are air stones even necessary?

[glani]

First, don't jump someone else's thread. Second, who ever told you to raise you feeding LIED to you.

Damn dude youre pretty salty for someone on a site for helping others lol i like how you didnt give me feedback but instead told me someone lied to me (i told you i read the info on THIS site) and then try to bitch at me for jumping someone else's thread. Did you forget that you were on my thread there buddy? Funny youll take the time to talk down to me but not to help lol anyway, id love to hear what the yellow tips might be if not nutrient deficiency. Apparently im dumb for believing that. If there wasnt so much conflicting information out there, there would be no need to compare. Even you guys who are seasoned growers argue with each other. This is my first grow and i wanna take advantage of all this free info, so yeah i ask a lotta questions that might sound dumb. If anyone else could tell me what i need to do different id really appreciate it. Theyve got a 2ft t5 sitting about 6-7 inches overhead and a small fan. Roots are pokin through the cube but not outta the cup yet and seem to have slowed down.

 

[rkymtnman]

yellow tips

too much nutes, not too little. they should start turning brown pretty soon. i'd flush withe some plain ph'd water and go down a bit on the nutes.
i use 1mL per gallon of dyna gro foliage pro for plants that size as a reference.

 

[JSB99]

I grew with air stones for many years and they are a PITA to clean/unclog, cheaper ones not making it through a full grow cycle. I tried various aquarium waterfalls, but where I live pesky mosquitoes get into my rezes and trays, requiring more of a closed system. Fortunately about a year ago I came across a thread that eliminated air stones with Flooming. Yes it requires a second pump in the rez, which will heat if left on 24/7: I use a small <200gph pump on a deep cycle timer running 4 minutes/30 minutes. works great while doing a much better job of agitating/moving/circulating the nutrients. Adding a venturi is the key

Next grow I plan to use low mist heads on the deep cycle timer

View attachment 4021832 View attachment 4021833

When I got my pump, I tried the Venturi, and it was really cool! I was contemplating using it instead of air stones. But I wasn't seeing much information about using venturis, so I shied away from the idea.

 

[Jypsy Dog]

Damn dude youre pretty salty for someone on a site for helping others lol i like how you didnt give me feedback but instead told me someone lied to me (i told you i read the info on THIS site) and then try to bitch at me for jumping someone else's thread. Did you forget that you were on my thread there buddy? Funny youll take the time to talk down to me but not to help lol anyway, id love to hear what the yellow tips might be if not nutrient deficiency. Apparently im dumb for believing that. If there wasnt so much conflicting information out there, there would be no need to compare. Even you guys who are seasoned growers argue with each other. This is my first grow and i wanna take advantage of all this free info, so yeah i ask a lotta questions that might sound dumb. If anyone else could tell me what i need to do different id really appreciate it. Theyve got a 2ft t5 sitting about 6-7 inches overhead and a small fan. Roots are pokin through the cube but not outta the cup yet and seem to have slowed down.

Didn't "Bitch" you out. The discussion was about AIR STONES. And if you did do your homework, brown tips are the FIRST indication you feeding too much. Chill out kitten. You got 4 months to kill those plants.

 

[glani]

too much nutes, not too little. they should start turning brown pretty soon. i'd flush withe some plain ph'd water and go down a bit on the nutes.
i use 1mL per gallon of dyna gro foliage pro for plants that size as a reference.

That sounds about right. I just flushed the cubes (actually just sat them in a pot of PH'ed water for a few mins) and took the rez down to 5.9 ph and 420ppm. One of them has had some root growth since yesterday, so not as worried today as i have been the last few. Thanks man.

 

[rkymtnman]

420ppm.

i'd cut that down in half.
i use EC (not ppm) and i'd be about 0.3 with plants that size (150ppm give or take)

 

[glani]

I plan to use the venturi pumps on my second go around. Ive got two stones per bucket but found these tiny venturi pumps on ebay for just under $5 each so i want to put one in each bucket in addition to the stones

 

[glani]

i'd cut that down in half.
i use EC (not ppm) and i'd be about 0.3 with plants that size (150ppm give or take)

My tapwater comes out at about 200ppm so only half of that 420 is nutes. Does that put me in the clear or should my total ppm still be lower?

