Turbo Wash - appearance when fermenting

[MapleSyrup&BackBacon]

I'm trying my first wash, using a package of Super X-Press yeast, 8 kg white sugar, and 22 L of bottled spring water (I don't have a 30 L bucket, and I was given some winemaking supplies including smaller (25 L?) buckets). I realize this is pushing it a bit, but I was also hoping the smaller water volume than recommended would speed up the process a bit as the yeast package says 5-7 days for 20% abv - 5 days would be ideal for me right now.

I started this yesterday morning. I checked it after about 1 hr and again after 2 hrs - it seemed to be fermenting vigorously as a yeast "head" had developed during that time. However, I checked it again after about 12 hrs, and the yeast head was no longer there. Is this normal? I still get a "fizzing" noise from the bucket which is similar to the fruit juices I have fermented in the past, and I left it overnight and the fizzing still continues (if I stir it the fizzing gets louder temporarily). The air temp. has been a steady 77-78 degrees Fahrenheit, and the wash temp. is currently 81 degrees F. Definite "yeasty" and alcohol smells coming from the bucket. Unfortunately I don't have a hydrometer to measure SG, but I will be getting one shortly.

So, is it safe to assume it is still fermenting as it is fizzing? Should there still be a yeast head? I'm a bit paranoid about the wash stopping/stalling unexpectedly...

[Dnderhead]

you sort of got it backwards, the more sugar per the amount of water the slower it will ferment,each time you double the sugar you increase the ferment time by 3 ..this also increases the chance of stalling,off flavors .. your not totally blind with out a hydrometer, when it quits bubbling/fizzing and taste "dry" like dry wine it is done,then let yeast settle to bottom,siphon off the clear.I doubt very much if it will finish in 5 days,more like two weeks.
going back to the amount of sugar,,, you can make 10% wash in 1/3 the time you can a 20% wash,so you can make 3X the amount in less time and have a better product.

[MapleSyrup&BackBacon]

Thanks - in my head I assumed the yeast would "go nuts" and work faster if there was more sugar-to-water available, but I see that assumption is incorrect.

I do have another bucket available - now that the original has started fermenting, if I stirred it up and transferred half into the other bucket and diluted both buckets, would I potentially end up with 10% abv in each bucket? Would I have to add more yeast to make that work properly (I can get champagne yeast easily here)?

[Dnderhead]

a good idea, you should not need more of anything but water. just stir it/split it and add water then it will finish much sooner.
you do not have to measure, just estimate,that will be close enough.