Im looking for ideas on a way to get supplimental heating to my growlight stand. The seedlings germinate on heat mat but the air temp is pretty cold. I have success but looking for better results. The plants grow slowly and often have purple tinged leaves. Suggestions ? Thanks in advance.
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seeds Starting Seeds/ seedlings in the cold basement
- Thread starter Valleyman
- Start date
`Valleyman said:
Room heater?
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There are a lot of variables that play into hearing the area. I found a heat mat and sufficient light source did well for me even on cold nights during my first grow 2 years ago. Check out the enclosure I built in my first glog. It was pretty much an indoor greenhouse. It was heated solely by the light. If you are just starting indoors, something similar would work fine I'd assume.
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/63862-first-log-will-follow-with-weekly-updates/?hl=%2Bfirst+%2Bglog
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/63862-first-log-will-follow-with-weekly-updates/?hl=%2Bfirst+%2Bglog
Thanks for the suggestions ! Blitz,nice setup man.
I was thinking along the same lines about an enclosed space. Currently the growstand is eclosed on three sides w/ the front with a roll up mylar. I think a better front barrier will be the easy way to start. Im thinking I can put some space heater heat while the front is open, then close er up. Wondering best timing schedule to cycle the heat in? I work from home so once I figure a schedule, I can run down and close/ open.
I was thinking along the same lines about an enclosed space. Currently the growstand is eclosed on three sides w/ the front with a roll up mylar. I think a better front barrier will be the easy way to start. Im thinking I can put some space heater heat while the front is open, then close er up. Wondering best timing schedule to cycle the heat in? I work from home so once I figure a schedule, I can run down and close/ open.
I am by no means an experienced grower of hot peppers. I started my seeds in the fall, apps 4 months ago. I don't have much space on the main floor in my home for all my plants so I just built a little tent, wrapped it up in vapour barrier, and laid some pink fibreglass insulation on the top of it. I also cut out 1.5" cladmate and put in the sides just inside the vapour barrier. This is the only picture of my little enclosure I have at the moment but I can get you an updated picture if you'd like to see. I just ripped up some 2x4 on the table saw and screwed it all together! My peppers seem to be doing great so far... but my basement is usually cold. Sometimes it can be as low as 14c down there. I just have 2 shop lights hung in there with T8 bulbs, the heat from the lights seem to kept the tent and plants warm enough. It hovers around 22-24c in there. I keep the light on 24/7! The plant pictured is my Habanero, its been growing down there for 4 months.. along with some ghosts, Carolina reapers, Jalapeños, and Trinidad Moruga Scorpions!
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I don't know the size of your light rack??? But a small 2x4 grow tent from amazon isn't that expensive. Easily taken down for storage and it would solve your problem for years to come...
I have also used mylar styrofoam sheathing to make enclosures but...
This 2x4 tent is only $60 you can get a 4x4 for not much more...by the time you buy the plastic, mylar sheets...lumber etc and put the work in to build something this thing looks better and better.
I have also used mylar styrofoam sheathing to make enclosures but...
This 2x4 tent is only $60 you can get a 4x4 for not much more...by the time you buy the plastic, mylar sheets...lumber etc and put the work in to build something this thing looks better and better.
I have my seedlings in the basement it's probably around 55 degrees down there. I have been running a heat mat and a four foot florescent fixture with aluminum foil draped over the light 24/7. I'm up to about 90% germination. Now I am running the light 16-18 hours a day. Then turn the heat mat on when I turn the lights off. It seems to be working good for me so far. This is my first year growing super hots.
I have my heat mat hooked up to SSR being fed from a PID controller with the RTD probe in the soil in the middle of the tray. Wife had an extra heat pad and I actually had the PID in the closet new in box from an old project. The t5s put out heat and the PID/mat make up the difference to the set point. Mat stays on to regulate soil temp when light is off. Even when the temperatures dipped into the upper 30s the soil temp under dome stayed regulated at 75F in my outdoor shop with no other heat source. Light is on for 18 hours a day now that I have some seedlings. Working pretty well so far. Ebay has cheap PID/SSR/RTD combos. I can post wiring if needed.
These old style french fry lights put out an insane amount of heat for 250 watts.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0037025ZI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0037025ZI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Buy a $7 plastic storage container from like Home Depot (https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-20-Gal-Storage-Tote-SW107/305188796), turn it upside down, put your seeds/small plants in it and you can mount the light in it. Or buy a proper grow tent. IMHO use the heat your light is already generating, dont waste money on buying supplemental heaters.
This is what I used to use, you can go as crazy as you want with it, but the light I made was using was overkill but I had it on a switch that I could turn one or both on. I also added a fan to help with the heat when using both lights. I would also take the one bin that had the light (hood) and put it ontop of another one to make it twice as deep.
The bin works fine, but I eventually bought a 2x4 tent and I havent used the bins since.
This is what I used to use, you can go as crazy as you want with it, but the light I made was using was overkill but I had it on a switch that I could turn one or both on. I also added a fan to help with the heat when using both lights. I would also take the one bin that had the light (hood) and put it ontop of another one to make it twice as deep.
The bin works fine, but I eventually bought a 2x4 tent and I havent used the bins since.