 

[rkymtnman]

My tapwater comes out at about 200ppm so only half of that 420 is nutes. Does that put me in the clear or should my total ppm still be lower?

i'd think about using RO or distilled water. i refill 5 gal jugs at safeway or walmart

 

[PetFlora]

i'd think about using RO or distilled water. i refill 5 gal jugs at safeway or walmart

My RO was < $300 https://www.amazon.com/iSpring-RCC7P-AK-Permeate-compatible-Alkaline/dp/B005LKKMYS/ref=sr_1_34?ie=UTF8&qid=1466169520&sr=8-34&keywords=reverse+osmosis

bu I would get this one (wasn't available then) http://www.123filter.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=70_1_65&products_id=150

 

[ttystikk]

And "Under Current" is the incorrect term here. What he's talking about is "Recirculating". You need a powerful water pump to achieve "Under Current, where the flow of the water is strong enough to get DO to the center of the roots. Otherwise, and air pump is needed to to get oxygen to the centers

A properly designed waterfall system is very effective at doing exactly this.

 

[ttystikk]

I would rather NOT run Another pump.

My RDWC uses just one pump for the entire system. No additional circulation pumps, flooming pumps or air pumps. I'm not bashing on other people's setups, clearly they achieve the desired results!

All I'm saying is that based on my own results with the system I designed specifically for the purpose, I see exactly no reason for additional components or complexity.

 

[ttystikk]

First, don't jump someone else's thread. Second, who ever told you to raise you feeding LIED to you.

Peeps can post what they want, where they want. Chill out, ain't no skin off your nose.

 

[ttystikk]

PLUS, that extra pump helps lift/circulate nutrients that fall out of solution

I find this unlikely. If they're dropping out of solution, then those nutes are by definition no longer water soluble and won't be absorbed by the roots in a DWC situation.

Such non soluble nutrients get absorbed by plants in soil because of the action of soil microbial and fungal life, life which does NOT exist in any meaningful quantity in DWC.

 

[ttystikk]

Keep telling your self that. Not worth the Extra heat.

If he's getting good results then that's what matters.

You seem to be very intolerant of other people's ideas. Frankly, that's your problem, not anyone else's.

 

[rkymtnman]

My RO was < $300 https://www.amazon.com/iSpring-RCC7P-AK-Permeate-compatible-Alkaline/dp/B005LKKMYS/ref=sr_1_34?ie=UTF8&qid=1466169520&sr=8-34&keywords=reverse+osmosis

bu I would get this one (wasn't available then) http://www.123filter.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=70_1_65&products_id=150

i had one. we're on a well and the amount of wastewater was unacceptable. water is a precious commodity in Colorado and it's just easier to buy it at a store for 37 cents a gallon

 

[JSB99]

A properly designed waterfall system is very effective at doing exactly this.
View attachment 4022169

Nice!

 

[JSB99]

A properly designed waterfall system is very effective at doing exactly this.
View attachment 4022169

You're right, I forgot about adding DO via a waterfall. What size water pump are you using? Must be fairly powerful with those roots!

 

[ttystikk]

i had one. we're on a well and the amount of wastewater was unacceptable. water is a precious commodity in Colorado and it's just easier to buy it at a store for 37 cents a gallon

You can use the 'waste' for the lawn or for soil grown plants. I agree with you about treating water use with respect.

 

[ttystikk]

You're right, I forgot about adding DO via a waterfall. What size water pump are you using? Must be fairly powerful with those roots!

Six sites in that RDWC used a 633gph pump. It could have handled more sites with no trouble.

Elsewhere, I've used a 1340gpg pump for 26 separate tubsites. That was pushing it but it still worked fine.