My water temp is 82*F - HELP!

DoDad · Mar 27, 2015

A chiller isn't in the budget so I need to use something in the water to keep root rot at bay. I'm running top feed DWC (bubbleponics).

I see many things on the market that "claim" to work but you guys around here actually KNOW what works.

I can't lower the temp, so all I can do is treat the water and hope.

What conditioners would you use to have healthy roots in higher temps?

CannabisTHC · Mar 27, 2015

Use evaporative cooling, go buy some small pc fans or any fan to have it blow down on the water. I used this method with bio buckets about a decade ago on here under my other name. It dropped my temps like 8 degrees with 3 pc fans blowing down on the reservoir and that was with a 60 gal total res or so I believe. You will have to add water back to your reservoir regularly but it will drop your temps to an acceptable level.

IndoorAddict · Mar 27, 2015

i've read about people using ice packs in their rez to keep temp down. maybe that would work?

CaStoner · Mar 27, 2015

I used Orca from Plant Success seems to keep the rot at bay I'm currently running Molasses with Maxibloom, No stink all is good I don't know about 82 degrees solution though, I do keep Bottle RO water in the freezer and every feeding the solution is cold like 68 or lower..I Hope this helps good luck

OranguTrump · Mar 28, 2015

CannabisTHC said:
Use evaporative cooling, go buy some small pc fans or any fan to have it blow down on the water. I used this method with bio buckets about a decade ago on here under my other name. It dropped my temps like 8 degrees with 3 pc fans blowing down on the reservoir and that was with a 60 gal total res or so I believe. You will have to add water back to your reservoir regularly but it will drop your temps to an acceptable level.

I have seen this done, it worked very well. Top ups will be required due to evap. Also, make sure your rez tops are insulated against the lights heating them up, I've used heavy foil, with reflective side up.

Good luck

BubbaBear · Mar 28, 2015

I think your should find a different method of growing if your already dealing with 82 degree water and its bearly spring. DWC especially needs cooler temps water and root conditioners can only do so much.

Mr Roboto · Mar 28, 2015

I float frozen water bottles in the rez when it gets too warm

Meison · Mar 28, 2015

Evaporation cooling, works pretty well for RDWC, also put your TOP off water in the freezer prior to top off. This will also help. Having frozen bottles floating in the rez worked ok, but you must place a new frozen bottle every several hours. As 500ml-1lt bottle melt down pretty fast. And after that needs to be taken out as it doesn't serve it purpose anymore

cheers

jammie · Mar 28, 2015

I can feel your pain but I have the opposite problem. Due to the cold winter my buckets are running 60 degrees and I have to boil water to bring the Rez temp up to 70

bringyalungs · Mar 28, 2015

I would freeze bottles of water and drop a couple in every couple of hours. I would also fill water in a big cooking pot let it freeze over night and put the 5 gal bucket in there on top of the ice, worked the best... also would get ice from the store and put it in the pot when I couldn't freeze the water... kinda like an old schoolice cream.pale...works good to... and u can see the difference of having a cooler rez... keep that Baby at 68-70 so... all love...

hvac guy · Mar 28, 2015

Mesosphere has the best idea, don't use any plastic bottles or jugs. Use glass containers or a metal pot and freeze that. Lasts much longer staying frozen than plastic bottles.

itsallgoodsman · Mar 28, 2015

2 Liter frozen bottles work the best If you are on a budget. I have used plastic and the last roughly 4-6 hours, class mason jars would slow that process down quite a bit I would think.

WelderDan · Mar 29, 2015

Frozen bottles in the rez works, but it's a giant pain in the ass. Insulating the rez will help keep the heat out if you go that route. Evaporative cooling will lower the temps a few degrees, but if you're already at 82 it might no be enough when summer kicks in. Extra ventilation might help some if you can swing it. I don't think there is a such thing as too much fresh air.

If you can't provide more cooling, consider switching to flood and drain at some point. You can locate the rez further away from the heat, and you can get away with a higher ambient temp even if you can't relocate the rez.

The Doktor · Mar 29, 2015

Two words. Water. Chiller. Ice water bottles in the rez will NOT work. Get a chiller or keep having the same problems, it is not that difficult of a problem to fix. This is a game where you gotta pay to play, we all know this rule and it is not something new. If you don't have the scratch for even a cheap used chiller on Craigslist, then stop hydro and get some dirt to play in. Come on people when will these posts stop already?

Nish · Mar 29, 2015

As already stated your cheapest option is pc fans and if i were you id start adding unscented bleach at 1ml per 10 gallon every 4 days

Nish · Mar 29, 2015

The Doktor said:
Two words. Water. Chiller. Ice water bottles in the rez will NOT work. Get a chiller or keep having the same problems, it is not that difficult of a problem to fix. This is a game where you gotta pay to play, we all know this rule and it is not something new. If you don't have the scratch for even a cheap used chiller on Craigslist, then stop hydro and get some dirt to play in. Come on people when will these posts stop already?

Not eveyone can afford to go and spend $300 on a chiller

EDIT: And frozen water bottles work fine.

t33to · Mar 29, 2015

I second or third frozen ice packs of some sort in your main rez. You'd be surprised how much energy it takes to freeze a 1 gallon milk jug of water. That energy used to freeze it is equal to the amount of cooling power you are adding into your rez. If you wanna get fancy freeze 8 of them and learn how long it takes to freeze them and then just cycle them.

Dunno about your setup but you can always pump the water in a sealed system underground. The earth is always 10celcius 2 feet down. I've seen people buy 100foot lengths of pipe and bury the coil under the earth and then cycle water through it. It worked quite well actually, these are geo-thermal principles and well understood.

I don't bother with any of it though, I just add bleach and make sure my water is water falling somewhere.

The Doktor · Mar 30, 2015

Nish said:
Not eveyone can afford to go and spend $300 on a chiller

EDIT: And frozen water bottles work fine.

But they can afford $300+ for seeds and bongs? That argument has no legs son. And if money is that much of a factor, then perhaps growing weed is something that you may want to reconsider as a whole until you get your life's financial priorities recalibrated. Hydro is not cheap by any means to play the game right.

The Doktor · Mar 30, 2015

t33to said:
I second or third frozen ice packs of some sort in your main rez. You'd be surprised how much energy it takes to freeze a 1 gallon milk jug of water. That energy used to freeze it is equal to the amount of cooling power you are adding into your rez. If you wanna get fancy freeze 8 of them and learn how long it takes to freeze them and then just cycle them.

Dunno about your setup but you can always pump the water in a sealed system underground. The earth is always 10celcius 2 feet down. I've seen people buy 100foot lengths of pipe and bury the coil under the earth and then cycle water through it. It worked quite well actually, these are geo-thermal principles and well understood.

I don't bother with any of it though, I just add bleach and make sure my water is water falling somewhere.

The amount of time, effort, and energy that it takes to dig that deep and layout that much pipe is so counterproductive let alone incredibly inefficient. That cost in labor alone is more expensive than a cheap chiller. Ice packs do not work, I don't care who you are. That has to be the most tired growers tale out there. I don't know what kind of mental gymnastics are involved with these "home remedies" but it is bad info and bad advice.

georgyporgy · Mar 30, 2015

a havee a tiny little air pump im my buckets that both airate the water and seem to keep it at lower than room temperature, I think mine is running at 72 f, the air pump cost me $8 from ebay

My water temp is 82*F - HELP!

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