Cloudy Chemsan

[stevey]

I've just made up a couple of litres of chemsan solution. I have some litmus sticks so I tested my tap water, The colours matched at 7ph. I added 0.5ml of AMS per litre, which took it down to around 2ph.
Then I added the chemsan at the instructed amount: 0.5ml per litre (5ml per 10litres). I have 2litres of solution at about 1ph.
Our tap water in the south east is very chalky, without AMS the solution is very cloudy. (I didn't test the ph without AMS, I will post the result when I do).

EDIT: without AMS the solution was about 5.5ph, so completely useless, also it took 3 times as much AMS (1.5ml per litre) to bring the solution down below 3ph when added after the chemsan. I'm not sure if this solution would be at all effective though, I suspect not.

 

[chuffer]

I've just made up a couple of litres of chemsan solution. I have some litmus sticks so I tested my tap water, The colours matched at 7ph. I added 0.5ml of AMS per litre, which took it down to around 2ph. Then I added the chemsan at the instructed amount: 0.5ml per litre (5ml per 10litres). I have 2litres of solution at about 1ph.
Our tap water in the south east is very chalky, without AMS the solution is very cloudy. (I didn't test the ph without AMS, I will post the result when I do).

sorry just read your last bit - that was going to be my question!

 

[stevey]

sorry just read your last bit - that was going to be my question!

See edit for further info.

 

[Chris_S]

Chemsan goes cloudy with Ashbeck

I’ve tried using Aldi bottled still water but still ended up cloudy

 

[Chris_S]

Would AMS/CRS work maybe?

What is AMS or CRS ?

 

[MmmBeer]

What is AMS or CRS ?

CRS is carbonate reducing solution (or something similar) and AMS is a different brand of the same. Both are a mix of food grade Phosphoric and Sulphuric acids, used to reduce the pH of your mash and sparge liquor, to promote efficient extract of sugars from your grain.

 

[lancon]

I’ve tried using Aldi bottled still water but still ended up cloudy

I can't find the details re Aldi water but Ashbeck always had the lowest Calcium content of all of the bottled waters which is why it was generally accepted as the best to use for Starsan which didn't go cloudy with Ashbeck but would go cloudy with other bottled water and certainly my tap which is very hard.

 

[Chris_S]

I can't find the details re Aldi water but Ashbeck always had the lowest Calcium content of all of the bottled waters which is why it was generally accepted as the best to use for Starsan which didn't go cloudy with Ashbeck but would go cloudy with other bottled water and certainly my tap which is very hard.

I’ve watched various brewers on you tube and they say cloudy or not, as long as the pH is correct no worries. So ordered some litmus strips to check. I make up 10L in a water carrier and recycle it, checking it every use

 

[lancon]

As I said in earlier post, I checked my made up solution after two weeks and pH had risen, the difference between fresh and two week old was marked. I am not going to use two week old solution.

 

[dad_of_jon]

Hello,

I have previously used VWP to sanitize my brewing equipment, but its a bit of a pain, so I purchased some no-rinse Chemsan,.

I made a quick batch of ginger beer last night, and used the Chemsan for the first time. I made up a 5 litre batch, which uses 10ml of Chemsan.

It went instantly cloudy, when I cam to use it an hour later, you couldn't see through the glass vessel which it was in. On the bottle it states that if the solution goes cloudy, there may be an issues with the PH of the water. Normally, I would just nip out to the shop and get some bottled water, however we are having to self isolate ATM, so I cannot go out.

So...will cloudy chemsan still do its job? Should I switch back to VWP for the time being?

Would be grateful for any advice.

Cheers

I use GB4 from adsa which has a ph under 7 this is enought to get to a ph of 3. tesco ashbeck would be another good choice.

 

[nickjdavis]

Co-Op Natural mineral water is also relatively soft

Calcium 18ppm
Magnesium 4.5ppm
Sodium 12ppm
Chloride 26ppm
Sulphate 17.5ppm
pH at source 6.7
Bicarbonate 39ppm

 

[nickjdavis]

I've just made up a couple of litres of chemsan solution. I have some litmus sticks so I tested my tap water, The colours matched at 7ph. I added 0.5ml of AMS per litre, which took it down to around 2ph.
Then I added the chemsan at the instructed amount: 0.5ml per litre (5ml per 10litres). I have 2litres of solution at about 1ph.
Our tap water in the south east is very chalky, without AMS the solution is very cloudy. (I didn't test the ph without AMS, I will post the result when I do).

EDIT: without AMS the solution was about 5.5ph, so completely useless, also it took 3 times as much AMS (1.5ml per litre) to bring the solution down below 3ph when added after the chemsan. I'm not sure if this solution would be at all effective though, I suspect not.

Youve got the dosage rate for Chemsan wrong. It is 10mL Chemsan to 5L water....i.e 2mL per Litre....your solution is 4 times too weak!!!