Air Lock Question

Recommend you stay with a 10% metabisulfite solution, or similar. This prevents any possible contaminations from settling in - which is possible if it is just water.

I've used both with no ill effects what so ever from using just water.

I have however noticed that if I don't change the metasulfite solution in the airlock in a timely manner it develops a -- how to describe it -- haze or something. I'm not sure what it is. I don't know if it's harmful. I do know that I don't like it and it makes me nervous. Can anyone tell me what they think it is?

Brad

I have found dead fruit flies in airlocks. I would recomend using the SO2.

Ray

I use an ~1% solution; it seems to work well for me.

Joe

Ric wrote:

Makes sense - the issue is just 'innoculation' against the occassional marauding bacteria! I sue the 10% because that's what I keep in the winery; a fresh supply of 10% stock solution - works for my SO2 additions to the wine, sanitizing, and air locks. Speaking of which - time to go out to the winery tonight and check things out!

I've always used Vodka. Seems to work just fine. I've also heard Glycerin is good to use...less evaporation. However, Vodka doesn't evaporate fast at all in the basement winery...temp 55 to 70 depending on the time of year.

Bill Frazier Olathe, Kansas USA

Evaporation wouldn;t be my problem - drinking it would be!

Do you use sodium or potassium meta?

It could be potassium bicatbonate forming from dissolved CO2.

One benefit SO2 has that has not been mentioned is that it protect from oxygen transfer across the airlock. That is oxygen dissolved into the airlock water then is released on the wine side.

It is slow, but it can happen...the effect of which is probabally negligable anyway as long as you keep your carboys topped up.

Brad wrote:

I've used both and to be completely honest, I couldn't tell you with certainty which solution would cause the effect. (Could be both...) I realize the added benefits but am just pointing out my observations.

I didn't know about the oxygen transfer through water. I would imagine that it would be very slow.

Thanks, Brad

We use 50 L carboys of different solutions at work.

they are fairly well sealed but we have to degas (deaerate actually) them every day. You do not notice much if you missed a day....but after a week I have seen that the solutions had completely "regassed"

Brad wrote: