"Matt Shepherd" > wrote in message
...
> Following the good advice found on this NG, I went out and invested in an
> aquarium heater for my primary. Cheaper than running a heater in the room
> all winter. Plugging it in and getting it in there, though, necessitates
> having the lid a touch open, and I'm wondering if that should be a matter
> for concern.
>
For the most part, I do not put tight lids on my primary. I will just cover
them good with cloth that will keep dust and bugs out.

> For some reason, the rosé I'm working on now is fermenting very slowly
(from
> kit, ten days now and the SG has dropped from 1.070 to 1.015, but not low
> enough to rack yet). My concern is obviously that the fermentation might
not
> be vigorous enough to push the oxygen out.
>
You do have a concern here. It is going slow enough to be of concern. A
better rule for when to rack is to rack when the fermentation slows enough
that it can be safely put in secondary. This is usually 3 to 8 days. It is
time to rack in into secondary now. Obviously it is not fermenting strong
enough to be a problem in secondary.

> I'm contemplating making a notch in the side of the lid for the cord so I
> can snap the lid shut and seal around the cord with poster putty or
> something. Am I worrying too much?
>
> Any innovative tips on how to use this heater in a carboy while preserving
> airlock integrity?
>
What you are doing is fine. But just go ahead an rack now.

Ray