# Source of sterile tubes



## CosmicBertie (5/3/13)

For those people who split liquid yeast, where do you source your sterile tubes from? I'm looking to start doing this to save a bob or two.


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## mikec (5/3/13)

Proscitech.com

My last order for 50 vials:

LS22-30L Sample tubes, PP, conical bottom free-standing, sterile, 30mL, labelled pk/50 $17 x 1 = $17.00


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## Nick JD (5/3/13)

$21 now!


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## Damien13 (5/3/13)

Anyone is SE Qld want to split some or jump in on a bulk (ish) purchase PM me. The 15 bucks freight is a bit oppressive with a single purchase.
YEah yeah... not posted in bulk buy forum. blow me.


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## sp0rk (5/3/13)

Hit up seratech http://seratech.net/
He's a forum member (Sera) and usually hangs out in the chat room most nights


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## hoppy2B (5/3/13)

Southern Cross Science in Adelaide, (Edwardstown), has stuff like that.


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## CosmicBertie (5/3/13)

Sweet, thanks for the info


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## flyinhi (5/3/13)

Try wiltronics.com.au, they are in ballarat and have a fair range of containers, cheap flasks etc. postage should be better since you are reasonably local. I got a big fat box of gear sent to Geelong and I think it went about 10 bucks for shipping :super:


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## kahlerisms (6/3/13)

sp0rk said:


> Hit up seratech http://seratech.net/
> He's a forum member (Sera) and usually hangs out in the chat room most nights


Site is down


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## sp0rk (6/3/13)

It is, but if you email him he should get back to you quickly
Get onto the IRC channel tonight and he should be there (he is most nights)
It's #AHB on EFnet


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## Damien13 (6/3/13)

I emailed him and he got back really quick


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## lukec (6/3/13)

Go to local chemist and get some plastic specimen jars, local guy here charges 50c each


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## philmud (7/3/13)

I just bought some test tubes from eBay & plan to sanitize well before use - am I being naive that they'll be ok? I'd hate to spoil a brew over a cheap test tube


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## sp0rk (8/3/13)

Unless they were sold as "Sterilized" I'd be chucking them in a pressure cooker for 15 minutes, or boiling them in a normal pot for 15 minutes 3 days in a row before use


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## philmud (8/3/13)

Cheers, I can do that!


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## seravitae (15/3/13)

Just like to say, although I am quite busy these days and haven't been on AHB chat or the forums much (at all), I am still happy to help out with consumables and brew gear. And I really appreciate the recommendations. Between a hectic social life, my PhD and other commitments, my website is probably perpetually down for the moment but if there's anything more I can do to service the brew crew, please, by all means throw me a line at [email protected] and I'll do what I can to help.

Cheers
Seb
Seratech


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## WitWonder (14/4/13)

sp0rk said:


> Unless they were sold as "Sterilized" I'd be chucking them in a pressure cooker for 15 minutes, or boiling them in a normal pot for 15 minutes 3 days in a row before use


This is pretty paranoid stuff. I'm all for santising my equipment before use where required but also balance that need with the effort/risk involved. I bought plastic vials from a science supply place which are stored in a plastic bag they came in in the cupboards and never had an issue simply using some starsan in each tube at the time of use. Having done this practice for about five years I think I can safely say it's sanitary enough for the yeast.


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## sp0rk (14/4/13)

You "think"
I've used vials from china that weren't marked as sanitized, it didn't bother and they got infected
the piece of mind is worth the effort for me


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## Yob (15/4/13)

I'm with sp0rk, I tend to err on the side of caution, just bought a pressure cooker for this purpose, why risk it?

Spores survive a single boil and you can't count water as 'sterile' until after the process above, my yeast rinsing water always gets this treatment


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## WitWonder (15/4/13)

sp0rk said:


> You "think"
> I've used vials from china that weren't marked as sanitized, it didn't bother and they got infected
> the piece of mind is worth the effort for me


How can you be sure the infection came from the vials and not something else in your process? Do you pressure-cook your fermenter before you use it? You know the difference between sanitising and sterilising, right? If you choose vials that are apparently 'sanitised' that's just the same as you using your sanitiser at home, isn't it? Unless of course you mean sterilised...

Like I said, five years and dozens of yeast starters (that's not "thinking", that's first hand repeated experience) is enough for me to know the conditions and methods I use for my yeast handling are sanitary enough to produce award winning beer :beer:


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## sp0rk (15/4/13)

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't doubting your experience
I'm just saying that in an environment where the yeast doesn't have all that CO2 and beer to buffer out potential nasties, I'd rather be that extra bit careful


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