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I wonder if it's a container cleanliness issue. I can imagine dishwasher detergent residue might leave trace chemicals that mess up the formation.

I also wonder if the smoothness of the container has an effect. A rough surface might encourage lots of seed sites.

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Yes, this is an issue, with more than just soap residue.

At the very least, all containers used for growing crystals should pass the water break test. That requires substantially better cleaning than a casual wipe down with an old sponge & some dish soap.

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