Aeration - O2 Tank

[user 574]

Went to Home Depot and was going to get a 02 tank for airating the wort but do you have to purchase a torch end then as well or did I not find the right oxygen tanks?

 

[El Pistolero]

Went to Home Depot and was going to get a 02 tank for airating the wort but do you have to purchase a torch end then as well or did I not find the right oxygen tanks?

I've found the tanks by themselves...not in home depot, but in lowes.

 

[ian]

Wow, you guys are hardcore. Here I was just shaking up my carboy. . . .

 

[El Pistolero]

Wow, you guys are hardcore. Here I was just shaking up my carboy. . . .

Not that hardcore...an extra $30 bucks for the stone & regulator, and $8 or so every few batches for the oxygen. For me, it's a lot easier than trying to shake up a 6 1/2 gal carboy with 45 lbs of wort in it.

 

[ian]

For me, it's a lot easier than trying to shake up a 6 1/2 gal carboy with 45 lbs of wort in it.

True, I'm bound to drop that thing one of these days!!

 

[usmcruz]

Not that hardcore...an extra $30 bucks for the stone & regulator, and $8 or so every few batches for the oxygen. For me, it's a lot easier than trying to shake up a 6 1/2 gal carboy with 45 lbs of wort in it.

How much oxygen do you use, your only suppose to hit it for 2 minutes on low for better absorbtion

 

[user 574]

I've found the tanks by themselves...not in home depot, but in lowes.

Probably the same tank I saw then. Red Bernzomatic tank for about $8. Maybe I'm being thick but this is your normal torch tank of oxygen. So what do you attach it to to get the air out? You need to screw something onto the top that activates the pressure release valve in the center of the tank & something to turn it on/off. That's why I thought maybe I need a torch attachment but that seems like a cludge?

 

[Genghis77]

Seems those little disposable tanks would add up in cost. Might be a good excuse to take up oxy-acetelyne welding as a related hobby.

 

[usmcruz]

Probably the same tank I saw then. Red Bernzomatic tank for about $8. Maybe I'm being thick but this is your normal torch tank of oxygen. So what do you attach it to to get the air out? You need to screw something onto the top that activates the pressure release valve in the center of the tank & something to turn it on/off. That's why I thought maybe I need a torch attachment but that seems like a cludge?

MAPP gas is made by combining liquefied petroleum gas with Methylacetylene-Propadiene. Something you definately dont want in your brew. Red oxygen tank is the one you want. Order the valve and stone from your homebrew shop. this is the best way to go. Dont put mapp gas into your brew.

 

[ALPS]

Probably the same tank I saw then. Red Bernzomatic tank for about $8. Maybe I'm being thick but this is your normal torch tank of oxygen. So what do you attach it to to get the air out? You need to screw something onto the top that activates the pressure release valve in the center of the tank & something to turn it on/off. That's why I thought maybe I need a torch attachment but that seems like a cludge?

You need the regulator, not the torch head itself. You are in the right area, just keep looking. When I looked over the weekend, the only oxygen regulators they had at Lowe's were in the kit containing O2, fuel gas and torch. Probably more than you want.

I've seen the regulators online (check Northern or Midwest) for $15 -$20.

 

[Brewiz]

Check a medical supply store.

 

[user 574]

You need the regulator, not the torch head itself. You are in the right area, just keep looking. When I looked over the weekend, the only oxygen regulators they had at Lowe's were in the kit containing O2, fuel gas and torch. Probably more than you want.

I've seen the regulators online (check Northern or Midwest) for $15 -$20.

Ok, Northern had the regulators online but for $25. Wish I bought the stone/regulator combo now. I'll look at Home D or Ace to see if they have a regulator (Lowes I went to didn't). I could purchase the pencil torch assembly for $12 and "rig" it I'm sure.

usmcruz - yea, the red bottle. That was the only image online. Don't think I would have made it this far in life if I would make a mistake like MAPP gas as an oxygen source :cross:.

 

[usmcruz]

Ok, Northern had the regulators online but for $25. Wish I bought the stone/regulator combo now. I'll look at Home D or Ace to see if they have a regulator (Lowes I went to didn't). I could purchase the pencil torch assembly for $12 and "rig" it I'm sure.

usmcruz - yea, the red bottle. That was the only image online. Don't think I would have made it this far in life if I would make a mistake like MAPP gas as an oxygen source :cross:.

Hey you never know man, Ive heard people doing some really wacked out stuff when it comes to brewing. I think its a survival issue from batch to batch with some people.

 

[ALPS]

Ok, Northern had the regulators online but for $25. Wish I bought the stone/regulator combo now. I'll look at Home D or Ace to see if they have a regulator (Lowes I went to didn't). I could purchase the pencil torch assembly for $12 and "rig" it I'm sure.
.

Check Williams Brewing. Item Q11. Oxygen regulator. $17.90. Too bad everything else they sell is way more epensive than other places.

As for medical grade containing antifungals... never heard of that. Maybe the small disposale bottles do. Anything refillable comes from the same source that also fills industrial oxygen cylinders, all at your local welding supply store.

