Mold on Cigar Oasis

[Bill1200]

Have a Cigar Oasis in medium size cabinet humidor, has been working fine for several months. Just noticed white mold on the foam material when I remove the top to fill it.
Questions:
1) Is this a real problem, haven't noticed any change in taste of cigars, no bad smells,etc
2) Can it be fixed, or do I have to buy a new bottom part to the Oasis
3) small (very small) amount of bleach in the water tray?
thanks

[badwhale]

Have a Cigar Oasis in medium size cabinet humidor, has been working fine for several months. Just noticed white mold on the foam material when I remove the top to fill it.
Questions:
1) Is this a real problem, haven't noticed any change in taste of cigars, no bad smells,etc
2) Can it be fixed, or do I have to buy a new bottom part to the Oasis
3) small (very small) amount of bleach in the water tray?
thanks

I ran mine like you describe for quite a while without problems. That said, I took mine apart (carefully), removed the green foam, and replaced with humidity beads.

You'll have to cut / pry carefully to get the top separated and get in there. I meant to take some pictures a long time ago, and never did.

Will

ETA: I do have pictures:

[TheGreekTitan]

Good idea with the beads. Also, my guess is you didn't use distilled water.

[badwhale]

Good idea with the beads. Also, my guess is you didn't use distilled water.

No, I never didn't use distilled. Another thought is maybe I (and this dude) had a kind of mineral deposit or something in the green foam?

[TheGreekTitan]

No, I never didn't use distilled. Another thought is maybe I (and this dude) had a kind of mineral deposit or something in the green foam?

Actually, I didn't realize you had the same problem. I thought you modified your oasis for the sake of betterment. In a stable environment the mineral deposit makes more sense than mold imo.

[badwhale]

Actually, I didn't realize you had the same problem. I thought you modified your oasis for the sake of betterment. In a stable environment the mineral deposit makes more sense than mold imo.

No, no. Maybe we're confused here.

I had the green foam shit in mine for a while. During that time, I noticed the white whateveritwas on the green foam shit, and decided to mod it out with beads. Haven't had any issue like that since.

[TheGreekTitan]

Sounds like we're on the same page. Good mod.

[Bill1200]

Thanks for the reply. I only use distilled water.

Where can I get the beads you mentioned?

Once you cut the top, how did you re-attach it so that the fan portion stayed on?

[badwhale]

Thanks for the reply. I only use distilled water.

Where can I get the beads you mentioned?

Once you cut the top, how did you re-attach it so that the fan portion stayed on?

Heartfelt beads.

It's not pretty, but my fan unit is snapped back onto the lid. The lid just fits where the plastic broke apart. When it's together, you'd never know. To re-charge my beads, I just pull the top off, and spritz them.

[Bill1200]

Thanks Badwhale.....I see from their web page that the beads come in tubes of various sizes. What size did you choose to fill the Oasis? Also, did you leave them in the tube or pour them into the Oasis container?

[badwhale]

Thanks Badwhale.....I see from their web page that the beads come in tubes of various sizes. What size did you choose to fill the Oasis? Also, did you leave them in the tube or pour them into the Oasis container?

I haven't looked at what they have in a while, but I recall you can get pound bags of loose beads. They sell a nylon sack to put them in, which you can see in one of the above pictures, BUT I eventually just took that bag out and they're just directly in the reservoir now.

I have 2 pounds or so of beads in my cabinet. Probably too much, but more is better.

Will

ETA: Not all 2 pounds are in the Oasis. I have 4 of those nylon sacks filled, and put in different levels of the cabinet. I would guess 1/2 pound would fill the reservoir. I'm not sure.

[Bill1200]

What about just removing the foam and filling the reservoir with distilled water??????

[badwhale]

What about just removing the foam and filling the reservoir with distilled water??????

Too much humidity. I sense you don't want to spend the money on beads?

How about just running it the way it is, since in your OP you said you don't notice any problems?

[Bill1200]

No, don't mind buying the beads. Was just wondering if water alone would work. I could run it the way it is, just not sure that it won't cause problems down the road, especially for some of the cigars that stay in the humidor for months. I will probably go with the beads.

[CptnBlues63]

I ran mine like you describe for quite a while without problems. That said, I took mine apart (carefully), removed the green foam, and replaced with humidity beads.

You'll have to cut / pry carefully to get the top separated and get in there. I meant to take some pictures a long time ago, and never did.

Will

ETA: I do have pictures:

Terrific idea Will, I hope you don't mind me copying you!

I bought the Hydra-SM instead of the Oasis but they look identical (the resevoir anyhow) so it should work like a charm with my setup too.

[Bill1200]

Just got this email reply from CigarOasis

I apologize for the difficulties you’re having with your Cigar Oasis unit. The white powder on the foam brick is not mold but rather the distilled water reacting to the antifungal agent that the foam brick was treated with.



Thank You,

Cigar Oasis, Inc.

[CptnBlues63]

Just got this email reply from CigarOasis

I apologize for the difficulties you’re having with your Cigar Oasis unit. The white powder on the foam brick is not mold but rather the distilled water reacting to the antifungal agent that the foam brick was treated with.



Thank You,

Cigar Oasis, Inc.

That's good to know............as long as it's not a "bad" reaction.........LOL