Any Ideas what would work?

Over the last three or four winter I can get about 6' length ice cycles off my roof.
What I do then is take them and place them in peculiar locations throughout the yard.
So to keep the yard as to look [i]unmanned[/i,] I try to retrace and cover up my foot prints.
I recently have tried to add color to my idea.
But my idea has turned opaque.

I have tried food coloring, water color and fruit juice.
They all turn the brilliant glistening, what is now a stalagmite I guess, into an opaque/unclear piece of ice.

Any ideas?

So I am wierd

You mean you color the ice-thingies that hang from roofs and shit? that's a cool idea! :)

At least that's why I though I read. Anyhow, I only know that putting Hot water in the fridge will make it more clear (see-trough) then putting normal water in your fridge.

Try tossing some pans of heated lemonade of your roof? :D

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Originally posted by Neruo
You mean you color the ice-thingies that hang from roofs and shit? that's a cool idea! :)
At least that's why I though I read. Anyhow, I only know that putting Hot water in the fridge will make it more clear (see-trough) then putting normal water in your fridge.

Try tossing some pans of heated lemonade of your roof? :D

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icethingies ya.. ice cycles
Thanks
I never had thought of trying to predetermine the color BEFORE they even are created. :thumbup:
Maybe I will go pee on my roof!!! :eek:

I think that warm water actually freezes faster than cold. Less molecules or less dense?!?

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I think that warm water actually freezes faster than cold. Less molecules or less dense?!?


Nope, the water has to get reach the freezing point, and if it's warmer it has a longer way to go. I've heard the same myth about cold water boiling faster.

[quote]

icethingies ya.. ice cycles
Thanks
I never had thought of trying to predetermine the color BEFORE they even are created. :thumbup:
Maybe I will go pee on my roof!!! :eek:

I think that warm water actually freezes faster than cold. Less molecules or less dense?!?

That is so silly... as mongrectumas said, cold water reaches the freezing point faster and therefore freezes faster. If you feel like it, then do a test. Boil some water, put it in a cup. Put some cold water in a cup. Put them both in the fridge. Check on them every 20 minutes. That whole "warm water freezes clearer than cold water" might be true... but freezing faster certainly isn't. Think about it this way. If a cup of water at 100 degrees get's colder by 2 degrees every 10 minutes, and a cup of water at 50 degrees get's colder at 1 degree every 10 minutes, than the warm water would still have to lower to 32 degrees and that would take 7 hours and 12 minutes (of course my numbers are only there for demonstration) and the other cup of water would take 3 hours. The warm water would eventually have to freeze slower when it reaches the threshold point when cold water starts to freeze slower.

:roll: Why did I even post this?

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Originally posted by ataraxis+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ataraxis)</div>

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:roll: Why did I even post this?[/b]

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So I can prove you wrong!

<!--QuoteBegin-mongreloctopus
Nope, the water has to get reach the freezing point, and if it's warmer it has a longer way to go. I've heard the same myth about cold water boiling faster.

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And you .


Can hot water freeze faster than cold water?
Yes -- a general explanation

Why thank you for that enlightenment... I read most of it.

Though I think it is pointing out that it "can" freeze faster, but under certain conditions. I think that that is showing that warm water freezes faster when it is not way warmer than the cold water but just a little.

ooookay then.... back to the main topic:

I like the ice idea (never seen a 6' stalagtight!! Largest I've seen was probably little over 4'). I think you're going about it the right way using food color and watercolor - have you tried playing around with the concentration of the dyes? I'd like to know more about how you're applying the color - you brushing it, pouring it on or what? It's hard to imagine a piece of ice becoming so opaque from the application of watercolors alone.

[color=green]I would try the following:[list]Get a small bucket or container of water
Add your dyes or inks (I recommend DrMartin's Inks) - add only a drop or two if using inks because they're highly concentrated.
Get a spray bottle (if too cheap to buy one, use an old Windex one or something)
Fill bottle with your "color mix"
Spray onto icicle.[list]
If it's cold enough outside the mix should hit the ice and freeze quickly - if color is too trasparent, spray more. If too opaque you can try spraying clean water onto it, waiting till it freezes, then adding color again.

Good luck - post pics! :D

Thaks for the help guys! :D
I will, as Joe suggested, post pics if it is worth it.

Howie

Nothing seems to be working. :wtf2:
With these low temperatures, it is a perfect f environment for the ice cycles to form.
Due to an area off the house that is poorly insulated, the heat escapes and melts the snow.

<My wife thinks I should fix the insulation... :rolleyes: Where are her priorities??? :wink: