! WARNING !
Be careful. Watch your stones. They can fuck up quick, and drown your plants quick.
-The blue stones don't last very long before they clog.
-The bubble walls... have failed and killed my plants before.
I think both types are sensitive to the pH changes which happen in hydro, and the sheer amount of dissolved solids...
It's really worth it to find a decent
diffuser.
That one is the shit... Alita, the company that manufactures it knows their shit. They also make this silicone tubing that releases a ton of super small bubbles, and NEVER CLOGS- The kind as seen in the krusty bucket system.
-I've read on another forum that the total dissolved oxygen really does not need to be too high, meaning any aquarium pump should work... and the size of the stone does not matter. You can just stick the tube to the bottom with gorilla glue or something and be set.
In my experience however, the more air the better, and 2 pumps at half the strength of a single one are always greater.
Oh, and get the silicone air tubing. that other clear stuff is shit.
And if your planning to do more than only a couple buckets,
get a pond pump driving the bigger tubing, I forget the size.
Way more expandable and cost effective.
Peace.