How to Properly Aerate a Small (or large) Rez

[PetFlora]

I've been working on the best way to eliminate air stones after having read a thread about the subject. I am now on version 4.0 and likely da bomb. That said I still use air stones for seedlings and clones

Here's a couple pictures of my rez with 2 pumps. One is to flood the totes, the other to circulate/aerate the nutes (Ecoplus Convertible bottom draw pump (265 gph)

The new pump has the inlet on the bottom, outlet on either the top (conventional) OR, alternately on the lower side. The idea is to cap the outlet not being used. With conventional top outlet pumps a venturi (aerates the solution) can be incorporated into the outlet tubing by inserting a smaller diameter tube into the outlet tube, the opposite side of the venturi tube must be above the water line. When the pump is on, air gets sucked into the outlet water, effectively aerating it. I did a couple effective DIYs, but...

This new pump simplifies aeration in that it provides a built in venturi when using the lower outlet and not capping the top outlet. This requires installing a riser on the top outlet that must be tall enough to be above the water line

When the pump is on the riser acts like a venturi pulling in air that mixes with the lower nute outflow, creating bubbles that aerate the nutes. This pump moves the water briskly. It is on a deep cycle timer @ ~ 4 minutes on, 15 minutes off in my 2 gallons of nutes. I keep on times short otherwise the motor heat quickly over heats the nutes

Expecting big things for current and future grows

 

[PetFlora]

Had a brain fart for new seedlings. At this point they are fragile and susceptible to drown due to over watering.

I have hypodermic syringes and needles. Injecting a small amount of nutes around the developing tap root should expedite root and therefor plant development

 

[ThaMagnificent]

That's alot of extra parts and timers for just an aeration pump imo.

 

[CannaBruh]

Nice job, a venturi pump was going to be my suggestion.

I purchased an oxycloner this last summer and have really been impressed with how the venturi works in that and am bringing that into my existing reservoirs.

 

[adower]

I just found a few long pieces of food grade stainless steel and hooked them to my air pump. Dropped them in the reservoir

 

[PetFlora]

That's alot of extra parts and timers for just an aeration pump imo.

When using a small rez the aeration pump must be on a deep cycle timer. A fifteen minute timer would overheat the nutes. I have a deep cycle timer from when I tried HPA (high pressure aero)

 

[WeedFreak78]

You coulda just put a "T" inline of your main pump with a valve to control flow into the res when it runs. Aerate through waterfall action. No real need for 2 pumps I can see.

 

[PetFlora]

Nice job, a venturi pump was going to be my suggestion.

I purchased an oxycloner this last summer and have really been impressed with how the venturi works in that and am bringing that into my existing reservoirs.

You realize that the T on the riser is the venturi?

You coulda just put a "T" inline of your main pump with a valve to control flow into the res when it runs. Aerate through waterfall action. No real need for 2 pumps I can see.

Interesting observation! Will mull that around. The biggest obstacle is I flood every 1-2 hours in veg, then 3-4 in flower. Seems way too long to provide DO

 

[WeedFreak78]

You realize that the T on the riser is the venturi?


Interesting observation! Will mull that around. The biggest obstacle is I flood every 1-2 hours in veg, then 3-4 in flower. Seems way too long to provide DO

I think its be fine in veg, might be a little long in flower. Mount a 2 litre bottle inside the res, have it fill up when the pump runs, poke a small hole in the 2 litre that will allow it to drain slowly between pump cycles. The dripping water will aerate between pump cycles. There's a couple ways to do it, kinda hard to describe what I'm thinking.

 

[PetFlora]

I appreciate your but, but I doubt slow drip would adequately aerate 2-3g of nutes

 

[CannaBruh]

Your choice of font change in the middle of your reply to me is causing my reply/quote to mess up, but yes I realize you are already using the venturi, hence why I said "good job" and that would have been my suggestion to use one in response to your thread title however upon seeing you already had one found it not necessary. Maybe you misunderstood I was just saying "good job, that's what I would have done/suggested"

Good job

 

[WeedFreak78]

I'm curious why your going away from air pumps/ stones? Cheap, simple, reliable.
If you don't want stones because of clogging, look into "air lifts" to aerate with a pump.
Here's examples of an air lift pump and geyser pump run off air. One odds continual flow, one is a pulsed flow.

 

[CannaBruh]

Stones don't move the water like a pump does, now put air in that water and you have an O2 whirlpool circulating water whereas air stones might leave a "null" (lack for better term) where the water might go stagnant in pockets and corners.

 

[WeedFreak78]

Stones don't move the water like a pump does, now put air in that water and you have an O2 whirlpool circulating water whereas air stones might leave a "null" (lack for better term) where the water might go stagnant in pockets and corners.

Unless your growing in odd shaped containers with pockets, a normal bucket or tote won't get dead spots. It doesn't take much air volume to keep water circulating. The rising bubbles cause currents. It doesn't have to be like whitewater to get good mixing, a gentle circulating current is fine.

 

[CannaBruh]

Unless your growing in odd shaped containers with pockets, a normal bucket or tote won't get dead spots. It doesn't take much air volume to keep water circulating. The rising bubbles cause currents. It doesn't have to be like whitewater to get good mixing, a gentle circulating current is fine.

You will need to define "odd shaped" and "normal" in a horticulture context.

Current as a result of rising bubbles will not churn the water as the OP has found with the venturi method he presents, I will have to respectfully disagree with your assessment. You can run air stones or straight air lines or even water fall, I feel none will circulate and aerate as effectively as what the OP has shown.

 

[PetFlora]

The 260 gph bottom draw pump (when using the lower outlet uncapped) really blasts the water, which also means more air intake via the riser. Plus, no more precip

 

[PetFlora]

Now, if I can find a spinner similar to the spinner in my Scotts hand held fertilizer spreader I might get even better results

 

[PetFlora]

Pics of plants in 2 different tents /rezes. It's definitely working extremely well for me. First pic shows bud development after only from 8 days since showing first pistil AND nute strength has been < 300

 

[completenoobie]

I'm curious why your going away from air pumps/ stones? Cheap, simple, reliable.

ummm, I call bs. extra added equipment is never cheap, nor simple, nor reliable. much less added quip that is only unnecessary.

I fell for the bs at first and bought a few air pumps.

I have absolutely never installed a single one ever, period. they are ALL still in the box years after purchase. The very action of aero (the very definition of aero) is aerating the h2o as it is circulating. There is less than zero need for an added electricity consumer and heat producer to be inserted into an already perfectly aerated system.

 

[completenoobie]

BUTT!!!!! I absolutely fucking refuse to stop learnin, so correct me iffin I'm wrong. perhaps I didn't understand the principle?

AERAting the h2o is accomplished by AEROponically circulating the h2o??

that is the entire reason they are using aeroponics and ONLY aeroponics for space travel programs. isn't it???>?