Water chiller??

[Airwalker16]

Chiller is more expensive. Coco 15ish gallons for about $15. Ar around $1/gal I don’t know what’s cheaper tbh.

Well RDwC for one. It just uses the water you use to feed your plants to house their roots as well. No media needed besides the bag of hydroton you reuse over and over

 

[kmog33]

Well RDwC for one. It just uses the water you use to feed your plants to house their roots as well. No media needed besides the bag of hydroton you reuse over and over

And electricity for pumps etc. it’s like renting media your whole cycle. I run whatever works best in the space I’m in, but coco is cheaper than dwc. And if you’re someone who refuses hydroton, you can also reuse coco. I reuse neither.

 

[Airwalker16]

And electricity for pumps etc. it’s like renting media your whole cycle. I run whatever works best in the space I’m in, but coco is cheaper than dwc. And if you’re someone who refuses hydroton, you can also reuse coco. I reuse neither.

One single inline 12/24v water pump is the only electricity used for an RDwC. I'd always recommend using a chiller too, but in theory many people do get away without using one.

 

[kmog33]

One single inline 12/24v water pump is the only electricity used for an RDwC. I'd always recommend using a chiller too, but in theory many people do get away without using one.

“Getting away with” doesn’t really work as far as optimal in most situations. I’d rather the plants have the right environment than cheap out somewhere super important like root zone.

 

[Airwalker16]

“Getting away with” doesn’t really work as far as optimal in most situations. I’d rather the plants have the right environment than cheap out somewhere super important like root zone.

Which is why I said I recommend you use a chiller

 

[kmog33]

Which is why I said I recommend you use a chiller

Which is more expensive than using coco unless your electricity is free in most situations. Water also isn’t free and you use less in coco than any dwc.

 

[Airwalker16]

Which is more expensive than using coco unless your electricity is free in most situations. Water also isn’t free and you use less in coco than any dwc.

Agree to disagree I guess

 

[kmog33]

Agree to disagree I guess

In practice it’s cheaper if you’re using similar amount of media per plant. Which floraflex cups can be used with tockwool; hydroton, coco, whatever interchangeably. Coco/rockwool are the only verisons of hydro I know of you don’t NEED to aerate your water adequately to keep your plants health. Which is an decent amount of electricity in a big res or with lots of buckets. Dwc you (should) change out water regularly for health reasons so that’s also a cost....

So explain to me your disagreement on a cost basis , I’m down to learn...

 

[redi jedi]

In practice it’s cheaper if you’re using similar amount of media per plant. Which floraflex cups can be used with tockwool; hydroton, coco, whatever interchangeably. Coco/rockwool are the only verisons of hydro I know of you don’t NEED to aerate your water adequately to keep your plants health. Which is an decent amount of electricity in a big res or with lots of buckets. Dwc you (should) change out water regularly for health reasons so that’s also a cost....

So explain to me your disagreement on a cost basis , I’m down to learn...

How much coco do you buy each cycle?

 

[kmog33]

How much coco do you buy each cycle?

Well one of my spaces is a 4x8 1 5kg Brick for 16 plants or so, 2 bricks fills the tent for sog. Or you can step up pot size and do less plants. But probably 2 bricks per 4x8 at $13-20 a brick.

 

[Airwalker16]

In practice it’s cheaper if you’re using similar amount of media per plant. Which floraflex cups can be used with tockwool; hydroton, coco, whatever interchangeably. Coco/rockwool are the only verisons of hydro I know of you don’t NEED to aerate your water adequately to keep your plants health. Which is an decent amount of electricity in a big res or with lots of buckets. Dwc you (should) change out water regularly for health reasons so that’s also a cost....

So explain to me your disagreement on a cost basis , I’m down to learn...

Well, the jist of it? I've never spent a dollar on media besides $40 on a bag of hydroton 4 yrs ago. Oh and changing out RO filters once for $80. So $120 on media in 4 yrs. How much you spent on coco/rockwool/flora flex these last 4 years?

 

[kmog33]

Well, the jist of it? I've never spent a dollar on media besides $40 on a bag of hydroton 4 yrs ago. Oh and changing out RO filters once for $80. So $120 on media in 4 yrs. How much you spent on coco/rockwool/flora flex these last 4 years?

How much does your electricity cost? AirPumps. Etc. it’s not just the media that costs money, it’s the whole system. Air pumps in my dwc run a few hundred watts per 5x10ish I think. So it’s not nothing. Maybe if you’re in a 4x4, but aerating/chilling reservoirs for say 7k watts of light isn’t nothing on the cost basis. And it’s an always cost not just an upfront. Plus pump replacements etc. I think your focused on the fact that you can reuse your hydroton, and that makes you feel like your system is cheaper. If you count work hours swapping/disposing/hydrating/etc coco I guess there’s another type of cost. But as far as just the media is concerned in the most cost effective setup, I’m pretty sure coco or rockwool is cheapest, because you don’t NEED air pumps in either. I run rockwool, coco, dwc, soil, water with a plant through straw holes, etc depending on what my environment is like in every space and they’re all
Different and things like time of year can change those environments quick. I’m not saying one is better than the other. I would just like to know if dwc can be cheaper than coco if you’re trying to go on the cheap. Like, which is the true poor mans media. I would say coco based on the system extremities and ongoing costs associated with dwc that are not associated with coco.

