The peanut butter jar test was helpful until I went to measure the sediment after 24 hours. There was not an appreciable increase in the sediment at the bottom of the jar. Instead the top half of the jar was a grayish,cloudy mixture. According to a source at the U.S. Geological Survey, "Water molecules are strongly attracted to clay mineral surfaces. When a little clay is added to water, a slurry forms because the clay distributes itself evenly throughout the water." It seems then that clay does not settle out of a water solution, at least not in 24 hours time. So I measured to the top of this slurry and subtracted the other two measurements to obtain the amount of clay. Is that how this test should be done? Perhaps a little information about the properties of clay should be included in the DIY instructions for this test.
The peanut butter jar test was helpful until I went to measure the sediment after 24 hours. There was not an appreciable increase in the sediment at the bottom of the jar. Instead the top half of the jar was a grayish,cloudy mixture. According to a source at the U.S. Geological Survey, "Water molecules are strongly attracted to clay mineral surfaces. When a little clay is added to water, a slurry forms because the clay distributes itself evenly throughout the water." It seems then that clay does not settle out of a water solution, at least not in 24 hours time. So I measured to the top of this slurry and subtracted the other two measurements to obtain the amount of clay. Is that how this test should be done? Perhaps a little information about the properties of clay should be included in the DIY instructions for this test.