Bucket Hydro and air

Any guys who are doing bucket hydro, has anyone tried putting an airstone in the bottom of the buckets? Will it maybe dry out the root zone too much during the few hours between flood cycles? If so, what about a timer on the air pump say 15 on 15 off, or increase number of floods? I'd experiment, but the size of my grow is small and I don't want to risk a plant on it.

I'm not super familiar with a flood and drain system. But, I don't think you need air stones. I use air stones in RDWC where the roots are constantly submersed in nute water and would not otherwise receive oxygen. I think your roots will get aerated during the drain cycle.

dostrander said:

Any guys who are doing bucket hydro, has anyone tried putting an airstone in the bottom of the buckets? Will it maybe dry out the root zone too much during the few hours between flood cycles? If so, what about a timer on the air pump say 15 on 15 off, or increase number of floods? I'd experiment, but the size of my grow is small and I don't want to risk a plant on it.

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To achieve what? More air when drained? Pretty sure they don't require more air, perhaps pure oxygen but careful lol.

It seems like it would be overkill. If you're using a bottom bucket with a recessed drainage port(which you should), then standing water shouldn't really be an issue. I usually have an inch or inch and a half of water sitting in my controller bucket, so I run a single air stone in there.

Basically I was just thinking about increasing Oxygen availability, I do have air stones in my res anyway and add H2O2 occasionally.
@ Budley, pure O2, well, no I don't want to die...
@ Johnny, I have my buckets setup with the fill line 1 inch from the bottom with an overflow line about 2 inches below media level, wasn't a standing water concern, you do want to have some water left in the bucket anyway just in case of pump failure.