[help] Weird green floating growth INSIDE Percolator

[howzcat]

Hi guys! It used to be my daily driver. Went out of town a couple of days and forgot to drain the piece of the cranberry extract. When i came back it had a weird growth floating around.
It's much much larger than any of the slits, so it's impossible to remove it, as is, from inside the matrix percolator.
I've tried everything, nothing worked. Then i left it to dry. Now it's submerged in ISO for a week and still there is a green disgusting smudge inside the percolator...

On the photo the red liquid is drain cleaner, which i tried as a last resort, and it also didn't help as it is now, it sits dry, but you can still see something dark grabbing the inside of the perc. I have tried:
* boiling water
* vinegar and baking soda
* coca cola soak for days
* drain cleaner
* iso and salt shake
* iso soak for days

Please if anyone knows of a way, this is my favorite piece

 

[GreenHopper]

Hi guys! It used to be my daily driver. Went out of town a couple of days and forgot to drain the piece of the cranberry extract. When i came back it had a weird growth floating around.
It's much much larger than any of the slits, so it's impossible to remove it, as is, from inside the matrix percolator.
I've tried everything, nothing worked. Then i left it to dry. Now it's submerged in ISO for a week and still there is a green disgusting smudge inside the percolator...

On the photo the red liquid is drain cleaner, which i tried as a last resort, and it also didn't help as it is now, it sits dry, but you can still see something dark grabbing the inside of the perc. I have tried:
* boiling water
* vinegar and baking soda
* coca cola soak for days
* drain cleaner
* iso and salt shake
* iso soak for days

Please if anyone knows of a way, this is my favorite piece

Hello bud,

Check out this thread:
PBW & the Chemistry of Clean

I recommend you read the first 2 pages and the last 5.

Seems some folk have had success with PBW, short 5min soaks in very hot water. Long soaks in PBW will likely leave a white water mark so if one 5min session doesn't get the job done repeat the procedure multiple times rather than extending the soaking period.

Let us know if it works out for you.

 

[howzcat]

PBW

Thank you!

Where i live i know there is not PBW cleaner available, i've searched. Are there any substitutes or any household materials i can use instead?

 

[pxl_jockey]

You can get PBW at amazon/ebay, home brewers sites and online HS.
At HS, you'll see the same stuff rebranded (&marked-up) for bongs.
There's no household material or combo that can do what it does.
It was invented to do what you're asking, get up inside impossible-to-get-to spots
I mean dude, look at all you have tried: in total materials/time/effort?
PBW is cheaper, much easier and faster. A little bit goes a long way!

 

[GreenHopper]

Thank you!

Where i live i know there is not PBW cleaner available, i've searched. Are there any substitutes or any household materials i can use instead?

In this post @t-dub talks about a product called OxySpa. I've never used it myself.

 

[MoltenTiger]

PBW is what you want to get rid of mould. I had the same problem with a chunk of gunk caught between percs, it took 7 rinses, but it did the job.
Just yesterday I did a single rinse to get rid of some smaller specks that had built up that alcohol+salt wouldn't dislodge.

You can find it online, PBW by 5 Star Chemicals. It's the best.

 

[howzcat]

Thanks for the replies. Unanimous, then. I'm getting the PBW. Will report back

edit: i think i found it, can anyone confirm if this is it? It's a cleaning agent sold by a beer brewing company. I'm positive this is it, but will it be enough?

 

[Andreaerdna]

I use a cheap ultrasonic cleaner, iso is way stronger when you put your piece in an ultrasonic bath (water in ultrasonic vat, iso in the bubbler (sealed)

 

[MoltenTiger]

Thanks for the replies. Unanimous, then. I'm getting the PBW. Will report back

edit: i think i found it, can anyone confirm if this is it? It's a cleaning agent sold by a beer brewing company. I'm positive this is it, but will it be enough?

That’s it. I’ve had a 435g tub for a year, I got it for the exact reason here. It’s been used a lot and I still have half the tub.
It took a bit off effort to clean my RezBlock mould, with multiple soaks and quick rinses.
The key to PBW is about 1/2 tsp powder per 500mL boiling water. You won’t want to soak for longer than 5 or 10 minutes as the heat helps it work.
I fill a Pyrex jug from a kettle and mix and pour that into my glass piece. The PBW is a detergent and surfactant, so it makes things extremely slippery (be careful shaking the rig, also thoroughly rinse the piece with hot tap water, wipe down the exterior during to avoid white steaks forming on the glass). I found initial soaks began to break it up into smaller chunks, and then placing a gloved finger over the glass joint and blowing into the mouthpiece (PBW solution in piece) eventually pressured the slime out of the perc. I had to persist for a while, but it did the trick when not much else could.

