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water Growing hydro dwc outside. Water question.

Ranger Rick17

Ranger Rick17

Banned
I began growing indoors a while and the weather has became great outside and I decided to keep my plant out side. Indoors my water temp was 65 then out doors I looked at it and read high 70's. I read on a different post that it is best to keep te water temp in 60's and low 70's and I was looking for a way to keep the water temp down. So any information is useful.
Thanks guys, Ricky
 
You can do a google search and find all sorts of DIY chiller plans. If you go on ebay you can find mini fridges pretty cheap. Even with shading or reflective tape you temperature will not get below air temperature without some sort of active cooling. Bubblers also increase the heat.

A recirculating system with the reservoir buried will also cool the water.

My feeling is that water temperatures can get quite high and still not kill the plant. I innoculate and use enzymes to keep the nasties out and it seems to work. A sterile system would also work.

If you stay away from organics and keep your system clean your water temps can get over 100 and your plants will still do better than dirt growing.
 
The sweet spot for water temp is generally in the range of 20C-30C (68F-86F), but I agree with frosty that your nutrient solution can go outside that range without much of a problem. I use beneficial bacteria, but it doesn't really seem to matter all that much.

Another good suggestion for outdoor DWC is to find a slightly-shady spot during the daily peak heat time. On my patio I use a 4-tote DWC that is portable...

PatioDWC1.jpg
 
you can use "aqua sheild" it helps keep your roots healthy if your water temps dip outside the optimum range. i put my buckets on insulation foam, wrap in HVAC tape and wrap a sleeve of poly around it and on 90F days in the sun the water might be 70F
 
wrapping the reservoirs helps, but another note, keeping your air pump and airlines out of the sun/heat will help significantly as well (they are pumping hot air into the res..
 
Well for now I have put ice cubes in the water and I out it back inside for a couple days. My water was 85f. Is there anything wrong with useing ice cubes?

What do you wrap it in?
 
I thought I woould give an update. My reservoir ran low and now one of my plants looks very bad. How much of the condition of the plant is due to hot water as opposed to running low or something else is hard to say. My other plants are still doing well.

We have had 100+ almost every day for a month or more and this is the first hiccup. I think I have shown going over 80 on water temps is not that bad. It is when you get over 100 that you might have problems.

On the other hand I am going through 7-8 gallons of water a day. Managing PH PPMs etc. is a hassle. I am planning on reducing the number of plants.
 
I keep my water in the low 70s and I haven't had to change or get more water. But I'm only like 2 or 3 months in. Doing single dwc. Loving it so far :)

Also it's my first year doing hydro or growing at all.
 
Ranger Rick17 said:
I keep my water in the low 70s and I haven't had to change or get more water. But I'm only like 2 or 3 months in. Doing single dwc. Loving it so far :)

Also it's my first year doing hydro or growing at all.
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I think spongey and 8planets tips above are spot on suggestions regarding reservoir wrapping and placement.
Jason makes a very good suggestion as well, keeping your pump and lines out of the sun will help too.

You can use a multitude of materials to insulate or stave off heat from in your reservoir from excessive sunlight.
Foil backed bubble wrap or white styrofoam comes to mind as a cheap insulators... find it in reclaimed shipping materials or cheap coolers.

If you are using a typical 5 gallon bucket, try to find a white one to set your dark one in. Drill some weep holes in it and extend your water level indicator through it if need be. You will create a "panda" like effect, with light reflection on the outside, protection from heat and algae growth on the inside.

Or you can just grow a big *ss plant and create your own shade.

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Lets face it, running out to put ice cubes in your tank is going to get old real quick.
Chris
 
Ranger Rick17 said:
I keep my water in the low 70s and I haven't had to change or get more water. But I'm only like 2 or 3 months in. Doing single dwc. Loving it so far :)

Also it's my first year doing hydro or growing at all.
Click to expand...

I know you meant something else but when I read that it says "My plants don't use water". Not sure what you really meant. I
 
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