Gels of the Biogel P series, which have previously been shown to contain low-density water with highly selective solvent properties, have been used to examine the question of how solutes and water come to equilibrium in such environments. The internal water content of gel beads was measured as a function of time in the presence of no solutes, single solutes, and combinations of solutes. In the presence of 10 mM KNO3 (or of KCl or KH2PO4) which are selectively accumulated into stretched water adjacent to poorly hydrogen bonding surfaces, internal volume increased steadily for up to 17 days. In the absence of small solute or in the presence of 100 mM NaCl, internal volume became constant after two days. With mixed solutes, such as a bicarbonate-buffered Ringer’s solution or 5 mM K phosphate pH 7, the internal volume oscillated with a period of days.