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Color And Rust Of The Hookah


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Hey,
so basically i bought the gunmetal stargate hookah with 2 hoses a year ago and for a while im seeing rust building actually to my surprise pretty fast!
also within the stems and bases i have orange rust and some greenish-with white dots- layered something (maybe rust?). and the water in the base colors into a dark orangey color within minutes of starting.
#1 how unhealthy is it to smoke it in this condition?
#2 what can i do against it if anything?
#3 i am a bit worried abotu the water coloring this fast!

Appreciate helpful comments!

Thanks
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oh, and the greenish with white dots stuff might be mold, which is god awful for you if you are inhaling it. mold can cause all sorts of problems you dont want to deal with
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[quote name='IainUM' date='14 August 2010 - 02:09 AM' timestamp='1281769778' post='478850']
oh, and the greenish with white dots stuff might be mold, which is god awful for you if you are inhaling it. mold can cause all sorts of problems you dont want to deal with
[/quote]

pretty sure its just the metal oxidizing. i get the same thing sometimes too if i leave my hookah sit after use for a bit.
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If it's aluminum, the white is probably oxidation. But regardless, try a super deep cleaning using a stem brush and dish soap with a little salt thrown in for abrasion in the stem, and if that doesn't get it sparkly clean, get a new one. And wash the new one often.
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[quote name='rhineholt' date='14 August 2010 - 09:03 AM' timestamp='1281801822' post='478879']
[quote name='IainUM' date='14 August 2010 - 02:09 AM' timestamp='1281769778' post='478850']
oh, and the greenish with white dots stuff might be mold, which is god awful for you if you are inhaling it. mold can cause all sorts of problems you dont want to deal with
[/quote]

pretty sure its just the metal oxidizing. i get the same thing sometimes too if i leave my hookah sit after use for a bit.
[/quote]

so basically the green with white dots is rust as well.

It seems that it isnt really an answer to how bad it is to smoking with that sort of issue even though it jsut seems that ill need ot get a new one.
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Well, the green and white is probably rust if youre [b]sure that part of the stem is aluminum,[/b] but if it's not, then its mold. I wouldn't risk it. I wouldn't smoke it until you really really clean it and see if the discoloration comes off. The last thing you want is to get some sort of mold induced pneumonia or worse cause you were sucking on a moldy hookah. Clean it, assess, then decide if its fit to smoke. It probably tastes like butt in this condition anyway.
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[quote name='Mikefu' date='14 August 2010 - 07:48 PM' timestamp='1281840510' post='478932']
Well, the green and white is probably rust if youre [b]sure that part of the stem is aluminum,[/b] but if it's not, then its mold. I wouldn't risk it. I wouldn't smoke it until you really really clean it and see if the discoloration comes off. The last thing you want is to get some sort of mold induced pneumonia or worse cause you were sucking on a moldy hookah. Clean it, assess, then decide if its fit to smoke. It probably tastes like butt in this condition anyway.
[/quote]

this is what the website has on the description of it

Base: Screw on Acrylic & Metal Base
Stem: Solid Brass Plated
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If its brass, then green and white is how it tarnishes, the brass version of rust. There must be something rusting also, as the tarnish wouldn't turn your water orange. Just clean it up good, get it polished and shiny, and inspect it for where the rust is coming from. Then try it out, and if your water turns orange again, give up on it. If you do smoke it, it probably won't kill you though, just taste yucky :o
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Maybe the juices are leaking from the bowl to the water, which discolors the water. it would also seem like it when you wash the stem because sometimes the juices are hard to get out.
but, you said it happens no matter how many times you rinse it... sooo, prolly rust.
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best way of doing intense cleaning?
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As I said earlier, a stem brush, soap and even some table salt on internal pieces. The salt helps abrade the rust off. Just don't use it on the outside cause it can scratch your finish. Hookah-shisha I know sell a hookah cleaning solution also. Take it all apart and clean each piece individually.
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[quote name='Mikefu' date='15 August 2010 - 10:04 AM' timestamp='1281884647' post='478977']
As I said earlier, a stem brush, soap and even some table salt on internal pieces. The salt helps abrade the rust off. Just don't use it on the outside cause it can scratch your finish. Hookah-shisha I know sell a hookah cleaning solution also. Take it all apart and clean each piece individually.
[/quote]

I would highly suggest not using soap. The soap residue sticks in the hookah and leaves a taste. You have to wash it a whoooole bunch of times before the taste actually goes away...
Instead, you can use lemon juice, vodka, or limes. I've been using lemon and limes and I have perfectly clean hookahs. In fact, they need cleaning...
Use a stem brush too.
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just cleaned for an hour with stem brush baking soda and lemon juice and it actually got way cleaner and didnt color the water the second i hit it up..it still has rust which ill post some pics for evaluation..also i must say it does have a bit of an "off" taste now that im smokin it a bit...-_-..dont really know what to think of that..
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For REALLY clean get a metal gun cleaning brush. The long handles on those will work on most long stems.

The greenish goo isn't unusual with any hookah, something to do with a reaction to the molasses etc and the metal of the hookah.

Stargates are notorious for rusting/corroding.
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[quote name='mushrat' date='15 August 2010 - 10:18 AM' timestamp='1281892685' post='478990']
For REALLY clean get a metal gun cleaning brush. The long handles on those will work on most long stems.

The greenish goo isn't unusual with any hookah, something to do with a reaction to the molasses etc and the metal of the hookah.

Stargates are notorious for rusting/corroding.
[/quote]


so what is ur opinion on smoking with the rust on..also the stem part thats in the water is showing signs of rust..how long is "good" until its time to bury it!? or will a new stem just do it!? not sure what the best move is..
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[quote name='benjie613' date='15 August 2010 - 12:23 PM' timestamp='1281893010' post='478993']
[quote name='mushrat' date='15 August 2010 - 10:18 AM' timestamp='1281892685' post='478990']
For REALLY clean get a metal gun cleaning brush. The long handles on those will work on most long stems.

The greenish goo isn't unusual with any hookah, something to do with a reaction to the molasses etc and the metal of the hookah.

Stargates are notorious for rusting/corroding.
[/quote]


so what is ur opinion on smoking with the rust on..also the stem part thats in the water is showing signs of rust..how long is "good" until its time to bury it!? or will a new stem just do it!? not sure what the best move is..
[/quote]

honestly, just get a new one... but not another stargate. why get something you know will just rust again in a year?
if you don't want to break the bank, just settle for a mya.
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I am no Dr. But I am pretty sure the rust will not hurt you. Its just iron oxide. Anything that flakes off will be trapped by the water. As long as its still air tight you should be fine. It could alter the taste of your smoke so that parts up to you. Also a little sand paper might do the trick.
Ray
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[attachment=5064:Picture 33.png]

ok so the rust that i have that is orange im aware of but i dont know if that greenish/whitish stuff inside is rust too..it does scare me a bit..so if anyone knows anything about it or can recognize it and help me that would be great! Sorry for bad quality of pic but the allowed upload size is just so small here that i had to recap it several times!
Thanks!
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