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Heat mat thermostat

filmost

filmost

What's the skinny on using a thermostat? I keep reading about people not wanting to cook their sprouts, but I thought the mats were only supposed to heat 10-20 above room temp?
 
yeah ive never needed a thermostat. even with the light running as well as my heat mat, the soil temp stays around 25 c
 
I think the same goes for me. haven't actually tested, but seeds are germinating just fine and seem to be doing well
 
I use one, just takes the worry out of it, my mat one day w/ no thermostat had my soil over 100*,  so I invested in one & love it, just my opinion.
 
filmost said:
Well I'm not worried, just wondering why many people seem to use one
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If you  have fluctuations in temperature between night and day especially this is where the thermostat can really pay for itself ... 
(large fluctuations I mean) like where I live it can be 8C overnight and 23-24C during the day when I am trying to start seeds
 
I don't use a thermostat with my mat. But I do keep a thermometer in the soil to monitor it.
Also the room temp is low 60'sF so the soil temps stay around 80F.
 
FWIW, I've never used a thermostat when germinating seeds on a mat, but do monitor the temperature with a liquid crystal thermometer strip borrowed from my brewing kit.
 
How important is daily temperature stability?  Apart from prolonged germination time, will low evening temperatures actually injure or stunt the seeds or young plants? 
 
I use my heat mat with thermostat all the time to sprout seeds and for small seedlings.

Here is a pic of my thermostat.

 
FWIW, I've never used a thermostat when germinating seeds on a mat, but do monitor the temperature with a liquid crystal thermometer strip borrowed from my brewing kit.
 
How important is daily temperature stability?  Apart from prolonged germination time, will low evening temperatures actually injure or stunt the seeds or young plants? 


I don't think lower temperatures will hurt them, but they will grow a bit slower from what I've read.

My seedlings are not on a seed mat, and the ambiet room temp fluctuates between 10 and 20 Celsius. They are doing fine. Of course they are also grown I side a mylar lined cardboard box that provides some insulation and at least holds in some heat from my CFLs.
 
filmost said:
I don't think lower temperatures will hurt them, but they will grow a bit slower from what I've read.

My seedlings are not on a seed mat, and the ambiet room temp fluctuates between 10 and 20 Celsius. They are doing fine. Of course they are also grown I side a mylar lined cardboard box that provides some insulation and at least holds in some heat from my CFLs.
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Fluctuating temps could very possibly stuff your germination times (by increasing them to a much longer time then normal) enough to allow the seed to rot before they have a chance at germinating ... personally from the majority of knowledgeable growers I have listened to most say the constant warm temps are the best for germination % and times
 
Trippa said:
Fluctuating temps could very possibly stuff your germination times (by increasing them to a much longer time then normal) enough to allow the seed to rot before they have a chance at germinating ... personally from the majority of knowledgeable growers I have listened to most say the constant warm temps are the best for germination % and times
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Yes, I have read that as well. That's why I use coffee filter and ziploc on a warm surface to germinate. It's easier, faster, and cleaner. Though once you have some babies, I have not found fluctuating temperatures harmful.
 
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