This version of our oxygenation wand features a longer tube and the stone is easily detachable so you can more easily boil the stone. This variation has a gas ball lock male post welded to the top so you can attach your oxygen line with a grey ball lock QD. This makes everything more modular so you're not dragging your oxygen tank around if you want to drop the wand into your boil for a while to sanitize it. This version has an open tube on the top that requires you to push some 1/4" tubing on to deliver the oxygen. We have a version available with a ball lock gas QD post for a disconnection point as well.

Diffusion Stones, or 'Air Stones', are commonly used to aerate wort before fermentation, which helps ensure a healthy start to the fermentation process. Diffusion Stones can be attached to compressed oxygen tanks or air pumps (such as those used with aquariums). This "Stone" is made of stainless steel, so it's durable, easy to clean, and won't crumble in your wort after a few uses like other materials! This 1/2 Micron stone produces very small bubbles, which are ideal for efficient absorption of the gas into your wort. However, it takes more pressure to force air through the smaller pores. This is not a problem when using compressed oxygen, but lightly-powered air pumps may not work well.

It's important to clean and sanitize diffusion stones thoroughly before each use. And it helps to clean the stone immediately after use as well. Boiling the stone for at least 5 minutes in distilled or RO water is the only reliable way to clean and sanitize it completely. It's important to make sure the air being fed into the stone is clean, to prevent contaminants from clogging the stone or infecting the wort. Ensure a clean air source or install an air filter. Avoid touching the porous surface of the stone to prevent any of the pores from becoming clogged. If you find your stone isn't producing fine bubbles over the entire surface area, soak it in hot PBW solution for 15 minutes (this will dissolve organic materials clogging the pores). Then rinse with hot water while applying some pressure to the wand (CO2 works if you want to save oxygen). If it still seems clogged repeat the procedure with hot starsan solution or white vinegar (this will help dissolve mineral clogs).

What are the benefits of the wand version over the plain barbed stone on the end of a flexible hose? For one thing, it's easier to handle and position into your fermenters in a way that reduces contamination risk. It's also beneficial to get the stone down to the bottom of the volume of wort to maximize absorption.