Need Advice On Air Pump And Sones

Grow Cycle
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Hi all,

I’m gonna do a RDWC with four 5 gallon buckets and probably a wide tore for a res. So probably 3 gallons of solution in each bucket.

Can anyone recommend a good. Affordable air pump and stones?

I was thinking of this pump: Hydrofarm Active Aqua Air Pump, 4 Outlets, 6W, 15 L/min

And these stones: VIVOSUN Air Stone 2PCS 4 X 2 Inch Large Air Stone Cylinder for Aquarium and Hydroponics Air Pump

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I think @TDubWilly or @Myfriendis410 can help here

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You’ll want to push as much air as possible. I use an 85 L/min multi port one that is not overkill. Use blue air stones for the finer air bubbles which help aerate liquid better.

Also; I would ditch the buckets and buy yellow topped 18 gallon or larger totes. Use those instead of buckets and have as large a rez as you can manage. Liquid needs to be under 70F so a chiller is usually necessary. If you go with small rez you will be changing and adding daily and seeing big PH swings: all of which will happen in late flower when you least want it to.

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Thanks for the info-dense reply. Looks like I’ve got another trip to Lowe’s in my near future. I’ll get some bigger totes and a huge res. I’ll order a bigger pump too. I found some big blue soda can stones that I think will work good. Maybe two in each tote.

I’ve still got 5 to 15 days until my ILGM Strawberry Kush seeds arrive, so no legitimate rush here.

Chillers look crazy expensive. My basement never gets above 65 degrees F. Hopefully I’ll be ok with my res outside of my 4x4 tent.

Thanks again

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BTW, what kind of system are you running with that 85 liter per minute air pump?

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I made mine out of a leftover plastic barrel I got from the local carwash. I chose one that had detergent rather than wax so I could clean it out easily. Just gave it to @Not2SureYet for his autopot grow.

If you can thermally tie the reservoir to your concrete floor somehow it will help and if you keep rez out of grow space it will help a lot too. Also; you can pick up some styrofoam sheet and cut to fit around plants to rest on top of totes: that was good for about 5F drop.

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Cool. I was gonna make some Styrofoam insulation for the plant buckets like you said.

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