Keeping Temps Down? / Sterile DWC

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theoe90

Member
Is it necessary to maintain <68F water temps when running a sterile bubble bucket? Interested in hearing about anyones experiences with a sterile grow.
If it is still an issue, what are some good ways of keep the temps down? I can’t afford a chiller! (Not yet anyway)
I have sprayed the exterior of the buckets white and lined the lids with foil but temps still don’t get lower than 70. can I use ice packs in the res? would these these need changing out daily?
 
White.Black

White.Black

Well-Known Member
My water temp was going to 86f. I invested in a chiller and its worth it.

I bought aquarium chiller for about 80 usd, ordered from China. Took 4 weeks to deliver to where i live (south east asia).

Now my water temp is 62 -68f.

Just sayin it does not have to be super expensive...and if you have issues with water temperature (oxygenation), 80 usd is not bad.
 
Failmore

Failmore

Well-Known Member
White.Black said:
My water temp was going to 86f. I invested in a chiller and its worth it.

I bought aquarium chiller for about 80 usd, ordered from China. Took 4 weeks to deliver to where i live (south east asia).

Now my water temp is 62 -68f.

Just sayin it does not have to be super expensive...and if you have issues with water temperature (oxygenation), 80 usd is not bad.
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Got a link for the chiller?
 
Failmore

Failmore

Well-Known Member
theoe90 said:
Is it necessary to maintain <68F water temps when running a sterile bubble bucket? Interested in hearing about anyones experiences with a sterile grow.
If it is still an issue, what are some good ways of keep the temps down? I can’t afford a chiller! (Not yet anyway)
I have sprayed the exterior of the buckets white and lined the lids with foil but temps still don’t get lower than 70. can I use ice packs in the res? would these these need changing out daily?
Click to expand...
Short answer is no.

I run dwc sterile and my res temp is above 70.

I use a micro amount of pool shock every day and that keeps the slime away.

Hard to use pool shock in a single res system tho. You kinda want a big res. It would not be possible to dose a low enough amount in that small a bucket. Unless you find the low concentration stuff.
 
T

theoe90

Member
Failmore said:
I use a micro amount of pool shock every day and that keeps the slime away.

Hard to use pool shock in a single res system tho. You kinda want a big res. It would not be possible to dose a low enough amount in that small a bucket. Unless you find the low concentration stuff.
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I do have a larger res 50L/13 Gallon system I could use instead, but of course it’s a lot bulkier and with all the plants being on top it’s just kind of a pain when it comes to switching out the res water. Having said that though - is it even necessary to change out the res if it’s sterile, is topping up enough?

I just like the idea of each individual plant having its own individual res coz I grow several different strands, and it makes water changes hella easier

Do you think I could make my own diluted concentration of pool shock in a separate container/bottle and then use it accordingly?
 
Failmore

Failmore

Well-Known Member
theoe90 said:
I do have a larger res 50L/13 Gallon system I could use instead, but of course it’s a lot bulkier and with all the plants being on top it’s just kind of a pain when it comes to switching out the res water. Having said that though - is it even necessary to change out the res if it’s sterile, is topping up enough?

I just like the idea of each individual plant having its own individual res coz I grow several different strands, and it makes water changes hella easier

Do you think I could make my own diluted concentration of pool shock in a separate container/bottle and then use it accordingly?
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Of course you can make a dilution. Just don't ask me the proper way haha. There is a thread on it around here tho. Search it up.

I have not changed my res. Just top it up. I dont plan on changing it either unless i see a problem. Everything a ok so far.
20220608_170629.jpg
 
White.Black

White.Black

Well-Known Member
theoe90 said:
A link would be awesome bro!
wasn’t this one by any chance was it? https://www.cafago.com/en/p-e17724us-1.html
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It was that style, yes, but not that exact one. Mine is for 30 liter tanks. And It's white, other than the color.. it looks the same.

rkymtnman said:
pretty sure that's a peltier styled chiller. dont waste your money. get a real one with a compressor and refrigerant.
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This is how mine works, and this is OK with me:

If the room temperature is say 26c (78f), my water will be around 18c (65f) with the chiller, and it would be 25c (77f) without it. That's big difference right there.
If the room temperature goes up, the water temperature goes up too, but that does not matter because I *have* to keep the room temperature down anyway, and I get - 40f degrees with the chiller what my room is. So at 25c (77f) air conditioned room I get water down to 18c (65f).

If I did not have this chiller, it would be 25c (78f) water, and in certain parts of the day maybe even 28c...and that would be unacceptable.

So yes, this is not some kind of super professional chiller, but it does the job for me.
There's not one solution fits all. It's possible to get away with cheaper stuff, and it would be waste of money to get some 500 USD chiller, if you don't need it, and I for one, don't need it. This one does the job in my case.

Since it's a no name, no brand Chinese chiller...I can't tell you what it is. I attached a picture of it though.
 

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T

theoe90

Member
White.Black said:
This is how mine works, and this is OK with me:
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I agree with you, might not be top of the range but could certainly work in the short term. Tempted to invest. How long have you had it for? Can never tell with these Chinese factory things. Could be a complete disaster, could also be a major bargain!
 
White.Black

White.Black

Well-Known Member
I've got it about 10 days after I started my grow in the DWC...so for the first 10 days my seedling was cooking in 80f water. This is my first grow.
It comes with the submersible pump that you put in the dwc that pushes water to the chiller, and back to the dwc.

It's been 2 months now, and it's in flowering stage... and the water chiller has been working 24/7 since I've got it.

I do not regret getting it. I live in a tropical climate and the temperature in rooms here are over 90f... you have to keep an aircon running, but I can't keep it too cold just to get the water down...so water chiller is essential where I live. Even the cheap one that I got. Does the job.
 
Hollatchaboy

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
I have a chiller. I never use it. Temps get to 73°f.....

Screenshot_20220608-210341_Gallery.jpg

I just use a couple ml. per gallon of clorox bleach. I haven't had any rot since using it.
 
White.Black

White.Black

Well-Known Member
> I just use a couple ml. per gallon of clorox bleach. I haven't had any rot since using it.

I was woried about root rot, I don't want to invest 3 months in the grow just to get root rot in the late stages.
Also, oxygenation. The higher the temperature is, the less oxygen roots get. Apparently 65f is perfect.
 
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