Anybody Else Have Algae in Their Bead Release?

[Silver Moon Lampwork]

I have 2 16-oz. bottles that look like this. First I noticed it in one that was opened and used for quite a while. I thought maybe I had accidentally thinned it with some bad water even though I was pretty sure I hadn't used tap water. So I got my newer bottle that hadn't even been opened yet and found the same problem, just not quite so bad. This is my favorite bead release and I'm still using it as it seems to still work fine. I'm curious to know if this is normal or not. Does it need to be kept out of light or something?
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[Carolyn M]

Wow, I've never seen that before. Cool!!

Mind you I threw out my BOM because I hated it.

[Mitosis Glass]

Bizarre! Nope, I've never seen that before. You should contact the manufacturer. This might be something they need to know....

[Rose]

Are you sure it's not mold?

[Silver Moon Lampwork]

Are you sure it's not mold?
I guess it could be mold. I don't really don't know what it is. It's green. Mold sounds worse than algae. Could that be a health hazard I wonder?

[flyingcorgi]

If there aren't any mushrooms, I'd use it. If there are, I'd strain it first. :lol:

- Beck.

[flyingcorgi]

... and I'm no botanist, but isn't algae a "plant" (think photosynthesis - green)? Where mold is a fungus, and has no chlorophyll. I say green = algae.

If it starts moving, then we have to start reclassifying.

Later,
- Beck.

[evolvingBeau]

Do you keep it near a window? Never seen that happen before but I don't see why alage wouldn't grow in something that is essentially mud in the literal sense...

[PaulaD]

EWWWW. This is Mold!!
Ewwwwww!!

Paula

[Katie Gee]

Algae or mold, either way, have you thought about throwing it in the freezer for a few days??8-[

[JavaGirlBT]

I think there was a thread about this a couple years ago. You can add some denatured alcohol I think to it to kill it.

[PaulaD]

I'd send it back! Ewww. Gross!!

Paula

[JavaGirlBT]

Here's the thread:

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58102

[Silver Moon Lampwork]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I got this from Frantz. Maybe I'll give them a call. I can't believe I'm the only one who ended up with 2 bottles like this. Maybe they have a solution.

[Silver Moon Lampwork]

Apparently it is a "harmless" algae that I could actually eat if I wanted to. Yum! They are going to send me a new bottle anyway, so I guess I can eat this one now.

[Silver Moon Lampwork]

Correction, it is mold. Even tastier I bet.

[Mitosis Glass]

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Apparently it is a "harmless" algae that I could actually eat if I wanted to. Yum! They are going to send me a new bottle anyway, so I guess I can eat this one now.

[IF-Designs]

when i was working with clay we knew it would be really good clay if it was moldy...
im just saying lol bead release is a clay product ;) it might work better being all moldy lol

[Ms.Giggles]

I've had a few bottles like that, all BOM and all worked just fine. I just shook it up and dipped. :)

[Silver Moon Lampwork]

Yep, it works just fine. It's a food grade mold so it must be just like the stuff you find on cheese. I guess I need to just quit being so squeemish. So if anybody sees this stuff growing in their BOM don't be concerned, unless you happen to be allergic to mold.

[coyotesfamily]

my bom does that too :(

[flyingcorgi]

Apparently it is a "harmless" algae that I could actually eat if I wanted to. Yum! They are going to send me a new bottle anyway, so I guess I can eat this one now.

It would go nicely with some recalled peanut butter ... :lol:

[SunDoorBeads]

ROFL that last post cracked me up!!!! I found mold on my son's playdoh the other day and almost ralphed. I guess the stuff grows anywhere.

[truegem]

Just curious...how do they know it's a food-borne mold?

[lindag]

I've had the green growth in my Fusion release. It's happened a couple of times and another time it was sort of a rusty brown. I thought it was algae too because of the different colors - sort of like the mud pots in Yellowstone, haha. I kept using it with no problems.

