AeroGarden Airstones Should You Add Airstones To Your AeroGarden?

This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something from one of our links we may earn a commission. Thanks

AeroGarden Airstones Should You Add Airstones To Your AeroGarden?

Let’s take a look at AeroGarden airstones. Should you add airstones to your AeroGarden?

What Is The AeroGarden?

The AeroGarden is an indoor garden kit that uses a hydroponic system. Most hydroponic systems benefit from adding airstones but like anything, there are pluses and minuses to using airstones in an AeroGarden.

Let’s take a look at both the up and downsides of using airstones in your reservoir.

What Are The Benefits Of AeroGarden Airstones 

The AeroGarden uses a hydroponic growing system very similar to deep water culture systems also called DWC (Deep Water Culture) in which the roots are almost totally immersed in water. The containers are continuously oxygenated usually with airstones.

The AeroGarden does have a built-in water pump that recirculates the water in your reservoir. You don’t want to have stagnant water and the AeroGarden pump takes care of this problem.

A pump just recirculates the water though but airstones inject an air stream of air bubbles into the reservoir. This can help improve circulation besides adding air.

When the bubbles burst they add oxygen. Air stones help plants grow but you don’t need them to grow plants in your AeroGarden.

Roots need oxygen to survive and stay healthy. This may seem counterproductive because we think of air drying out roots and killing them but remember they are in the water at all times.

If there isn’t enough air in the water they can’t breathe properly.

By providing oxygenation and giving roots continuous access to a nutrient solution the growth is very fast, much faster than a plant grown in soil.

Despite the name, the AeroGarden is in no way related to an aeroponic system that mists roots hanging in the air.

But it is a hydroponic garden system and it is still one of the best ways to garden with a small footprint.

The lid of the AeroGarden is hollow and water is pumped through it. If you run the pump with the pods out you will notice there is a little spout inside each hole and water runs down it. It runs alongside the pod and falls back into the reservoir.

This creates a waterfall effect and it does provide some aeration. So although the AeroGarden does not have an air pump, it can do just fine without adding airstones.

AeroGarden Air Stones Should You Add Airstones To Your AeroGarden?

So adding airstones to your AeroGarden will result in faster growth and healthier plants. The AeroGarden website even says “Plant roots love oxygen, and boosting O2 almost always results in healthier, faster growth.”

If you look at the top of your AeroGarden you will notice that in the back of your unit there are 2 black plugs on either side of the telescoping light post.

These are ports designed to let you feed airlines into your reservoir. So it is obvious the unit was designed so you can add airstones to your reservoir.

Is It Necessary To Add Airstones To Your AeroGarden?

No, adding airstones is not needed. Your plants will grow fine without them but they might do even better if you add them.

Personally, I am not adding any to mine at this time. I am doing an ongoing review of my AeroGarden Harvest so I want to run it straight out of the box.

I may add them for my second run after I see how well things grow without them.

Water Temperature Is Much More Important Than Airstones

Yes, water temperature affects oxygenation and 68° is considered the optimal temperature for hydroponic systems.

It is a comfortable temperature for roots and it holds more oxygen than higher temperatures do.

Also above 72°, you can run the risk of root disease. So if you can, don’t keep your AeroGarden in a hot place.

The warmer the water the less oxygen it can hold so even airstones will be less effective at higher temperatures. In that case you want to use the best air pumps you can find for an additional oxygen boost.

AeroGarden Airstones The Downside

The biggest downside to adding airstones to your AeroGarden is the noise. Air pumps are loud. Not white noise loud but a single-pitch buzz which many find quite annoying.

I purchased a larger Tetra Whisper Air Pump years ago for one of my 75-gallon aquariums. It was quieter than a lot of other air pumps but it certainly is not a whisper. So I find it annoying enough that I don’t use it. But hey that’s just me.

Since then it appears that air pumps have gotten much quieter and I am reconsidering using one.

I checked the Whisper out on Amazon and noticed now they are made in various sizes so there is a model that is made for 10 gallons or less.

That should be just about right for any AeroGarden even the bigger ones. They should be quieter than the one I have and might be worth trying if you really want to add airstones to your AeroGarden.

There are a few other things about airstones to be aware of. They can warm up your reservoir if they are in a warm spot.

The other thing about them is they can change the pH of your nutrient solution. I would not be too concerned about this but I thought you should know.

AeroGarden Airstone Setup

If you are going to try aerating your reservoir this is what I recommend.

To complete setting up your AeroGarden Airstones you will also need some 1/4″ airline tubing and of course some airstones. I really recommend installing check valves in your airlines. They are cheap and can save your pump.

If the power goes off or the pump is accidentally unplugged liquid from your reservoir can flow through the lines and flood your air pump. It is always a good idea to keep your air pump higher than your AeroGarden even if you use check valves.

All airstones are not created equally. Some give off finer bubbles than others. The smaller the bubbles the more effective they are.

Also, be aware they do need replacing from time to time because they become clogged.

Read my AeroGarden Harvest review here: AeroGarden Harvest Review

AeroGarden Air Stones FAQ

Should I add an airstone to my AeroGarden?

Adding air stones to an AeroGarden is optional but since there are ports in the lid to accommodate airlines it’s probably not a bad idea to add them and you may even see better growth which is always a good thing.

Is an Airstone good for plants?

Yes, air stones are good for plants. If your roots get more oxygen the plants will grow faster and be healthier.

Do I need an airstone in my hydroponic system?

It depends on your system. If you use DWC you must use air stones or the plants can die. Most other hydroponic systems will benefit from adding air stones.

Do Airstones make a difference?

The addition of airstones can make a big difference. Plant roots need oxygen to grow and take in nutrients and increasing oxygenation will improve your crop.

Can you over-oxygenate hydroponics?

I don’t believe it is possible to over-oxygenate the nutrient solution in a hydroponic reservoir.

There is a limit on how much oxygen water can hold based on its temperature.

Cooler temperatures can hold more oxygen than warmer ones. This is why 68 degrees is considered ideal.

Warmer water holds less oxygen and colder temperatures can shock the roots.

AeroGarden Airstones Final Thoughts

So now it is really up to you. Your plants will likely do better with airstones. But they will also grow fine without them.

So are you willing to put up with a bit of noise from an air pump for a better AeroGarden grow?

Also, you will need to buy new airstones eventually because your old airstone will lose efficiency over time. Plant debris and nutrient salts can eventually start to clog them. Fortunately, it does not take much effort to replace them.

After doing some experimenting I was able to find some quiet air pumps. So now I do have an airstone in my AeroGarden Harvest.

Here is the air pump I am using in my AeroGarden Harvest. It does not make any noise at all.

UPETTOOLS Aquarium Air Pump Ultra Silent High Energy Saving Oxygen Fish Mini Air Pump for 1-15 Gallon Fish Tank Pump with Air Pump Accessories (Black)

Read More: What AeroGarden Should I Buy? [How To Choose The Best AeroGarden]