Syphon tubing

[radonmck]

Hi all,

I've done a kit brew, a TC and my first AG. After racking the kit I was less than meticulous in cleaning my syphon tubing so I bought some more and when it came to the TC I made sure to wash it out thoroughly. However last night when I went to bottle my AG I looked at the tubing and there were lots of white circles on the inside. Now I know tubing is the most expensive thing in the world but it would be a pain to have to get a new one for every brew.

So how do you guys keep your tubes clear?

[mysterio]

Rinse them through immediately after use, allow to dry, store.

I usually pick up a new length of tube every couple of months. I'll even boil a tube if i'm unsure about it I normally boil my cornie posts so i'll usually stick the tubing in there too because racking to kegs is the only time i use a syphon.

One infected batch and you'll start obsessively bleaching and boiling every little thing

[mysterio]

Never occurred to me that the circles might be hard water deposits

Where are you getting your roll of syphon tubing Chris and how much £ ?

[mysterio]

Cheers, probably just stick to he LHBS

[adm]

I use 1/2 inch bore silicone tubing for everything in my brewing - including syphoning (along with a 1/2 inch stainless steel racking cane). The wider bore means it's easier to clean, so it just gets the same treatment as the rest of my brewing kit, which is normally a good soak in Bruclean or bleach before and after use. Also, I sometimes chuck all my tubes into a corny full of sanitiser if I'm cleaning cornies, then a good soak and shake and eveything gets cleaned together.

The wider bore also makes syphoning much quicker. Now I just need a 1/2 bore bottling stick.

[radonmck]

Thanks all,

The point about the white spots being form hard water makes a lot of sense. I did clean the tubing thoroughly but didn't worry to much about drying it as i put all my equipment in a spare wardrobe and the tubing gets hung on the railing. I guess the surface tension of the water stops it dripping completely dry. I've left it to soak in some bar keepers friend, which is oxalic acid, if that doesn't work it's off to the home brew store again a reminder to dry the next lot of tubing out before storing it.

[WishboneBrewery]

My syphon tube gets soaked in a Chlorine based cleaner, then solution of Sodium met and rinsed well before use, then after use its re-soaked in the Chlorine based cleaner and rinsed well and left to dry. So far its keeping pretty well, though its shrinking due to me finding uses for bits of it, a few various sizes are good to have around

[Invalid Stout]

I read somewhere or other that bleach will cloud syphon tubing — is that true?

[WishboneBrewery]

I read somewhere or other that bleach will cloud syphon tubing — is that true?

I think it does, but not half as much as it being in with the Mash!!!