Sanitizer in carboy a week

[Annie B.]

So rather than waste it, I put sanitizer in my glass carboy for a week. Now there's a "crust" on the bottom of the vessel. It doesn't just swish out. I emptied the sanitizer and it's now sitting in vinegar. Any ideas what happened? Hoping it didn't etch the glass.

 

[Amadeo38]

What sanitizer was it? Star-San doesn’t hold up well for long periods when mixed with most tap waters. For long term stability, people have had luck mixing it with a neutral, nutrient-free water, such as distilled or RO.

 

[ESBrewer]

What propably happened is that ions in the sanitizer and salts that are dissolved in the water form insoluble salts when they meet each other. Such as phosphates from StarSan and calcium in tap/well waters. This (or other salts) then sediment to the bottom of the vessel.

 

[IslandLizard]

Have you tried a carboy brush? And/or put a rag or soft scouring pad inside to get some extra friction.

I get it in my Starsan bucket after a few days of sitting idle, but it comes out easily.

Chances are the clear Starsan on top is still good, so pour or rack it off for your next use.
Store Starsan in a large plastic bucket and put it well out of reach or stick a tight lid on it, so little kids and animals don't topple into it and drown.

 

[flars]

What sanitizer was it? Star-San doesn’t hold up well for long periods when mixed with most tap waters. For long term stability, people have had luck mixing it with a neutral, nutrient-free water, such as distilled or RO.

Have to say this. Star San is an acid sanitizer. As long as the pH does not rise above 3.0 it is effective. Cloudy or clear it is the pH that makes the difference. The solution will be more clear when mixed with distilled water but not anymore effective. The solution becomes cloudy with tap water because of the reaction with some minerals but it doesn't change the pH.

 

[Annie B.]

What sanitizer was it? Star-San doesn’t hold up well for long periods when mixed with most tap waters. For long term stability, people have had luck mixing it with a neutral, nutrient-free water, such as distilled or RO.

Not sure - probably StarSan. It is white granular stuff.

 

[Amadeo38]

Have to say this. Star San is an acid sanitizer. As long as the pH does not rise above 3.0 it is effective. Cloudy or clear it is the pH that makes the difference. The solution will be more clear when mixed with distilled water but not anymore effective. The solution becomes cloudy with tap water because of the reaction with some minerals but it doesn't change the pH.

Good to know - thanks! I suppose the reason some recommend that you use RO or distilled for long-term storage is related to those types of waters having lower starting pH? With time and exposure to air, will the pH of a tap-water mixed Star San solution rise, making it less effective?

 

[Annie B.]

Haven't tried anything abrasive. Don't want to etch the glass, but I might give it a little more elbow grease.

Have you tried a carboy brush? And/or put a rag or soft scouring pad inside to get some extra friction.

I get it in my Starsan bucket after a few days of sitting idle, but it comes out easily.

Chances are the clear Starsan on top is still good, so pour or rack it off for your next use.
Store Starsan in a large plastic bucket and put it well out of reach or stick a tight lid on it, so little kids and animals don't topple into it and drown.[/QUOTE

 

[Smellyglove]

Good to know - thanks! I suppose the reason some recommend that you use RO or distilled for long-term storage is related to those types of waters having lower starting pH? With time and exposure to air, will the pH of a tap-water mixed Star San solution rise, making it less effective?

Pure tap water has very small buffering capacity, if any. depending on your water though. What someone above here said, it's the pH which matters. There used to be (maybe still is) a misconception that cloudy star san is not useful anymore, that is incorrect. Five star remomends 15 to 25 ml pr 10L of water, I guess that this wide number is to account for various buffering capacity in different water supplies.

For me it's more about me myself dipping my hands down into the star-san jar to get things, that makes me change it more often than needed if I wouldn't dip my hands into it. I've kept star san in Cornyes for months.

 

[opercularia]

Not sure - probably StarSan. It is white granular stuff.

That ain't Star San. Disregard all comments about Star San, they don't apply to your problem. When you get it clean GET SOME STAR SAN.

 

[flars]

So rather than waste it, I put sanitizer in my glass carboy for a week. Now there's a "crust" on the bottom of the vessel. It doesn't just swish out. I emptied the sanitizer and it's now sitting in vinegar. Any ideas what happened? Hoping it didn't etch the glass.

This seems like what happens when using the cleaner PBW. It reacts with the minerals in the water. The minerals precipitate and harden. A soak with an acid solution of Star San or white distilled vinegar and brushing will remove the deposits.

 

[IslandLizard]

Not sure - probably StarSan. It is white granular stuff.

That sounds more like One Step or PBW.

One Step is a cleaner, it contains products similar to Oxiclean, or one of the cheaper generic knock-offs. Regardless of its claims, it's NOT a sanitizer, and it's NOT no-rinse.
PBW is also a cleaner, one of the components can leave a white residue over time. It will brush out, though.

That ain't Star San. Disregard all comments about Star San, they don't apply to your problem. When you get it clean GET SOME STAR SAN.

Exactly!

 

[day_trippr]

Swish around a couple of cups of 50/50 white vinegar/water mix and I bet the haze comes off...

Cheers!