# Stalagmites in ice cube tray?!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stalagmites-in-ice-cube-tray/302816>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 7, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stalagmites-in-ice-cube-tray/302816 "2005-05-07T14:37:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stalagmites-in-ice-cube-tray/302816/1 "2005-05-07T14:37:06Z")

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This is really weird.

We made ice cubes with distilled (Aqua Systems) water in an standard ice cube tray (makes slightly trapezoidal, long cubes).

When we take out the tray, sharp, thin and impressively tall (about the height of the cube or more) projections of ice (like stalagmites) are jutting from several of the cubes.

What could cause this?!

Thanks for your answers.

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**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stalagmites-in-ice-cube-tray/302816/2 "2005-05-07T15:09:45Z")

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Lotso theories here: [Spikecicles (reprise)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=111107&highlight=stalagmites)

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**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stalagmites-in-ice-cube-tray/302816/3 "2005-05-07T15:13:15Z")

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There really is nothing that we haven’t covered before is there?

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**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stalagmites-in-ice-cube-tray/302816/4 "2005-05-07T15:22:41Z")

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I shoulda known this had been done before.

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stalagmites-in-ice-cube-tray/302816/5 "2005-05-07T15:23:54Z")

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[Real Spikecicle science](http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/icespikes/icespikes.htm), with graphs and error-bars and stuff. Cubes made with distilled water, in a fan equipped, -7.5 °C freezer, are most likely to produce ice spikes.