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After crystal is big enough, it should be moved out of solution, rinsed with cold water to get rid of solution residue, and than soaked with paper towel.
Storage containers
For small crystals you can use plastic organizers with cells. These could be found at online shops or in tool shops (storage for small screws, nails and so on).
Unfortunately, wood and cardboard are not suitable as a storage for crystals because they may absorb moisture from air, which crystals are very sensitive to. Matchboxes and cotton are no-no for the same reason.
Protection from moisture and temperature variations
Most of crystals in this site are water soluble, so they are very sensitive to humidity level. If container is very humid or even covered with a condensate, crystal surface may start to dissolve.
To protect crystals from such issues, place a container with crystals away from rooms with high humidity, like kitchen or bathroom, as well as windows. For example, you may keep the container in a closet.
High temperature variations may lead crystals to crack, so they should be kept away from places like garage, and definitely should not be placed near heaters.
Protection from dehydration
Quite a lot of crystals contain water of crystallization, and may dehydrate over time.
At low dehydration rate, the surface of a crystal may become opaque or be covered with white dust. To protect crystals you may cover it with transparent varnish or something like nail polish. This covers crystal surface with a layer which prevents water molecules from evaporation.
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Heptahydrate. Growth during 1 monthMagnesium sulfate, Ludmila Samokhina, VKontakteVKontakte
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Dehydration of pentahydrate and tetrahydrate crystalsManganese(II) sulfate, DrWim, redditReddit
At high dehydration rate, crystal may start to crack and convert to a powder. This cannot be prevented with a layer of varnish. There are several solutions though:
- store crystal in hermetic vessel with humid atmosphere, to balance water evaporation. For example, you may dip cotton wool into a solution, and place it just near the crystal (not on the crystal!), and seal the vessel.
- store crystal under the thick layer of liquid which prevents evaporation. The liquid should not mix with water, like vaseline oil or liquid paraffin. The liquid should not be able to dissolve the crystal, and should not evaporate.
- cover the crystal with some plastic or resin, like acrylic resin. But be careful, as most kinds of plastic of resins become hot then they become a solid, and this is not good for the crystal.
Protection for hygroscopic substances
Some substances are hygroscopic and absorb moisture from air, becoming a solution in an instant. It is recommended to store these crystals in a hermetic vessel with very dry air, and add desiccator like silica gel.
Protection from sunlight
Some crystals are very sensitive to light and especially to ultraviolet light. They should be kept in dark containers, far from windows and direct sunlight.