Adding air!

Took out my AK-47 from seed, first real harvest ever Drying now, she looks delicious. No more dirt for me though, only grew 2 in dirt before I made the switch.

Now I'm learning the ways of the DWC, I had some old dual output 7000CC/min air pumps, they weren't cutting it, and I needed more, so I went for this 45W guy. Louder for sure, but not too terribly loud if you hang it. Still want to make less vibration under the buckets though, it seems to come out in the air stones. I'm thinking an accumulator of sorts might dampen the pressure waves to take out some of the vibes. Anyone ever try?

Also got quite hot when in use. A couple PC fans helps with that tremendously. Just barely warm now. The air coming out is a bit warm too though, but by the time it makes it all the way down that black tube it seems to be room temp again.

Lovin' the bubbles now!

Hell yeah dude! You do what I do rock mass bubbles in a 5 gallon bucket... I have 3 air stones in each of my 5 gallon sport coolers. Plants love it.

Thanks dude.

I just tried my accumulator trick. I just used a sturdy plastic bottle with a hole in each end and ran the air through it. What a difference!!! I can't even believe it.. all the vibration is gone. Everything was vibrating.. the buckets.. the floor.. it was all coming through the line. Give it some nice volume though, same air flow, but it becomes much more smooth as the large bottle right near the pump absorbs the air pulses from the piston. Just like a capacitor for air!

The bottle itself is is making some noise as the sides expand and contract, but that could easy be remedied with some insulation. Awesome! I dind't think it would work that well..

Reporting back. I used a different bottle. A 500ml bottle of empty nutes. Just one of those round black cylindrical bottles. I gave it a healthy wraping of duct tape so the sides couldn't expand as much, I then wrapped the entire thing in a good layer of cardboard. Drill hole in lid, drill hole in bottom, so easy, took me 5min and now I can't believe how quiet my air pump is. No more noise from the bottle, and no vibes. The little 6W pump where I store my fresh water is now louder and creating more vibration than the 45W pump.

Anyone with a big air pump really has to try this, so easy, such a huge difference.

Shafto said:

Reporting back. I used a different bottle. A 500ml bottle of empty nutes. Just one of those round black cylindrical bottles. I gave it a healthy wraping of duct tape so the sides couldn't expand as much, I then wrapped the entire thing in a good layer of cardboard. Drill hole in lid, drill hole in bottom, so easy, took me 5min and now I can't believe how quiet my air pump is. No more noise from the bottle, and no vibes. The little 6W pump where I store my fresh water is now louder and creating more vibration than the 45W pump.

Anyone with a big air pump really has to try this, so easy, such a huge difference.

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I grow in a spare bedroom and my house is split floor plan so the garden is on the other side of the house .. No noise , thank god.

I rent out my basement suite, grow is upstairs in pantry type room by the kitchen, it's stealthed out, a fake wall and a shelf close up air tight with magnets and weather stripping over everything. Vibration from the air pumping in the bottom of the bucket was vibrating the floor and you could hear it downstairs, not in the suit, but in the shop, which is bellow the pantry type room. You could even feel it on your feet while you were standing in the room. I imagine my airstones won't be vibrating apart near as quickly either now!

If you have a larger air pump.. or even a smaller one (I'm gonna make silencers for my 6W pumps too) you really should try it out.. even for just working in the room, it's so much nicer not to have to listen or feel that damn thing humming away. The difference was really night and day.

Shafto said:

I went for this 45W guy

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That is quite the air pump!

Cool accumulator trick too.

I use the 6" kinda square stones. I use coat hanger wire to make a cradle for the air stone and it holds it a couple inches from the bottom. I use air hose to protect the stone from the wire. I bend the wire into a square without one side. Then make loops on the loose ends for the stone to slide into and bend the base into a half moon shape to sit on the bottom. Be sure to use the air hose to insulate the stone from the wire because the constant vibration will cause the wire to cut through the stone. I also suspend my air compressor to keep the noise down.

I can see how that would help too bird. I just used some hot glue to secure mine to the bottom, because it's easy and non-toxic. I noticed in my veg buckets the roots like to eat the stones if they aren't secure.

You should give the accumulator/silencer trick a try! I'm looking forward to someone giving it a go and reporting back, because the difference really is amazing, especailly with one of these big pumps.

Shafto - How did you secure the air lines to the accumulator? Did you just punch holes and use duct/electrical tape to make an air tight seal? Or did you tape/glue in barbed connectors?

I just drilled a hole slightly smaller than the tubing and pushed it in.. no leaks. If it hadn't have fit so well, I would used my usual non-toxic around plant adhesive.. hot glue!

Shafto said:

You should give the accumulator/silencer trick a try! I'm looking forward to someone giving it a go and reporting back, because the difference really is amazing, especailly with one of these big pumps.

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I think it's a fabulous idea and it makes perfect sense.

Shafto said:

I just drilled a hole slightly smaller than the tubing and pushed it in.. no leaks. If it hadn't have fit so well, I would used my usual non-toxic around plant adhesive.. hot glue!

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Kinda what I figured. I have a small air pump but am going to make one of these. Quieter is quieter no matter what.