adding vinagar to lower sugar syrup pH

[paus]

Has anyone had any experience of adding vinegar to sugar syrup to lower the pH.  I have two weak hives that will need some help, no I do not have honey to give them.  I am feeding in the hive some semi fondant  it is soft sugar candy, pure sugar.  Thank you in advance.

[paus]

May I correct my spelling "vinegar" ?

[BeeMaster2]

I'm not sure of the ratio but I think to make sugar water last longer you add a table spoon of vinegar to the gallon. Maybe someone will verify the ratio.
Jim

[salvo]

Hi Paus,

This subject has been discussed frequently, on this forum and where ever beeks congregate.

Please click the link for one discussion from 2006:

http://www.beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=6711.0

Too bad that newbees never got the opportunity to meet Finski.

Salvo

[paus]

Thanks, I looked for "vinegar" and nothing came up, probably because everyone else knows how to spell..  I did learn to use spellcheck and that I can make an online correction.  Thanks everyone

[gww]

paus
Man, get over the spelling.  Have you ever seen any of my post.  I spell so bad that half the time it is the cause of me not even knowing what I wrote.  The other half is that half the time I don't know enough to write.  Its all good.  I don't know the answer to your vinegar question.  I put a tiny bit in my sugar block cause I heard it inverts the sugar.  I never put anything in liquid sugar water that I feed cause I want as little smell as posible cause I have a fear of robbing.  The feeding I do is in the hive and they always took the sugar water with nothing.
Good luck
gww

[Michael Bush]

I have tried it.  It set off a massive robing frenzy.  Feeding syrup always risks setting off robbing.  Adding anything with scent increases this greatly.  If you want to lower the pH use Ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24477034
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3896/IBRA.1.51.3.07
http://www.jas.org.pl/Improvement-of-the-composition-of-pollen-substitute-for-honey-bee-Apis-mellifera-L-through-implementation-of-probiotic-preparations,0,76.html

[paus]

Thanks Michael, These articles were something I had never heard about bees.  I did have to put my thinking cap on but I had forgot where I put it.  When my wife told me where it was, I reread all of the articles, Good read.  Now to figure how many units to add to sugar syrup. I am thinking "Fruit Fresh" is a ready source of ascorbic acid and easy to use.  Thanks again everybody.

[GSF]

I do both, Vinegar (organic) and Ascorbic Acid. I usually mix 6 qt of sugar to 5 qt of water. With measuring spoons I add a "smidgen" of Ascorbic Acid and one tablespoon of vinegar per quart of sugar plus other stuff. My bees do great.

[Michael Bush]

I would have a target of 4.5pH.  You will need something to read that.  How much will depend on your water etc.  Typically I have 7 grams of Ascorbic acid to five gallons of 5:3 syrup...

[sc-bee]

Actually 12.5 lbs is in the posted recipie it should be 25 lbs of sugar in this for 1:1 . I would edit it but long been locked. I have contacted Lauri since and she open feeds the weaker 1:2 when she is working nuc to keep robbers away from the nucs she is working. 
Tanks for the info on correct PH I will look for a kit..

http://www.beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=44468.0

[sc-bee]

I would have a target of 4.5pH.  You will need something to read that.  How much will depend on your water etc.  Typically I have 7 grams of Ascorbic acid to five gallons of 5:3 syrup...

Any idea why Lauri would be adding vinegar, ascorbic and citric? Just personal preference? So the ascorbic would take the place of all three? I know you have your quantities down but what do you check with pool ph strips?