What the EcoPlus Small Round Air Stone Is Really For
Small vessels need less air than people give them, and over-aerating a cloner does more harm than good. This stone runs 3 to 5 litres per minute into vessels between 5 and 15 gallons, which covers a single bucket, a cloner tank or a propagation tray. The body is compressed silicate on 3/16 in inside diameter airline. A violent boil in a five gallon bucket throws solution at the underside of the lid. It also pushes humidity into the root zone that nobody asked for. A steady column of fine bubbles does the oxygenation work without the mess. At a couple of dollars each these count as consumables, and two spares on the shelf cost almost nothing.
Choosing an Aeration Stone for Cloners and Small Vessels
An aeration stone in a propagation vessel has a different job from one in a flowering reservoir. The solution there is shallow, warm and usually sitting still. Oxygen leaves warm water faster, so a cloner tank benefits more from steady air than a cool reservoir does. Sit the stone flat under the cuttings rather than at one end, and keep the airline above the water line or fit a check valve. Expect to swap the stone every crop or two. Roots will grow around and through a stone left in place for months, and pulling it out then takes the root mass with it. Anything larger than about fifteen gallons is medium stone territory rather than this one. Pushing a small stone to cover a bigger vessel gives you noise and a dead zone at the far end.
Key Features
- 3 to 5 litres per minute: Gentle enough for a cloner, which over-aerating tends to damage rather than help.
- Sized for 5 to 15 gallon vessels: Single buckets, cloner tanks and propagation trays rather than a main reservoir.
- Compressed silicate body: Fine pores give a steady column of small bubbles instead of a rolling boil.
- 3/16 in airline fit: Standard tubing, pushed straight on with no clamp needed.
- Low cost consumable: Low enough in cost to replace every crop rather than fighting a clogged stone.
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | EcoPlus |
| Product | Small Round Air Stone |
| Part Number | 728415 |
| Material | Compressed silicate |
| Air Flow | 3 to 5 litres per minute |
| Vessel Size | 5 to 15 gallons |
| Tubing | 3/16 in inside diameter, 1/4 in outside diameter |
| Shape | Round |
| Use | Cloners, propagation trays, small reservoirs, aquariums |