[Prev][Next][Index]

Re: Too much CO2, please advise



>Sounds like your yeast is coming on a bit too strong. Probably the room
>temperature is rather high. After a day or so, the yeast will not be so
>vigorous. Use less sugar for a 10 gal. tank and add a tsp of
>baking soda to your yeast to slow it down and make it ferment longer.

Um, I don't think things work this way. The rate of CO2 production is
dependent on the number of yeast cells (and temp), but not on the
amount of sugar. More sugar means longer production, but no difference
in rate.  It turns out that when you dump yeast into a (concentrated)
sugar mixture (and then seal everything up), the process almost
immediately shifts to anaerobic mode. No cell division
(i.e. reproduction) takes place under such condition, just cells
converting the sugar to alcohol and CO2. So the rate is pretty much
determined by the quantity of yeast you dump in the mixture to start
with.

Also, I don't think adding baking soda *slows down* the rate of CO2
production. What it does do is add carbonate hardness that helps keep
the pH stable, which certainly can't hurt in keeping the rate
*stable*.  Lack of sufficient KH might allow the pH to drop, which
could reduce CO2 production over time, i.e., your mixture would not
produce as long as desired.

Thomas