Air stone alternatives in DWC ??

[Superhoops]

Hello Peeps,

As above says anyone out there have any recommendations on what to use instead of airstones.

I use new stones every grow and I wondered if there is a cheaper alternative out there.

Thanks in advance

SH

 

[Midnight]

Why are you using new stones for each new grow?

 

[Superhoops]

Air stone alternatives in DWC ??

Why are you using new stones for each new grow?

Hi Midnight,

I find that the quality of the bubbles gets worse as the stones age even after cleaning them and soaking them etc

SH

 

[groady-ho]

i used 4 inch round airstones..lots more smaller bubbles..i didn't have much luck with diffusers either..also, i found, like you after 2 runs with them they were garbage..

 

[Superhoops]

Air stone alternatives in DWC ??

i used 4 inch round airstones..lots more smaller bubbles..i didn't have much luck with diffusers either..also, i found, like you after 2 runs with them they were garbage..

Yes GH they defiantly get worse with age, are the 4 inch stones better and do they last longer?

 

[jetstream]

I was looking to alternatives as well which I never really found. This alone (with airpumps galore) is what pushed me to grow Aeroponically.

 

[WelderDan]

You can use a power head. Or don't bother with stones at all. The idea is to move the water. It's the moving water making contact with air that oxygenates the water. You can only achieve so much O2 concentration with air stones anyway. I've ran whole cycles with just the hose making bubbles because I was too lazy to go buy more air stones. They are not necessary IMO

 

[il19z8rn4li1]

http://www.hidhut.com/catalog/alita-375-sintered-air-stone-disc-p-124.html

these are mint. last way longer then air stones. 5+ runs.

 

[El Toker]

You can use a power head. Or don't bother with stones at all. The idea is to move the water. It's the moving water making contact with air that oxygenates the water. You can only achieve so much O2 concentration with air stones anyway. I've ran whole cycles with just the hose making bubbles because I was too lazy to go buy more air stones. They are not necessary IMO

This is very true, there's a lot of nonsense talked about airstones. If you go into an aquarium shop you'll often see water pumps being used to just move the surface water around. It makes it easier to see the fish and it's just as effective as an air pump, they call it flooming.

 

[Superhoops]

Air stone alternatives in DWC ??

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Some interesting points peeps and I didn't realise that moving the water alone would suffice. thanks for the input so far.

SH

 

[RM - aquagrower]

'Tis true.

Back at OG someone with a DO meter did some testing that proved that an oper air line was MORE effective that any airstone.

The bubbles don't really matter. The surface tention of the water is too great to allow for the gas transfer. It is the surface disturbance that matters.

Powerheads work well, but add heat to the bucket/tub.

That said I've always used a "T" at the end of the air line. Never had a problem.

 

[ariston]

dont know why so many seem to have bad experiences with air stones, mine work fine after 3 grows.

air stone alternatives: flexible air diffusers. google the term youll find plenty of brands/shops.

 

[RM - aquagrower]

dont know why so many seem to have bad experiences with air stones, mine work fine after 3 grows.

air stone alternatives: flexible air diffusers. google the term youll find plenty of brands/shops.

Back when I first built my system, I tried just about every airstone on the market. They all failed in time.

In a "bio" system they will (along with all other wet surfaces) get coated with bio-film and get plugged up.

Plus, I spend enough on equipment. Why spend money on something that really doesn't do anything.

If ya like them, run 'em. You should know that the only thing that they are doing is making ya feel good. The plants don't care.

 

[ariston]

Back when I first built my system, I tried just about every airstone on the market. They all failed in time.

In a "bio" system they will (along with all other wet surfaces) get coated with bio-film and get plugged up.

Plus, I spend enough on equipment. Why spend money on something that really doesn't do anything.

If ya like them, run 'em. You should know that the only thing that they are doing is making ya feel good. The plants don't care.

your experiences with air stones seem unfortunate.

i dont know how you mean the plants dont care about oxygen, in a hydro system where the roots are in water (DWC) you better supplement with air (ive read that the waterfall effect can be enough) or your plants will drown. may be possible to do fine in other hydro systems without air supplementation, but airstones and airpumps are not something only to make the grower feel good.

 

[sexybudandnugs]

+1 on flex air diffuser

I use Hagen Elite Air Diffuser Size: 1.5"

cheap... lasted me over 6 grows already and like new.... those stupid stones break up after 1-2 grows i chuck them...

 

[Superhoops]

Air stone alternatives in DWC ??

+1 on flex air diffuser

I use Hagen Elite Air Diffuser Size: 1.5"

cheap... lasted me over 6 grows already and like new.... those stupid stones break up after 1-2 grows i chuck them...

Hey sexybudandnugs do you still use a airpump and airline for the diffusers that you refer to?

 

[RM - aquagrower]

your experiences with air stones seem unfortunate.

i dont know how you mean the plants dont care about oxygen, in a hydro system where the roots are in water (DWC) you better supplement with air (ive read that the waterfall effect can be enough) or your plants will drown. may be possible to do fine in other hydro systems without air supplementation, but airstones and airpumps are not something only to make the grower feel good.

I think that you misuderstood what I said.

Never said that roots don't need air, or that pumps, waterfall, surface disturbance, or DO levels ain't important.

What I said is that the size of the bubbles don't matter. It is the VOLUME of bubbles that makes the difference.

Ya see, the surface tention of the water is too great to allow for the oxigen transfere below the surface. So contrary to popular belief, smaller bubbles do NOT at additional surface area.

It has been my experience that ALL air stones clog up in time. These clogs increase the PREASURE required to get the air through the stone, thus lowering the amount of bubbles produced and contributing to additional pump ware/failure.

That is why when running DWC I use a T instead of an airstone.

Again, I say if ya like the look of lots of small bubbles then fine. use a stone, but it ain't doing ya a bit of good.

 

[RM - aquagrower]

whew, typed out 2 much langer replies ^^ and lost them both.

This debate has been going on as long as folks have been using DWC. Back at OG someone (don't remember who) with a DO meter tested a shit ton of different air stones/defusers and found that the highest DO levels were achieved using nothing on the end of the airline.

This is where the theory of the surface tention preventing the O2 transfer came from.

It also explains why waterfalls, powerheads, and whirlpools are able to get the job done.

My old aqua system used waterpumps recirculating everything to keep the DO levels up. I did have air pumps running as well, but they were only there in case of pump failure or a cloged or linked. supply line.

 

[Weezard]

Yeah, that!
Tiny bubbles are for aquariums where noise/splashing are issues.
I just wire tie a rock to the airhose and drop it in a bucket for DWC.
The large bubbles at the surface create more splash through the air which yields quit a bit more DO.
An additional advantage is more water movement with the larger bubbles and increased air flow.

The back pressure from clogged stones was eating my cheap air-pumps so I did some reading.
Came up with the same solid info as RM.
Open airhose = More dissolved air
It even works well without the added weight since most air absorption happens at the water's surface, but the hose end gets mobbed by the roots.
I no longer waste $ on airstones.

Aloha,
Weeze

 

[GP73LPC]

when i find a way to weigh my air hose down i am removing my air stones...