Aeration kit and sanitation

I got my aeration kit yesterday- and there are no directions, except not to touch the diffusion stone. Ok, but how should this be sanitized before using? Common sense says not to soak the filter, or even to take it off and put it back on the other way. But how do you sanitize it from the filter down?

Lorena

boil the air stone (10 minutes) sanstar on the air lines, I asked about the filter the other day and they said just to put foil on the input side and store in a ziplock. BTW I dunno what type of airline they give ya with yours but if it wasnt the silicon stuff I highly recomend that ya get some, much easier to strech to get it on your filter and stone but still fits the pump nicely.

I assemble it and put the line & stone in sanitizer. Then I'll hook it up to the pump and put the stone in boiled water and pump for a few minutes. The first stone came with a long SS tube and I just put it in the boiling wort. Plugged the stone up.

Yooper Chick said:

I got my aeration kit yesterday
Lorena

Click to expand...

What type of kit did you get?

This one, from AHS:

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=2436

Thanks alot!

Lorena

Lorena... let me know how much it affects your fermentation will ya?!

I put about 4-6 ounces of water in the microwave for 2 minutes and then put the stone in the water afterwards. Its good and hot. I then assemble the hoses and give it a quick blast with O2 before aerating the wort.

Hmm I used mine for the first time today too. Mine came from Williams Brewing. My directions just said to soak in sanitizer, so I put it in my wallpaper tray for a few minutes. I didn't boil it or anything, hope I did right.......

I did the same, Bernie. Soaked for a bit, then let 'er rip (at a gentle, controlled output). Not worried.

It sounds easy enough. Is there any reason to take it apart below the HEPA filter and sanitize the inside, other than soaking it in sanitizer? I mean the air flows through it, so do I have to tear it apart to sanitize or is soaking it good enough? I like David_42's idea, just run it for a while in boiled water. Should I run it in a little sanitizer instead, though? Am I overthinking this whole thing? Am I totally paranoid?

I know, I know, RDWHAHB.

Lorena

I also bought my areation kit from Williams Brewing and has a long 24" S.S. tube with the stone on the bottom man I love it!!!! I had a kit with a tubing and stone on the end and the stone would float when I put pressure to it. I like the S.S. tube because it dos'nt float and I can direct the oxygen where I want it to go. I was just wondering if yours was the same type?

That's the one I bought, and I think Bernie as well. I love that I'm done aerating and all set to pitch in two minutes.

Bird. This thing rocks I Just love the metal wand, It allows you to get the o2 to all parts of the carboy or fermenter!!

I have the Austin aerator as well. I leave mine fully assembled and submerge up to (but not including) the filter in starsan while it is running. I tried it the first time without it running and it filled up with sanitizer. I don't know if this is proper or not but I haven't had any noticeable problems (8 batches with it now).

Edit: I also had the floating problem, I solved this with a stainless washer on the hose, sinks like a stone.

From the AHBS link;

"Airstone may be cleaned in boiling water or a sanitizing solution may be pulsed through it using the pump."