I need good airstones...

[Jam Master Jaco]

Clowntown, if my not-so-sober self is reading your posts correctly, you are suggesting using an air pump right? Why not just use a water pump and point it at the surface of the water? That's what I plan on doing once I get growing.

The water pump would agitate the surface of the water and I think that even a little water pump would agitate the water enough to get the solution oxygenated.

 

[clowntown]

Clowntown, if my not-so-sober self is reading your posts correctly, you are suggesting using an air pump right? Why not just use a water pump and point it at the surface of the water? That's what I plan on doing once I get growing.

The water pump would agitate the surface of the water and I think that even a little water pump would agitate the water enough to get the solution oxygenated.

JMJ, although inebriated you're making more than enough sense. I've thought about this, as well as water being pumped up to generate a waterfall effect into a lower container (assuming you can't raise the buckets bio-bucket style to generate a natural waterfall effect into the controller). My main concerns with this was that a water pump that could generate enough movement would:

1) Not be able to circulate the solution in a "deep enough" reservoir as well as bubbles rising from the bottom and thus mixing it. This is more a half-baked theory than anything else, and realistically, multiple sharp jets of water being sprayed into the surface may be more than enough to mix the solution in something like a 3/4-filled, 18-gallon container, especially if you consider that it is sucking out of the bottom to be sprayed back into the top.

2) Additional heat added to the reservoir, even if used in-line.

3) I don't have an extra water pump to test with, and I'm almost afraid to discover that I wasted $70 on buying a loud-ass "commercial" air pump when a simpler water pump could do the job more effectively.

 

[Ono Nadagin]

the bubbles do impart o2, surface tension is just that.. surface tension, it has nothing to do with the exchange of gasses iirc, I am am pretty sure I do.

 

[Jam Master Jaco]

Thanks for the quick reply clowntown. So my question is....I want to use a water pump that would pump the nutrient solution from the bottom of my rubbermaid, and then point the other end to spray back in the water, would that process create enough oxynegation to keep at least one plant alive? I think it would, and I think I'll test this method first hand. Before I do test this myself I would appreciate input from anyone else (experienced or not).

 

[clowntown]

Yes I definitely think it would... I see no reason why not. Bio-buckets uses no extra aeration besides the waterfall effect. And if I'm not mistaken, GH's AeroFlo2 systems also use no air pumps, just water jets within the NFT / aero tubes. (I may be wrong, though, in that it may use an air pump to aerate the rez).

 

[Jam Master Jaco]

You mention added heat when using a water pump for the waterfall effect. I know this will create heat..but I don't think it will create more then 5 degrees farenheit heat. How much extra heat do you think this would create?

 

[clowntown]

Not the heat created from the waterfall, but from the water pump. It depends on the type and size of your pump, how it's installed (in-line vs. submerged) and also your reservoir size.

 

[Pedro_De_Pacas]

Wow you guys..this conversation is getting pretty in depth on what and what not to use...I can certainly see were just a sumbmersible water pump would agitate the water surface enough to give you your dissolved Oxygen. The only problem i see with that is, If you have a closed rez and you are using just a water pump..The water that is being pumped and breaking the water surface which is creating your dissolved oxygen thus water aireation..I hope that is right...Now wouldnt eventually within the closed rez your clean oxygen level would soon deplete with no fresh air coming in...What im trying to say is that the water pump pumping the water to break the water surface that is creating your o2 become unusable anymore? It seems to me if you were going to go that route you would need some source of fresh o2 coming in..
I dont know if any of what i just said makes any sense..lol...Its just a thought..If im wrong please let me know...I dont want to look like a complete ass....PEACE...

 

[pontiac]

http://www.hidhut.com/catalog/aeration-stones-c-28_34.html

These are some seriously good airstones; worth the money.

 

[Pedro_De_Pacas]

hey pontiac...thanks for the link...The third one down, the round airstone is the kind i used last time...I really like how it perfomed...It seemed to put out the best air compared to the 12'' stones....PEACE

 

[Haps]

I ran with stones for a year before I started trying bare tube in a few systems. I tried to see any difference, and can see none. I still use a few of the 3 inch round pond stones, like in my reveg units, or undersized units, they work for multiple crops pretty well, but they do not stay on the bottom without help.

One thought I will add, is that you eliminate resistance when you go bare tube, and that may increase air flow a bit. My results are only valid with small, low powered air pumps, at least that is all I have tested. And duct tape is the shit folks, no problems for the water or the smoke - tested for over a year now.
H

 

[Pedro_De_Pacas]

Originally Posted By Haps
they work for multiple crops pretty well, but they do not stay on the bottom without help

I know exactly what you mean...I used a 100 gram calibration weight that came with my Digital Scales to help weigh my down...It was Stainless Steel..But it worked really well...PEACE

 

[clowntown]

I've heard of a lot of people using bolts.

 

[Pedro_De_Pacas]

I've heard of a lot of people using bolts.

Ya know....that thought never even crossed my mind
That calibration weight was the only thing that I could think of that would hold the stone down for me...

 

[clowntown]

I meant nuts. But yeah I never thought of it either. I always just let the stones bounce around on the bottom of the bucket.

 

[Guest]

I'm currently using Alita corundum stones and the thing is they need a stronger pump to 'drive' them properly. I was gonna play with some Sweetwater ceramic stones for shits and giggles but may not. Got me a CHEMetrics DO test kit so gonna play around. I'm gonna test open lines with no stones also and will use some stainless steel NUTS as weights.

Is anyone using Alita's membrane discs for aeration? They look insane...industry uses them in waste water management.

 

[hydroflower]

Good ceramic stones/diffusers are the way to go. Clean them every grow by DRYING them out, scrub the surface with a natural limescale/bathroom cleaner, rinse then dry them out again. Connect them to your air-pump and run them in a bucket for a minute to remove the cleaner before reinstalling them in your res.
The drying is the most important thing to do as this releases the material that is clogging them up and allows the cleaner to remove it.
Open air lines are a waste of air pump energy imo. people have been aerating water for a very long time and I've never seen diffuser-less compressed air aeration used anywhere except mj dwc.
HF

 

[buzzerd]

here's one for you http://www.aquariumguys.com/ they have about every airstone you'll ever want, i use the 5in and no clogging