Oxygen Tank/Regulator/Stone - How to store?

[linuxelf]

Taking the advice of the fine folks at TBN, I've just purchased an oxygen tank, a regulator, and a .5 micron stone. I'll be brewing with it for the first time tomorrow. Today, I hooked it all up and tested it with a small cup of water, and the air flows and makes really nice tiny bubbles. Excellent. Now, the question is, how do I store the thing? I tried removing the small hose from the regulator so I could coil it back up and place it back in the ziplock bag it came in, but it looks as it it's not made to disconnect once you've put it on the regulator. The owner of my LHBS told me to make sure to never touch the stone, because the oils in my hands could block the pores, so I'm trying to be very careful with it, but if I can't remove it from the regulator, what can I do? Is it safe to remove the regulator from the tank? Or will it then just release all of its oxygen? Or should I just coil the hose up around the tank and just store it like that, taking care not to touch the stone to anything?

Also, the small document that came with it said that I could clean it by backwashing water through it. I have no idea how I would go about doing that. Can I just soak it in starsan to clean it?

[Bugeater]

On mine, I push the hose onto the regulator barb just far enough to hold. You aren't running much pressure through there, so it doesn't take much to hold. That way I can pull the hose back off without much trouble.

When cleaning I use my spray bottle of StarSan to squirt sanitizer into the hose and then force it through with CO2. I then soak the stone for awhile in sanitizer before hanging it up to dry.

I have thought about getting some sort of quick disconnect for the O2 line, but I haven't gotten around to actually researching it. Any ideas anyone?

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

[linuxelf]

Unfortunately, I just stuck my hose on as far as that sucker would go. So, pulling it back off doesn't appear to be an option.

I also don't have a co2 setup yet (Still bottling, not kegging yet, but that's coming... it's all part of the plan )

[BeerPal]

I replaced the tiny hose that came with mine with some (I think) 1/8" ID hose. It slides on and off the regulator barb very easily. Between the stone and filter I use silicone tubing that works real well. Before use I boil the stone for 10 or 15 minutes to clean it out then I soak it in sanitzer. To store it I just flush it with water and leave it on a bar towel to dry until the next brew session.

[linuxelf]

Huh.... so, since I've already installed this hose, and really can't pull it off, should I cut it off? Also, the kit that I bought doesn't appear to have a filter. Just a regulator, hose, and a stone. Do I need a filter in there?

[BeerPal]

Huh.... so, since I've already installed this hose, and really can't pull it off, should I cut it off? Also, the kit that I bought doesn't appear to have a filter. Just a regulator, hose, and a stone. Do I need a filter in there?

You can pull the hose off. It went on, it'll come off. Just use a little elbow grease or some heat to expand it.

A filter is probably not necessary. Pure oxygen is toxic to most critters, including those that might contaminate your wort. I wouldn't sweat not having the filter.

[linuxelf]

Ok, cool. I won't worry about the filter. I'm probably going to end up cutting the hose off. I've given it a pretty strong tug, and it just isn't budging at all. The barbs are just really doing their job. I'm also uncomfortable applying heat that close to the tank. I'm sure it's absolutely fine, but it just makes me nervous. A razor blade should be able to remove it without much trouble.

[Lufah]

Are we talking about this?



If so that is what I use. Just pull really hard and the hose will come off. Or heat it with some steam from a pot of boiling water. A great tip I got from someone is to take the regulator off the tank when not in use. For some reason the tank seems to last longer that way. Feel free to shoot more questions I use this thing all the time.

Travis