 

[GreenHopper]

That’s it. I’ve had a 435g tub for a year, I got it for the exact reason here.
It took a bit off effort to do it, and multiple quick rinses.
The key to PBW is about 1/2 tsp powder per 500mL boiling water.
I filled a Pyrex jug from a kettle and poured from that into my glass piece. The PBW is a detergent and surfactant, so it makes things extremely slippery. I found placing a finger over the glass joint and blowing into the mouthpiece eventually pressured the slime out of the perc, and initial rinses began to break it up into smaller chunks. I had to persist for a while, but it did the trick when not much else could.

That's a good point about how slippery the glass gets with PBW. Be really careful @howzcat, it's really easy to drop the bubbler and smash it.

Take your time and maybe put a rubber mat in the sink where you are rinsing out.

 

[MoltenTiger]

That's a good point about how slippery the glass gets with PBW. Be really careful @howzcat, it's really easy to drop the bubbler and smash it.

Take your time and maybe put a rubber mat in the sink where you are rinsing out.

Absolutely. Good idea on the mat, mood mats sell a decent sink mat.

It’s also worth pointing out that some dish gloves help with dealing with the hot water, and help a lot with grip.
But also, it’s not necessary to shake it too much. A little helps, but it’s fine just letting it sit too.

 

[Alexis]

I use a cheap ultrasonic cleaner, iso is way stronger when you put your piece in an ultrasonic bath (water in ultrasonic vat, iso in the bubbler (sealed)

Hi there. I am lookong into getting an ultrasonic ckeaner and could I ask you a few Q's please?

I am trying to getvmy Herborizer Sphere XL bubbler slarklong clean for sale and it is except for one small patch of limesacele build up in the downstem.

We have used ISO and vinegar, soda. Dont want to risk pbw at this stage.
So do you know if the ultrasonic cleaner will work on limescale?

If do would it work with just water in the piece, or need alcohol and plugs?
I am presu ing for cleaning your glass pieces you just have them standong in the bath, but not submerged obviously. With ISO in the bubbler?

Dont know much about these hongs yet and how they work, and how much I really need one. But if it would keep limesacle off glass easily, and easily remove it, then it could be a worthwhile investment.

Of you have any buying recommendations also Im all ears.
Sorry to ask and thanks very much of you get a chance to reply any time.

@Justpassedu hi man hope you had a real nice weekend in NYC and it is a good start to your week. I know you dig your ultrasonic cleaner and you dush out the best advice and really know your stuff, so I just wondered of you have some ideas on this at all please?
Again, big TIA.

 

[Andreaerdna]

Hi there. I am lookong into getting an ultrasonic ckeaner and could I ask you a few Q's please?

I am trying to getvmy Herborizer Sphere XL bubbler slarklong clean for sale and it is except for one small patch of limesacele build up in the downstem.

We have used ISO and vinegar, soda. Dont want to risk pbw at this stage.
So do you know if the ultrasonic cleaner will work on limescale?

If do would it work with just water in the piece, or need alcohol and plugs?
I am presu ing for cleaning your glass pieces you just have them standong in the bath, but not submerged obviously. With ISO in the bubbler?

Dont know much about these hongs yet and how they work, and how much I really need one. But if it would keep limesacle off glass easily, and easily remove it, then it could be a worthwhile investment.

Of you have any buying recommendations also Im all ears.
Sorry to ask and thanks very much of you get a chance to reply any time.

@Justpassedu hi man hope you had a real nice weekend in NYC and it is a good start to your week. I know you dig your ultrasonic cleaner and you dush out the best advice and really know your stuff, so I just wondered of you have some ideas on this at all please?
Again, big TIA.

Hi there, yoi are welcome, I am glad to answer

Limescale should work best with vinegar, and should not need ultrasonic bath, but if it is a bacterian biofilm looking like limescale (whiteish) then iso could work with ultrasonic bath very well

I bought an amazon cheap one, less than 30€, link is gone but it looks like this one

https://www.amazon.fr/Cadrim-Cosmét...pID=41s0TmmxnqL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

500 or 600 ml tank, so it is small, very small. I get it to work with big bubbler if they can be immerged just a bit into ultrasonic vat

I fitfull my bubbler with iso, put a cork stopper on each opening and put it into the vat filled with cold water, the liquid (iso) inside the bubbler will carry ultrasonic vibrations all over

With old deposit it works better if you can let iso soak for a night, then 5 min ubath and everything looks sparkling clean

For me its a nice tool (cleaning screens, vapcap parts, bubblers, stems, sport watch...)

