What Am I Doing Wrong Here?

[christopherj]

I have been smoking for almost a year and have been sort of satisfied with how I have been doing it but since I have joined here I have discovered a lot more stuff. Let me start off by telling you my setup. I am not sure the exact name of the Hookah but it is a Mya 4 hose. See Pictures below. The bowl is the one that has a screen plus cover. I have taken the screen and cover off the thing in favor of foil but I still use the cover at times. My friends and I both use standard Mya hoses.

My problem that I am having is that I am not achieving the amount of smoke as I am seeing in pictures and videos from this site and youtube. I am contemplating changing a lot of things but I really dont know what else I can do. I changed from Tonic shisha to Al Fakher. I dont overpack the bowl or anything, and the shisha is not even close to stick to the foil. I poke small holes and now with the Al Fakher shisha it feels like the shisha burns at a much faster rate. I am pretty much moving the coals around every minute cause it just burns and gets really harsh. I am not enjoying this Al Fakher at all. (Grape) The coals I use are Stargate, not quicklites. I also try to make the water in there as cold as possible. (basically refridgerated water)

What are your reccomendations? I would like to have this shisha smoke great. I never had a probelm like this with any of the Tonic flavors. Its just irritating that I am getting small clouds compared to most people. How many coals should I use with Al Fakher... How can I acheive huge clouds? I know its all about heat management but do I really have to move the coals around as much as I do? I find that I cant even enjoy my smoke session cause I am so worried about having the coals sit there for longer then a min. The length of the coals we cut are about an inch and half. I am not sure what else to say without making it sound confusing enough. Any help would be great.

[Click]

Well how are you actually packing the bowl. I see you said not near the foil. I personally think that the tobacco touching the foil doesn't affect the smoke. And you don't have to be moving the coals around every minute.

Trying packing the AF lightly(fluffed) to the top of the bowl.
Use foil and poke holes with a toothpick. Make like 3 ring of circles and place 2 or 3 pieces of coal on the bowl.
Let it warm up for a few minutes.

As far as cold water. Many agree that very cold water may take away from the flavor. Seems to make the smoke more "dense" though.

[christopherj]

Well how are you actually packing the bowl. I see you said not near the foil. I personally think that the tobacco touching the foil doesn't affect the smoke. And you don't have to be moving the coals around every minute.

Trying packing the AF lightly(fluffed) to the top of the bowl.
Use foil and poke holes with a toothpick. Make like 3 ring of circles and place 2 or 3 pieces of coal on the bowl.
Let it warm up for a few minutes.

As far as cold water. Many agree that very cold water may take away from the flavor. Seems to make the smoke more "dense" though.

Thanks for the quick reply, I basically take the shisha out and try to sprinkle it lightly on top of the bowl as lightly as possible. The bowl is so shallow that in previous attempts the shisha has actually stuck onto the foil, basically like in clumps. I also do use a toothpick but poke a lot of tiny holes in it. I start with the coals on the outside rim. I have tried three coals, two coals, and one coal. Tonight it was so harsh I basically took all the coals off and then put one sort of in the middle and put the cover over it. I didnt have any harsh smoke after that but it felt like I was just smoking smoke if that makes any sense, I could barely get any "taste" or feel any type of buzz what so ever.

[Click]

Hmm, maybe your aren't putting enough water in the base. Make sure the stem submerges into the water about an inch or 1 1/2".

I know those stargates are pretty big coals. Break them into 1/4's or smaller and put a couple pieces on two opposite ends.

[christopherj]

Hmm, maybe your aren't putting enough water in the base. Make sure the stem submerges into the water about an inch or 1 1/2".

I know those stargates are pretty big coals. Break them into 1/4's or smaller and put a couple pieces on two opposite ends.

Ok, I will give that a try next time I smoke... I try to double check the water level everytime. The guy I buy the shisha from always tells me never to add ice, I didnt add ice this time around, but since I am wondering, if I do add ice, do I still fill it up an inch about the stem? Cause wont the ice melt over time and basically make too much water in the base, I have always wondered this, sorry for being such a noob.

[Click]

Yea I always wonder about how high to put the water when you have ice cause it will melt. But I kinda figured out that you just fill it up to the level you want it to stay with the ice even though it will melt. Because the ice in solid form takes up space and when it melts takes up about the same amount of space so the water level should remain the same.

[dead_lemons]

actually as the ice melts the water level will stay about the same or go down cause water expands when it freezes so it actually takes up more room as ice than as liquid.

-DL

[Click]

actually as the ice melts the water level will stay about the same or go down cause water expands when it freezes so it actually takes up more room as ice than as liquid.

