Outdoor hydro - large picnic cooler as reservoir?

dustonj2008

dustonj2008

I had an idea while I was walking through a department store that I wanted to bounce off of the outdoor hydro people. I know there's a lot of issues with outdoor hydro and keeping the reservoir cool during the hotter months. Has anyone tried using a large cooler as a reservoir? I'm sure I'm not the first to think of this. The obvious issues I could foresee would be losing some insulating properties from having to drill holes for plumbing. I may be overlooking other issues as well...
 
What does everyone think? Is this a stupid idea? Is there a better approach? I definitely see a possible upside to your average everyday plastic bin. Let me know what you think.
 
dustonj2008 said:
Is this a stupid idea? Is there a better approach?
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Not stupid, but probably not enough to keep the water cool when the temps are in the 90s. Better approach. Dutch buckets on a drip system. It doesn't matter how little oxygen is in the water or how warm the water gets since the roots aren't immersed in the water all the time.
 
 
I am planning on following your advice and going with a dutch bucket system once spring breaks. So is reservoir temps irrelevant with dutch bucket systems? I know a big concern is oxygen levels but I thought there are risks of PH swings and algae/bacteria issues with higher temps?
 
Just run a couple air stones in the reservoir. Yes, they might add dissolved oxygen, but that isn't' the main purpose. Keeping the water agitated so it doesn't get stagnant or grow algae is the real reason.
 
Jeff H said:
Just run a couple air stones in the reservoir. Yes, they might add dissolved oxygen, but that isn't' the main purpose. Keeping the water agitated so it doesn't get stagnant or grow algae is the real reason.
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Isn't that one in the same? Stagnant water happens when there is not enough oxygen. Just agitating the water alone won't prevent stagnation unless your agitation continuously breaks the surface of the water. A recirculating water pump that just dumps back into the reservoir causing it to splash as it re-enters the reservoir is a good example.
Don't get me wrong, I prefer the air stone method. Specifically the long ones that create a curtain of bubbles. More air/more agitation.
Lots of people do both air stone and recirculating pump.
 
My plan is to recirculate and agitate with pretty beefy air pump. So do temperatures of the reservoir matter then in this case? 
 
In a sense yeah. You don't want to shock the roots with too cold or too hot water. Above the 50's and below the 90's is a good start. In the 70's is where you want to stay but unless you want to spend a lot of money it's unrealistic during the hot months.
 
I live in Texas, and my outdoor hydro systems perform well even it the hottest summer months.
 
I use a single air stone per reservoir with a large air pump. I just use simple storage totes as my reservoirs. Not beautiful, but they work for me.
 
I have three types of systems, one E&F with Rockwool, one styled more like aquaponics with autosiphons surrounded by clay pebbles and a huge pump in the res, and finally DWC buckets. The AP system fills in about 3 minutes, and drains in 1, rushing air to the roots. I have found that (AP style) tends to be more effective than E&F with Grodan, but E&F will work fine too.
 
Hydrofarm style DWC units work well too because the liquid is dripped constantly, rather than flooding.
 
IMO, Clay pebbles are the best outdoor medium. I wouldn't bother with chillers, etc.
 
Interesting. I thought about doing a outdoor hydro garden this year. It's in the 90's half the time. I thought of putting the reservoir in the ground and covered with insulation. Never done it so I don't know. Seems plausible, after all there's a lot of in ground Aquaponics out there.
 
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