Carb stone cleaning?

[Ckilner]

I've got a SS Brewtech Unitank in which there is a carb stone which I have never used. So far it has just been there to plug the hole in the side of the tank. I've now decided to use it to oxygenate the wort before fermentation starts. I've connected it to an oxygen cylinder and immersed it in water to check that it's OK. Turns out that it's blocked and no bubbles appear. I have boiled it for 10 mins and then retried but again nothing. It seems well and truly blocked. Anyone got any tips on how to revive it?
Cheers

 

[MHB]

The standard approach would be to soak it in hot caustic. Normally 1-2%WV at 60-80oC for maybe half an hour
It’s going to depend on what it’s blocked with, the most common culprit is protein which caustic is very good at denaturing.
The way you have been using it the blockage might just be dried up wort sugars, before using caustic you could try just soaking in hot water, try what you did to simmer it, just for a lot longer.
If that doesn’t do the job, there are a couple of other things to try, let us know how you go.

Remember Caustic is very dangerous and use with all care.
Mark

 

[Ckilner]

Yup, hot caustic sorted it - thanks.
Judging by the colour of the caustic and the bits floating about it was pretty horrible inside. How I've managed to escape a brew infection I don't know!

 

[duncbrewer]

Routine cleaning of Carb stone I just put it in Starsan for a while before use then back in starsan after and then blow it dry with the oxygen and hang it up.

Is that okay?

This is a question rather than a rhetorical question or recommendation.

 

[Ckilner]

I use Peracetic acid for sanitising so I'll employ a similar regime using that.

 

[duncbrewer]

I use Peracetic acid for sanitising so I'll employ a similar regime using that.

see my edit