 

[redi jedi]

Well one of my spaces is a 4x8 1 5kg Brick for 16 plants or so, 2 bricks fills the tent for sog. Or you can step up pot size and do less plants. But probably 2 bricks per 4x8 at $13-20 a brick.

Thats pretty cheap.

How much does your electricity cost? AirPumps. Etc. it’s not just the media that costs money, it’s the whole system. Air pumps in my dwc run a few hundred watts per 5x10ish I think. So it’s not nothing. Maybe if you’re in a 4x4, but aerating/chilling reservoirs for say 7k watts of light isn’t nothing on the cost basis. And it’s an always cost not just an upfront. Plus pump replacements etc. I think your focused on the fact that you can reuse your hydroton, and that makes you feel like your system is cheaper. If you count work hours swapping/disposing/hydrating/etc coco I guess there’s another type of cost. But as far as just the media is concerned in the most cost effective setup, I’m pretty sure coco or rockwool is cheapest, because you don’t NEED air pumps in either. I run rockwool, coco, dwc, soil, water with a plant through straw holes, etc depending on what my environment is like in every space and they’re all
Different and things like time of year can change those environments quick. I’m not saying one is better than the other. I would just like to know if dwc can be cheaper than coco if you’re trying to go on the cheap. Like, which is the true poor mans media. I would say coco based on the system extremities and ongoing costs associated with dwc that are not associated with coco.

Water is pretty cheap, hard to calculate the cost of just the water used in a home grow. The power used for pumps in rdwc is nothing compared to lights but still adds up. Honestly I think its a wash in terms of cost. Save money reusing media but then you gotta clean it. If ya dont clean it, ya gotta go get new stuff...

 

[kmog33]

Thats pretty cheap.

Water is pretty cheap, hard to calculate the cost of just the water used in a home grow. The power used for pumps in rdwc is nothing compared to lights but still adds up. Honestly I think its a wash in terms of cost. Save money reusing media but then you gotta clean it. If ya dont clean it, ya gotta go get new stuff...

My water bill is about $250-300/month. Anywhere from 3500-6k lights running. All hydro, only coco or bucket dwc currently though. I got to throw an extra 315 in my 5-12 flowering space based on cutting out the dwc stuff and going straight coco in there. Also, because I wasn’t worried about water/root temps, I didn’t have to run ac(which replaces a chiller in that room), but there’s 1k watts...lol.

 

[Airwalker16]

How much does your electricity cost? AirPumps. Etc. it’s not just the media that costs money, it’s the whole system. Air pumps in my dwc run a few hundred watts per 5x10ish I think. So it’s not nothing. Maybe if you’re in a 4x4, but aerating/chilling reservoirs for say 7k watts of light isn’t nothing on the cost basis. And it’s an always cost not just an upfront. Plus pump replacements etc. I think your focused on the fact that you can reuse your hydroton, and that makes you feel like your system is cheaper. If you count work hours swapping/disposing/hydrating/etc coco I guess there’s another type of cost. But as far as just the media is concerned in the most cost effective setup, I’m pretty sure coco or rockwool is cheapest, because you don’t NEED air pumps in either. I run rockwool, coco, dwc, soil, water with a plant through straw holes, etc depending on what my environment is like in every space and they’re all
Different and things like time of year can change those environments quick. I’m not saying one is better than the other. I would just like to know if dwc can be cheaper than coco if you’re trying to go on the cheap. Like, which is the true poor mans media. I would say coco based on the system extremities and ongoing costs associated with dwc that are not associated with coco.

Again, I do not use air pumps. Just a small 250&400gph water pump for both veg/flower is all.

 

[Airwalker16]

Thats pretty cheap.

Water is pretty cheap, hard to calculate the cost of just the water used in a home grow. The power used for pumps in rdwc is nothing compared to lights but still adds up. Honestly I think its a wash in terms of cost. Save money reusing media but then you gotta clean it. If ya dont clean it, ya gotta go get new stuff...

I haven't cleaned my hydroton once. I just cut the root balls all off the pot best I can,flip it over and empty the hydroton into a 5gal. Near the bottom I try to have a look to make sure I'm not putting too many dead dry roots Into the lot, but for the most part, a few pieces of debris here n there doesn't effect whether it can hold your plant upright or not. 90%+ of the roots are out the bottom and in the water anyways. Very little end up near the hydroton.

 

[Soiless]

Agree to disagree I guess

Ey man, is a 1/10 / 1/20 good for small reservoirs (Below 50L/13gallons ) as well? Because thats the minimum they are rated for? it aint gon freeze or nothing right? Never had a chiller, thinking bout getting 1.

 

[Airwalker16]

Ey man, is a 1/10 / 1/20 good for small reservoirs (Below 50L/13gallons ) as well? Because thats the minimum they are rated for? it aint gon freeze or nothing right? Never had a chiller, thinking bout getting 1.

Nooooo of course not. I've had a 1/10 on a 12gal system for years before.
The chiller will only turn on and work once the water temperature flowing through it gets to a set warmth and the same for turning back off once it's hit your set target temp. It's always flowing over a thermocouple taking temperature readings.

 

[Soiless]

Nooooo of course not. I've had a 1/10 on a 12gal system for years before.
The chiller will only turn on and work once the water temperature flowing through it gets to a set warmth and the same for turning back off once it's hit your set target temp. It's always flowing over a thermocouple taking temperature readings.

sweet, thanks for your general input in this here thread.

 

[RonnieB2]

any recommendations for a small water chiller?

You can surf the saltwater aquarium forums and adds and find them sometimes at a steal.