Has anyone thought about this?

[johnnyo1977]

Do you think I could use a portable aquarium pump to oxygenate wort with? thought about this while eating christmas dinner.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...AA&srccode=cii_10043468&cpncode=23-69059488-2
I need to got to the pet store tomorrow and see if i can get one.

 

[Killinger]

Yes. Run a search on "aquarium pump aeration".

Also, a few of the member-vendors offer packages including pump, filter, and air stone.

 

[johnnyo1977]

I have most of the stuff but wasn't sure if a battery pump worked and if any one has one they use on a regular basis.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

This is the aquarium pump you need:

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=10800

It needs to be at least for a 40 gallon tank.

Forrest

 

[bohdan987]

iam using it, it works like a charm just a older different model. i usualy drop a air hose in a bucket with cool wort in it. plug it in and go clean up after iam done cleaning i pull that hose out pitch my yeast. most of times fermentation starts next day.

 

[wildwest450]

Do your self a favor and get this setup. http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=2436. Although for a few more dollars you can get the pro setup. http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_33_352&products_id=2437

 

[alcibiades]

aquarium pump with regular air is no more effective than shaking the carboy for 40 seconds. To go a step beyond, you need to pump pure oxygen in there.

 

[Killinger]

aquarium pump with regular air is no more effective than shaking the carboy for 40 seconds. To go a step beyond, you need to pump pure oxygen in there.

I'm sure this is partially a matter of faith, but there seems to be some disagreement on this. Palmer, in the Yeast chapter of "How to Brew", cites an experiment with various methods of aeration including direct O2 injection and shaking. The direct injection batches were deemed, on average, thin and watery with less malt flavor.

Also, an HBT member (Bobby_M, I think), has a video on youtube of shaken, air-pumped, and O2 injected worts fermenting side-by-side-by-side. As I recall, O2 and air-pump performed about the same with O2 being slightly ahead, and shaken lagged both. Although the method was less than scientific and yeast had been over-pitched in all three batches, the result did indicate better performance from both air pumps and O2 injection relative to shaken.

 

[GreenMonti]

Austin is selling the Tetra whisper air pump for 50 cents more the Dr.Fosters and Smith. Not bad.

I have used the battery powered air pump like the one you linked too. Mine is not the Azoo brand. Mine has saved my bacon twice now, when the power went out. I use it as a backup on my reef tank. You wont forget to turn it off if it is like mine, crazy loud.

Palmer suggests using a filter in line so your not just pumping room air in there. You have worked hard to keep things clean and sanitized. IIRC his simple filter was wet cotton balls in a tube to pump the air through. I also seem to recall, More beer having filters. Both disposible and one that can go in a autoclave. Cheap insurance if you ask me.

Maybe they got rid of the other ones that can be placed in the autoclave. Here is the other one.
http://morebeer.com/view_product/16797//Sanitary_Filter

Austin has them too. 50 cents less.
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=air+filter

 

[DeepSea]

I would suggest going with the O2 system. I used an aquarium pump for years with good results however one drawback is foaming of the beer. The O2 system is only a few dollars more. You have to use the O2 for a shorter amount of time ( ie less foaming)