Change That Oxygenation Stone!!!

[RLinNH]

So, last time I brewed, I was wondering why my 10 plus year old stone wasn't giving off the oxygen. No bubbles. It has been slowly dying. Anywho, I ordered another one, and this evening, it was like a damned VOLCANO went off in my carboy when I cracked that CO2 bottle. All I can say is, Change that Stone!!! I haven't been properly oxygenatin my wort for a few years now. Now the high FG numbers make sense...ipe:

 

[PlexVector]

@RLinNH: Always have flow enabled during insertion and extraction.

EDIT: Do you use a filter before the stone?

 

[schematix]

Don't forget to boil it before every use, and to flush it extremely well when you're done.

 

[NivBrew]

So, last time I brewed, I was wondering why my 10 plus year old stone wasn't giving off the oxygen. No bubbles. It has been slowly dying. Anywho, I ordered another one, and this evening, it was like a damned VOLCANO went off in my carboy when I cracked that CO2 bottle. All I can say is, Change that Stone!!! I haven't been properly oxygenatin my wort for a few years now. Now the high FG numbers make sense...ipe:

Chances are if you cracked that CO2 open you weren't oxygenating either

 

[PlexVector]

Don't forget to boil it before every use, and to flush it extremely well when you're done.

I boil before and after, then star san and then force air through it and then let dry between paper towels.

 

[stevehaun]

acid soak is the key to keeping the pores cleaned out.

 

[eadavis80]

I boil my stone at the end of every brew day and start running it either the night before brew day or first thing in the morning - takes a few hours before it starts churning out bubbles - even if I change the air filter it still takes a while, but it gets going eventually.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

My aerator stone has been used to oxygenate a lot of batches over the past 5 years. It has never caused an infection and has never been boiled or had any sort of restricted flow problems. All that has been done to maintain it is a soak in StarSan, with the O2 flowing a little before it is dipped into the wort.

Once the wort has been oxygenated, the O2 is left flowing as the aerator is moved into some StarSan, where the O2 is quickly shutoff. Before storing the aerator the O2 is used to flush the pores of the stone of StarSan and the stone wrapped in plastic to prevent anything from coming in contact with it.

It took longer to type this out than to actually do it, but the idea is pretty simple, keep the stones pores clean and it'll last you a good long while.

 

[RLinNH]

I dip the stone in Star Sans, and rinse with hot water after each use. With this new one though, I would like to take better care of it

 

[drgonzo2k2]

I make sure to leave the O2 running when I pull it out of the beer, and then it goes straight into a jar of StarSan that I've attached to the side of my oxygen tank, and I let it bubble there for a bit. Never had any problems.

 

[Jaybird]

Chances are if you cracked that CO2 open you weren't oxygenating either

Ohhh so true! So true....

We know what you mean buddy!

Yes they have a life span that's for sure.

Cheers
Jay