DWC - Aero combination question

I have been running a DWC/Aero setup with 18g totes, 6 plants in each, for about 6 months. Haven't really had any issues with algae in the water, but was wondering.. If i switch to strictly DWC, 5gallon bucket, 1 Scrog'd plant in each bucket, would heat now become a problem? I have read time and again, that heat will build up in the water causing algae problems, and that I need to use a cooler instead of a bucket. If I have never had issues prior, with my old setup, would I now experience them with the smaller volume? My room temp stays 81 degrees all the time. Thanks for the help.

ice bottles can help. as long as dissolved oxygen stays high and no light leaks in its ok. a beneficial bacteria like pondzyme or greatwhite will also help, plus it promotes huge root growth

right, but in a 5gallon with a scrog, getting an ice bottle out would be impossible. So, my big question is, does smaller volume equal more heat? I mean honestly I only used about 6 gallons of water in the 18g tote, so the volume of water will probably be half that. I just dont want to have to spend 25$ on a cooler if my buckets will be just fine.

you can always have your 5g bucket in a tray with some water and frozen bottles

That was another option i thought about, taking my big totes that will now just be useless, and fill them with water and throw in a new ice bottle every few days.. Thanks. Now my wife can't complain about being wasteful with the petrol products.

hi there bk, u could connect all buckets together and have a rez an pump an then u could jus cool the rez....but ur sure to find a way my fren... (rdwc)

Yeah, its just two buckets though. Going to do veg for 2 months, and 2 months in flower, rotating one plant out each month. So the nutrient solution is different on both buckets. Just trying to harvest a bit more than I smoke, and right now, I am having to chop early by a week or so because I keep smoking it all.

in a 5gal bucket start with 5gal, i do everytime.

even on the initial setup? I just didnt want the roots of a 2 month old plant submerged in water for that long.. but i guess it cant hurt too much.

its called deep water culture, thats what it is about. right up to the net pot.

right, but 5 gallons would consume the netpot and all of the medium too, wouldnt it, seems the plant would be drowning that way.

now 4 would put it right at the bottom of the net pot, actually on these buckets.. 3.5 gallons would.