2 to 1 sugar water is crystalizing in feeder

[Hoosier]

My 2 to 1 sugar water is crystalizing in feeder. Anyone know a remedy?

[JYawn]

How long has it been in the feeder?

[VolunteerK9]

It's probably not 'crystalizing' like honey does-I'm thinking its probably just undisolved sugar thats left over in the syrup. 2:1 is incredibly thick and takes a lot of heat and a lot of stirring to get all the sugar disolved.

[pine_ridge_farms]

It's probably not 'crystalizing' like honey does-I'm thinking its probably just undisolved sugar thats left over in the syrup. 2:1 is incredibly thick and takes a lot of heat and a lot of stirring to get all the sugar disolved.

Yes sometimes you will get some settle in the bottom of the feeder if you didn't get it dissolved real well.

[Hoosier]

ALL of the sugar was thoroughly dissolved when I put it in there two days ago.

[pine_ridge_farms]

Humm I mix thousands of pounds of sugar syrup up a year and store it for weeks at a time and I've never seen it crystallize? So if you got it thoroughly dissolved I don't know...

[toekneepea]

If you are off in your measurements and add too much sugar, you'll no longer have 2:1 and the possibility of it crystallizing increases.

Here's a handy table: The Solubility Of The Sugars

Cheers,
Tony P.

[westernbeekeeper]

You need to dissolve the sugar better. Keep at it, becuase 2:1 is pretty thick; not abnormal though.

[Joseph Clemens]

A little lemon juice or citric acid can help. The acidity will invert some of the sugars making them more soluble than plain table sugar.

[Hoosier]

I did add a splash of vinegar. Also, I still have two quart jars full of the same batch sitting on my kitchen counter. They're both clear as glass and have no crystals whatsoever.

[AkDan]

What ratio of vinegar/lemon juice does a person add per say gallon of 2-1?

[Lburou]

I read about the hydrolosis reaction and 'invert sugar' yesterday after a PM from AKDan. Here is a wikipedia explanation. AKDan, look here for more about mixing sugar and water to reduce granulation, as well as some general feeding information.

[Lburou]

What ratio of vinegar/lemon juice does a person add per say gallon of 2-1?

The link above suggests one gram of citric acid or ascorbic acid per kilogram of sugar. But, the heating is really what inverts the mix.

Inverted sugar syrup can be easily made by adding roughly one gram of citric acid or ascorbic acid per kilogram of sugar. Cream of tartar (one gram per kilogram) or fresh lemon juice (10 milliliters per kilogram) may also be used.

[Michael Bush]

>Anyone know a remedy?

5:3

[toekneepea]

>Anyone know a remedy?

5:3

If you look at the chart, even at the freezing point of water: 32 degrees Fahrenheit / 0 degrees Celsius, 5:3 (a 60% sugar solution) will not crystallize.

I've switched to 5:3 (5 parts sugar to 3 parts water).

Tony P.

[squarepeg]

also went to 5:3. goes into solution easy with hot tap water, still a little crystalization left in the bottom of the feeder after the syrup is gone.

[Hoosier]

Sorry to be so late with a reply, but I wanted to be sure that everything worked out. Y'all were right; my water was not hot enough when I added the sugar. I cleaned out the $15 "Plastic 10 Frame Hive Top Feeder" from Brushy Mountain on hive #5 by removing all of the sugar crystals with a heavy hose spray. Then I brought the two remaining quarts of 2/1 sugar water to a boil while stirring. I put it in two days ago, and there is no crystallization. My next batch will be 5:3 ratio, Thanks! Joe
BTW, FYI Some of you might remember my earlier writing how those Brushy Mountain feeders didn't work and had killed a lot of my bees. My son (owner of Hive #4) told me that his had worked great this spring... hmmmmmm, geeeeeee, surely it was not MY fault that they didn't work for me! Well, I figured it out (somehow ? it had to be my wife's fault)... Anyway, I have them on both hives #1 and #5, and there is no problem(s) with them whatsoever.423 PlasticTopFeedersm.jpg

[dnichols]

So to convert a 2:1 syrup to 5:3?

If I have 20lbs to 10 pints I guess I would add 2 more pints to bring it to a 60% solution.

[Hoosier]

Yes, 20# sugar to 6 quarts water would be 5:3, i.e., 20#:12#.

[Hoosier]

Sorry to be so late with a reply, but I wanted to be sure that everything worked out. Y'all were right; my water was not hot enough when I added the sugar. I cleaned out the $15 "Plastic 10 Frame Hive Top Feeder" from Brushy Mountain on hive #5 by removing all of the sugar crystals with a heavy hose spray. Then I brought the two remaining quarts of 2/1 sugar water to a boil while stirring. I put it in two days ago, and there is no crystallization. My next batch will be 5:3 ratio, Thanks! Joe
BTW, FYI Some of you might remember my earlier writing how those Brushy Mountain feeders didn't work and had killed a lot of my bees. My son (owner of Hive #4) told me that his had worked great this spring... hmmmmmm, geeeeeee, surely it was not MY fault that they didn't work for me! Well, I figured it out (somehow ? it had to be my wife's fault)... Anyway, I have them on both hives #1 and #5, and there is no problem(s) with them whatsoever.423 PlasticTopFeedersm.jpg

Folks, there are several things that have to be done to this top feeder before it can be used, e.g., you have to make a frame for it; you have to caulk all four corners to close off the tunnels to the other end; you have to fix the white covers so that they can be removed easily by cutting the plastic push-down tabs to about a half inch; you have to make a top bar in three parts, the middle section with two ends leaving a slot for the bees to go up and into the feeder area. My wife will be getting a fancy-butt phone soon that will do everything, including make videos, so I'll make a video showing it all for YouTube. If you should order one, be SURE to tell Brushy Mountain not to install the white end covers; they're almost impossible to remove without ruining them.
ETA You also have to make several sizes of boards to cover it and the top of the hive. I have five different sizes cut to cover all areas, depending on wherever I decide to place the feeder.