-DL

QFTMFT

[modisess]

I have never had a good experience with AF while using that shallow bowl. The tobacco always has the tendency to burn much faster, for me at least. IMHO, I don't think that the water level will affect your smoke volume, but it will affect the pull from your hookah.

Too much water = Harder pull

If anything, just let your coals get red hot all around and then place it on the bowl, around the edges. Let it sit for a few minutes to let the coal heat the tobacco properly. Try not to move the coals around too much to avoid hot ash dropping into the bowl.

[christopherj]

Thanks for the tips guys, I really want to stick to the AF kind over Tonic... so I will probably switch to a phunnel bowl in the near future.

[modisess]

hooray for phunnel bowl, i love mine. seriously, i can't stop holding this thing in my hand. which is scary.

[Bulldog_916]

Sigged modisess!

And 1. I would switch to a normal egyptian bowl in the interim. They are super cheap and pretty good bowls. 2. DONT WORRY ABOUT THE SHISHA TOUCHING THE FOIL. It's a myth. It wont burn faster than yours is burning now, obviously, so let the shisha touch it. 3. Smaller coals might be a good idea. Cut them into half of what you're using now. 4. Get the juicy shisha at the top, mix it all up and fluff it into the bowl. You should have some juice running down the stem at this point, or else it wouldnt be as harsh as it is.

[ryno]

Sigged modisess!

And 1. I would switch to a normal egyptian bowl in the interim. They are super cheap and pretty good bowls. 2. DONT WORRY ABOUT THE SHISHA TOUCHING THE FOIL. It's a myth. It wont burn faster than yours is burning now, obviously, so let the shisha touch it. 3. Smaller coals might be a good idea. Cut them into half of what you're using now. 4. Get the juicy shisha at the top, mix it all up and fluff it into the bowl. You should have some juice running down the stem at this point, or else it wouldnt be as harsh as it is.

+1. For a cheap egyptian head get a discounted one for .95 from hookah company. I have 3 from them and all smoke fine. AF does tend to burn in shallower bowls also. Try a little less heat also. But a phunnel is your best bet

[Dega]

Invest in a phunnel bowl and a nammor/razan hose. You'll get huge clouds.

[christopherj]

Yes I do plan on getting a Nammor hose at the same time when I get my phunnel bowl. Again thanks for all your help guys, I appreciate it.

[Bulldog_916]

Did it work?

[christopherj]

Havent smoked since the other night. I plan on ordering a phunnel bowl and a nammor hose on monday. Until that gets here, I am going to switch back and finish the rest of my tonic. Again thanks for all the help and tips.

[Bulldog_916]

Ix-nay on the ammor-nay. That will save you some dough. People on here like the KM ultimate hoses. Try that one first.

[Anxiety]

i'd say a razan hose over namor/km, also that bowl has got to go bro >< my bro has one i just never liked it if you want great easy clouds i'd say go /w a small funnel. try it out b/c even with a mya qt a small hookah if u hook it up with a small funnel and good hose you'll get great clouds.

[Milk With Pulp]

I can ask you a few favors.

Take a picture of you packing your bowl or pack the bowl and then show us what it looks like complete, show us the foil + holes.

Pictures do a lot more justice as well when trying to solve a problem.
Hope you will figure this out.

[annual]

i'd say a razan hose over namor/km, also that bowl has got to go bro >< my bro has one i just never liked it if you want great easy clouds i'd say go /w a small funnel. try it out b/c even with a mya qt a small hookah if u hook it up with a small funnel and good hose you'll get great clouds.

razan and nammor are the same thing.

[Anxiety]

i'd say a razan hose over namor/km, also that bowl has got to go bro >< my bro has one i just never liked it if you want great easy clouds i'd say go /w a small funnel. try it out b/c even with a mya qt a small hookah if u hook it up with a small funnel and good hose you'll get great clouds.

razan and nammor are the same thing.

i beg to differ, lol ive had 2 nammors crap out on me (the glue never holds the piece) while the razan holds strong

[christopherj]

ok, I will get some pics up tomorrow sometime of how i am packing and what not. By the way, I was gonna go with a KM hose but I cant seem to find anywhere that has them in stock and that carries phunnel bowls as well. I really dont have to have to order things from two different sites if I can.

[SmokinMoose]

ok, I will get some pics up tomorrow sometime of how i am packing and what not. By the way, I was gonna go with a KM hose but I cant seem to find anywhere that has them in stock and that carries phunnel bowls as well. I really dont have to have to order things from two different sites if I can.

Thehookah.com
or

Hookahcompany.com

[christopherj]

Took your guys' advice and just ordered two KM Ultimate hoses and a Small Phunnel bowl from HookahCompany. I will upload pics of how I poke holes in the foil and pack the bowl tonights. Thanks.