sarahgilliard

[img]http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/s720x720/485794_3822645520062_1694222454_n.jpg[/img] [img]http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/389779_3822647480111_1227271443_n.jpg[/img] My 3rd Mya hookah, this time its a girly color. Absolutely love it! Red Mya Diva + Pink Tonic Washable Hose + Red Vortex Bowl =)

Haha ok thanks =) all hookahs are not created equal then lol

Ok thanks everyone =)

Anyone know what type of metal/material the Mya Bambino is made of? I have a Mya QT and my friend has the Bambino. He swears his is lasting longer than mine since he claims it is made out of cast iron. According to hookah-shsina.com, both the Mya QT and the Mya Bambino are made of stainless steel, but in recent events and research I have found the Mya QT is actually nickel-plated brass with a chrome finish on the exterior. Any idea on the metals used in the Mya Bambino??

The below picture is the best shot of how there is a little bit of green in the area where the brass is exposed. Is this something to be concerned about? [img]http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/s720x720/644484_3773750097707_467520164_n.jpg[/img]

It is possible that the hard water issue may be an accelerant. My neighborhood recently underwent construction to put in sewer pipes. For about a month we had very heavily chlorinated/hard water in an attempt to flush out the pipe before sewer connections were made (so the county claimed, but I have other suspicions). I remember I tried to avoid using the water, but maybe I did use it once or twice to clean out my hookah. If in that event, then I may have caused some corrosion there. Brass contians copper elements, which when exposed to hard-water ingredients like sulfites, chlorine, carbonates, etc. will speed up oxidization. Soooo maybe that is part of it. But the coating on the brass interior of my stem has been there for more than just this recent change in water at my house. It has been there for mabye 6+months, but now has a slight green tinge/line in the interior circumfrance of the top of the stem. So it is possible that hard-water issues are acting like an enzyme to speed up the process, but I don't think its the root cause. Still wondering why the coating on the brass came off so fast in the first place...

I hardly ever leave the water in the base for long periods. I think I've done that maybe twice in my life. There probably is some water left in the parts when I put it back in the bag since its my portable hookah. Its kind of impossible to fully dry it out, unless I need to start carrying around a blow-drier with me haha. But I do try to get as much water out as possible before I put it back in the bag. And yes, I am 100% sure it is the regular Mya QT. My first hookah was an Econo Mya, and I will never make that mistake again. Maybe I am just mistaking the chrome plating coming off and showing the brass underneath as rusting. But beyond that, some parts of the "exposed brass" seem green, like when cooper oxidizes. Hookah-shisha.com, the place I ordered it from, claims the Mya QT is make of stainless steel. The parts that are rusting/exposed brass or w/e are the inside of the steam/downstem. None of the outside, exposed stem are showing signs of wear-and-tear other than a few light scratches (which is typical to see since its smooth polished, makes even the slightest scratches noticable). If the underlying metal is exposed, as if the chrome or stainless steel plating is coming off, is that something to be concerned about?

Yeah the my first hookah was the Econo Mya and I wasn't aware of quality and all that stuff. So after research and experience I wasn't surprised when I needed a new one. But the Mya QT is top-rated and made from better materials as you said, so I was surprised as well. I did look at the sites you mentioned, and did find some brass hookahs. However, all of the ones I've seen are all the big 30" and up hookahs, and I need a portable one to take places. I still live at home with anti-hookah parents, and me and my friends like going places with it, its kinda our hang-out thing. So I guess there's no win for me haha. Either I keed buying a new hookah each year or I move out and get a big, durable high-quality hookah. But paying for school and not paying rent > moving out and buying a good hookah lol. Thanks for the response though. I've heard of people using baking soda as well to clean their hookahs. Never tried it since to me the baking soda particles can act as an abrasive agent and may hurt the finish on the hookah after awhile. Any thoughts on that? thanks

Hi everyone. I have a general question/topic about what the best way is to prevent hookah corrosion. I have had both a Mya Econo Gelato and a Mya QT, both of which will last me about a year and then start to corrode. The stem starts to look rusty and makes me concerned, since I don't want to be inhaling rust. I take my hookah with me everwhere and portability is key for me. I usually rinse all my hookah parts with water after every use, and about once a week I clean it with warm water and a little lemon juice. I use my hookah daily and have no complaints on quality other than the corrosion issue. So far I have seem hookahs made of aluminum and stainless steel, but can't find higher quaility metals like cast iron or brass. Any thoughts or inquries about corrosion or tips would be appreciated. Happy smoking!