Well, I’ve been studying the GS under 20 hours of light, and 4 hours of darkness. The plants are throwing out way more shoots, and staying fairly short and stout, compared to running 18/6… May continue running this schedule.
Yah, Its getting in the 30’s around here, late night through the early morning hours… Im kinda getting worried about Old Bertha… I wanna run that gal til the end of October,… But, I dont think that’ll happen …
Well amazon has the same pump for 121.99 … Thats a pretty good deal. I think I paid 150 through a hydro store in town. The one good thing about buying it in a store, its an easy exchange, or return.
Oxygen is a vital component of root physiology. The superior oxygenation of the root zone and nutrient solution that hydroponics provides helps improve root health, as without enough oxygen to complete the respiration process, roots will suffocate. Plants will exhibit a strategy called oxytropism, where roots will avoid growing in oxygen-deprived areas such as water-logged soils, overwatered hydroponic substrates and stagnant nutrient solutions.
Some plants require large amounts of oxygen within the root zone, particularly when growing in the protected, warm conditions provided year-round with indoor gardens. A restricted root zone is limited in how much oxygen it can hold, so it relies heavily on oxygen replenishment. This can be carried out by dissolved oxygen in the nutrient solution, or by oxygen percolation down into the root zone during irrigation.
If roots require more oxygen than what they can get through replenishment, their function begins to slow, as does the uptake of water and nutrients.
Eventually, a lack of oxygen can cause root-cell death and increase the risk of root diseases such as pythium. The more restricted the root zone volume, the greater the replenishment rate of oxygen must be. In hydroponics, this can be achieved in a number of ways. Some grow mediums contain larger pores than others and allow oxygen to diffuse faster down into the root zone. Second, nutrient solutions carry dissolved oxygen, so increasing the dissolved oxygen content of the solution via aeration and making sure the root zone is not oversaturated with water will ensure more oxygen is available for root uptake.
The nutrient DO is unable to supply the root’s oxygen demands, leading to prolonged oxygen starvation. Oxygen starvation will result in slow growth, mineral deficiencies, root die-back and reduced yields. Oxygen starvation will stress the plant, leading to an eventual attack by opportunistic pathogens, such as ever-present pythium.
I brought up the topic of air stones a few times on this thread… And here’s what the studies reveal:
A hydroponic system fitted with air stones will give ample amounts of air for approximately 52 minutes… While, running the same setup without stones will maximize Dissolved Oxygen levels to 100% all of the time…
Conclusion: The more air you pump into your buckets, the faster and healthier your plant will grow, and the roots will be virtually disease free, and will exhibit that “ultra white” color that all Hydro growers love to see!..
Just read through the info nice one bro I’ve been toying with two ideas for my next crop and one is rockwool with irrigation caps or a DWC setup. I’ve got some food grade 20L buckets or 35L FG buckets and a mahoooosive hailea pump as I’ve an RDWC system sat there but no room for it but would 1 big pump to 1 big bucket be a good way to get into this DWC?
Well, I have no idea how big of a pump ya got there Explorer…
Personally, I run the smaller GH Dual Diaphragm pump when my girls are either rooting, or in veg mode. I can sufficiently oxygenate 2 plants off this pump without any issues. But, 1 of these pumps per bucket would be ideal. If I started off with the Big Eco 7, it would be overkill, and kinda silly, but it would definetely work… lol. And remember, “Ditch them airstones”… and you’ll be Golden! Especially if your using the Jacks Hydro nutrient & Calcium nitrate.
I’m UK side so won’t be using jacks unfortunately but it’d be a tossup between MegaCrop stuff or I’d be running the standard CANNA hydro line the aqua think I’ve got.
Another question I now have is do you run non return valves on your pumps or do you just place higher than water level? Also by no air stones you mean just let the air straight out the pipe into the water? If so how do you manage to keep your lines weighed down to the bottom? Cheers bro
Seeing them neon white roots making their way through the bottom of the netpot made my morning! … 
And Yes, The flowering room air pump means business!! haha! Thanks for the reply my friend 
