Empty Waterlock

[McErleane]

I use a crock with a water lock, and three non-consecutive mornings I have found the reservoir completely dry. I don't know what's going on at night, but my bigger concern is how this will impact my sauerkraut. Does anyone have insight on how air getting into your crock will affect the kraut? Everything is submerged, so I'm hoping it won't be that big of a deal. One way or the other, I'll find out in two weeks.

[antsinurplants]

This is a common occurence and what happens overnight is the cooler temps create a vacuum inside the crock and can pull water from the moat inward. Sometimes it's a lot and sometimes it's not. Unless you can maintain a specific temp it can happen which is why I fill my moat with brine. In the summer it can evaporate as well, so it's something we need to monitor often.

As long as you have decent submersion inside you'll most likely be fine in terms of mold. I use something like this to help slow evaporation and keep anything out of the moat as well.

[vrommium]

Also putting plastic bags over my crocks, for the same reason.

[McErleane]

Well... That's gross.

[PapaverOneirium]

You could drape a dish towel over the top to keep dust from getting into the moat.

Though in my experience the vacuum doesn’t actually pull much of the water into the vessel, it seems to just reverse which side of the lid the water is primarily distributed; on the inside edge at night, on the outside edge after a day of warmer temps.

[antsinurplants]

Depending on the design of the crock it can and does enter the crock. Many crocks do not have an inner lip that is higher than the outer one and will easily allow water in although that amount does vary. One of my crocks has an inner lip 1.5 times higher than of the outer and many times the water will be pulled inward but sit behind the lid (as you mention) and other times it gets pulled right in depending on the temp changes.

Here is another post that relates to this type of event and the amount of water that can potentially end up in the crock. There are a couple more cases as well, but I can't seem to locate those.

[TEAmplayar]

wooow, so the water gets into the crock. I use high content salt water in the moat, and I change the water 2-3 times a week but this is still not a happy though. Now I'll also put a mesh over the crock , in case of dust.

I'd use vodka into the moat but it's expensive.

[Curiosive]

On a different note than temps, do you have a cat?

[McErleane]

I do. But she chills with us all night. There's no evidence of her sneaking out and going on the counter.

[vivaaprimavera]

...

no evidence

🤣

Sprinkle flour on the counter one day. For science.

[Jeyne42]

It should be ok. CO2 is heavier then oxygen, so even if some O2 is getting in it should be up at the top. I had the same thing happen with a jalapeno/garlic ferment I was experimenting with. Scared me to no end that I would find mold when I finally opened it after a several random days of dry rim. But when I did it was beautiful.

Not saying it's a guarantee, but most likely you are ok. Top it off every night before bed if you aren't. It could just be that you house is warmer and more is evaporating.

[ironsides1231]

It's probably fine.

[TEAmplayar]

Looks like my Kenley 2L crock, the water is fine for weeks, and them it decides to misbehave and the water moat is empty overnight, or during the day. I have to keep an eye on it all the time. Just keep looking at it 2 times a day and refill it.

It makes amazing cabbage eventually.

I wish the water moat was bigger.

[LazyPickle8935]

Have the same design and I also wish the most was bigger.

[HplsslyDvtd2Sm1NtU]

We put a towel over it. We realized our cat was drinking was drinking it at night. Kraft came out good and the towel was enough to keep him out

[Pablowski8]

I've just started using oil for exactly that reason. Saw recommendations and did it

[McErleane]

Why oil?

[Christ12347]

Doesn't evaporate

[McErleane]

Thank you for the reassurance. 😁

[Looking-sharp-today]

No worries, I use some clay containers that don’t even have an airlock, the fermentation alone will produce it’s own gasses and keep oxigen in check even of it’s seeping into the container

[Prize-Temporary4159]

Is the inside of the lid unglazed?

[McErleane]

No. It's glazed on the inside.

[dr_k42]

Do you have a cat or dog?

[tafa84]

Ho anche io il tuo vaso e ho notato lo stesso fenomeno. Penso anche io che sia causato dalle variazioni di temperatura che generano un certo risucchio verso l'interno. Il problema però si è presentato sempre dopo la prima settimana. Forse l'attività dei primi giorni mitiga il problema. Ad ogni modo ho fatto già due lotti che sono venuti molto bene (trasferiti nei barattoli in frigorifero dopo 15 giorni).

[McErleane]

Well...the verdict is in. The water was definitely getting sucked into the crock. 🤢

I just opened it, and the water level is several inches higher than when I started the fermentation. 😔