How to Grow Sea Salt

Growing salt crystals

According to Saltworks.us, "sea salt" is a broad term for unrefined salt that comes from an ocean or a sea. It is thought to be healthier than regular table salt because it has traces of such minerals as iron, calcium and potassium. You can grow sea salt at home just as you can grow table salt. Salt grows in crystal form, and you can purchase a kit to grow sea salt. However, it is cheap and easy to grow sea salt using items that are commonly found in your home.

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Pan
• Cooking thermometer
• Sea salt
• Spoon
• Paper or plastic cup
• String
• Pencil
• Small weight

Instructions

1. Place a pan on a stove and add water to the pan. The amount of water does not matter, but less water will require less salt be added and more water will require more salt to grow salt. Heat water on the stove, periodically checking the temperature with your thermometer until it reaches 140 degrees.

2. Add sea salt to the water and stir. Continue to add salt until salt will not dissolve in the water. Add just a little more water to the pan and stir until all the sea salt in the pan has dissolved. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

3. Pour the room temperature mixture into a paper or plastic cup until the cup is half full. Tie a piece of string around the center of a pencil and attach a small weight to the end of the string. The weight will keep the string in the mixture. Make sure the string with the weight attached does not touch the bottom of the cup. Lay the pencil across the cup so that the weighted string hangs in the mixture. The string will give the sea salt crystals something to which they can attach. If you do not place anything in the mixture the sea salt crystals will grow on the cup.

4. Place the cup where it will not be disturbed, preferably in a sunny location. Crystals will begin to form on the string within a few hours. Sea salt crystals will continue to grow until the water in the cup dissolves. The time will differ depending on the amount of mixture in the cup.

Tips & Warnings

• Add food coloring when dissolving sea salt in the water to grow colored salt crystals.

References

• The Unnatural Museum: Growing Crystals
• Science Kids at Home: Salt Crystals
• Jose Pino's Projects and Tidbits: Growing Salt Crystals