Starsan dilution rate.

[HebridesRob]

I just made up a 5ltr batch of Starsan now using my tap water. Here is a picture of the litmus paper I used to test it

I would say that's a ph level of about 3 or 3.5

Is it? I did A-level Chemistry and I couldn't then, and still can't now, read a litmus paper. Looks between 1 & 3 to me. Hopeless.

 

[Fore]

Am I the only person who uses a 1ml syringe to accurately measure only what I need for the job? Today made up 200ml solution with 0.3ml to sanitise a fermenter. Other small jobs from the spray bottle.

Maybe mine will be the longest lasting bottle ever.

 

[cheapbrew]

Is it? I did A-level Chemistry and I couldn't then, and still can't now, read a litmus paper. Looks between 1 & 3 to me. Hopeless.

Somewhere between 1 and 3?

I'd take a guess at two then :mrgreen:

 

[Bigcol49]

I did A-level Chemistry and I couldn't then, and still can't now, read a litmus paper.

Why doesn't someone invent litmus paper for the colour blind? :grin:

 

[HebridesRob]

Why doesn't someone invent litmus paper for the colour blind? :grin:

I think they did. It's called a pH meter.

:mrgreen:

 

[BeerCat]

Is it? I did A-level Chemistry and I couldn't then, and still can't now, read a litmus paper. Looks between 1 & 3 to me. Hopeless.

I would say 1 or 2. I have never had a problem with starsan changing PH over time and mine is really cloudy. Only problem i have is inevitably i need to change it as seems to pick up dust, dirt and other debris over time. I used to use RO water for mine but not done recently, must try it again see if it makes any difference

 

[Johnf]

Oooppppssss. Glad I stumbled over this thread!!! Ive been doing 1/2 oz per 5 litre for each brew day then dumping it.. Sometimes using 2 loads.... Thatll be stopping now.

 

[Sambill]

Water with a ph below 3 I believe. As it happens I use battery top up water from Halfords. I also use a syringe to suck 7.5ml out of the bottle, I have never bothered with the gradients on the bottle itself.

Deionised water used for topping up car battery's is not necessarily sterile, distilled water is.

 

[HarryFlatters]

Another post that might be anathema to those on here; I've never properly measured how much StarSan or how much water I mix it with. As long as it goes frothy, I guess I've used enough.

No infections thus far (probably jinxed myself).

 

[Aaron Rennie]

Funny that this has just popped up. I’ve been dozing with 1 oz per 5 litres not 5 gallons. Oops. Actually read the instructions (properly) last night while waiting for my priming water to boil. I’ve been over dosing for a year now. In the plus side I’ve always had plenty of bubbles/foam

I keep mine for a while, and just use common sense about how much to use it. Always airing in the side of caution.

 

[user 18729]

Am I the only person who uses a 1ml syringe to accurately measure only what I need for the job? Today made up 200ml solution with 0.3ml to sanitise a fermenter. Other small jobs from the spray bottle.

Maybe mine will be the longest lasting bottle ever.

I do the same with a 10ml syringe with 0.1ml increments :thumba:

 

[the_quick]

Today I have mixed first time with RO water (use it for my aquarium), mixed 2ml per 1L. First thing I noticed, my tap water would go cloudy/milky, with RO it is very clear and much more foamy. From now on RO water with star san for me.

Didn't have any infection so far, but still will change

 

[Guybrush Threepwood]

I do the same with a 10ml syringe with 0.1ml increments :thumba:

+1 for this. I use on of those syringes you get free with Calpol for the kids. Two 5ml squirts in 5 litres of cold water. Lasts from Brew day to Bottling day. Sometimes beyond if I've got two brews in quick succession. Slightly off topic, but is there still a Starsan drought in the UK? Remember reading something about that a while ago?

 

[Clint]

I used one of those double ended kids medicine spoons..7.5ml in total..to 5l of water..easy.

 

[LeeH]

Am I the only person who uses a 1ml syringe to accurately measure only what I need for the job? Today made up 200ml solution with 0.3ml to sanitise a fermenter. Other small jobs from the spray bottle.

Maybe mine will be the longest lasting bottle ever.

I make 5L at a time in a re purposed deionised water container. It’s easy just to use the built in measurement cup.

Good luck finding it in the UK though at the moment.

 

[Fore]

I do the same with a 10ml syringe with 0.1ml increments :thumba:

Ha, just randomly dropped by and caught this reply to a comment of mine from years gone by. Well I can report back, my bottle of starsan is indeed still going strong. It came with 16oz, and there is 12oz still remaining. Still brewing regularly; 2 brews in the last 3 weeks. Still use a syringe into 200 or 300 ml of brita filtered water for immediate throw away, fermenters, kegs, etc. And distilled water in a spray bottle for longer term use, spoons, jars, scissors, thermometers and the like. At about 1 oz per year, I've still got 12 years left in this bottle of starsan.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I've been using Chemsan for my past two /only two sessions, but my ordered test strips have just arrived. I mixed had mixed the Chemsan in a measured 10ml to 1 gallon tap water, in small plastic FV with a lid, filling a spray bottle from the FV. Keeping the FV lidded, except when in use. They liquid has remained perfectly clear throughout.

Reusing clean wine bottles, but of unknown origin, I washed them thoroughly in Wilco Oxy Plus and hot water, rinsed thoroughly then steralised. New caps and new Cooper pet bottles I just steralised / sanitised, by simply dipping them in my FV, letting some solution get inside, then swilling it round inside, before standing upside down to drain. All equipment was either sprayed or dunked in the solution and quickly drained before use.

My test strips arrived this morning, so I checked my still perfectly solution. It appears to show below 3, so I will keep the solution a while for the next batch.

 

[Gerryjo]

Hi!
My bottle has Imperial on one side of the cap and Metric on the other.
StarSan can be re-used; I keep it in a 2 litre pop bottle and use it again and again. Watch out for cloudiness - it's no longer effective. If you want to be super cautious, buy a cheap pH meter.
Colin

I use it cloudy and have no issues with it at all. I also use Greyland food sanitiser and they also have a load of other products at a fraction of the cost.

 

[bootneck]

pop to chemist and get a 10 ml syringe, cheap as chips and very handy