Air Pump For Aeration Stone

[Doc]

My existing 4.2litre dual outlet variable speed air pump is on its last legs.
I'm looking for a replacement.
I'm currently using a 2 micron aeration stone in my inline aeration unit.
What air pumps are you guys using and can recommend for my upgrade ? Variable speed would be great, and I'm thinking I'd like around the 10 litres/min range at least.

Beers,
Doc

 

[redbeard]

mmmm i just bought the cheapest $15 - 20 aquarium pump fro the local petshop. has a hi / lo setting. works ok.

 

[Tseay]

Just following on this thread. I was wondering what folks are using to stop the aeration stone from floating to the top of the wort when swithched on as in my case. Iwas thinking of using a rigid racking tube.

Does anyone else have this problem ? If so how have you fixed it ?

Thanks

 

[pint of lager]

I use a dual output airpump from Big W with a 2 micron ss stone.

The dual outputs are parrelled up with a t piece to the air line.

The ss stone sinks to the bottom of the fermenter without any problems.

You could tie on something heavy like some ss washers if your plastic stone keeps floating.

 

[Doc]

My existing dual outlet pump setup utilises both outputs through a t-piece also into the aeration stone (Morebeer 1/2" 2 micron) which is inline with the temp gauge unit on the out side of my CFWC.
Thinking about it Batz uses the same setup. What pump are you using Batz ?

Beers,
Doc

 

[Joel]

Slightly off topic...

I've found an aquarium place in Browns Plains, QLD that sells stainless air stones for $10

http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/category10_1.htm

Pity that postage is $7.50 though otherwise I'd get myself one.

Looks like they've got some nice little air pumps too Doc.

 

[dreamboat]

Great find Joel!

I already have a couple of s/s airstones, but Browns plains is just down the road from where I work.... if anybody wants one/two/three of these, let me know and I can head over a pick up a few. I reckon it could be posted for no more than a couple of bucks.



dreamboat

 

[AndrewQLD]

Great find Joel!

I already have a couple of s/s airstones, but Browns plains is just down the road from where I work.... if anybody wants one/two/three of these, let me know and I can head over a pick up a few. I reckon it could be posted for no more than a couple of bucks.



dreamboat

[post="120115"][/post]​

I'd be up for one Dreamboat if you get enough interest.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Doc]

Slightly off topic...

I've found an aquarium place in Browns Plains, QLD that sells stainless air stones for $10

http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/category10_1.htm

Pity that postage is $7.50 though otherwise I'd get myself one.

Looks like they've got some nice little air pumps too Doc.

[post="120113"][/post]​

Cheers Joel,

They have the pump I currently have here.
I'm looking for recommendations before buying another, so that it lasts longer this time.
Come in Batz.

Doc

 

[Jez]

hasn't Batz got a massive aquarium shop air pump? is designed to run 20 aquariums or something?

I remember seeing it while searching on here when I was looking to buy a pump.

I wound up buying a 40L per minute jobbie for $60 from a mob in Qld.

Haven't had much brew time lately though so am hoping to give it a run this weekend.

Jez

 

[Jez]

Hey Joel, that's the same place I got my air pump from.

Currently priced at $50 I see......

http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/category31_1.htm

Might prove to be a bit of overkill but waht the hell.....

Jez

 

[PistolPatch]

Doc, I was just at the aquarium shop the other day and they reckon the Eterna brand is best. It has 12 month warranty and the smallest one is only about $20. I find the small one is fine when using the 2 micron SS stone.

Cheers
PP

 

[Trough Lolly]

Slightly off topic...

I've found an aquarium place in Browns Plains, QLD that sells stainless air stones for $10

http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/category10_1.htm

Pity that postage is $7.50 though otherwise I'd get myself one.

Looks like they've got some nice little air pumps too Doc.

[post="120113"][/post]​

I see they also sell the 30cm air curtain - only $5.50 and I bought a 60cm version in Walmart USA late last year and they're great for aerating wort - you can twist them to fit the fermenter or keg fermenter perfectly to maximise airflow through the wort - they have a very fine stream of airbubbles and I've never overfoamed a fermenter yet - just fire up the dual outlet aquarium pump and leave for an hour - highly recommended...

Cheers,
TL

 

[Doc]

Jez,

I love the look of the 40 litre job.

Is the flow rate variable, or does it just run constant at 40 litres per min ?

Beers,
Doc

 

[PistolPatch]

Very nice looking pump Jez. Why couldn't I find that on the net last week when I was looking?

40 litres/minute sounds like a hell of a lot to me considering my pump does only about 2. I'm just wondering if you can burn these things out if there's too much resistance.

 

[bindi]

I see they also sell the 30cm air curtain - only $5.50 and I bought a 60cm version in Walmart USA late last year and they're great for aerating wort - you can twist them to fit the fermenter or keg fermenter perfectly to maximise airflow through the wort - they have a very fine stream of airbubbles and I've never overfoamed a fermenter yet - just fire up the dual outlet aquarium pump and leave for an hour - highly recommended...

Cheers,
TL

[post="120151"][/post]​

[/quote]

Thanks TL, don't you just love this kind of info :beer: AHBs rock .

 

[beers]

Great find Joel!

I already have a couple of s/s airstones, but Browns plains is just down the road from where I work.... if anybody wants one/two/three of these, let me know and I can head over a pick up a few. I reckon it could be posted for no more than a couple of bucks.



dreamboat

[post="120115"][/post]​

I'd advise that you check them out first DB. I bought one from these guys a few months back. I'm not sure on the micron rating but there are better airstones out there. I've recently upgraded to the oxynator (.5 micron i *think*) from www.esbeer.com.au... it is 4 times the price but much better IMO.

I use an old aquarium pump thats about to pack it in. I have been looking around I think the cheapest I've found would have to be at Kmart. The quality looks good too - & the 'test unit' I bought for my fish tank seems to be holding up well

 

[Jez]

Hi Doc & PP,

I think there's one speed unfortunately - flat out. I only got the 40 litre over the 20 litre model (which probably would've been sufficent) but it was only $11 more.

haven't had the opportunity to give it a whirl as yet - I will do so this weekend & report back. Maybe 20L per minute is plenty.

PP - I think I originally found it on ebay where they had a link to the website.

Jez

 

[Doc]

I'm thinking the 20 litre one too unless you had good results with the 40 litre one this weekend Jez.
How did it go ?

Beers,
Doc

 

[PistolPatch]

I'm actually thinking one of the bigger ones Doc but for a slighlty different purpose! I'm thinking of putting it in my fridge and pumping cold air from my fridge through my mini IC I made for my fermenter. The fermenter sits in an esky above my fridge. (Won't post the pics as you've probably seen them.)

I'm hoping that will get me down to lager temperatures a lot faster/easier than I'm able at present. From prior experiments, I'm pretty sure it will work. If not, I suppose I'll have to by a large aquarium!

Have sent Jez a PM asking him if the unit gets warm/hot when operating. Fingers crossed.