water kefir grains not multiplying

[sequoia]

Hello!

My water kefir seems fine in most respects: it produces a delicious drink every couple of days, the grains look healthy... but they are not reproducing! there is about a 1/4 cup of them in the bottom of the jar, and the level has gone up only very slightly, if at all, during the few months I've had them.

Can anybody think of potential reasons for this? I want to be able to experiment, and to share the grains with others, but I don't want to separate the ones I've got, since they are so few as it is!

Everywhere I read about them, people are talking about how fast the multiply. I wish mine would too!

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[malory.foster]

I am having the same problem. Even after doing research on the internet about water kefir, mine seems to be just barely surviving. I even have switched to bottled spring water. Wondering what a good juice or water-juice-sugar-fruit, etc. mixture might be to make my water kefir really happy-bubbly!

Thanks!

[webpatty]

I use 1 quart water and 1/3 cup sugar and 1-2 tbl molasas. I can't drink too much of it every 2 days to I have been lazy and letting it sit for a week. They are multiplying like crazy.

[Amy]

Mine are multiplying very fast! I bought them from http://www.kefirlady.com/

Are you rinsing very well between batches? & not using chlorinated water?
I use:
1 qt spring water
1 cup fresh young coconut water
1/3 cup sugar
stir &
cover with cloth & rubberband
wait 24 hours and taste, it usually is not sweet after just 24 hours
lots of bubbles throughout the day

I think mine doubled in a week!