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Hey BlackRose,

I am not an expert here. But on my very first CIELO I had a 'goo' problem. I believe it had to do with the way I mixed the combined powder and lime dry first before adding water. Not sure. I figured afterwards maybe I had lime in the EA due to not thoroughly mixing like Loveall's tek. At that point it was still 'early days' with CIELO so I got a tip from someone else about mixing lime with water first. This way is best - mix lime in water first then add to powder, now part of the 'official' tek. Anyway, after a bunch more extractions I would say this:

1. Possibly use a bit more source powder? When Cheelin was doing tests with small amounts he was pretty au-fait with the process. I find it far more fiddly and difficult with less than 50g of powder, but that's my skill level here. It's good to be cautious first time, but its easier to manage with more material I find.

2. After extracting (I filter thru 2 coffee filters out the french press) I put the beaker in the fridge overnight at least, ~12 odd hours, not 3. Patience pays. Also be careful when decanting from french press you sometimes get slime, try avoid - it passes thru filters! Then when I take it out the fridge I decant immediately through another coffee filter. There are always water droplets all over the beaker but they seem to stick to the glass. This I do relatively quickly but not fast intentionally. Regular speed but 'get on with it'.

3. I add the citric almost immediately, I find crushing it in a pestle/mortar helps it dissolve without agitation. I have some lab grade and its very crystalline so it falls to bottom quickly and piles up there. It does dissolve eventually but still, feels better for me with it as powdery as possible. If it clouds immediately that's a good sign for me and I will see crystals within 30 min. I do not stir anymore (maybe one single swirl with the spoon) as the more disturbance the more 'powder' you seem to get vs crystals. I find with citric and the cold EA from fridge crystallization is faster and complete in less than 12-24 hours.

4. Crystals are cool but powder is easier to manage and pack! Crystals are super light and fluffy like sparkling cotton wool but so cool to watch them grow though vs the constant stir after adding citric which gives the powder almost immediately.

5. In the beginning I found the 'bomb and stir' method much easier. You put it on the stirrer and get it going then add all the citric and its precipitating straight away. That was much easier for me, it forgives all sorts of small errors, so great for beginners, then I found growing the crystals a 'refinement' of the tek and technique with increased experience.

<blockquote data-quote="merkin" data-source="post: 3893453" data-attributes="member: 34852">Hey BlackRose,I am not an expert here. But on my very first CIELO I had a &#039;goo&#039; problem. I believe it had to do with the way I mixed the combined powder and lime dry first before adding water. Not sure. I figured afterwards maybe I had lime in the EA due to not thoroughly mixing like Loveall&#039;s tek. At that point it was still &#039;early days&#039; with CIELO so I got a tip from someone else about mixing lime with water first. This way is best - mix lime in water first then add to powder, now part of the &#039;official&#039; tek. Anyway, after a bunch more extractions I would say this:1. Possibly use a bit more source powder? When Cheelin was doing tests with small amounts he was pretty au-fait with the process. I find it far more fiddly and difficult with less than 50g of powder, but that&#039;s my skill level here. It&#039;s good to be cautious first time, but its easier to manage with more material I find.2. After extracting (I filter thru 2 coffee filters out the french press) I put the beaker in the fridge overnight at least, ~12 odd hours, not 3. Patience pays. Also be careful when decanting from french press you sometimes get slime, try avoid - it passes thru filters! Then when I take it out the fridge I decant immediately through another coffee filter. There are always water droplets all over the beaker but they seem to stick to the glass. This I do relatively quickly but not fast intentionally. Regular speed but &#039;get on with it&#039;.3. I add the citric almost immediately, I find crushing it in a pestle/mortar helps it dissolve without agitation. I have some lab grade and its very crystalline so it falls to bottom quickly and piles up there. It does dissolve eventually but still, feels better for me with it as powdery as possible. If it clouds immediately that&#039;s a good sign for me and I will see crystals within 30 min. I do not stir anymore (maybe one single swirl with the spoon) as the more disturbance the more &#039;powder&#039; you seem to get vs crystals. I find with citric and the cold EA from fridge crystallization is faster and complete in less than 12-24 hours.4. Crystals are cool but powder is easier to manage and pack! Crystals are super light and fluffy like sparkling cotton wool but so cool to watch them grow though vs the constant stir after adding citric which gives the powder almost immediately.5. In the beginning I found the &#039;bomb and stir&#039; method much easier. You put it on the stirrer and get it going then add all the citric and its precipitating straight away. That was much easier for me, it forgives all sorts of small errors, so great for beginners, then I found growing the crystals a &#039;refinement&#039; of the tek and technique with increased experience.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="merkin, post: 3893453, member: 34852"] Hey BlackRose, I am not an expert here. But on my very first CIELO I had a 'goo' problem. I believe it had to do with the way I mixed the combined powder and lime dry first before adding water. Not sure. I figured afterwards maybe I had lime in the EA due to not thoroughly mixing like Loveall's tek. At that point it was still 'early days' with CIELO so I got a tip from someone else about mixing lime with water first. This way is best - mix lime in water first then add to powder, now part of the 'official' tek. Anyway, after a bunch more extractions I would say this: 1. Possibly use a bit more source powder? When Cheelin was doing tests with small amounts he was pretty au-fait with the process. I find it far more fiddly and difficult with less than 50g of powder, but that's my skill level here. It's good to be cautious first time, but its easier to manage with more material I find. 2. After extracting (I filter thru 2 coffee filters out the french press) I put the beaker in the fridge overnight at least, ~12 odd hours, not 3. Patience pays. Also be careful when decanting from french press you sometimes get slime, try avoid - it passes thru filters! Then when I take it out the fridge I decant immediately through another coffee filter. There are always water droplets all over the beaker but they seem to stick to the glass. This I do relatively quickly but not fast intentionally. Regular speed but 'get on with it'. 3. I add the citric almost immediately, I find crushing it in a pestle/mortar helps it dissolve without agitation. I have some lab grade and its very crystalline so it falls to bottom quickly and piles up there. It does dissolve eventually but still, feels better for me with it as powdery as possible. If it clouds immediately that's a good sign for me and I will see crystals within 30 min. I do not stir anymore (maybe one single swirl with the spoon) as the more disturbance the more 'powder' you seem to get vs crystals. I find with citric and the cold EA from fridge crystallization is faster and complete in less than 12-24 hours. 4. Crystals are cool but powder is easier to manage and pack! Crystals are super light and fluffy like sparkling cotton wool but so cool to watch them grow though vs the constant stir after adding citric which gives the powder almost immediately. 5. In the beginning I found the 'bomb and stir' method much easier. You put it on the stirrer and get it going then add all the citric and its precipitating straight away. That was much easier for me, it forgives all sorts of small errors, so great for beginners, then I found growing the crystals a 'refinement' of the tek and technique with increased experience. [/QUOTE]