Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've got alum on order. My kid isn't old enough to do this one unsupervised, but this is our plan for next weekend.
Where can I get it?
Try a shaving supplies website, I think.
Make your own pyramid salt crystals
21–30 of 31 posts
Re: Make your own pyramid salt crystals
#22> But I did find a study published in the World Salt Symposium where researchers successfully grew pyramid salt from waste salt water in large, steel crystallizers. Wow, I never knew that there was an entire symposium dedicated to salt . From https://www.bolton-menk.com/salt-symposium/ : This event celebrates the optimization of salt use to improve community sustainability and protect vital freshwater systems and inf…
Have you ever heard of the Royal society for putting things on top of other things?
Re: Make your own pyramid salt crystals
#23Re: Make your own pyramid salt crystals
#24The article says ‘Add 0.5 g of alum per 500 mL of salt solution.’ but in the gif demonstrating the difference, it’s 0.5 g of alum per 100 mL of salt solution.
Re: Make your own pyramid salt crystals
#25Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've got alum on order. My kid isn't old enough to do this one unsupervised, but this is our plan for next weekend.
Where can I get it?
I found some food grade stuff, there's probably a reseller near you. Apparently it's used for pickling?
https://www.mccormick.com/spices-and-flavors/herbs-and-spice...
Re: Make your own pyramid salt crystals
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
Where can I get it?
I found some food grade stuff, there's probably a reseller near you. Apparently it's used for pickling? https://www.mccormick.com/spices-and-flavors/herbs-and-spice...
Yes, for sure. At least in the US, it will be in the spice aisle at your local generic grocery store (Safeway, Kroger, Walmart, Meijer, etc), although keep in mind that it is a very small container - on a cost-per-weight basis you are going to get a much better deal somewhere else.
Re: Make your own pyramid salt crystals
#27The article says ‘Add 0.5 g of alum per 500 mL of salt solution.’ but in the gif demonstrating the difference, it’s 0.5 g of alum per 100 mL of salt solution.
A photo caption also says, "No need to measure – just drop a few pea-sized pieces of alum/two pinches of alum powder into the solution and let it dissolve.", so the exact ratio is unimportant.
Re: Make your own pyramid salt crystals
#28> The key is to add an ingredient called potassium alum. Alum calms the surface and helps the pyramids form. Does anyone know of scientific article where I can read more about this? I've never heard of alum's water calming abilities.
An excellent question, it seems way outside my high school chemistry knowledge that you could calm water with a tiny amount of anything, be it alum or otherwise.
Re: Make your own pyramid salt crystals
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
I found some food grade stuff, there's probably a reseller near you. Apparently it's used for pickling? https://www.mccormick.com/spices-and-flavors/herbs-and-spice...
Yes, for sure. At least in the US, it will be in the spice aisle at your local generic grocery store (Safeway, Kroger, Walmart, Meijer, etc), although keep in mind that it is a very small container - on a cost-per-weight basis you are going to get a much better deal somewhere else.
That’s true regarding cost, but I’ve had the same little container for about 8 years now. I rarely need it, and I generally need a small amount. So it might not be too important to get more for less.
And you’re also right about where to get it. Mine was near the pickling spices in the spice aisle of a supermarket.
Re: Make your own pyramid salt crystals
#30> However, I would discourage you from eating pyramid salt grown with this method regularly. I’m no dietician, and it’s best to look for an expert before adding something new to your diet.