bead packs that they sell on here
with the blue rain drops on the front? I found
mold on one of mine about a month ago. I had to
throw it away. Now I check them all about every
two weeks just to be safe! I've always used just
distilled water with them!
nir6van6a Offline
#30 Posted: Mon, May 10 2010, 6:55 PM EST
Joined: 02-10-2008
Posts: 4,347
Simple - toss the gel and get beads or get foam and change it out every few months
leoscat Offline
#31 Posted: Mon, May 10 2010, 11:57 PM EST
Joined: 02-05-2009
Posts: 1,966
I've had a problem with black mold on the bags I store the
beads in. Happens quite often... I figure I am using too much distiller h2o on them? I change out the bags and let em go with
no adverse problems on the gars.
Rut-Ro! Offline
#32 Posted: Tue, May 11 2010, 6:12 PM EST
Joined: 01-16-2010
Posts: 1,991
AND keep the flipping top shut. Keep yer hands out of there and quit "checking them" bad boys. Let them rest. They will thank you.
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