I am currently using a small xikar humidification jar in my 50ct desktop humidor. The humidor has been holding at 69/69 but I opened her up today and took a peek inside the jar and noticed a small black spot on the top layer of the crystals. Can I pick it out or do I need to do some immediate quarantine? Thoughts on why the mold formed?
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Don't panic. Those crystals do get moldy.
You will find most cigar hobbyists here use humidification beads. Much easier to use and maintain as well as more reliable.
:-)
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Are you sure its mold? Remember that you need to use Distilled water when using the crystals. If you don't spots can show up, its not necessarily a bad thing, just not recommended.
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I'll examine it closer but I just assumed it was. The jar was filled at purchase by my local cigar shop. I would hope they would have used PG or DW.
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After closer examination the spots were black. I just did some cursory searching and this could be mildew instead of mold. Will the former lead to the latter?
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There are lots of better humidification options available to you. Like Peter said, beads seem to be most prevalent. If you do a little searching you will find something that suits your needs. Don't be afraid to ask questions!
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