PhatNuggz
Active Member
True, which is why I stopped, BUT, you can cut around the paper and insert into starter cubes
hth
Can Air Pumps be Replaced and Other Cool Ideas to Supercharge Your Hydro Grow
- Thread starter PhatNuggz
- Start date
hth
TheSadVeryBadMadGrower
Wait...what?
I was thinking about using magnets for my DWC instead of airpumps....have been looking at ways to use them without damaging the roots.
PhatNuggz
Active Member
Magnets instead of airpumps???
TheSadVeryBadMadGrower
Wait...what?
The air itself from the pump does not put oxygen in the water. Disturbing the plane of the surface does....magnets working against each other in a push/pull would create some agitation in the water.....theoretically anyways.
PhatNuggz
Active Member
I have played with magnets and hydro for several years. They are placed all around my F & D tubes and even around the base of the plants, but can't say I noticed anything better than without, but I never tried what you're talking about. Nutrients contain both positive and negative charges, so I don't see how they would line up and flow between the magnets
TheSadVeryBadMadGrower
Wait...what?
Yea I never really acted upon it but I was thinking of second hand sources if my power were to ever go out...I didn't think about the atom's charge.
PhatNuggz
Active Member
I have previously mentioned why I have to use lids - MOSQUITOS
I noticed some build up in the DWC tote and decided to dump/replace this morning. And guess what was in the water, yep, Fn mosquito larvae. I had been a bit lax with making sure all top holes were covered
Time to slightly increase EC/ppm now ~300ppm/0.5EC I also added Zone
I noticed some build up in the DWC tote and decided to dump/replace this morning. And guess what was in the water, yep, Fn mosquito larvae. I had been a bit lax with making sure all top holes were covered
Time to slightly increase EC/ppm now ~300ppm/0.5EC I also added Zone
PhatNuggz
Active Member
In the event of power outage, a strainer with a bunch of small to medium ornamental stones, or now Bright Water ceramic thingies, pour your nutrients over them into yout rez to reestablish DO. FYI: cooler water will hold more DO
hth
PhatNuggz
Active Member
This is incorrect. The pump pulls ambient air into and out of it, but it's a mix of O2 and CO2. The CO2 will add pH, which is one of the reasons I have worked at eliminating them, though I have yet to replace it in seedling development. That said, I have some 80 gph pumps that could work with smaller plastic bottles. I need to experiment with that
TheSadVeryBadMadGrower
Wait...what?
Would this not be a type of floating surface aerators?
PhatNuggz
Active Member
I have no idea what you are referring to. If it floats it's likely powered by a low pressure pump. Unlike air pumps, LGPH pumps will raise the temp of the nutes if left on 24/7. My pump is on a separate timer set to a time that accommodates 2-3 circulations of the nutrients through my bottle of stones
A 60 gph pump would circulate one gallon every one minute
PhatNuggz
Active Member
Made a few changes. Unrelated to them, I almost lost both plants
One of the problems with DWC is water/nute temps, which when too warm it will cause problems due to low DO. So, I did 2 things using things I had on hand (see photos)
* I wrapped the tote in aluminum insulation
* AND, since I am using a F & D tote, which already has a bulkhead, I inserted an o/o valve and put a bottom feed pump in a cooler and drain the nutes into the cooler to which I add a couple blue ice packs, and leave them in the cooler until the temp drops to ~ 65*s, at which point I turn the pump on to re-fill the tote. Once the nutes back into the tote, I close the valve and repeat every ~ 3 hours during lights on
Avoided a Disaster
I can't stress enough the importance of a strong multi-head air pump that has a adjustment valve. This allows for compensating when the water level is either too low, or too high. A week ago it was too high, and I was afraid of soaking the starter cubes, which would lead to root rot. Setting it too low and not enough droplets were splashing into the net pot= no root development. That almost cost me the small plant, which barely had any roots outside the net pot and completely dried out!, whereas the larger plant has roots down into the nutes. When the adjustment was too high it was likely getting too wet and started to get RR. Late yesterday I noticed some browning and wilted leaves. Last night I took it out and soaked it in ~ 5% H2O2 for ~ 15 minutes. This morning she's perked right back up, as has the small one
hth
One of the problems with DWC is water/nute temps, which when too warm it will cause problems due to low DO. So, I did 2 things using things I had on hand (see photos)
* I wrapped the tote in aluminum insulation
* AND, since I am using a F & D tote, which already has a bulkhead, I inserted an o/o valve and put a bottom feed pump in a cooler and drain the nutes into the cooler to which I add a couple blue ice packs, and leave them in the cooler until the temp drops to ~ 65*s, at which point I turn the pump on to re-fill the tote. Once the nutes back into the tote, I close the valve and repeat every ~ 3 hours during lights on
Avoided a Disaster
I can't stress enough the importance of a strong multi-head air pump that has a adjustment valve. This allows for compensating when the water level is either too low, or too high. A week ago it was too high, and I was afraid of soaking the starter cubes, which would lead to root rot. Setting it too low and not enough droplets were splashing into the net pot= no root development. That almost cost me the small plant, which barely had any roots outside the net pot and completely dried out!, whereas the larger plant has roots down into the nutes. When the adjustment was too high it was likely getting too wet and started to get RR. Late yesterday I noticed some browning and wilted leaves. Last night I took it out and soaked it in ~ 5% H2O2 for ~ 15 minutes. This morning she's perked right back up, as has the small one
hth
I made a fresh batch of nutes. Not being at all sure why, I had been blowing the fan (quite gently) over the 2 plants, so this morning I put it on circulate. Fingers crossed that one of these works