DWC, Air Stones or Diffusers.

[RagWeedDWC]

The roots are chocking off my 4 inch air stones (2), plus they just plug up. Should of replaced them instead of just cleaning the stones.
(I believe it really caused most of my ph problems).

Since I need to replace, thoughts on using a air diffuser ring verses two good air stones?

 

[vostok]

Clean and Bitch

Its why I go soils

that said a plant never gets enough bubbles

good luck

 

[FlyingDutchPaddy]

hey RagWeed!

thats an interesting question - air stones or an air diffuser ring.

I'm using 2 6" air stones myself per bucket, this seems to work well but yes, periodic cleaning of the stones is required (1st time I cleaned was after 8 months continuous use).

seems air diffuser rings also suffer from biological/inorganic material buildup, but reading on how those can be cleaned... seems simpler and less labour intensive than for stones.


if you're going to keep your existing air pump, and you're looking at a ring diffuser, i'd try to match the appropriate ring size to your air pump capacity.


Observation over time regarding air stones:
at first i didnt use any 'organics' in my feeding for plants - had a bit of trouble keeping air stones (and buckets) clean.
now that i'm using fulvic acid + kelp in the water, the stones hardly clog up at all, and cleaning buckets is much easier because there's no buildup of anything.
One wipe with a wet sponge and the bucket surface is clean.

hope that helps.

FDP

 

[UndergroundFarmer]

I'm always having to change out airstones because of the hard air we have in these parts.

 

[FlyingDutchPaddy]

apparently calcium has a lot to do with that... hard water.

if you can increase calcium uptake.... that hard water is beneficial (extra calcium, on top of the CalMag supplement)...

i've seen in my own grows now that at the start when the plants are small, i see buildup of deposits on the bucket bottom and sides.
as they progress into week 3, that doesnt happen anymore....

if anything, i just wipe off a smiging of kelp deposit off the stones both sides with a cleaning brush in the water while its still bubbling.
they are clean after that.