Airstones vs just holes in tubing?

Hello,

Im running a DWC in 18 tubs and my airstones get cloged up and i have to replace them like evry 2 weeks, so here what I did I just burned holes with a paperclip about 6 inches at the tip of the airline and put those under the roots, i seem to have just as many if not more air bubbles then i did with the airstones, IS THIS OK?

Thanks guys!

You can just clean the airstone with bleach

If your system was properly maintained, your airstone should last throughout your grow. Sounds like you need to ensure res conditions first.

Holes in the hose will work OK as long as there are still lots of bubbles. The most important thing is that the bubble rise to the top creating a flow of water. As the bubbles rise and burst they break the surface tension, which is what actually adds oxygen to the water.

The roots can use more oxygen than the water will hold, which they get when they bubbles make momentary contact with the roots as they rise. This is why more bubbles seem to be better.