Putting bubbles in your 'ponics

I

Illegal Smile

Guest
Re: watering from the top etc - You can't really have too many bubbles. Even if the cube became too wet you can adjust by lowering the water level. Roots will go down in search of water and that's why bubble action from beneath is good. The water splashing up and the densely humid airspace attracts the roots down. Even top drip systems should have the tubes empty down on the side of the cube not on the top.

I know growers who do lower water level to encourage roots. I have thought about experimenting with it but it is among the thousand things I haven't gotten to yet. it makes sense. Hybrid aero systems do much the same, they spray roots in the airspace then further down they enter water. I suppose it also has the advantage of less water = less nutes. I would like to try two side by side grows and compare. Somebody do this and report back!
 
tip top toker

tip top toker

Well-Known Member
well this is the way my hydro guy advises (aeroponic to later become hydroponic) so i may very well try a comparisson, although maybe i sohuld get to grips with getting a grow through the systems first :lol:
 
I

Illegal Smile

Guest
Another thought, old time dwc growers have claimed that they can duplicate the conditions of any of the other systems in their reservoirs, and that includes hydroponics. I never studied how they would do that though. Somewhere down there would have to be water or you couldn't very well call it dwc. I think they are talking about generating max bubbles and then lowering the water level as far as possible while still keeping the top of the airspace wet.
 
N

newbiebob

Well-Known Member
Illegal Smile said:
I think bubbleponics is a good word, it just strikes me as a supreme irony that it is used and trademarked for a system that does not rely on bubbles at all, but on a pump and tubes.
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i am new
but i always thought that a bubbler is a system that relys on bubbles and bubble ponics was a bubbler with a pump and tubes like a hydroponic system
hence the name bubbleponics.
 
I

Illegal Smile

Guest
newbiebob said:
i am new
but i always thought that a bubbler is a system that relys on bubbles and bubble ponics was a bubbler with a pump and tubes like a hydroponic system
hence the name bubbleponics.
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What is it about the addition of ponics to bubble that implies a pump and tubes? Both the bubbles and the ponics were there long before the pump and tubes were thrown in.
 
Dudesome

Dudesome

Well-Known Member
Illegal Smile said:
1. That doesn't sound like quite enough pump for that much water but don't despair - you can compensate by raising the water level. TEST first to see if it is getting the cube wet enough.
2. Don't worry, roots love an airbath!
3. Good question. If just for oxygenation it doesn't matter, but to feed new seedlings you need splashing that gets to each netpot. Try putting empty netpots under each hole where you plan to have a plant and see if they get wet up the sides after an hour or so.
4. You can make it work and you're onthe right track!
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cheerz man! Well I hold my face about 7 inches away from water and feel the bubbles splashing. I bet if I raise the water level quite a bit, them RW cubes will get pretty wet. But I am about to pretest it your way.
Alot of thanks and respect for the work you're doing here!

Respect. Peace
 
Dropastone

Dropastone

Well-Known Member
Hey smile nice thread, I just got done reading it from start to finish. It took a me cpl of hours to get through but I didn't have anything else better to do on a Sunday afternoon but read this thread and watch the Olympics. Now I just wanted to say I've done a lot of reading on this forum for the past month and I finally found a thread I can wrap my brain around. So thanks to you for that.

Now I think all of my questions have been answered except for just one. I'm getting ready to start my first DWC closet grow and have been working on my grow room for almost 4 weeks now and it's nearly finished except for a cpl of things that should have been here on Monday but I'm gonna have to wait until Tuesday now because of the government holiday.:-(

Okay so here is my question regarding a drip system. I have a 4 bucket DWC setup all connected together with a control tank with a water pump and drip system. I just want to know will my nutes still circulate throughout the system just using the air stones. It seems to me that using a drip system will help to circulate the nutes better between the four grow buckets and give a more accurate reading when checking pH and PPM.

I'm not against getting rid of the pump and drip system all together but I just want to make sure my nutes and pH level are properly getting distributed throughout the whole system.

Here is a picture of the set up that I will be using. They are 2 gallon buckets and It will hold a total of 5 gallons of water. 1 gallon per bucket. I've got a 3x3x8 closet I'll be growing in and I don't want my plants getting no more than 3 feet tall.

 
I

Illegal Smile

Guest
Dropastone said:
Hey smile nice thread, I just got done reading it from start to finish. It took a me cpl of hours to get through but I didn't have anything else better to do on a Sunday afternoon but read this thread and watch the Olympics. Now I just wanted to say I've done a lot of reading on this forum for the past month and I finally found a thread I can wrap my brain around. So thanks to you for that.

Now I think all of my questions have been answered except for just one. I'm getting ready to start my first DWC closet grow and have been working on my grow room for almost 4 weeks now and it's nearly finished except for a cpl of things that should have been here on Monday but I'm gonna have to wait until Tuesday now because of the government holiday.:-(

Okay so here is my question regarding a drip system. I have a 4 bucket DWC setup all connected together with a control tank with a water pump and drip system. I just want to know will my nutes still circulate throughout the system just using the air stones. It seems to me that using a drip system will help to circulate the nutes better between the four grow buckets and give a more accurate reading when checking pH and PPM.

