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Aeration idea/question.

N

Ny2CaFuse

Member
I might be over-thinking this, or I may be just brain dead after the week I've been having, but I've got this idea eating away at me about aeration in a hydro system. Everyone is doing bubblers, things like venturi injectors, or waterfall systems, but I'm wondering if it could be done differently.

Instead of pumping air into the water, or dropping water to gather air on the way down, would it be feasible to instead spray water in a sealed(but vented for fresh air) chamber at higher pressures to get the same effect? Like a 6" pvc pipe with a 1" feed line coming in the top feeding high pressure spray nozzles inside, with the bottom of the pipe having a drainage line out to the DWC/RDWC containers.

Essentially creating a high pressure waterfall inside a sealed chamber that then gently flows back into the system.

Would you generate enough DO in the water, or would you lose the DO on the way back to the grow containers?
 
N

Ny2CaFuse

Member
I was thinking that too, but I figured if the chamber was outside of the grow area, like if you were doing a cabinet or tent grow, that the RH wouldn't be an issue inside the grow area.

I wish DO meters weren't so damn expensive, because it would be interesting to see what the levels would be in a setup like this.
 
gmanwho

gmanwho

Well-known member
Veteran
water can only suspend so much o2 at that given temperature. unless u start pressurizing it, i think. so no matter how much u introduce during that spray , when it settles back to the pool an flows back to the system, within a second or 2 it will be at its max saturation as the 02 fizzles out. so ya u would loose it

venturi's work great if your already have to move the water.

danner mag pumps actually have another impeller design for increased air. i believe its called a fractionating impeller. notches are cut out of the impeller fins. as it spins it seems to create more turbulence in the water.

def is a step above the standard impeller an venturi . water fizzles at the surface looking like u just opened a bottle of seltzer


https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/...2mRnNsu9k5X2RahOJGgO4WS5jl86v66fquAU&usqp=CAE
ic
 
PetFlora

PetFlora

Well-known member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
basically that's High Pressure Aeroponics

See my thread to learn about DO emitters, which might be what you're looking for
 
N

Ny2CaFuse

Member
I've read in several threads that achieving higher levels of DO is mostly about increasing the surface area of the water that comes in contact with the air. That's why small bubbles in a bubbler setup are better than larger bubbles. There's more surface area exposed to air if the same volume of air is made into smaller bubbles.

So my thinking was to just reverse the method of getting that large volume of surface area. Instead of trying to make tiny bubbles, you make tiny water drops that then contact more air in the "spray chamber" and then fall back to the res. Like I said... it may be far fetched, but it's been something I've been thinking about.

I might give it a shot with a vegetable grow first to see if it works. If not, I'll likely introduce a homemade venturi. I'd rather run water than air because I can use the inline water pump for res changes as well. A couple ball valves and some T's and I don't have to move the plants or the res at all, which would be a nice change from what I've done in the past.

@petflora, I was wondering when you were going to show up telling me to check out your thread ;)
 
PetFlora

PetFlora

Well-known member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Douglas.Curtis said:
No, it isn't. HPA would be if the mist was being used to keep the roots hydrated. He's talking about increasing the DO of water going back into the res.


**Facepalm** Just don't. :tiphat:
Click to expand...

I had to reread it several times, but i think you're right.

Maybe he'll chime in
 
bigbadbillybob

bigbadbillybob

Active member
I have used a similar system for years. Its not exactly high pressure tho.and im not sure how you would achieve the high pressure that you want.
I have totes with 40mm returns to the res. these have spray bars around the perimeter at the top which spray water down onto the surface around the net pot. There are no airstones because this provides more than enough DO for the plants to thrive
Mine is run off a 6000l/hr water pump hailea HX8860.
Im not 100% sure this is what you are on about, because its been done before successfully, for years. Im in Europe, so that's maybe why


The water recirculates through the return pipes at the bottom of the totes
 
bigbadbillybob

bigbadbillybob

Active member
bigbadbillybob said:
I have used a similar system for years. Its not exactly high pressure tho.and im not sure how you would achieve the high pressure that you want.
I have totes with 40mm returns to the res. these have spray bars around the perimeter at the top which spray water down onto the surface around the net pot. There are no airstones because this provides more than enough DO for the plants to thrive
Mine is run off a 6000l/hr water pump hailea HX8860. this pressurises the water as it pushes it through the lines to the spray bars
Im not 100% sure this is what you are on about, because its been done before successfully, for years. Im in Europe, so that's maybe why


The water recirculates through the return pipes at the bottom of the totes
Click to expand...

im having trouble posting images
 
N

Ny2CaFuse

Member
That sounds similar to what I'm suggesting, but I'm thinking of having a "spray chamber" of sorts before the main grow container. Mainly so I can easily replace fittings and keep possible leaks out of the main grow area.

I'd love to see your setup though. I'll keep an eye out for pics. Thanks, mate!
 
bigbadbillybob

bigbadbillybob

Active member
here we go, I think ive cracked it.
The system works kinda like this, i have a reserviour outside the grow room (helps keep temps in check, connected to a chiller, via a 1000l/hr pump. this pumps nutrient from the res to the chiller and back.
Also in the res i have a 6000l/min water pump, connected to 21.5mm plumbing overflow pipe and fittings, these go to the spraybars, which are located inside the top of the totes.
The water sprays from the spray bar into the totes, and the nutrient re-circulates from the bottom of the totes , via 40mm pipework and tank connectors, back to the res.
This is the basic description, but the pics should make it clear. The returns are balanced, with one on each side of the tote, to prevent the roots migrating down the return pipes.
album.php
album.php
 
bigbadbillybob

bigbadbillybob

Active member
clean up consists of emptying the system,
filling it 1/3rd with water and pumping it thru, before emptying it, them fill system with water, a little bit of bleach and pump it through for a while. empty it out, refill and off we go again.
the picture shows the lower output pump, it was only 4000l/hr, but I uprated it to 6000l/hr.
didn't really need it but the pump was cheap, so I bought it.
 
bigbadbillybob

bigbadbillybob

Active member
if you type my username and rdwc into google images there are a few pics of some of my other systems. unfortunately the cops took them when I got busted - the bastards
 
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