Leave on blow off tube or put on air lock?

[mikeljcarr]

Had a blow out yesterday so a scrambled to rig up a blow off tube. It vented heavily into the night. I checked on it this morning and it has slowed to a bubble every 5 to 10 seconds. Should I put the air lock back on or just leave it with the blow off rigged up, or does it even matter.

 

[Kwade]

Wait until the krausen falls. I have seen the "overly active" fermentation stop and restart. I usually wait four or five days to be sure.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

FYI, a properly installed blowof tube IS an airlock. There are people that do just a blowoff tube for the entire fermentation. I usually do a blowoff tube the first 5-7 days then replace with an airlock.

 

[wyzazz]

I use a blowoff for my entire fermentation until I tertiary/secondary (not often), or cap the fermenter to cold crash. At the very least I'd always suggest you start fermentation with a blowoff tube on just in case, typically after 3-5 days you are safe to put an airlock on if you want to move the fermenter around.

 

[glenn514]

I usually swap out the blow-off for a standard 3-piece airlock after 48-72 hours, but it really doesn't matter. The blow-off is operating as an airlock. If you want to leave it in place for the entire fermentation time, it won't harm anything.

glenn514

 

[unionrdr]

I use a blow off rig till initial fermentation is complete & it slows down. Then I install a clean airlock filled with cheap vodka.

 

[Calichusetts]

I wait until it takes longer than 30 seconds to get a buble from the tube...in other words, less that one bubble a minute. No issues, but I think I am just going to leave the tube in from now on...getting lazy