Hi all, wanted to run something by you good folks.
I have a RDWC setup and have air lines to each grow bucket. I was about 90 days into my grow when I thought I had water siphoning out of the airlines somehow and I cut the air lines to each bucket. I was getting a leak and it turned out that had nothing to do with it.
The plants are big and I didnt have space to work and run new lines easily. I ended up putting air stones in my reservoir, hoping that I could ride out the rest of my grow that way. I’m at the end of my grow and things have gone well but I’m curious if this acceptable or not, and if completely unacceptable, why. The supply line from the reservoir also falls into the buckets at a nice angle and with some power, creating constant surface disturbance.
You want highly atomized spray to continuously coat roots that are not in solution. You also want to make sure you have plenty of O in your bucket solution as well.
Thanks. Never had air bubbles in my reservoir before this and I’ll change that. So do you think it was fine to ride out the grow the way I did? I imagine the waterfall effect created a mist inside. And my flow rate is pretty high high through the system.
I guess when broken down, my question could be phrased this way:. Does oxygenation of water have to be done at the plant, or does oxygenated water stay oxygenated and could be pumped to the plant. In another way: does oxygenation that occurs through surface disturbance and air bubbling, leave the water very rapidly, or does the water remain oxygenated for a period of time afterwards.
So your supply line is creating a fallponic type system and creating some oxygenation, as is the flow in flow out aspect as the water is moving thus keeping the system fresh from stagnation. Adding stones to your reservoir is a good idea but the total disolved oxygen will be mostly diminished by the time it reaches the plants via hose. The combination of all 3 variables is a viable method. Although you would absolutely benifit more by providing Stones to every bucket and pushing them as hard as possible. Its almost impossible to have too much o2 at your root zone.
Long story short, yes your method will work and grow nice plants but youre ultimately hindering your final product.
Ya the oxygenation from an airstone will dissipate quickly so they need to run to maintain the higher level of oxygen in the water. Having them under your plants greatly increases their ability to uptake nutes and in your reservoir to keep things fresh and oxygenated throughout the system
I run a flood and drain setup and this is really the only setup that I recommend you run air stones only in the reservoir. It does oxygenate the roots well while it’s flooding. I started with 9 buckets and the first thing these hydro experts here on the forum told me was get a good air pump and have air stones in every bucket with a rolling boil running to keep the roots heavily oxygenated. Even in a tote setup, it’s recommended to have 1 air stone under each plant @42
I’ve run all 3 setups in indoor hydro and a good air pump is a must in my opinion
I expected to hear that air stones in the totes was best - just was looking for some knowledge on if my way as a temp solution would be fine and then I got curious about the science. Definitely planning to put air stones back in the totes in a week when my grow is over.
What I didn’t expect to find is that while skimming scientific journals I’m actually finding things that possibly point to air stones in the totes not being needed if the outside reservoir is well aerated and delivering the oxygenated water through the system to the roots. I’m going to keep digging and trying to find full confirmation but if it ends up being the case, that is pretty interesting and could really simplify tent layouts. Apparently the system actually can be over oxygenated too, but we can’t really reach that limit with bubblers.
I’ve seen a post about an air Venturi system here in the last couple of days. That puts off air bubbles like a jet pump with no air pump needed. It’s an interesting setup.
I just ordered the parts and should have some answers in a few days! Can’t wait. Thanks for pointing me that direction. Would be pretty cool to be able to eliminate the air pump and get the same results, if that ends up being the conclusion.
If I didn’t have 2 backup air pumps from my bucket experiences…I’d try the Venturi setup myself @42 . I use a timer and cycle the air pump 30/30. I also mounted it on 2 rubber pads to keep it quiet.