DIY Never Clog Air Stone

[Brother_Monk]

Ok, so we all know how much of a PITA these stones can be. I just thought I would share with everyone, how I manage to keep mine free flowin'.

Get yourself setup with your drill. I use a 7/64 size drill bit. They are inexpensive, so I buy 3 or 4 at a time. The stones do a hella job dulling these things. I'm usually getting through a couple dozen before the bit is no good.

Grasp the stone firmly....be careful not to slip here. Begin drilling slowly at first.

And the end result is a flow through stone! I know there is not much diffusing action going on after this operation....but it works very well at making your water ROIL! All I really need is the surface of the water tension moving anyways for oxygenation.

Peace
BM

 

[T-type]

I think I'm missing something, What is the benefit over doing this as opposed to just leaving an air hose in the water without anything on the end? Im sure there is one but I need you to spell it out for me

 

[Blunt_69]

Tried that... mine still clog

I also think my static pressure had something to do with it.. Ive gone to air strips.

 

[Trichome Toker]

Micro-Pore™ Oxygen Diffusers
This custom ceramic oxygen diffuser creates incredibly small bubbles, which significantly increase oxygen ratios per surface area. Micro-Pore diffusers will not breakdown or clog like other cheaper glass air stones. Simply the best air stone available on the market today!

http://www.deepwaterinnovations.com/products.htm

Got them at my hydro shop, on the advice of an employee, who regularly warns me about rip off additives and products etc.

He told me to build my own bubblers back in the day instead of paying for water farms.

He told me to stick with only Flora Nova and no additives.

So when he recommended these I got them, and they work as advertised.

They never clog.

 

[Haps]

I get similar action with no stone at all. Those blue stones are ok, but they crumble to sand after a cycle or two. Bare tube babay.
H

 

[konstantgrdnr]

found this on another thread on this site, this is the real hollyfield deal so follow the link this is cheaper, better, and less complicated.

http://www.alita.com/diffuser/index.php

 

[NiteTiger]

I think I'm missing something, What is the benefit over doing this as opposed to just leaving an air hose in the water without anything on the end? Im sure there is one but I need you to spell it out for me

 

[Guest]

Alita stuff looks nice...One problem tho, how the hell do you order it???

No order form or links to distributers...Pretty useless site

http://www.deepwaterinnovations.com/products.htm

$20 a pop for airstones??? Id need $100 just for the 5 bubblers I'm using right now

Ill stick to the cheapos thank you

 

[ItsGrowTime]

Alita stuff looks nice...One problem tho, how the hell do you order it???

No order form or links to distributers...Pretty useless site

Ill stick to the cheapos thank you

You are so lucky Im handy

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=46039&highlight=alita

 

[Trichome Toker]

Alita stuff looks nice...One problem tho, how the hell do you order it???

No order form or links to distributers...Pretty useless site





$20 a pop for airstones??? Id need $100 just for the 5 bubblers I'm using right now

Ill stick to the cheapos thank you

I don't know, it was worth it to me.

I had all ready spent about $20 on replacement air stones by the time I got these ones & now I don't have to check every week to make sure the air stones aren't clogged.

Could have been cheaper though I agree.

 

[NiteTiger]

Wow, $20 a pop.

Think I'll stick with the open ended air hose in the bucket - it's free

 

[Japanfreakier]

I think it was a joke, right? It's gotta be a joke.

 

[100outof100]

Im not against using those great air diffusers.....but im cheap. REALLY CMEMORY. I mean like i will go without eating to save up for a nice hydro peice "CMEMORY".

Anyways! I am totally down with getting great equip but also DIY wherever POSSIBLE! Have you guys ever tried laying your air line about 2 feet in the bottom of w/e your oxygenating, Securing the hose, and drilling tiny holes in it? I use this technique Drilling holes about every half inch and I find it works great....just mho

 

[ItsGrowTime]

Its not clogging because the air isnt actually going into the stone. Its just going out the end of the stone and bubbling up. You will see that air (like most things) take the path of least resistance. Its the same as not having a stone at all.

 

[HydroCulture]

The Deep Water Innovations air stones are the biggest waste of money I have seen in the Hydro World..lol... way overpriced! And they WILL clog and be a hassle to maintain just like all the other airstones! But think about it, they have to fake advertise the stones won't clog since they sell them for such a high price right?

Regarding the "DIY Never clog airstone", nice try put just as other said, it is the same as just using an 1/4" Tubing with nothing attached

 

[BlindDate]

This puts out great bubbles and can Never clogg.

Order from Alita. To the tard that said the Alita site is worthless....Call them up and order.

 

[Trichome Toker]

The Deep Water Innovations air stones are the biggest waste of money I have seen in the Hydro World..lol... way overpriced! And they WILL clog and be a hassle to maintain just like all the other airstones! But think about it, they have to fake advertise the stones won't clog since they sell them for such a high price right?

Regarding the "DIY Never clog airstone", nice try put just as other said, it is the same as just using an 1/4" Tubing with nothing attached

I must be the one lucky sucker who hasn't had a clog yet after 5 months.

Do you even own one of their air diffusers?

Their bubble cloner is a waste of money, I can make it with a Rubbermaid & some $.50 neoprene's.

Hanna pH meters are a waste of money.

Additives are a waste of money.

Ready made hydro systems are a waste of money.

So many things in the hydro shop are a waste of money, but for me these aren't.

They don't clog.

You never even used one in real life.

They sell for $20 because they are quality.

But think about it, they have to fake advertise the stones won't clog since they sell them for such a high price right?

Kind of like how New York Strip steak has to lie and say it is better than ground beef, because it costs so much more.

Think about it.... it makes sense right?

A Polo shirt is the same as a Walmart shirt.

A plastic disposable pet shop air diffuser is not the same as one of these ceramic air diffusers.

The main difference is the ceramic ones don't clog.

You would know that if you actually used them.

Looks like I am not the only sucker pleased with these diffusers.

 

[Brother_Monk]

WOW! I look away for a few minutes, and all the pissing contests begin. I like doing it this way because the air hose will reach the bottom of the bucket, instead of just floating on the top of the water, not really doing shit. I know it's just like 1/4 inch tubing with no diffusing. Read my post. I'm not really comfy with ordering $20 airstones over the net. I goto my local pet supply shop, pick up a couple six packs of these stones for like 3 bucks. I got sick of them clogging, so I drilled a hole in the bottom of one just to see if it would work. Guess what.....? It worked. No tiny bubbles, but the water was roiling like it had a fire underneath it. So I'm thinking....maybe someone else will find this useful. I'll go and show the good people at ICMAG what I did. YOU"RE WELCOME!

Peace
BM

 

[10k]

Smaller air bubles rise to the surface slower than large bubbles, giving more time where the water is in contact with the moving air bubbles and thus much greater aeration of the water.

reverse of the above for larger bubbles. = weaker aeration

Of course the water also gets aeration from the surface moving against the air at the surface as I'm sure someone might mention, but thats going to happen regardless of what size air bubbles you're pushing.

I'm very inclined to believe that the air stones Trichome Toker is talking about are well worth the extra expense, especially if they're not getting clogged.

That micro perforated silicone tubing loop like BlindDate is showing looks and sounds fine too btw.

To each his own

ps... Brother Monk was joking here ? (edit... yes he was joking)
My guess is that the drilled stones make a decent weight for the open ended hose.

 

[Brother_Monk]

ps... Brother Monk was joking here ? (edit... yes he was joking)
My guess is that the drilled stones make a decent weight for the open ended hose.

Thanks 10K. Couldn't have said it better. I edited my post so as not to include the vulgarity. Just a bad night