can I aeriate with a tube

[cyberjoey80]

Hi all. Well UPS still cannot find my shippment that has my new oxygen (aeriation) stone. I have my tank, batch of beer and everything ready to go. Can I just aeriate my putting a piece of (sanitized) tubing at the bottom of my wert and turn the gas on low for a minute. I think if I do this and stir it up as I do, it should be just fine as far as introducing oxygen no? I would love to start my batch (IPA) right now. Thank you.

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

You don't need to aerate with pure oxygen- you can just agitate the carboy. If agitation is fine, then so is using the tube by itself, but I'm sure it won't be as effective.

Maybe try giving the carboy a minute's worth of O2, then seal it, agitate it, and then repeat: Blast of O2, seal, agitate.

If you're hell-bent on using the tube and an O2 source to aerate, I think that'd be the best compromise. But personally, I'd probably just make a starter to get quick fermentation, give the carboy a few agitating shakes, and forget the oxygen altogether if I didn't have a stone. It'll still work and there will be less wasted O2.

 

[rod]

possibly a dumb suggestion, but would an aquarium air stone work if it was sanitized until the stainless one arrives??

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

possibly a dumb suggestion, but would an aquarium air stone work if it was sanitized until the stainless one arrives??

Yeah. I would think it would. In fact, that's what I'm planning on using. Haven't really heard an explanation as to why that wouldn't work perfectly well.

 

[bikebryan]

Yeah. I would think it would. In fact, that's what I'm planning on using. Haven't really heard an explanation as to why that wouldn't work perfectly well.

I don't use them, but I don't think aquarium airstone would work that well. The bubbles aren't as fine and I think they might be harder to clean and sanitize.

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

I don't use them, but I don't think aquarium airstone would work that well. The bubbles aren't as fine and I think they might be harder to clean and sanitize.

I should have specified... I don't intend to use it with a pure O2 source, but rather, with regular air, just in lieu of agitating the wort by hand in a glass carboy. If you're spending the bucks to do a pure CO2 system then I suppose it would only make sense to use the right equipment. But the guy is just asking about "for the time being" until his equipment arrives, so I can't say I really see the harm in it.

Hard to sanitize? I dunno. If you boil the stone for 30 minutes, what kind of nasties can realistically still be on it?

 

[david_42]

Go ahead and do it. If you can find a big whisk or slotted spoon, that would help.

 

[Orfy]

It's got to be better than not doing it.

 

[Bobby_M]

My cheap ass uses a regular aquarium stone every time. I just bought a 4 pack and throw it away each batch rather than clean it. I still soak it in sanitizer beforehand though.

 

[Jack]

I don't have many batches under my belt, but I use a whisk to aerate my wort. A good minute of vigorous whisking has worked well for me so far.

But to answer your question, that should work.

 

[bikebryan]

I should have specified... I don't intend to use it with a pure O2 source, but rather, with regular air, just in lieu of agitating the wort by hand in a glass carboy. If you're spending the bucks to do a pure CO2 system then I suppose it would only make sense to use the right equipment. But the guy is just asking about "for the time being" until his equipment arrives, so I can't say I really see the harm in it.

Hard to sanitize? I dunno. If you boil the stone for 30 minutes, what kind of nasties can realistically still be on it?

A 30 minute boil would likely take care of your sanitzing needs, agreed.

My point on the bubbles though - the stones meant for brewing use holes that are extremely small, around 1 micron or so IIRC. Aquarium air stone are much larger. The stones from brewing work so well because the bubbles are much smaller than your aquarium bubbles, whether using air or O2. If the bubbles are all breaking the surface, you aren't getting much benefit from them. Better than nothing? Maybe. You'd get probably the same benefit as shaking or using a paddle/whisk.