toemichael
Active Member
First time Hydro with a bubb. Should I invest in a 20$ water heater for my resevior? What advice does anyone have with the temperature of hydroponics in general? If there other pointers list them out.
Bubbler tempurature
- Thread starter toemichael
- Start date
techgrower
Well-Known Member
From what I have read ideal res temp is 64 deg. anything below 60 and roots can act stunted and anything over 72-3 range you could run into a mold problem. so it depends where your tub is located. Lifting it off concrete w/2x4's in winter might be all you need. Cooling with frozen water bottles works to lower temp. Hope this helps.
Roseman
Elite Rolling Society
Temperature
Before getting started it is highly recommended that every indoor garden has a max/min thermometer. ($4.95 at Wlamert) This product allows the gardener to see exactly the fluctuations in temperature within their garden. Without this useful tool there is no accurate way of knowing the different temperatures between daytime (lights on) and nighttime (lights off). The difference between the two temperatures is very important to plant growth. Anymore than a 10F-15F difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures and you risk shocking and stressing the plants. In general the optimal daytime temperature for plant growth is between 70F -75F. Drift to far above this range or too far below and growth can be severely affected. Daytime temperatures exceeding 90F or under 62F and plant growth will be stunted. If the temperature drifts higher than 95F the plant’s enzyme production will drop off and the plant will begin shutting down. At temperatures that high photosynthesis shuts down due to the stomata in the leaves closing down to conserve water. At normal temperatures the stomata will be open, taking in CO2 and sweating water to keep the plant cool and allowing for transpiration.
These temperature ranges will vary depending on variety and species of plant. For instance, some orchids require more than a 10F-15F difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures in order to flower.
Ideal temperature also varies depending on whether or not CO2 is being introduced to the environment. A more suitable daytime temperature when the air is being enriched with CO2 is 80F-85F. This temperature range promotes the exchange of gases between the plants and the environment. Also, it can speed up the process of photosynthesis. Plant in an environment at 86F an perform carbon extraction from CO2 twice as fast as at 68F. It is still recommended that the nighttime temperature drop no more than 15f from that of the daytime temperature. There is another relationship between temperature and the absorbsion of gases by plants that many hobbyist growers are aware of. That is the relationship between the temperature of the water in your reservoir and the amount of oxygen the water can hold. The best range that your reservoir can be between is 60F-75F. Ideally the reservoir temperature should be at 65F because this level contains the most oxygen. Also this temperature will help control transpiration (the act of drawing up nutrients by evaporating water through out the leaves), and humidity levels. Buying a simple floating thermometer will allow you to know where you fit in this range.
Another great reason for regulating the temperature in your grow room s that biological processes can be speed up exponentially by every degree. This is true for your plants as well as the potential pests that may invade your grow room. Pests such as spider mites can reproduce up to 10 times faster with every degree the temperature rises. These pests can destroy a garden in no time flat, you really do not want to make it any easier for them. With a daytime temperature at a steady 72F and nighttime temperature of 65F it is much easier to control and destroy spider mite, thrip, and many other pest populations.
The same principal can be applied to the prevention and control of fungi, molds, mildews, and bacteria, which can spread more rapidly when temperatures in the grow room or reservoir exceed 90F. Also, the warmer the air, the more water it can retain which means humidity levels can easily go beyond the recommended 40-50%. This high humidity coupled with lower nighttime temperatures can cause condensation to form on leaves. This will invite molds, mildews, fungi, and bacteria to take over you grow space. With high temperatures the likely-hood of losing control of the problem, such as powdery mildew, is very high. Once control is lost your plants may be the next to go.
Temperature is also very important when it comes to starting seeds and getting cuttings to root. Placing seedling trays on a heating mat will reduce germination time dramatically. Speeding up germination time usually leads to stronger and healthier plants. Also, less time spent between crop cycles makes a garden efficient. More harvests provided in less time can equal big bucks in the pockets of professional growers.
The ideal temperature to achieve these results is 80F. Any higher and you risk burning the roots. Also, many seeds simply will not germinate at temperatures over 90F. The seeds will become dormant and never sprout.
The same principal used for seeds is used on cuttings to coax roots out quicker. The sooner cuttings can establish roots the better. If roots can be forced quickly they will grow strong and stay strong. A bottom temperature of 80F-85F, roughly 10F warmer than the air, will speed up rooting time and help to jump start those roots once they do begin. Let the temperature get too high or too low and roots growth will be hindered or they will never grow at all. Using the proper technique and the proper temperature for bottom heat not only can rooting time be speed up from 2 weeks to as little as 3 days, but the survival rate of your cuttings will drastically improve.
On the topic of roots, there is an ideal temperature for the root zone after the plants’ roots have been established. Roots are working 24 hours a day and constant attention is required concerning temperature in and around the root zone. The ideal temp for this root zone is generally 75F. At this temperature the ion exchange between the roots and the environment around them is at its absolute best. This means that the plant’s root system can take up more macro nutrients, more micro nutrients, and more oxygen at this temperature than at any other level. This makes a plant more efficient and a plant working efficiently will provide a superior yield.
The reasons listed in part 1 of this article are meant to educate indoor gardeners and give them the opportunity to supercharge their grow space. In the next installment of this article we will examine the methods and machines that can help win the battle against fluctuating temperatures in the grow room. Most of the products that will be discussed are relatively inexpensive. Think of it as crop insurance, a ay to ensure the health and success of any garden from beginner to advanced set-up.
