first time brewer - anxious

The size of the bucket is of utmost importance - 5 gallons? How much water (in liters) did you add?

Also, what strain of yeast did you use and did you aerate before pitching the yeast? Was the water and everything clean and sanitary?

Also, you should keep the must at around 20°C. 16°C is too low - your yeast will very likely go to sleep at those temps. Higher, and they'll stress, and produce off-flavours and other unwanted chemicals.

I agree with Toxxyc about needing to know which yeast you used. They all have different temperature ranges. From what I've learned, 16 degrees should be ok, but it might be lower than ideal. With low temp I think it takes longer to ferment. From what I've learned, 30 degrees is definitely too hot. That will stress the yeast and they will produce bad flavors. My kit came with a temperature strip on an adhesive backing so you can stick it right to the outside of the bucket so you know the temp of the must.

Since you first posted on 1/26 I think by now you might be at the point where you don't want to aerate anymore, but I'm not sure. That's something you do before pitching the yeast, and during the first few days in order to add oxygen for the yeast. Someone else might be able to speak further on that, but my understanding is that from now on you don't want to add oxygen at all.

Your O.G. sounds normal.

I did a podcast here on Gotmeadlive You guys should go listen to it starting on 9/5/17. I go through each step teaching how any why making mead with the most modern methods.

The size of the bucket isn't very important during an active primary. You do however want to move it into a carboy to age with as little as possible headspace.

You mead has zero nutrients in it. Not sure what info you based that on. But sorry to say you have very close to zero. No way near enough of the proper stuff.

Go here to page 7 if you want to learn how to rehydrate yeast the correct way. I think this is probably where you screwed the pooch. http://www.scottlab.com/pdf/ScottlabsHandbook2016.pdf

Squatchy said:

The size of the bucket isn't very important during an active primary.

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Except if he pitched 3lbs of honey in a 5 gallon bucket (and filled it with water) - not very much sugar to ferment at all. Would also give some clarity on whether or not the hydrometer reading might be in the ballpark or waaaaaay off (incorrectly read - as per your signature )

Toxxyc said:

Except if he pitched 3lbs of honey in a 5 gallon bucket (and filled it with water) - not very much sugar to ferment at all. Would also give some clarity on whether or not the hydrometer reading might be in the ballpark or waaaaaay off (incorrectly read - as per your signature )

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LOL Yes, that would be a problem. Although he didn't say he had a 5-gallon bucket. He did say a bucket and that he added 3 lbs of honey and water to -3" from the top. And he had a gravity of 1054. Hopefully, he will come back and touch base with us again.

Squatchy said:

LOL Yes, that would be a problem. Although he didn't say he had a 5-gallon bucket. He did say a bucket and that he added 3 lbs of honey and water to -3" from the top. And he had a gravity of 1054. Hopefully, he will come back and touch base with us again.

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If we assume that the OP was able to take a good reading from the hydrometer then my guess is that this is a 2 gallon bucket. Three pounds of honey when mixed to make 1 gallon will have a gravity of 1.105 so in twice that volume the gravity halves and will be about 1.052 which in horseshoes is right on target. A gravity of 1.054 will have a potential ABV of about 7% and in beer that's no slouch, although as a wine it'll not knock you over.

Bottom line - as I am wont to say - Willyham01 - looks like this may be OK but depending on the variety of honey it may have more or less rich flavor. What you might do with this (and this is only a suggestion) is you might allow this to ferment brut dry and then prime this with either a little honey or sugar. If sugar, and I am correct and you have 2 gallons, then you might add about 40 g of sugar to the "bottling bucket" , bottle and after two or three weeks you will have a nicely carbonated mead - the carbonation will add to the flavor as the gas will collect the flavor molecules and pop in your mouth creating a greater perception of flavor than the mead might offer if it was still) -

But that is down the road a bit because after active fermentation has ceased you will want to rack (transfer) the mead from the bucket into narrow mouthed carboys to inhibit oxidation and allow the yeast to clean up after themselves removing all kinds of compounds they have produced and whose removal will only enhance the flavor of your mead.