Made a batch of StarSan last night and it is cloudy already?

[Killian_77]

What is up with that? I made three gallons worth because I have some heavy duty sanitising to do. I left it in a carboy over night and when I went to move it today it was cloudy?
It was made with tap water because I didnt have time to get out for some distilled. Should I toss it and re-sanitise before I use my equipment?

 

[ArcaneXor]

It's fine - the surfactant in the StarSan just reacted with the minerals in your water. As long as the pH stays below 3.5, it works great.

 

[llazy_llama]

If it's cloudy, it's out of it's ideal pH. Depending on your tap water, it could last a few hours or it could last a few days. Sounds like you're just unlucky.

Pour it out and try again. Maybe invest in a spray bottle and some distilled water.

 

[PseudoChef]

If it's cloudy, it's out of it's ideal pH.

No it's not.

 

[llazy_llama]

No it's not.

Okay. So if he has a pH meter handy, or some litmus paper, he can test out the mix to determine where the pH is, and if it's below 3.5.

If he doesn't, as most people don't, it's a crap shoot. I certainly don't, so if I'm using tap water to dilute, I won't use it after 24 hours.

CONCLUSION:

It seems that if your Star San gets cloudy very quickly when diluted in tap water, this DOES NOT INDICATE THAT THE STARSAN HAS LOST ITS SANITIZING ABILITY. I plan to make my StarSan fresh each day that I need it and I feel secure that it will stay below pH3.0 for the entire day and be an effective sanitizer.

Even after all that testing, the OP said he'd make a fresh batch every day using tap water.

 

[BarleyWater]

No it's not.

According to Charley Talley of Five Star Chemicals, if it is cloudy there is a good chance it is no longer effective, and if you can't check the pH, then I wouldn't risk it.

The more minerals in your water, the more of a reaction you are going to have. Really the only way to tell is to check the pH, but I have hard water here, and my sanitizer pH is over 3.5 in a few hours so I can't keep any mixed unless it's with distilled.

 

[Saccharomyces]

RO water is cheap at the grocery store, and StarSan will last for 2-3 months when prepared with RO water.

 

[PseudoChef]

Well, the Star San made from tap water I've been using just clocked in at 2.3 - so it seems to work ok for me. But yeah, distilled is cheap and easy to get.

 

[Killian_77]

Thanks for the info. I think I should be okay to get the apfelwein going today since it has set all night. I might make a sprayer for the plug and airlock though.
Looks like I need some water!

 

[llazy_llama]

I haven't measured the pH of my diluted StarSan, but my water here is so hard you could walk across it. It just depends on your location.

 

[jp1316]

Whenever I make starsan it usually gets cloudy over night, but I think that is just from the bucket that I put it in. I test it every time I use it and it seems to last for at least a couple of weeks(that's if I keep a lid on the bucket).

 

[jbford]

the cloudiness results from reaction of the phosphoric acid with calcium in the water. 50-ppm Ca is plenty to make it quite hazy

 

[nibiyabi]

Damn you guys -- now you have me putting a pH meter in my LHBS's online cart. Should I bother? My StarSan was cloudy immediately because our water is really ****ty but it's been sitting in an Ale Pail for like a month. I just got a 32oz bottle of StarSan. . . .

 

[ArcaneXor]

Damn you guys -- now you have me putting a pH meter in my LHBS's online cart. Should I bother? My StarSan was cloudy immediately because our water is really ****ty but it's been sitting in an Ale Pail for like a month. I just got a 32oz bottle of StarSan. . . .

You can probably get them cheaper on eBay from one of those Hong Kong companies.

 

[Nurmey]

You can buy a bottle of pH test strips for a couple bucks. My StarSan also goes cloudy immediately because of my water but as long as the pH is good, it's fine.

 

[nibiyabi]

^Whew, thanks! Forgot about those.

 

[TeufelBrew]

Had the quickly clouded starsan until I started using a filter for my brewing water. Also used it to make my starsan solutions. I keep them stored in 750ml PET bottles. Now I make a gallon solution, use as needed, then fill the bottles. They last for a bout 2-3 months and don't get cloudy.

If you can't get a filter hooked up, do the filtered water from the store. If that won't work, just make up a little at a time and use when you need it. Yes, the cost of the bottle of starsan is up there, but it doesn't take much.

 

[dazed]

My StarSan was cloudy immediately because our water is really ****ty .

According to Five star If it turns cloudy right away it still will sanitize properly if used in a reasonable amount of time. I had clouding issues with my city/softened water...this is what Jon Herskovits from 5 Star had me do

Try two things for me:

1st Try just using tap water without going thru any treatment. Let this
(Tap water) stand for 24hrs and then add the star san. Let this stand for
the 24-48hrs and see if it gets cloudy.

2nd try the untreated tap water again without any filtration, add the star
san right away and let it stand for 24-48hrs. Let me know what happens. We
are going to test for temporary hardness. My first impression is that you
are clouding out the DDBSA by having salt in the water.

But in the end I just started using 1 Gallon of Distilled water mixed properly with star-san, and I'll use it until it gets cloudy or the ph gets above 3 (which never happens to it) Usually It starts collecting to much debris....then I toss it.

I also Just Purchased a RO system and have 10-20ppm after its filtered and it seems to be Holding up almost like Distilled water.

 

[beersydoesit]

I ordered litmus paper for this purpose.
$3 for the paper, $5 for shipping! Doh!

Anyway now I know how my starsan is doing. Even with distilled water, I'd wonder. I guess I'm a little off that way.

 

[fratermus]

According to Charley Talley of Five Star Chemicals, if it is cloudy there is a good chance it is no longer effective, and if you can't check the pH, then I wouldn't risk it.

I've listened to that show a few times and CT tosses the cloudy thing around 2-3x but IIRC he doesn't lay it out the relationship between efficacy and cloudiness with the clarity I would like.

I can confirm that my own water goes cloudy within a couple of hours but the pH stays in the good range. I have swapped to distilled water for my SS so the cloudiness issue does not affect me anymore, but I would like to hear some followup with CT on the cloudiness issue.

 

[dazed]

but I would like to hear some followup with CT on the cloudiness issue.

Probably not likely since CT retired a couple years ago...