Having a garden thrive indoors is an exceptionally rewarding experience. It is rewarding not only because of the outcome but because of the effort involved to actually have your garden succeed. Hobbyists and professional gardeners alike will tell you that when moving a garden indoors, the temperature is the hardest factor to take control of. When confined to a small space ballasts and lights can push temperatures sky-high in no time flat. This is especially true during hot summer months when outside temperature reaches its highest. Nighttime (lights out period) temperature can be just as difficult to regulate during cold winter month.
Most gardeners are aware that temperature in the grow room plays a major role and can greatly affect the growth of plants and the quality of the finished crop. Most gardeners do not know how controlling the temperature of their garden in very specific ways they can achieve a superior crop. Drift to far from these ideal temperatures and watch your plants and crop suffer. In part 1 of this article it will be explained why temperature is so important to the indoor garden and exactly what the ideal temperatures are. In Temperature and the Indoor Garden part 2 you will learn of some amazing products, new and old, that will help regulate temperature in the grow room. These products can save you, the gardener, time, money, and will help supercharge any garden. Before getting started it is highly recommended that every indoor garden has a max/min thermometer. ($4.95 at Wlamert) This product allows the gardener to see exactly the fluctuations in temperature within their garden. Without this useful tool there is no accurate way of knowing the different temperatures between daytime (lights on) and nighttime (lights off). The difference between the two temperatures is very important to plant growth. Anymore than a 10F-15F difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures and you risk shocking and stressing the plants. In general the optimal daytime temperature for plant growth is between 70F -75F. Drift to far above this range or too far below and growth can be severely affected. Daytime temperatures exceeding 90F or under 62F and plant growth will be stunted. If the temperature drifts higher than 95F the plant’s enzyme production will drop off and the plant will begin shutting down. At temperatures that high photosynthesis shuts down due to the stomata in the leaves closing down to conserve water. At normal temperatures the stomata will be open, taking in CO2 and sweating water to keep the plant cool and allowing for transpiration.
These temperature ranges will vary depending on variety and species of plant. For instance, some orchids require more than a 10F-15F difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures in order to flower.
Ideal temperature also varies depending on whether or not CO2 is being introduced to the environment. A more suitable daytime temperature when the air is being enriched with CO2 is 80F-85F. This temperature range promotes the exchange of gases between the plants and the environment. Also, it can speed up the process of photosynthesis. Plant in an environment at 86F an perform carbon extraction from CO2 twice as fast as at 68F. It is still recommended that the nighttime temperature drop no more than 15f from that of the daytime temperature. There is another relationship between temperature and the absorbsion of gases by plants that many hobbyist growers are aware of. That is the relationship between the temperature of the water in your reservoir and the amount of oxygen the water can hold. The best range that your reservoir can be between is 60F-75F. Ideally the reservoir temperature should be at 65F because this level contains the most oxygen. Also this temperature will help control transpiration (the act of drawing up nutrients by evaporating water through out the leaves), and humidity levels. Buying a simple floating thermometer will allow you to know where you fit in this range.
Another great reason for regulating the temperature in your grow room s that biological processes can be speed up exponentially by every degree. This is true for your plants as well as the potential pests that may invade your grow room. Pests such as spider mites can reproduce up to 10 times faster with every degree the temperature rises. These pests can destroy a garden in no time flat, you really do not want to make it any easier for them. With a daytime temperature at a steady 72F and nighttime temperature of 65F it is much easier to control and destroy spider mite, thrip, and many other pest populations.
The same principal can be applied to the prevention and control of fungi, molds, mildews, and bacteria, which can spread more rapidly when temperatures in the grow room or reservoir exceed 90F. Also, the warmer the air, the more water it can retain which means humidity levels can easily go beyond the recommended 40-50%. This high humidity coupled with lower nighttime temperatures can cause condensation to form on leaves. This will invite molds, mildews, fungi, and bacteria to take over you grow space. With high temperatures the likely-hood of losing control of the problem, such as powdery mildew, is very high. Once control is lost your plants may be the next to go.
Temperature is also very important when it comes to starting seeds and getting cuttings to root. Placing seedling trays on a heating mat will reduce germination time dramatically. Speeding up germination time usually leads to stronger and healthier plants. Also, less time spent between crop cycles makes a garden efficient. More harvests provided in less time can equal big bucks in the pockets of professional growers.
The ideal temperature to achieve these results is 80F. Any higher and you risk burning the roots. Also, many seeds simply will not germinate at temperatures over 90F. The seeds will become dormant and never sprout.
The same principal used for seeds is used on cuttings to coax roots out quicker. The sooner cuttings can establish roots the better. If roots can be forced quickly they will grow strong and stay strong. A bottom temperature of 80F-85F, roughly 10F warmer than the air, will speed up rooting time and help to jump start those roots once they do begin. Let the temperature get too high or too low and roots growth will be hindered or they will never grow at all. Using the proper technique and the proper temperature for bottom heat not only can rooting time be speed up from 2 weeks to as little as 3 days, but the survival rate of your cuttings will drastically improve.
On the topic of roots, there is an ideal temperature for the root zone after the plants’ roots have been established. Roots are working 24 hours a day and constant attention is required concerning temperature in and around the root zone. The ideal temp for this root zone is generally 75F. At this temperature the ion exchange between the roots and the environment around them is at its absolute best. This means that the plant’s root system can take up more macro nutrients, more micro nutrients, and more oxygen at this temperature than at any other level. This makes a plant more efficient and a plant working efficiently will provide a superior yield.
The reasons listed in part 1 of this article are meant to educate indoor gardeners and give them the opportunity to supercharge their grow space. In the next installment of this article we will examine the methods and machines that can help win the battle against fluctuating temperatures in the grow room. Most of the products that will be discussed are relatively inexpensive. Think of it as crop insurance, a ay to ensure the health and success of any garden from beginner to advanced set-up.