With the passage of time, many gardening techniques have emerged. A lot of them are being used frequently for domestic as well as commercial purposes. Hydroponics is among the most popular these days. If you are still not sure how to get started with your own hydroponic system, this article will explain all you need to know for getting started, explicitly focusing on the core component, i.e., air stones. Be it the Best Air Stones For Deep Water Culture or the Best Air Stones For Aquarium. You will find accurate are reliable details here.
Let’s look into what air stones are first and then talk about Deep Water Culture.
What are air stones?
Air stones are small porous stones usually made up of limestone. These stones are responsible for diffusing air into water in the form of small tiny oxygen bubbles.
It is necessary to keep air stones in any water system with plants or water animals like fish.
They help to oxygenate the water and keep the water bodies alive. Air stones come in various shapes and sizes. The most common shapes include cylindrical air stones and sphere air stones.
Deep Water Culture: Hydroponics
Akin to other hydroponics systems, Deep Water Culture, often abbreviated as DWC, is a type of hydroponics system. Other types include the following;
- wick system
- ebb and flow
- drip system
- nutrient film technique
- aeroponics
DWC requires the following elements for growing a plant, i.e.,
Water reservoir: To keep water having nutrients in it
Air pump: To pump air into the reservoir
Air stone: To disperse oxygen throughout the water
Air tubing: To transfer air from the pump to the air stones
Growing media: Hydroton to provide air to plant roots and pots with net mesh to carry plant roots so that they grow great
Deep Water Culture requires the plant roots to be completely submerged in the nutrient solution. That is why it is called Deep Water Culture. To grow healthy plants, the roots require a consistent level of water in the reservoir. In addition to this, oxygenation of the water in the reservoir is essential. Otherwise, plants may absorb nutrients but will eventually die due to a lack of oxygen.
That is why air stones are vital to all hydroponic systems.
Best Air Stones for Deep Water Culture
Keeping in mind the importance attached to air stones for hydroponics and deep water culture, we have shortlisted the Best Air Stones For Deep Water Culture.
- VIVOSUN Air Stone Disc
- Quickun multifarious Air Stone Ball
- Pawfly Air Stone Bar
- VIVOSUN Air Stone Cylindrical
- Alegi Air Stone Cylinder Bubbler
- AQUANEAT Air Stone
One can choose from the list mentioned above of air stones for Deep Water Culture, as they can be ordered online conveniently.
Best Air Stones for Aquarium
Although air stones for aquariums are no different from the ones used in hydroponics systems, the size of an aquarium may vary from that of a reservoir and so the size of the air stone to be used.
One can either go for large-sized air stones for the Aquarium or use multiple air stones instead of one or two. Moreover, for aquariums utilizing a combination of small and large bubbles can be a good idea.
Combining different air stones based on their ability to oxygenate the amount of water can work well in aquariums.
The list of air stones we mentioned above is perfect for aquariums too.
So, that’s a two in one solution.
Final thoughts
Any air stone of any size has a fixed period in which it performs well. Therefore we recommend changing air stones every three months at least for plant and water bodies life. Furthermore, the list mentioned in this article entails the Best Air Stones For Deep Water Culture and aquariums as well. We tried to reduce the hassle of finding air stones online and ordering them.