If you use soda to clean titanium (vapcap tips after some use) you will clean up even colors (rainbow anodizing will go away) leaving your pieces like new (metallic grey)

Ps
With very large bubblers I put them upside down, mouthpiece is the only parte immerged in bath, still works

 

[Alexis]

Hi there, yoi are welcome, I am glad to answer

Limescale should work best with vinegar, and should not need ultrasonic bath, but if it is a bacterian biofilm looking like limescale (whiteish) then iso could work with ultrasonic bath very well

I bought an amazon cheap one, less than 30€, link is gone but it looks like this one

https://www.amazon.fr/Cadrim-Cosmét...pID=41s0TmmxnqL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

500 or 600 ml tank, so it is small, very small. I get it to work with big bubbler if they can be immerged just a bit into ultrasonic vat

I fitfull my bubbler with iso, put a cork stopper on each opening and put it into the vat filled with cold water, the liquid (iso) inside the bubbler will carry ultrasonic vibrations all over

With old deposit it works better if you can let iso soak for a night, then 5 min ubath and everything looks sparkling clean

For me its a nice tool (cleaning screens, vapcap parts, bubblers, stems, sport watch...)

If you use soda to clean titanium (vapcap tips after some use) you will clean up even colors (rainbow anodizing will go away) leaving your pieces like new (metallic grey)

Ps
With very large bubblers I put them upside down, mouthpiece is the only parte immerged in bath, still works

Thank you very much for that generous and very helpful asvice. My mum has had a good go at the (limescale) with vinegarva few times. It is a stubborn mark, so I guess I cant rule out a bacterial biofilm?

I feel like this makes sense for me though to give it a shot, an extremely useful thing to have around. Im sure your tips will be very useful thanks man hope you are having a nice deep sleep by now.

 

[howie105]

Try rock salt and ISO (salt wont dissolve in ISO) not so much for the solvent action but for the mechanical action when you shake the piece. If you can't find rock salt large grain kosher salt can work. Good Luck

 

[Alexis]

Try rock salt and ISO (salt wont dissolve in ISO) not so much for the solvent action but for the mechanical action when you shake the piece. If you can't find rock salt large grain kosher salt can work. Good Luck

Thanks, regular table salt is what I use to clean my glass with usually, along with the ISO.
We would never eat that poison ourselves however.

Pink Himalayan has been the go-to for years but I can no longer get the creme-de-la-creme Supremo one I was before. Best salt in the world. Unfortunately not all Himalayan salt is of equal quality or benefit to the body.

Many are inferior energetically and aggravating to the body depending on mining location, mineral content, mining methods.

I know this because I have been having various samples of salt tested over the years to see how beneficial and suitable they are for my body and others. And surprisingly you would have to be quite lucky to find a good one just like that. So many tested as being more aggravating than beneficial so simply not the amazing healing stuff that Himalayan salt can be even though it is still technically the same stuff natural and unrefined and in no way harmful in the same way that refined table salt is.

Anyway now we are using a different type of salt which I can recommend as being virtually as good as the best Himalayan one I was getting if not just as good. Called "Redmond real salt".

It tests as being fantastic stuff, and it tastes great too. It is also really high in silica which is a very underacknowledged widespread deficiency. It is vital stuff oir skin, hair, nails, cartilage, connective tussue etc etc.

Sorry, got sidetracked. Where were we? Oh yes, so I used salt with ISO soak and long shake. Not working on the mark, so I think the Ultrasonic cleaner beckons me next. Cheers.

 

[hafalump]

@Alexis how about fleur de sel? The real stuff? Fascinating, as I find "table salt" harsh, caustic....

 

[Alexis]

@Alexis how about fleur de sel? The real stuff? Fascinating, as I find "table salt" harsh, caustic....

Sea salt is acceptable, as long as it is totally unrefined and untreated. But no sea salt will be as good for the body as the best Himalayan if you could be sure you had it, or Redmond which you can have total confidence in.

I have also heard that sea salt is not as suitable for our bodies and requires some sort of process that basically demands spme energy of robs something from the body or cells. I forget the details but it was a lot more sound sounding than that.

But regardless, sea salt is very polluter while Himalayan and Redmond are mined from ancient pristsine underground sea beds.

 

[FlyingLow]

Green floating? Mold?

Any pieces that I cannot clean fully and remove all mold, I'd throw out and move to a new rig.


Gross shit happens when you leave water in tubes that long.

 

[Joaon]

Try filling it at same level than usual with hot water, then draw from mouthpiece, or blow from the vaporizer joint, very hard, short, and vigorously !
That worked for me, when all others solutions had failed.
Hot water + short and hard draws
Good luck with it !

