cider and my aquarium

[MSK_Chess]

I need Co2 for my aquarium. I decided to make cider and funnel the Co2 into the aquarium utilising a non return valve and various other bits and pieces and it worked excellently. The aquatic plants loved it and now I have 3 litres of cider that I don't know what to do with. What I do know is that the yeast eat everything, I mean it left the apple juice super dry. There is also the slight smell of sulphur. Is this normal? I dunno cause I never brewed cider before. I chilled it and let it clear before decanting it although its not crystal clear. My idea is to sweeten it with a raspberry syrup for there is no way you could drink that cider as it stands, your mouth would pucker up immediately leaving you looking like tweety pie. I don't need to bottle it as I can force carbonate it. Here is my question. Do i need to use sodium metabisulphite and potassium sorbate to stabilise it? If so in what doses. That's about it, any help or advice most appreciated - regards Robbie

 

[MSK_Chess]

I see that it kind of depends on the pH of the cider, will continue research.

 

[MSK_Chess]

ok, to achieve 50ppm of sodium metabisulphite requires 0.05g/litre which seems to be a recommended doze, although again its pH dependent.

To achieve 100ppm of potassium sorbate requires 0.1g/litre which again seems to be the recommended doze.

hopefully this will be helpful to those with small batches and not dealing in fractions and teaspoons.

 

[Drewed]

If you can force carbonate it, then you should use both sodium metabisulphite and potassium sorbate. The dosing amounts are usually on the packaging, especially if you buy form a brewing store - which you should to ensure you are getting food grade ingredients.
The sulfur should age out. You could try stirring it slowly to release the gas with out introducing oxygen. Copper also works. If you can find a copper scrub pad, you can rack though that. I've also hear of people racking though a 2' long piece of CLEANED AND SANITISED 1/2" (or smaller) copper tubing.

 

[MSK_Chess]

If you can force carbonate it, then you should use both sodium metabisulphite and potassium sorbate. The dosing amounts are usually on the packaging, especially if you buy form a brewing store - which you should to ensure you are getting food grade ingredients.
The sulfur should age out. You could try stirring it slowly to release the gas with out introducing oxygen. Copper also works. If you can find a copper scrub pad, you can rack though that. I've also hear of people racking though a 2' long piece of CLEANED AND SANITISED 1/2" (or smaller) copper tubing.

Hi I did not buy them from a brewing store but online.

It appeared to me during my scavenging for knowledge that everyone was dosing 1/4 teaspoon of sodium metabisulphite for five gallons and 1/2 teaspoon of potassium sorbate for the same volume. I found a chart with pH on one axis and sulphite dosing rates on the other. Taking the mean it was about 50ppm, it was an elementary step to conclude that potassium must be double this at 100ppm.

Actually i decanted it to another PET bottle and even more yeast dropped out and the sulphur smell seems to have gone. It is also looking much clearer.

I'll show you my set up. This is my second batch.