[Silver Moon Lampwork]

Just curious...how do they know it's a food-borne mold?
Well, when I called Frantz the person I talked to said the ingredients in the release were food grade and that I could even eat it if I wanted to. So maybe not necessarily food-borne.

[Silver Moon Lampwork]

Frantz is now making BOM. The bottle I had was an older one that I got from Frantz that could've been made by Timberwolf.

[RSimmons]

There aren't many fungi that grow that shade of green, it is most likely an algae. Bear in mind that none of these products are sterile, especially after they have been open for a while. Bacteria, fungi and algae will all take advantage of a particle suspension in water with a little organic material thrown in. Freezing doesn't bother most fungi very much and some microorganisms will actually thrive in a suspension like bead release with a little alcohol added. You may change the balance of species present, but you won't make it sterile. Life tends to be chock full of......well, life.

Robert

[Silver Moon Lampwork]

Thanks Robert. That makes a lot of sense. Algae was the first thing that came to mind when I saw it, but I'm no expert. This bottle was never opened. You dont even want to see the older one that's been open for a long time!

[mad hatter]

It is fine I have alice's do that once I guess if you use distilled water it won't happen, But they use diatoms in some release and that is litlle critters.

[RSimmons]

I actually did a short micro study on some bead release a couple of years ago for one of the companies (can't say which one), but there were multiple brands involved. It came out about as expected - there were bacteria/fungi/algae in everything I tested. If you sit them in the sun most will turn green, but it's really not a big deal. If this worries you then you should avoid cheese and yoghurt all together.

Robert

[Silver Moon Lampwork]

Well, as long as I don't have to eat it I think I can get used to the way it looks! Sounds like this is pretty normal then. Thanks for clearing things up Robert.

[steph1214]

Well, here's a new one to throw into the bunch, mine has an orange hue to it, like an orange mold?? i am still using it and it is fine, i have not keeled over and i am not having any respiratory ailments or anything that i know of!!!
steph

[SadiesJewels]

Doesn't sound good Steph. I know pink in my yogurt is time to get rid of it!
Green sounds better - my bead release gets green mold/algae in it and I haven't worried about it.

[PaulaD]

I just ordered some of this...I really hope it comes with no colors in it!!
Paula

[RSimmons]

Well, here's a new one to throw into the bunch, mine has an orange hue to it, like an orange mold?? i am still using it and it is fine, i have not keeled over and i am not having any respiratory ailments or anything that i know of!!!
steph

If it's been sitting in the sun it is probably an algae. There is a group of orange/yellow algae (called Mustard Algae) that have been a major issue for the pool and spa industry for years. Unsightly but harmless.

Robert

[steph1214]

it is not that old and actually it did that within a couple of weeks of having it. It is not in the sun at all, i went down and looked at it and it really looks like a rust color, i don't know! Maybe i will have to order from you when i do my next order Paula:waving:
steph

[PurpleCatJewels]

Huh? EWWW!

But again, wow! A science experiment!

If I have it, I can't see it. I'm trying to use up a tub of Fireworks release. It has a high graphite content and it's black. Maybe that's a good thing? If I can't see it, it's not there?

I swear in the South, everything has green mossy algae spots, so again, I'm better off not knowing…

~Rachelle :-D

[Silver Moon Lampwork]

Assuming that algae needs light to grow, maybe just storing it in a closet or drawer where it gets almost no light at all might help?

[s38hyler]

I had a bottle do the same thing, I just shook it up and kept using it, until it was gone. I figured it was mold and that I hadn't used it often enough. Thought it was just me and not getting to lampwork enough.
Sandra

[beadworkstudio]

I get green mold/algae in BoM and orange in Fusion. There's quite a bit of sunlight in my studio. I keep small bottles on my bench The big bottles in the fridge. The refrigerated bottles don't have anything growing in them. I just ignore it and haven't had any problems.

[Ruth Nichols]

The only thing about BOM that I liked was the bottle! I use it to mix my Alice's. I did get that green growth too about 4 years ago.