Aerating General Organics Line

I make a gallon of nutrients at a time. I am currently aerating with an cylinder airstone. In the feeding schedule they released they said not to use airstones because it says it needs an air source with larger bubbles. Any ideas?

The airstones I use get covered in gunk.

Bump Bump
Bump Bump
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Really small bubbles from airstones are suppose to hurt any small life living in the tea, so your suppose to use bigger bubbles. And your suppose to let the airstones run in clean water for a hour before using them in your compost tea, as to not create bad bacteria, so its a PITA. I just switched to using big bubbles with lots of hoses.

You could do a DIY thing with PVC.

Get a 4-6" length of PVC, drill some 1/16" holes in it and there ya go. On one of the end caps either glue or press fit a connector for the air line. Don't glue the end caps on so you can take apart to clean.

Or, do a search for airstones that do bigger bubbles. A pond supply place might have them.

Wet

PVC tube with holes is a good idea, ill have to do that for my next grow.

I took the air stone off and am running the pump through a tube straight into the one gallon tank with nothing attached. It makes big bubbles and creates good movement although it definitely increased the vibration of the tank which I solved by layering a towel under the two one gallon tanks.

Ya mine vibrated really bad when I used the tubes with big bubbles, so I just put it downstairs were i wouldnt hear it.

So why exactly are you aerating these nutrients in the first place? Are you trying to increase microbial activity?

I use the entire General Organics line, and I mix up each batch of nutrients one gallon at a time. I measure, pour them all into the jug and shake it up before I feed. Seems to be working just fine for me.

The chart says you only need to aerate if you have mixed nutrients with water and allowed them to sit for over an hour. If you make 1 gallon at a time, why do you need to do this?

I use a gallon every couple days it allows it to keep better an yes I am sure it may help with my microbial activity.

CanniMed said:

I use a gallon every couple days it allows it to keep better an yes I am sure it may help with my microbial activity.

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Why don't you just mix what you need for feeding when you need it? You don't have to mix a gallon every time...

But if you're trying for increased microb life then right on.

I aerated my GO nutes last night for feed in the morning and I also put some of grandma's molasses and come back to see foam, so I'm gonna guess it does help with microbial life, foam is an indicator of proteins coming from the bacterias correct? I have a N deficiency more than a week into flower, does anyone know a good ratio of grow and bloom nutes to feed without giving to much N

StoningBat said:

I aerated my GO nutes last night for feed in the morning and I also put some of grandma's molasses and come back to see foam, so I'm gonna guess it does help with microbial life, foam is an indicator of proteins coming from the bacterias correct? I have a N deficiency more than a week into flower, does anyone know a good ratio of grow and bloom nutes to feed without giving to much N

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I would feed grow nutes until I see flowers. The transition period is the start of 12/12 and early flower is when u see little buds forming. Follow the feeding chart liked that and give 15ml of bloom when you start using it. If you go to Kyle Kushman's website he has a section called transition feeding that talks about this a little more.