Guys,

When you collect rain water or water from a de-humidifier for use in the boil step for rust bluing what are you using as an anti-algol?

Thanks!

algol selzer

sorry for that one.

Rich,

I did actually check the spelling before I typed the note then I mis-spelled it in the text!

Sounds like I was trying to assure that a specific (and old) computer language would not be used!

My apologies for the mis-spelling. I meant "anti-algal."

I don't understand your WV accent ! Are you talking about anti-algae ??

quote:

anti-algal

antialgal (comparative more antialgal, superlative most antialgal)
That inhibits the growth of algae

See what the Wiktionary tells me. Never heard of the term before...learn something new everyday.

Anyway,, I collect maybe 70 to 100 gallons of water off the AC unit every summer and just keep it in rinsed out milk jugs and two new (at one time they were), clean 35gal plastic barrels.

I've never added anything to it, never had any problem with the water going 'bad'. One barrel was kept over a time span of almost 2 years before I used it and still, nothing green inside it!

Once in a while before I dump one of the milk jugs full into the tank, I've noticed some funny lookin' cottony stuff swimming around on the bottom. So that'll get tossed. I figure that was my fault for not rinsing the jug out well enough to begin with.
Been doing it this way for over 25 years. Great results.

Added: At one time I did buy the distilled water but had ''once in a while bad results'. Plus a PIA to keep going out to buy the stuff.
I looked for a better source. Rain/snow water worked well if you caught it cleanly and after the initial run-off (rain). Some have trouble with it in certain areas with chemicals in the air I guess.

I don't want to add anything like chlorine bleach or something like that to try and stop algae from growing (not that I've really had any problems). The whole idea is to have water w/o any chemicals or minerals in it to spoil the rust bluing finish.

We used R/O water in a shop I worked for a few years. Worked fine and I almost went that direction for my own shop but found the AC condensate to work beautifully. Cheap and convenient. Keeps well.
I've seen and heard from 'experts' that the water from de-humidifiers and AC units is NG as it leaches copper into the water from the coils. Can't prove it by me or any customers.
Certainly easy and cheap enough to try. If it doesn't work, try something else.

Hope this helps..

Mike

I add nothing.

James

wondering if white vineager (acetic acid) would hurt the mix. It's use to stop the bleaching process on wood. (the two part stuff) and to kill the fungi on fruit.

Why not use distilled water that is available at Walmart and K Mart? It comes in gallon jugs or cardboard four packs. Its about $.98 per gallon. I have been using it for years, and in three differant states. Never had a problem. I get consistant results and never have to worry about anything going wrong. To each their own, but it is cheap insurance in my book.

Why not steam it? Then you don't have to worry about the water. Tap water is fine. Steam is pure. You can build a setup for less than $30 from your local home improvement store and a dollar store. You just need a diagram. I have such a diagram.

I'd try a couple three drops of chlorine bleach in a gallon of water. Blue a small piece, boil it in the chlorine treated water and see what happens.

All distilled water is not equal. I used some last week after I ran out of dehumidifier water. It did not turn the red oxide to black. I have had this happen several times. Dehumidifier water has never failed.


James

I know nothing about rust blueing, but maybe keeping the water containers out of the sun light might help?

Seems like algae needs sun.

Perhaps I've been lucky, but I too used regular old distilled water from the grocery store with no ill effects. Then I discovered an old water distiller in our school laboratories and I get good pure water for free now.

I think if you change the water at regular intervals you might get a handle on your algae problem. If that doesn't produce anything then you might look into getting yourself a Plecostomus.

My aircon makes a ton of water, must be gallons a day. I'll have to get some plastic containers and collect some for the next time I "try" bluing.

If you card by hand, which color scotch brite do you use?

Red

Whatever the equivalent is to 0000. I prefer to use degreased steel wool.

If you keep water in opaque containers (containers that sunlight cannot penetrate) such as metal or black plastic, then algae will not be able to grow. It has to have sunlight.

For water which may be stored in translucent containers, a tiny amount of chlorine will kill the algae and will evaporate into the atmosphere in a few hours. That's not to suggest that water with dead algae left behind will perform appropriately; just that your problem will not be chlorine residue. However, chlorine is ineffective as a preventative in that it will degrade in sunlight, especially in an open container, and within a few days will be absent to the point of once again allowing algae to grow.