Bubble buckets

I started using these airstones that look like 6" sections of soaker hose with suction cups that keep them on the bottom. Half of my buckets have those and half have just a standard 4" long about 3" around airstone many people use.

I use a 950gph commercial air pump split between 4 buckets right now but I have ran up to 6 with this pump.

 

This is the airstones I'm using. They're about $8 locally. It's $17 for a full ring. Haven't tried that yet.
www.amazon.com/dp/B01G0PW3LM/ref=asc_df_B01G0PW3LM5307735/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B01G0PW3LM&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216531775325&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=485662706806579858&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9034064&hvtargid=pla-348418296222

 

I seen those at the hydro store but never though twice about them.

I got a 800gph pump and am looking for air stones/diffusers for a 2 bucket 35 gallon total RDWC that I'm upgrade this week in prep for flower (in my journal) and was going to go with the large eco plus air stones, but I find the material that they are made out of is highly susceptible to sediment. So if they have them I may give them a try.

Thank you

 

They have several different sizes of "rings" that are full circles of those hoses I'm using. I would bet that two of those would work great in a 35 gallon res. I don't think a single circle would be enough air for a res that size since I use 6" of one for a 2.5 gallon res.

I don't find the material susceptible to sediment. They are more long living then then standard air stones.

I sort of make it a rule to use a new airstone every time I set up a bucket. I never feel good using an old one. I buy a new stone every grow. I've been using those eco plus hoses for about 3 grows now. I used a few of the standard stones I had leftover because when I set up my latest 4 bucket dwc crop I didn't realize I only had two of those eco plus hoses.

 

I hear you there budgetgrower soil just isn't that convenient when you have to take your plants out of the tent to water the back row. and can be rather unpredictable between one watering to the next

 

I don't feed I just give nutes every time I change out the water. and top up with nute water when ever they get low.


I tried out the 12" section of hose and its not the best... to long.. I wedge it in the bottom of the bucket but the middle tends to rise and dumps the air to one side of the bucket. and the suction cups are a joke. I'm going to grab some aquarium silicone glue when I'm out today and glue the suction cups to the bottom of the bucket. also i'll try and find a t, elbow or a y barb fitting and cut the hose in half and have the bubbles more centralized as the current setup has the bubbles coming up on one side instead from underneath.

 

please say your going to flower with a reservoir. girls this size could present a big handling problem late on in flower. not to mention the increase in water up take.

my first dwc pilot project I vegged a clone for 4 weeks topped once and flowered it out. it grew out to about 4x its height and 5x in width not only was it a bugger to move but being rather side heavy I had to tie it to the tent to keep it upright. and the biggest grip of all it was drinking 3 gallons of water a day. in a lil 5 gallon bucket with a 4x3' plant. I ended up fashioning a rdwc system and the transplant stressed her out and I ended up losing all of the secondary trichromes( stalks, fan leaves, under fan leaves), but it was better then having the plant have the split of death or falling onto the ground.

 

@Tbone Shuffle how are you air hoses holding up?

I'm making another RDWC system and have decided to try out the 6" ring version of these water wind diffusers. hoping they last for more then4 cycles in the flower buckets

 

My micro soaker hose type air diffusers are great. They do last longer then standard. I like to get a new one each grow but I have ran a few twice.

I've been having problems lately because my roots have gotten so large they'll completely fill the bucket up to the net pot. They surround the first airstone they get and eventually prevent it from putting out max air. I've had to add a second airstone underneath the root ball in each of my large plants this round. I know it's because my res is only 3.5gallons and I have big root balls. I need to step up in res size.

I've been noticing that most times if I ever have root or res problems its not enough air. More air will cure root rot many times or bad smelling res conditions. I'm growing a really large plant this round and I just put two airstones in a single bucket connected to a 1050 pump. It was having issues and now the res is super clean. I'm outgrowing my 3.5gallon buckets. I want to figure out a new setup. I may just switch to promix since I've done just as well with harvests in promix compared to DWC and it's less work.

 

Tbone, im a new grower. ( 2 outside 1 inside , 1 inside pending) my first 3 grows where an organic mix i screwed up. This last tent grow is promix and perlite. When you said your doing just as well in promix compared to dwc and its less work can you explain. I thought about doing a 1 pot to 1 bucket experiment to see how hydro turned out. So your getting the same yield by just nutrient watering promix as you are keeping up with dwc buckets? How are your harvest times? Quality of bud? I'm growing for my wife. I've been following a lot of your qb posts. Currently in a 2x4 with 4- 132 with 7 gal pots.

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