You mix the DE in the water. Let is sit for 24 hours. Then, drink the top of the water WITHOUT stirring it up. Put a squeeze of fresh lemon in it to activate. Once you have only about 1.5 inches of water left in the jug, add more water, let settle for 24 hours, and repeat. You can do this with the same 2 tablespoons of DE for 6 months.... then it is time to use fresh DE. Recap.... 2 tablespoons of DE in one gallon of wter. Let sit for 24 hours. Drink water without stirring, adding a squirt of fresh lemon juice to ctivate. When the water is 1.5 inches from the bottom of the jug, refill the jug, and wait 24 hours. In 6 months, rinse out the old DE and replace with new DE. Repeat instructions.