I'm not against getting rid of the pump and drip system all together but I just want to make sure my nutes and pH level are properly getting distributed throughout the whole system.

Here is a picture of the set up that I will be using. They are 2 gallon buckets and It will hold a total of 5 gallons of water. 1 gallon per bucket. I've got a 3x3x8 closet I'll be growing in and I don't want my plants getting no more than 3 feet tall.

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Sorry, I can't help you with that. I've never attempted a multi-bucket system.
 
Dropastone

Dropastone

Well-Known Member
Okay I'm gonna keep the drip for my first grow. If I find that I don't like it I'll just make some new buckets for my next grow. They're cheap enough to make.

Thanks anyway.
 
W

wankzappa

Member
I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations on how I can split the airflow into 3 different air stones INSIDE the reservoir? What I mean is, to have a single tube going from the pump into the reservoir, and then have it split 3 ways inside. I saw a manifold with multiple outlets mentioned, but after finding several of these online it seems that they are designed to be put right onto the pump. I only have 1 hole on my bucket to insert tubing, and I'd rather not have to start drilling more holes if there is an easier way. Am I wrong in assuming that the manifold with multiple outlets must attach directly to the air pump?

Thanks
 
S

SickSadLittleWorld

Well-Known Member
wankzappa said:
I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations on how I can split the airflow into 3 different air stones INSIDE the reservoir? What I mean is, to have a single tube going from the pump into the reservoir, and then have it split 3 ways inside. I saw a manifold with multiple outlets mentioned, but after finding several of these online it seems that they are designed to be put right onto the pump. I only have 1 hole on my bucket to insert tubing, and I'd rather not have to start drilling more holes if there is an easier way. Am I wrong in assuming that the manifold with multiple outlets must attach directly to the air pump?

Thanks
Click to expand...
All the manifolds I own have a 3/8" inlet and 1/4" outlets. You can just run a thicker and longer hose to the manifold and split it inside the bucket.
 
old time smoker

old time smoker

Member
wankzappa said:
I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations on how I can split the airflow into 3 different air stones INSIDE the reservoir? What I mean is, to have a single tube going from the pump into the reservoir, and then have it split 3 ways inside. I saw a manifold with multiple outlets mentioned, but after finding several of these online it seems that they are designed to be put right onto the pump. I only have 1 hole on my bucket to insert tubing, and I'd rather not have to start drilling more holes if there is an easier way. Am I wrong in assuming that the manifold with multiple outlets must attach directly to the air pump?

Thanks
Click to expand...
Hey Bro

One thing you may need to do (if the hole you drilled is for 1/4" line) is to drill a slightly larger hole for 3/8" hose (which is what the "in" port on the manifold is on the manifold that came with my pump) Also - if you only have 3 stones you'll have to clamp off one of the lines (they usually have an even number of outlets) or just put 4 stones in there which would be my suggestion - 1 more isn't going to hurt and probably help. Here is what I'm going to do - I just bought an 02 easy high output air pump (sunleaves) from the pump it uses a 3/8" air line - then that fits "inside" another air tube, where you can put in a 1/2" "tee", that is where I'm going to make the split from the pump to the veg and flower container, once back to each res then reduce back down to the 3/8" tube, attach the small 4 port manifold, connect 1/4" tubing to the manifold - connect the 4 stones. Plenty of oxygenated water for your girls!!!
 
W

wankzappa

Member
Just the answers I was looking for, thanks a lot guys. I'm actually not sure exactly what size the hole in the reservoir is. It's at too awkward of a position to measure as all I have to measure with right now is a meter stick. I didn't drill it myself, I'm just using the bucket that came with the "Bubbleponics" system. But the tubing that came with it is a 1/4'' if I'm not mistaken, and I'm able to wiggle it around in the hole a little bit, so I'm thinking a 3/8'' tube will fit just perfectly. Thanks again!
 
J

justparanoid

Guest
Wow so much information contained in this thread. Thanks to everyone that made this a killer thing to read.

JP
 
tip top toker

tip top toker

Well-Known Member
another quick qiuestion :) how long do you guys normally have to wait before you see roots off of a clone (trying to work out if i've got my bubbles and such upto par, she's standing tall and looks nothing but healthy, but no roots yet
 
I

Illegal Smile

Guest
tip top toker said:
another quick qiuestion :) how long do you guys normally have to wait before you see roots off of a clone (trying to work out if i've got my bubbles and such upto par, she's standing tall and looks nothing but healthy, but no roots yet
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I don't clone but I would treat it like a seedling. Judge the bubble level by the condition (dryness/wetness) of the cube. And if the green part looks good, it's a pretty safe bet that what's under is doing ok too.
 
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