Airlift Pump for Dissolving Sugar & Aerating the Wash

[Lester]

I use this all the time. A small aquiarium pump supplies the air. Short piece of PVC pipe, the length a little short of the level of the liquid. Air hose is fed into the 1" PVC pipe (down to the bottom of the PVC pipe) and I'm good to go.

Here's a bigger version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFT4UIu6MuQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Two birds with one stone.

[Cardinalbags]

I use a paint stirrer attached to an 18v cordless drill.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/download ... &mode=view

It creates a great vortex all the way down to the bottom of the barrel and does a great job of aereating.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/download ... &mode=view

[Lester]

Hello Cardinalbags,

The airlift pump consumes so little power, about 5 watts for my aquarium compressor. I just leave it in there for about an hour, hands-free.

Lots of ways to get the same results. I'm just showing another possible way to do it.

[Lester]

Instead of a magnetic stir plate I have used this airlift pump with apparently good results, but I don't know how I can quantify what gains I've made in the yeast population.

Started off with 1/4 tbsp yeast in 1/4 liter (quart) of water, aerated at first. Then kept on adding panela and some water daily until I got to 1 gallon of liquid and at this volume of wash I started using the airlift pump continuously. It's been almost a week now and I would like to know how much the yeast population has grown.

But how? I have no microscope to count those tiny beauties.

Notice that with the airlift pump, the wash is being circulated while it is also being aerated so I guess that's a good thing to have, maybe even better than a stir plate? I want to know.

[W Pappy]

You only need 10/20 minutes of aerating at 90F before pitching yeast that's it in my opinion.Ya dont aerate after pitching.

[Windy City]

You only need 10/20 minutes of aerating at 90F before pitching yeast that's it in my opinion.Ya dont aerate after pitching.

I believe he is talking about making a starter at which point you do want constant aeration.
Hey Lester
Using this method have you had any problems with over foaming. I tend to make pretty large starters (too large for a stir plate) and have been thinking about making a shaker table but this looks like it would be a lot easier. I use air stones but really have to keep a eye on it or my yeast all foams up and ends up on the counter.

Thanks
Windy City

[W Pappy]

My bad my interpretation was it was only a test and he was going to use it in the wash after pitching.

[Lester]

Hey Lester
Using this method have you had any problems with over foaming. I tend to make pretty large starters (too large for a stir plate) and have been thinking about making a shaker table but this looks like it would be a lot easier. I use air stones but really have to keep a eye on it or my yeast all foams up and ends up on the counter.

Thanks
Windy City

Using only 1/4 tbsp of yeast doesn't produce much foam. This is what I have been playing with, just trying to see if I can grow a big colony from a small amount of yeast. The yeast I have been using is made in China and we are not in good terms right now so I am thinking of growing my own yeast.

I think we need to use a lot more yeast to make a starter for big batches and that leads to foaming. Since you're already using air stones you may want to try this also. It is so simple, the only difference is that the bubbles are made to rise through a short tube and it is now a pump. With the additional tube you get wash circulation also, besides the bubbles.

[Prairiepiss]

I started using bottled oxygen and an air stone.

You can only get so much oxygen dissolved in solution. Using ambient air. Using pure oxygen you can get a lot more dissolved in less time.

[Boda Getta]

I have used a small airpump for several years to aerate my wash after pitching my yeast with good results. IMHO, it has improved my ferments.
BG