I need help before I give up on lava all together!!!

[Jennifer]

I've been making my own lava. I have about 5 projects going 2 of which are regular lava world lavas transplanted. All of them have goo sticking to the sides. It just slides up the side as I add salt water. When I take the globes off the bases and twist them around the goo comes of the side and settles at the bottom, then next thing I know it's inching up the side again. I'm ready to pull my hair out. There is no rhyme or reason as to why my goo is doing this. Please, does anyone have any idea what I can do to fix this? I have tried everything I can think of. I'm so discouraged tonight I really might just give up.

[Jennifer]

Thanks, I'll clean the inside this morning so we'll see if it helps. I just wish I knew what ingredient was missing that could be causing this. I've thought about lava louie but up until recently, the fun for me is the experimenting, not the actual lamp. I'm thinking you might need to be a rocket scientist to figure all this out! Thanks again for your advice!

[Jim Beam]

No matter how much you try it'll never look as good as an original Lava Lite. I made several with okay results, but nothing that flows so fluidly like original lava. Big problem for me was that my lava was translucent, whereas it should be opaque.
I do remember experimenting with carnauba wax a while back which made my lava flow up the sides of the bottle, but gave the lava an opaqueness.
Stay away from the China lava world craps, I mean lamps. Hopefully lavaworld will figure out that the new chinese made lamps are junk and will start making them like they used to.

[Jonny Magma]

Surfactant! If you don't put in surfactant the wax will stick to the side.

Jonny

[Jennifer]

Yeah, I do. That's what I was thinking would help, but it doesn't seem to affect the sides of the glass. I've added too much surfectant just to see if it would fix it and all it does is make the wax flakey and water cloudy. Oh well, thanks for your advice though!!

[Jennifer]

If I shouldn't use mineral oil or petroleum jelly what do I use-just parrafin wax and perk? I replaced coils in these lamps. I've noticed that they are much thicker then the lw coils. I often wonder if this could be causing issues. They are the same size just thicker and stiffer.

[Jennifer]

LOL!! IT IS TRUE THOUGH! ONE MORE QUESTION, I HAD CONTIMPLATED WHETHER I COULD GET AWAY WITH JUST PARRAFIN AND PERK BEFORE. DO YOU NOT THINK SO? ARE PETROLEUM OR MINERAL OIL A MUST?

[Jennifer]

THANKS FOR THE ADVICE! I WONDERED IF IT COULD BE THE DYES. I LIKE REALLY DARK GOO SO I HAVE TO ADD LOTS OF DYE. COULD BE MY ISSUE. IF ONLY LAVA LOUIE WOULD SHARE HIS SECRETS WITH THE REST OF US!

[Jennifer]

Yeah, I'm at work and I have to have the caps on to work in our accounting system and I get too lazy to turn them off. I'm not that riled up!

[Jennifer]

I've heard candle wax can cloud the water, but i have wanted to try it. So, do you prefer to not use pet. jelly or mineral oil? It's been very interesting to talk to you! Thanks for all your advice!