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Topic: Liquid that doesn't spoil  (Read 4020 times)

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Offline MichaelDarko

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Liquid that doesn't spoil
« on: September 05, 2016, 09:51:11 PM »
Hi,

i have simple question, but i am not able to find any answers.
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I want to create a decoration - mason jar "aquarium". I want to take a large mason jar, put some nice mineral speciments in it, fill the jar with liquid and seal it with lid.

I figured i can't use pure water because there is a chance that it will go bad after some time.
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So i would like to ask if there is some liquid that is not too aggresive or dangerous that has indefinite shelf life. I want it to last for years.

I know that vodka basically never goes bad, but it's pretty expensive and the alcohol would probabbly be too harsh for the minerals in the jar.

What about water with salt, would salt solution go bad after time?
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Thank you for any suggestions. :)

Michael
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Offline Borek

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Re: Liquid that doesn't spoil
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2016, 02:29:54 AM »
Pure water won't get spoiled. Take care to not introduce any organic material into the jar, just in case use a boiled water, and you should be good.
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Offline jasongnome

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Re: Liquid that doesn't spoil
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2016, 07:17:19 AM »
Borek is right, but the water won't BE pure any more once you've put your specimens in it.

As well as using pure water, you also need to sterilise the inside of the jar AND the specimens you put in. If you do that, and your seal is airtight, nothing will grow.
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Offline Enthalpy

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Re: Liquid that doesn't spoil
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2016, 07:13:19 PM »
40% methylated spirits in water is cheaper than vodka due to taxes. And 30% should suffice too.
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Offline Yggdrasil

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Re: Liquid that doesn't spoil
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2016, 08:31:45 PM »
Sufficiently salty solutions (maybe > 1M) would not spoil as the osmotic pressure would be too high to allow anything to grow.
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Offline jasongnome

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Re: Liquid that doesn't spoil
« Reply #5 on: September 16, 2016, 03:04:25 AM »
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When you are courting a nice girl, an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity. (Albert Einstein)

Offline Yggdrasil

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Re: Liquid that doesn't spoil
« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2016, 11:14:25 AM »
True.  I shouldn't have said anything, as there are always exceptions in biology.
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