I have brewed two batches using the same diffusion stone and aquarium pump setup I am borrowing. Sorry, I don't know the measurement of the stone.
In batch 1, I put the stone in my primary, turned on the pump, came back about 20-25 minutes later to a PILE OF FOAM. I literally had to "level off" the foam with my hand in order to fit the lid on the primary after pitching my yeast.
So, for batch 2, today, I figured 5-10 minutes would be PLENTY OF time for the diffusion stone to work its magic. I boiled the stone prior to sanitizing it (once for cleaning the other for sanitizing) and threw it in the primary. I expected foam, but got NOTHING. I mean, I didn't see ANY EVIDENCE that the stone was producing oxygen after 15 or so minutes.
I took the stone out of the primary and took a close look at it (no I didn't touch it with my bare hands). There MIGHT have been SOME MILD bubbles coming from it, but it was hard to tell. I put it back in the primary and I think after about 10 or so minutes some evidence of foam apparently appeared.
I shook the carboy "old school" style before pitching the yeast just in case there was not oxygen being produced.
Any idea why an apparently clean diffusion stone would seemingly produce such different results? Also, do I need to see FOAM to know there is oxygen in the primary or is foam evidence that there is 'MORE THAN ENOUGH' oxygen for the yeast to be happy?
In batch 1, I put the stone in my primary, turned on the pump, came back about 20-25 minutes later to a PILE OF FOAM. I literally had to "level off" the foam with my hand in order to fit the lid on the primary after pitching my yeast.
So, for batch 2, today, I figured 5-10 minutes would be PLENTY OF time for the diffusion stone to work its magic. I boiled the stone prior to sanitizing it (once for cleaning the other for sanitizing) and threw it in the primary. I expected foam, but got NOTHING. I mean, I didn't see ANY EVIDENCE that the stone was producing oxygen after 15 or so minutes.
I took the stone out of the primary and took a close look at it (no I didn't touch it with my bare hands). There MIGHT have been SOME MILD bubbles coming from it, but it was hard to tell. I put it back in the primary and I think after about 10 or so minutes some evidence of foam apparently appeared.
I shook the carboy "old school" style before pitching the yeast just in case there was not oxygen being produced.
Any idea why an apparently clean diffusion stone would seemingly produce such different results? Also, do I need to see FOAM to know there is oxygen in the primary or is foam evidence that there is 'MORE THAN ENOUGH' oxygen for the yeast to be happy?
