How To Make Epsom Salt Crysals

This is my first instructable, so take it easy with the comments

Step 1: What You Need:

You Will Need:
1/4 cup (container)of Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sufate)
1/2 cup (container) of tap water
Shallow bowl or dish
Food Colouring (optional)
Sponge (optional)
Time (it took me three days, but it depends on sunlight)

Comments

[LemonLily]

Thats really cool! Does it only work with epsom salts? Can it be table salt?

[ironsmiter]

sugar works ok also... but it forms rock candy!

[tacamaral]

Table salt or NaCl forms square structures.

[Gangreless]

table salt is not the same thing as Epsom salt. Table salt: NaCl; Epsom salt: MgSO4. Due to the nature of its elements and their bonds, table salt will not form crystals such as these.

[wiccanman82]

water wont boil in the microwave, it will make a mess. because in a microwave the water is heated past its boiling point before it has a chance to boil. i saw this somewere but dont remember were

[mce128]

Water most certainly will boil in a microwave. The superheating issue only really comes into play if the container lacks enough nucleation sites to get a good boil going. I boil water nearly every day in the microwave, 2 cups/500ml will boil in my microwave in approximately 3 min give or take 10 seconds. That said, I have used very very clean erlenmeyer flasks to superheat water and cause a crazy eruption upon agitation in a microwave too. The erlenmeyer works really good for this due to the narrow neck allowing a slightly higher pressure in the vessel. It's pretty damn cool really, but also dangerous you can burn yourself quite badly if you are not very careful

[craftyleo]

I think the children at my playcentre will enjoy making this project plus the ingredients are safe for them to handle. will keep you updated on progress thanks

[bassclarinet23]

Nice...will the crystals go away after awhile, or are the permanent. NICE!

[fatkelmorris]

I found a great info site on epsom salts here: Bobbys Healthy Shop - Epsom Salts
they also sell it at a good price

[madame47]

Try www.camdengrey.com They offer lots of raw materials such as epsom salt, citric acid, lye, oils, waxes. They offer lots of products for soapmakers or crafters.

[build a BOOM]

You took those pictures form "waynes this and that".

[abcameo]

How do you get your crystals to grow tall? I tried this as an arts & crafts project at work, and all of our crystals stayed quite flat to the bottom of the bowl. Also, are they supposed to break apart if you touch them? Many thanks for any advice.

[brandon borick]

georg I don't blame you for having no pictures I did and I'm stile being beaten up about my first instructables

[moomoocows]

Do you know where we can get the magnesium sulfate?

[TheScientist]

it should be available at your supermarket or local pharmacy. It would normally be sold as "epsom salts" though (like he says at the start) shouldn't be very expensive to do as well :)

[georgegoalie]

I live in the Uk and it cost me £2.23 for 500g

[GorillazMiko]

THAT'S INSANE!

I WOULD like to see more pictures though, but this is still cool, hopefully I will try out this awesome Instructable.
+1 rating.

[Aar000n3y]

Maybe some more pictures would be nice. The instructable just seems empty the way it is.

[georgegoalie]

It is my first instructable

[Aar000n3y]

That has nothing to do with only having 2 pictures

[Kiteman]

It's your first, is it?

This would be much-improved if you did it again yourself and took your own photos. Use the macro function and plenty of illumination - at least a desk lamp, but you should read this first.

[georgegoalie]

If anyone has tried it tell me what you think 8>

[chooseausername]

Could you, please, post some larger pictures of the crystals ??? =o)

[georgegoalie]

The picures are of the internet. The pictures of mine are rubbis, bad lighting 8>