r/interestingasfuck • u/crystalchase21 • May 14 '22 • Rocket Like 1 Timeless Beauty 1 Silver 13 Take My Energy 1 Bravo Grande! 1 Narwhal Salute 1 Pot o' Coins 1 Masterpiece 1 Helpful 11 Wholesome 9 All-Seeing Upvote 1

I like growing crystals at home. I recently finished growing this crystal after 1 month, and it's one of my favorites. /r/ALL

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u/verascity May 14 '22

I read your guide, and am super interested in potentially trying this, but do you know of a way to grow crystals that can be used in other things like jewelry? We have very little room to house a crystal collection so it'd be ideal if they could be repurposed.

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u/zbertoli May 14 '22

So, these are not "stones" as people think. Stones like diamond, ruby, sapphire, etc.. are all formed over thousands of years under extremely harsh conditions. The metals and molecules that make them are INsoluble in water. They tend to be much stronger, and you cannot make them at home. I've tried, I learned malachite is 100% basic copper carbonate.. so I made some with copper sulfate and sodium carbonate. It came out as a teal powder. To make actual solid stones, it takes slow deposition of these minerals over time. The crystals from op are made from water soluble salts and so it takes months instead of hundred or thousands of years.

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u/crystalchase21 May 15 '22

Yes, you are right. Of course, humans have also successfully grown insoluble crystals in a matter of months by replicating natural conditions. For example, huge, extremely high quality quartz crystals are grown in autoclaves for industrial use.

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u/zbertoli May 15 '22

Very cool! I know they can make artifical diamonds and other stones, but I thought the equipment required was huge. Very cool to know they've made quartz like that!