 

[Andreaerdna]

Thank you very much for that generous and very helpful asvice. My mum has had a good go at the (limescale) with vinegarva few times. It is a stubborn mark, so I guess I cant rule out a bacterial biofilm?

I feel like this makes sense for me though to give it a shot, an extremely useful thing to have around. Im sure your tips will be very useful thanks man hope you are having a nice deep sleep by now.

You are very welcome and I have to thank you too

You suggested elsewhere to try Zane greek oreganon. I did:its deliciuos everywhere: with pizza, pasta, mozzarella alla caprese, and counting. Great weed, thank you

 

[Alexis]

You are very welcome and I have to thank you too

You suggested elsewhere to try Zane greek oreganon. I did:its deliciuos everywhere: with pizza, pasta, mozzarella alla caprese, and counting. Great weed, thank you

That's great thanks so much for letting me know you are appreciating it. I am always tryong to share any experience I can to try and help others and it is always so nice when I hear something has made a difference and especially when it has enhanced enjoyment as a pose to the usual hopes of relieving suffering.

So I have been scrolling Amazon reviews for an ultrasnic cleaner. I cant afford to waste mpney on one that doesnt work very well or not practical in some way. It seems every product you look at on Amazon has some very negative reviews which can be very offputting.

I also want to make sure my XL Sphere bubbler will fit inside the tank on its base. Base is about 12 cm, maybe 13.5 widest on body. I have found one that looks big enough, it has some bad reviews though. Some say ot is too small for a coffee cup. And some say it didnt work to clean coffee cups.

I have seen quite a few members here report good experiences with ultrasonic cleaners without any criticism of the usually fairly cheap models they have bought.

Anyway, seeing as you are here maybe you could take a quick peek please and see if you think this model looks good enough? It says tank is 17.5 x 14.5 x 7.

So it should have enough space to stand the bubbler anyway. Just a bit perplexed by the bad reviews.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/GT-SONIC-U...074474CDP/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Thanks again and enjoy that Greek herb you're right it goes well with just about everything.

 

[Andreaerdna]

That's great thanks so much for letting me know you are appreciating it. I am always tryong to share any experience I can to try and help others and it is always so nice when I hear something has made a difference and especially when it has enhanced enjoyment as a pose to the usual hopes of relieving suffering.

So I have been scrolling Amazon reviews for an ultrasnic cleaner. I cant afford to waste mpney on one that doesnt work very well or not practical in some way. It seems every product you look at on Amazon has some very negative reviews which can be very offputting.

I also want to make sure my XL Sphere bubbler will fit inside the tank on its base. Base is about 12 cm, maybe 13.5 widest on body. I have found one that looks big enough, it has some bad reviews though. Some say ot is too small for a coffee cup. And some say it didnt work to clean coffee cups.

I have seen quite a few members here report good experiences with ultrasonic cleaners without any criticism of the usually fairly cheap models they have bought.

Anyway, seeing as you are here maybe you could take a quick peek please and see if you think this model looks good enough? It says tank is 17.5 x 14.5 x 7.

So it should have enough space to stand the bubbler anyway. Just a bit perplexed by the bad reviews.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/GT-SONIC-U...074474CDP/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Thanks again and enjoy that Greek herb you're right it goes well with just about everything.

Thank you

Just took a look, but I am no expert and I use it not very often as I am in bubbler t break and using easier to clean tools (if used more often maybe mine will fail, mine looks cheaper but yet it works 50 times x 5 mins at least already)

Worthed, more effective and less risky then salt shaking IMO, even if I read it coul enhance hair crack in glass..

 

[lazylathe]

@howzcat

Try this while waiting for your PBW!
Use a glass and place enough vinegar in to cover the perc and slime.
Heat the glass with vinegar up in the microwave, make it nice and hot.
Add to your WT and let soak for a bit and then add a small amount of baking soda and shake!!
I find hot vinegar is a miracle worker!

 

[ataxian]

Sea salt is acceptable, as long as it is totally unrefined and untreated. But no sea salt will be as good for the body as the best Himalayan if you could be sure you had it, or Redmond which you can have total confidence in.

I have also heard that sea salt is not as suitable for our bodies and requires some sort of process that basically demands spme energy of robs something from the body or cells. I forget the details but it was a lot more sound sounding than that.

But regardless, sea salt is very polluter while Himalayan and Redmond are mined from ancient pristsine underground sea beds.

Salt from the Sea or land is different?
Why is the chemical the same?

Faith or fact?



@howzcat my family is green and clean with our own making. (Good luck!)