TOPIC:

Hi all,
I just made my first batch of CDS over the last day or so.  I followed Andreas Kalcker's instructions to the "t" from his 10 minute instructional video.  I used the Bartovation.com Chlorine Dioxide test strips (0-500ppm) this morning to test the concentration.  I followed Andreas' instructions exactly (taking 1 ml of the CDS and adding 9ml of distilled water) and then tested it.  It actually turned brown (not very dark blue or black like the correct concentration should be).  On the test strip bottle it says that if it turns brown the concentration is above 500ppm.  

The color of the CDS I made is definitely sunflower color and looks exactly like Kalcker's in the video.  But since this is the first time I'd be using it, I'm a bit leery of taking too high of a dose.  I was definitely going to start with Protocol S anyway (which is the "sensitive" protocol starting out with very low doses) so I'm wondering if it really wouldn't matter anyway?  Just curious if any of you have heard anything about the concentration being too high like that and if there should be any concern?  I know he even said in his video you don't even have to use test strips and can just go by the color of the CDS which mine looks just right. But since I did "test" it, now I am wondering what I should do?  I would greatly appreciate any thoughts on this as I really want to start using CDS but now I am not sure what to do? Thank you!

I think your mistake was using the Bartovation test strips. They are known to be unreliable.

The only CD test strips that seem to be reliable are the LaMotte #3002 test strips.

Some places are charging hefty prices, but if you search around you can find them priced at what the manufacturer sells them at, which is much cheaper.

Thanks so much. I just ordered the ones you suggested. I didn't realize there was a difference...good to know. If for some reason it shows the same thing, do I just add more water to dilute the concentration to the right amount? Or is that not the way to do it?

I was taught to add 1 ml of 3000 ppm CDS to 59 ml of distilled water, which should turn out to be 50 ppm. You might try that with the LaMotte test strips. After the test, just drink it down. At that concentration it's perfectly acceptable.

If your concentration is higher, just add distilled water to dilute it.
 

Yay, your method of using 59ml water worked! The concentration looks perfect on the test strip:) My only remaining question is this...Charlotte Lackney, from MMSinfo.org said that Andreas Kalcker's 10 minute instructional video had a couple things that in her opinion were not correct. The first being that her double infusion method was supposed to be used with adding 250ml of distilled water to the jar (in his video Andreas said it typically would be around 300-350ml to be poured into the jar after the shot glass was in there). So when I made it, I used 350ml of distilled water.

Since I used 100ml more of water when I initially made it, can I still use this batch of CDS I made since the ppm concentration is still where it needs to be? Or should I not use this batch?

I'm a big fan of Charlotte Lackney and her website MMSINFO.ORG. I use her method with 250ml of distilled water, but I use 50% citric acid rather than 4% HCl since I have a lot of it. I don't need to do a double infusion with citric acid, but I let it sit in a dark closet for at least 24 hours, then chill it in the fridge for an hour or more before opening. It tests out at 3000 ppm. 

Instead of just tossing the "used" reactor mixture, I put another 250 ml of distilled water in the jar and put the reactor back in for a second infusion, of sorts. After 24 hours it yields about 50 ppm, so I just add it to my water, and finally toss the twice-used reactor mixture.

As long as your process yields roughly 3000 ppm, you can use it. If it's higher or lower you can still use it, but you may want to adjust your dosage as appropriate.