# New vadai barrel



## Maheesh (Mar 2, 2015)

I'm 48 hours into swelling my new 50L barrel and still leaking a little on one head....I changed the water today after 48 hrs...when should I be thinking about adding meta and citric acid? Ruthy at vadai says after day 4.... Any thoughts? Thx


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## sdelli (Mar 3, 2015)

I follow the instructions for a hot water seal.... Never had a problem or ever had one leak.
Why would you add acid? I just give a rinse with kmeta before adding wine....


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## sour_grapes (Mar 3, 2015)

sdelli said:


> I follow the instructions for a hot water seal.... Never had a problem or ever had one leak.
> Why would you add acid? I just give a rinse with kmeta before adding wine....



Acid increases the effectiveness of SO2.


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## sdelli (Mar 4, 2015)

sour_grapes said:


> Acid increases the effectiveness of SO2.




I see...... Never used it. Would it also be good to add a little to my squirt bottle of kmeta sanitizer?


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## sour_grapes (Mar 4, 2015)

sdelli said:


> I see...... Never used it. Would it also be good to add a little to my squirt bottle of kmeta sanitizer?



Many people do. I am not one of them! Seems easier to me to just add more k-meta. ::


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## vacuumpumpman (Mar 4, 2015)

sour_grapes said:


> Many people do. I am not one of them! Seems easier to me to just add more k-meta. ::



Paul - 
The reason you add acid is to be similar PH to wine of 3.0 roughly rather than water at 7.0 which when there is any residue on the bottles or carboys will immediately effect your SO2 readings on your wine level.


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## sour_grapes (Mar 4, 2015)

sour_grapes said:


> Acid increases the effectiveness of SO2.





vacuumpumpman said:


> Paul -
> The reason you add acid is to be similar PH to wine of 3.0 roughly rather than water at 7.0 which when there is any residue on the bottles or carboys will immediately effect your SO2 readings on your wine level.



Thanks, Steve. Above, I noted for the OP that acid "increased the effectiveness of SO2." What I was referring to was the production of more molecular SO2 with lower _p_H for a given solution strength of k-meta.


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