Sanitising/cleaning 0.5 micron stainless air stone?

[slash22000]

Okay so, first of all, yes, I did Google it. The Internet has failed me. There seems to be a huge amount of conflicting information on the subject.

"Soak it in sanitiser." - "Don't soak an airstone, it will clog!"

"Boil it for 15 minutes." - "Boiling it won't sanitise it, you will die!"

"Soak it and then boil it." - "THIS WILL KILL YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY!"

"IF YOU TOUCH THE STONE, IT WILL BE RUINED!" - "DEATH AND RUIN!"

. . . . .

Is it really so complicated? Does anybody have personal experience with this? It seems like a lot of people use airstones but nobody can figure out how to clean them. :blink:

Incidentally, do I need to filter an oxygen bottle or not? It's another thing people seem very confused about. I know you have to filter an air pump, but an oxy bottle?

I am at your mercy.

 

[robbo5253]

I have one but have not use it yet. The instructions I was given was to start the air flow and then drop into sanitiser for 5 minutes ten remove and put straight into your wort to aerate it then put it back in to the sanitiser(still going) to give it a clean. Cheers

Robbo

 

[slash22000]

Hmm. That's not really an option with an oxygen bottle though. I guess I could hook the stone to my CO2 bottle ... I'm hoping there's an alternative method though.

 

[brad81]

If you want what I do, I clean the line, and submerse the stone with the pump running in boiling water for 15 minutes. Remove it and immediately wrap it in clingfilm. If I'm being extra careful, I'd give it a squirt of starsan, but the bottle isn't always handy in the kitchen.

Note: watch the side of the pot, I melted the line when I first tried this, put the flame off to one side.

 

[Camo6]

One of mine was clogged from new. Placed it in a jar of methylated spirits with an aquarium pump running and cleaned it quick smart. After use i just dip it in starsan with air or o2 running, let it dry then store it in plastic container.
Edit: have moved to bottled o2 but $15 aquarium pump is still handy for sanitising before and after without wasting precious oxygen.

 

[ticinglese]

The shop I bought it from said never soak in anything without air running through it. He cleans his buy bubbling through boiling water, no saniter. Also said the holes are so small that grease from your hands can block them so handle with latex gloves or a bit of cling film. Last tip was most pumps sold with the ceramic stones as wort aerators are not powerful enough but as you have a bottle of oxygen that's probably not a problem.

cheers