Campden tablets - Just a few questions

[Stavrose]

I'm getting confused reading about using tablets as sanitizer. Some people say 14 crushed tabs, other says 18.

I crushed 15 tabs and dissolved them into a warm water.
The label says 550mg of active potassium meta.

I'm still not sure how many tabs should be used and for how many months I can store them and use them later. I checked the PPM of the solution and it was 169 with my digital thermometer.

P.S: I always ferment red wine from juice that I buy it from supermarket.

My questions are:

1-How many to crush into 1 gallon of water to make a sanitizing solution

2- How many days/months I can store them? Or what number will show on my digital thermometer to indicate that solution is no longer effective?

Thank you.

 

[DoctorCAD]

I use 5 in a 1/2 gallon bottle and I only fill it up 3/4 of the way.

It lasts around 6 months, if the smell doesn't hurt your nose, its no good.

I have NO idea how a thermometer can tell anything but temperature...

 

[bernardsmith]

I would buy a packet of k-meta rather than use the tablets to sanitize. The tablets are better used when adding SO2 to the wine to inhibit oxidation or when adding SO2 to the fruit to kill wild yeast. The tablets are at least half active ingredient (k-meta) and half inactive - filler, so you are kinda wasting your energy crushing filler when all you need to do is dissolve 3 T of K-meta in a gallon of water to make a very effective sanitizer that will last at least a year if sealed in a glass carboy

 

[Stavrose]

I use 5 in a 1/2 gallon bottle and I only fill it up 3/4 of the way.

It lasts around 6 months, if the smell doesn't hurt your nose, its no good.

I have NO idea how a thermometer can tell anything but temperature...

I'm sorry. What I meant exactly is the:

HM Digital TDS-4 Pocket Size TDS Tester Meter with 0-9990 ppm Measurement Range , 1 ppm Resolution, +/- 2% Readout Accuracy

Thanks for the tips.

 

[Stavrose]

I would buy a packet of k-meta rather than use the tablets to sanitize. The tablets are better used when adding SO2 to the wine to inhibit oxidation or when adding SO2 to the fruit to kill wild yeast. The tablets are at least half active ingredient (k-meta) and half inactive - filler, so you are kinda wasting your energy crushing filler when all you need to do is dissolve 3 T of K-meta in a gallon of water to make a very effective sanitizer that will last at least a year if sealed in a glass carboy

I'm so sorry, I just got confused. Isn't campden tablets (potassium metabisulfite) as same as k-meta?

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

I'm so sorry, I just got confused. Isn't campden tablets (potassium metabisulfite) as same as k-meta?

Yes

 

[bernardsmith]

Yes

well, yes... and no. Campden tabs' active ingredient is K-meta but about half the tablet is inert filler. K-meta crystals bought from the same LHBS is 100 percent K-meta and it dissolves easily in warm water. The tablets have to be crushed. So are they the same... ? Yes... and no. The tabs are great for inhibiting wild yeasts and molds and for inhibiting oxidation and for working in tandem with K-sorbate to inhibit refermentation after back sweetening. The crystals are great for sanitizing equipment...

 

[Stavrose]

Yes

Thanks!

 

[Stavrose]

well, yes... and no. Campden tabs' active ingredient is K-meta but about half the tablet is inert filler. K-meta crystals bought from the same LHBS is 100 percent K-meta and it dissolves easily in warm water. The tablets have to be crushed. So are they the same... ? Yes... and no. The tabs are great for inhibiting wild yeasts and molds and for inhibiting oxidation and for working in tandem with K-sorbate to inhibit refermentation after back sweetening. The crystals are great for sanitizing equipment...

I should try it out since I don't smell a strong sulfate smell from the solution when I crushed the tabs.

Could you please give me a link to the online store? I will appreciate it if could.

 

[bernardsmith]

Sorry, I try to buy local... Others may know/use online stores