Quick Question on Airstones?

[MySecretGarden]

Hey,
I was wondering how important it is to have a good airstone with fine bubbles? Because I am modifying my system and I need to add 8 new airstones... and I would rather not spent $50 per airstone for the ones that produce fine micron bubbles. What is an acceptable micron level for growing plants hydroponically? If anyone has found good cheap ($20) airstones that work I would be forever grateful :stoned:
Thank you all for your time.

[SpaceNeedle]

You're better off buying airstones at wal-mart and just replacing them each time. You certainly don't have to spend anywhere near $50 for an airstone.

[dejayou30]

Maybe I'm an idiot, but what does having an airstone do? Is it necessary to have one?

[palerider7777]

i use airhogs the last forever u can buy them starting at 15 each for the small ones and there still bigger than the dollar ones at walmart or u could just buy a bunch of dollar ones

[PharmaCan]

Maybe I'm an idiot, but what does having an airstone do? Is it necessary to have one?

Stupid questions are far better than stupid mistakes, Grasshopper. :thumbsup:

It aerates the water - mixes tiny bubbles of air in with the water.

The roots need air to survive, so having a nice airy mixture of nutes makes the plants grow better.

It's essential hydro, recommended for anything else.

PC :smokin:

[hbbusa28]

Is that still the case with Rockwool? I've heard that the Rockwool holds a good amount of o2 so there is no need for a stone. Is that true?

[turtle420]

Is that still the case with Rockwool? I've heard that the Rockwool holds a good amount of o2 so there is no need for a stone. Is that true?

Yup.
You're putting oxygen into the nute mix,... not the rockwool.
The mix that flows over the rockwool needs to be 'oxygenated'.

:)

[Opie Yutts]

It's not necessary to have the superfine bubbles. Get as fine as you can without spending a bunch. I like the green, tube-type air stones (not really a stone). They last forever unlike the real air stones, and you can wash them if they start to get plugged up, and you can cut them to any length. The real stones seem to last for one or two grows, then they fall apart. Walmart pet section.

[Opie Yutts]

Remember the key people:

Get as much oxygen as possible into your nutes and to your roots. You want as much splashing as possible. Trust me this is the key. Other than getting the basics correct, not much else matters.

[Booyagrandma]

I don't mean to jack the thread but I think my question goes along with the original post's question.

Any way to DIY an air stone? looking to cover the whole bottom of my tub.

Booya

[hbbusa28]

Two questions. What's DIY and Opie any way you can link that non-stone air stone you were refering to. Didn't see it on the Wal-Mart site.

[GoldenGoblin]

Malwart has the 12in stones in the aquarium section. like 4 bucks. and their crappy pumps to drive.
For low budget its probably the best bet.

Otherwise I would try and find the soaker air hose and make your own (do it yourself.
Bubble wands, air curtains are all other options.

[Opie Yutts]

Two questions. What's DIY and Opie any way you can link that non-stone air stone you were refering to. Didn't see it on the Wal-Mart site.

OK, they're not air stones, they are bubble wands:
Bubble Wall Air Stone | Air Stones & Wands | Air Stones & Wands | Aquarium - ThatPetPlace.com (http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/14344/product.web)
Do not get the blue ones. If I remember right they were really brittle or something. Anyway, they sucked for some reason.

I've had good luck with these. Inexpensive and lasts, and works well, great for tight spaces. Available in fine and regular bubbles:
PERFECT-A-FLO AIR STONE - 6 PK | PERFECTO | AIRSTONES & WANDS | AIR PUMPS & ACCESSORIES (http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/10436/product.web)

Here's a pic of them hard at work (my bubble wands):

DIY means Do It Yourself. I would love to figure out how to make the entire bottom of my resevior a mass of bubbles.

[hbbusa28]

Wow. I went out and bought one prior to you posting this. Looks like my rez is about the same size as your's. Looking at your pic I'm wondering if I need to go by a pump with more outlets. Is there that big difference to the plant with 1 vs 4? I mean creating a theraputic jet spa for your plants looks fantasic. LOL. But I don't think I'll be spending a lot of time looking at it. =)

[Opie Yutts]

Depends on the size of the pump. One big pump can run 4 bubble wands, but the smaller $10 ones can only run 1 or 2. My air pump has 4 outlets (about $40).

The jet spa is not for looks. The picture is of my bubble cloner, not my resevior which has a pump that not only sprays air bubbles into the nutes, but circulates the nutes as well. I forget what that pump is called but it has a directional head, and you can choose to have air bubbles with the circulation or not.

The same pump I use for my cloner I use one each in my flower section and veg section. There are 8 individual small reseviors for 8 plants in each section. I make the four outlets into 8, and run 8 small air wands (16 total for 2 pumps), and I get plenty of bubbles in each resevior.

[hbbusa28]

Thanks. I'm going to look at adding a bit more see if helps.

[blackdomina]

bubble stix the long ones work great