 

[DyerNeedOfBeer]

I have no experience on this so I am posing this as a concern / question...

I thought / heard that you cannot get oxygen cylinders from a medical supply place without a prescription. I thought that the way they were allowed to sell oxygen at lowes and such was because they put another trace gas in it which caused it to be irritating / smelly to people. Obviously this is not the case since many people seem to use these oxygen sources in home brewing... Anyone have any knowledge on this issue?

 

[El Pistolero]

So what do you attach it to to get the air out?

My kit came with airstone, tubing, and a regulator to screw onto the top of the O2 tank. It's like this:

I got mine at Northern Brewer, but your LHBS probably has them.

 

[usmcruz]

Check Williams Brewing. Item Q11. Oxygen regulator. $17.90. Too bad everything else they sell is way more epensive than other places.

As for medical grade containing antifungals... never heard of that. Maybe the small disposale bottles do. Anything refillable comes from the same source that also fills industrial oxygen cylinders, all at your local welding supply store.

The reason youve medical grade oxygen is called medical grade is because of the antifungal they mix it with. All medical grade oxygen contains it. The disposable ones you get a home depot or lowes is not medical grade. Trust me on this one. I got this info from a medical supply store.

 

[usmcruz]

I have no experience on this so I am posing this as a concern / question...

I thought / heard that you cannot get oxygen cylinders from a medical supply place without a prescription. I thought that the way they were allowed to sell oxygen at lowes and such was because they put another trace gas in it which caused it to be irritating / smelly to people. Obviously this is not the case since many people seem to use these oxygen sources in home brewing... Anyone have any knowledge on this issue?

Negative on the trace gases, that was false info. Just oxygen.

 

[usmcruz]

I did some research, becuase I wanted more than one opinion on the matter. My hunch paid off. The medical supply place that fed me this info was wrong. The difference between medical grade O2 and non medical grade O2 is that the medical grade is tested by the fda's guidlines and non medical grade isnt, but there the same product with slightly different moisture levels which doesnt matter to us. I edited my post from before so as to not give out false info. I stand corrected.

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

if someone is worried about contamination from the bottled BernzOmatic o2, they can put an in-line filter on. but, there should be no problems. i've been using the set up for a while now.
times for oxygenating wort:
for 5 g picthed wort:
1.040 -1.050 1 min
1.050-1.060 1.5 min
1.060-1.070 2 min
1.070 and up 2.5-3 min and once additionaly in 12-14 hours. these schedule should yield 10-15 ppm dissolved oxygen in the wort.
it should be done low and slow. the smaller o2 bubles are better utilized by the yeast. which is why sloshing the wort around from bucket to bucket, or in the carboy does not do near the job of oxygenating w/ a stone and o2 bottle.

 

[user 574]

if someone is worried about contamination from the bottled BernzOmatic o2, they can put an in-line filter on. but, there should be no problems. i've been using the set up for a while now.
times for oxygenating wort:
for 5 g picthed wort:
1.040 -1.050 1 min
1.050-1.060 1.5 min
1.060-1.070 2 min
1.070 and up 2.5-3 min and once additionaly in 12-14 hours. these schedule should yield 10-15 ppm dissolved oxygen in the wort.
it should be done low and slow. the smaller o2 bubles are better utilized by the yeast. which is why sloshing the wort around from bucket to bucket, or in the carboy does not do near the job of oxygenating w/ a stone and o2 bottle.

How many batches do you get out of that bottle anyways?

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

i get about 7-9 out of a bottle. i could probably get more but after cleaning and sanitizing the aeration stone and hose, i always blow it out with the o2 bottle. and, this last starter i made i used it to oxygenate that. i normaly oxygenate my worst for 2 minutes too.

 

[user 574]

i get about 7-9 out of a bottle. i could probably get more but after cleaning and sanitizing the aeration stone and hose, i always blow it out with the o2 bottle. and, this last starter i made i used it to oxygenate that. i normaly oxygenate my worst for 2 minutes too.

Not bad then. About a $1 a batch.

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

yea, it's cheap. and your yeast love u for it!

 

[Kerrden]

How much oxygen do you use, your only suppose to hit it for 2 minutes on low for better absorbtion

I‘ve been using oxygen for quite awhile, but always did it fairly high because I did not know better. Then I read an article about doing it very low, where the bubbles at the surface are small, but may take 5-6 minutes. On my first batch my FG was to be 1.013 and finished at 1.006. So something must have worked.

 

[Bilsch]

I have no experience on this so I am posing this as a concern / question...

I thought / heard that you cannot get oxygen cylinders from a medical supply place without a prescription. I thought that the way they were allowed to sell oxygen at lowes and such was because they put another trace gas in it which caused it to be irritating / smelly to people.

The only gas they dose with an irritant is industrial nitrous oxide. They add sulfur dioxide to keep people from huffing it. Only medical grade N2O comes without the SO2.

Because of the way oxygen is produced, distillation of air, it all comes from the same source and all starts out at the same purity. Medical, welding, indistirial, aviators breathing.. all the same except for how the cylinders are handled before filling and certification paperwork. Anyway it's perfectly fine to use welding grade O2 to aerate your wort.