New Grower Airstones --- looking for more bubbles....

[horton711]

Slowly getting the seedlings into DWC buckets. I have several Top Fin brand stones ~4" in use but they don't seem to put out a fine enough bubble -- it's more like a rolling boil in the buckets and not enough "mist" being generated to moisten the pellets.
The pump I'm using claims 15 LPM and I hope that is enough. (Active Aqua AAPA15L)
Is there a particular brand or type of stone I can obtain that will provide smaller bubbles? I'm wondering about wooden "stones" like used in saltwater aquarium protein skimmer. I know they make super fine bubbles but I don't know how the wood would do in nutes.

Thanks for helping me.....

 

[A-Train]

http://www.o2grow.com/


Check these out

 

[Ozone69]

You could try out these "air injection" rings that I found a while back: http://modularhydro.com/ProductReviews/Air_Injection_Technology.html

I made a home made version a while back using 1/4 drip irrigation seeper hose and some metal washers. However, I apparently used the wrong metal in the washers as they started to rust. Since rust isn't one of the normal additives I read about folks feeding their plants (insert sarcasm), I stopped using them. But they made a LOT of air bubbles while they were running so if done with the right materials they could work well I would think.

 

[horton711]

Thanks for the replies.
Those O2grow devices are slick but way out of my league price wise..... One of them would cost more than my complete setup....lol
I am curious about making some with drip irrigation hose and wonder if stainless washers would hold up in the nute soln's.
Is the hose referred to something available at Home Depot?

 

[HotBunz]

Slowly getting the seedlings into DWC buckets. I have several Top Fin brand stones ~4" in use but they don't seem to put out a fine enough bubble -- it's more like a rolling boil in the buckets and not enough "mist" being generated to moisten the pellets.
The pump I'm using claims 15 LPM and I hope that is enough. (Active Aqua AAPA15L)
Is there a particular brand or type of stone I can obtain that will provide smaller bubbles? I'm wondering about wooden "stones" like used in saltwater aquarium protein skimmer. I know they make super fine bubbles but I don't know how the wood would do in nutes.

Thanks for helping me.....

Horton,

How big of a bucket are you using? As for the wooden airstone (in UK it's Limewood here in the US it's Basswood) in a protein skimmer they can really get the job done. I have built several protein skimmers based off a wooden airstone and agree they make the finest micro bubbles ever! Your pump is putting out around 237gph which should be more than enough for a 5 gallon bucket. I m running 127gph in a 3.5gallon bucket and it almost seems overkill. A rolling boil is what I have in my bucket. As you may well know we need micro bubbles for a protein skimmer as it allows more surface area. Yes I understand that a finer bubble will stay in suspension longer in a DWC allowing more time for oxygen exchange but frankly I don't believe it's needed. I feel all we need is enough mist at the early stage to keep the roots moist enough till they make it into the water in the bucket. A little top feed should be more than enough to keep them moist till they are out of the net pots.
But back to the wooden airstones. I don't know if I would want to add and organic material to my DWC bucket other than our roots of course.

Just my 2cents....keep the change!

As for the Air Injection nonsense the guy who pushes that is a joke(not Ozone). He clearly has NO idea what air injection is. A few pieces of neoprene tubing and a few fender washers does not make "air injection"....it makes a bubbler . Dude most likely has no idea what a venturi is! I think the same idiot pushes soilponics!

 

[Ozone69]

Thanks for the replies.
Those O2grow devices are slick but way out of my league price wise..... One of them would cost more than my complete setup....lol
I am curious about making some with drip irrigation hose and wonder if stainless washers would hold up in the nute soln's.
Is the hose referred to something available at Home Depot?

Should be. I guess the actual term for it is soaker hose: http://www.homedepot.com/p/DIG-1-4-in-x-50-ft-Porous-Drip-Soaker-Hose-PSH50/202614899

 

[Grim Reefer]

http://www.o2grow.com/


Check these out

I have been looking at these myself. I dont think they do a version for Uk/Ireland as of yet. If they did id buy it.

 

[horton711]

@HotBunz --- I'm using 5 gallon buckets filled ~3.5 gal currently. Makes sense to not fret so much about mist early on and just top water. Once the roots clear the bottom of the net pot all is good. Yeah, smaller bubbles would probably be better but I think I'm driving myself nuts fretting over bubble size....lol.

@Grim Reefer & @A-Train --- The o2grow.com products look very interesting but at my level of growing I just can't justify the cost. The idea of not having hot air blowing into the reservoirs would be nice as well as having the DO content raised. I wonder if anyone around here is currently using one? Would be interesting to hear if they work as well as advertised.

@Ozone69 --- I still may try making my own rings when I have a chance. I like the idea of having the bubbles come up around the circumference rather than from a "point source". If I am able to come up with something that works I'll post results.

For now I have some 6" stones sort of trapezoidal in shape. Not getting super tiny bubbles but when I hold my hand about 4" over the water surface I can feel moisture accumulating. Between dpoing some top watering for a short time and these stones hopefully I'll be off to the races so to speak.

Thanks so much for your replies.....