Reservoir Question

I've got a spare water pump that I'd been using previously in a now-defunct res. I was wondering if using it as a powerhead in my current res would supply enough oxygen to the roots or if I should stick with an airstone. I'd like to use the airstone in my aerocloner but thought I'd get your opinions first.

You can get a 12" long air stone at Meijer for about $2.00 and use the pump to make an aero cloner??

Well, yeah, I can get another pump and airstone but right now my budget is SOOOOOOOOOPER tight; I'm trying to find a temporary workaround to going and buying more equipment. I pulled the airstone out of my DIY cloner to use for my veg chamber res but I've got this spare pump sitting around wasting space. I'm just wondering if it would be worth putting in the veg res for the time being.

Won't hurt and may make you feel better, go ahead. VV

solid shadow said:

Well, yeah, I can get another pump and airstone but right now my budget is SOOOOOOOOOPER tight; I'm trying to find a temporary workaround to going and buying more equipment.

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If your powerhead has an air bleed fitting (small tube attached to the output of the pump, other end of the small tube is open to air), you can use it to circulate and oxygenate a reservoir. Motion of water past the bleed point causes a vacuum, drawing air through the small tube and into the water stream.

I've got one of those fittings around here somewhere... gonna have to try that one. I put the pump in this morning along with some fresh nutes; it's circulating quite nicely, albeit with slightly more noise than before.

An airstone will aerate the water by roiling the surface. You can do the same thing with a submersible pump that points at the surface enough to move it. Even better would be to have the stream break the surface and splash.

HTH

solid shadow said:

I've got one of those fittings around here somewhere... gonna have to try that one. I put the pump in this morning along with some fresh nutes; it's circulating quite nicely, albeit with slightly more noise than before.

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I never use those fittings... and have probably got 20 around here from dead pumps long since trashed.

It's a good trick, but works only when there's very little backpressure in the pump outlet line, such as with the pump just sitting in the bottom of the tank, connected to nothing, just moving water around.

It might work to oxygenate the stream feeding a flood tray but if a pump were feeding sprayers i.e. aeroponics, the backpressure would just force water out of the bleed fitting.

Seems like you could connect a typical air pump to a bleed fitting and force air in where the backpressure would otherwise force water out of the bleed. I can't see much application for that, but it'd probably work in terms of putting air into the water. Probably redundant with aero and the bubbles might even interfere with proper spraying action.

Hey AL B
I'am planing on using a powerhead and a air stone in my ebb&flood.I do know in my fish tanks my fish like the extra bubbles alot.I plan to use this in a 15 gal res with two 12" airstones and a powerhead.The powerhead has a tube that you would hook to the underground filter pulling off the bottom and across the top,So I'am thinking put the powerhead at one end of the res and the airstone in the middle and the flood pump at the other end.Do you think this will work for max o2 and good tank circulating?Will be starting up very soon. Peace

I can't quite picture what you mean from your description, sorry!

Honestly, just the action of bubbles rising to the surface from an airstone is sufficient to circulate a tank. I made the suggestion about using a water pump with an air bleed to oxygenate a tank for the fellow who had a spare water pump but no air pump. Otherwise, a typical airpump and stone will do fine.

Thanks for the reply,I just want too put more o2 in the water and move it around all the time. Keep the res mix moving around along with more o2.Peace

I have had a problem with a lot of build up in my resivor. Its like a slime and I dont know buy it does clog the water pump. I empty the water every 2 weeks and that hasnt helped. I dissolved the nutes in hot hot water and made sure it had no chunks. Anyone have this problem ??? Most of my plants roots are in the water and really dont need the water pump...but I want to keep it going and I need a lil help. Holla

Mr420 said:

I have had a problem with a lot of build up in my resivor. Its like a slime and I dont know buy it does clog the water pump. I empty the water every 2 weeks and that hasnt helped. I dissolved the nutes in hot hot water and made sure it had no chunks. Anyone have this problem ??? Most of my plants roots are in the water and really dont need the water pump...but I want to keep it going and I need a lil help. Holla

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You change the water every 10 to 14 days up until about 3 or 4 weeks, then you change it at least every week, every 7 days. If you got algie in the system, then sunlight is getting in the tank. You have to get rid of the algie completely, or it will come back. I 've done 3 grows with STEALTH Bubbleponics and never got any algie or slime. call or email Robert at Customer Service, he will help you.

Mr420 said:

I have had a problem with a lot of build up in my resivor. Its like a slime and I dont know buy it does clog the water pump. I empty the water every 2 weeks and that hasnt helped. I dissolved the nutes in hot hot water and made sure it had no chunks. Anyone have this problem ??? Most of my plants roots are in the water and really dont need the water pump...but I want to keep it going and I need a lil help. Holla

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What sort of nutes are you using that require dissolving in hot water? Did the nutrient maker recommend that?

What antimicrobial are you using for pathogen control? H2O2?

Al B. Fuct said:

What sort of nutes are you using that require dissolving in hot water? Did the nutrient maker recommend that?

What antimicrobial are you using for pathogen control? H2O2?

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I am using the nutes that came with the stealth bubbleponics system. I called and he told me to mix the nutes in hot water and the add to the resivor. I am a newbie I think for the Ph I use there up and down. H202 ? I have 2 12" bubble disc. Could I try to add foil to the top where the plants are sitting and cover most of the plants execpt the stem and the growth. Please help..this is my 1st time using hydroponics and I just get lost sometimes to be honest. any help I need it...thanks to all

What is the water you use?Is it ro ,distilled,tab,well water,some water is very hard and has alot of minerals and calcium in it.Yes keep the light out of the res or you get algien for shore. Peace

Mr 420, PM me or ask me anything about the SH system. i'm here to help you anytime.

Mr420 said:

I called and he told me to mix the nutes in hot water and the add to the resivor.

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Gotcha. You're using the granulated nutes included with the SH unit.

Rosey, are you still using SH's nutes or have you moved on to something else yet?

H202 ?

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Hydrogen peroxide (H202) is very useful for killing algae, moulds and fungi in nutrient solutions not only without harming your plants but dosing their roots with oxygen given off when H202 breaks down organic matter in solutions.

I use the 50% strength 'horticultural grade' H202 available from hydro shops but in a pinch, you can use the 3% or 6% you can get at pharmacies. 50% H202 is used at 1ml/litre of tank volume, 3% @ 17ml/litre and 6% @ 8ml/litre.

I am still using their nutes. They actually buy sea shells, bat guana shit, charcoal, waste from processing sugar cane, and all kinds of stuff and blend it themselves.
They are pre-measured for a 6 gallon tank, and they have a GROW or VEG nute packet, a BLOOM or Bud packet and a MICRO packet, which is all chemicals or elements that only a MICRO amount is needed. They do NOT easily just disolve in water and they suggest you stir them in hot water first and blend them up and strain out the particles to avoid problems with the underwater pump.
They offer other "STORE BOUGHT" nutes, liquid and powders but they are for those that get the High Intensity Lights. These nutes we use are for the Bubbleponic small grower using CFLs. I do not know why, or what the difference is or the reasoning. I am as ignorant as can be when it comes to nutes, excpet I know I am happy with these.