Blow off tube

Sorry if this is on here somewhere else. This weekend I'm going to be using a blow off tube for the first time (because I found 3 glass 5 gallon carboy's, free). My question is do I need to add any water to my blow off bucket and does it need a lid?

No lid needed and yes at the very least you should have some sort of container with water to submerge the end of the tube in, something like starsan would be better though

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I use idophor solution. No lid required provided the tube will stay in place. Either way can not be sealed.

Providing the outlet of the blow-off tube is lower than the top of the fermenter, you don't even need any liquid in the collection bucket. The organisms that cause problems cannot climb. Having said that, adding water will not cause any problems unless you move things about and manage to suck the collected blow off back into the beer.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Pasteur.

-a.

Microorganisms might not but larger "bugs" might decide to journey up the tube and into your wort ;-)

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just put the other end in a mild bleach/water solution to be safe.

Also, since it is a 5 gallon carboy you are likely to get the krausen to run out of the tube and running it into water or some liquid will make an easier clean up. Def keep the end of the blow off tube below the top of your fermenter.

I use a blow off tube on all my beers

I utilize a three foot section of 1 inch ID tubing that fits snug in the neck of my glass carboy going into a one gallon glass pickle jar with a few inches of water in in.
I cut a hole in the metal lid of the pickle jar large enough to accept the tubing and to let gas escape. This set up also helps to stabilize and hold the tubing in postion.

I use plain old water and have never had a problem. I once used a star-san solution - but boy, did it ever foam!
Pez.

Hydrochloric acid work well. Joking! But every beer i have made (im on my 12th now) ive never had to use a blow off tube, im not sure if the particular beers ive made or the temperatures, but i never had to use one yet.

brewd00d said:

Hydrochloric acid work well. Joking! But every beer i have made (im on my 12th now) ive never had to use a blow off tube, im not sure if the particular beers ive made or the temperatures, but i never had to use one yet.

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It only takes once lol

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marnel said:

It only takes once lol

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the blow off tube might might not beer there either.