Non-recirculating 5 gallon DWC bucket water temp

[Sc0tt]

I am into my first attempt at dwc. I'm using 5 gallon buckets (non-recirculating).. i am using hydroguard but would like to lower my temps to be on the safe side. my water temperature can get as high as 24c or 75f. Anyone been successful in lowering and maintaining temps? I know some will put frozen water bottles in the bucket. I don't really want my roots sitting on ice. Right now I've been setting my buckets in plastic bins and pack snow around the base of the bucket which will drop the temperature a few degrees but it only lasts for a few hours... Any other suggestions?

[growell]

Water chiller mate

[Sc0tt]

Thanks for your reply. I'm looking for a cheaper alternative. Can I run a chiller in non-recirculating dwc? The ones I've looked at seem to be for rdwc

[growell]

Ye i would imagine you can if you add one pipe to one bucket and another pipe at the opposite end bucket then connect to chiller i think that would work also now this out there if you connect a pump into your reservouir or bucket then connect to hose pipe a lot of hose coiled up have it in a fridge then connect other end in bucket your water will circulate through hose colded down by fridge then put back into system plus you can put it away from tent thats the only ways i seeof cooling water down except frozen bottles i am in the same boat at the moment seriously thinking about buying a chiller but there exspensive hope this helps mate

[Sc0tt]

Yeah chillers are expensive. I'm going to try to come up with a cheaper diy solution. I might put my air pump into an insulated cooler and keep ice packs in the cooler with it so it will blow colder air into my buckets. If it works, I'll keep you posted, since you are "in the same boat." Thanks again.

[growell]

Them blue packs mate are shite they last about 5 mins i got some for my air conditioner

[Sc0tt]

Agreed, the ice packs would be too small. Im trying 4 litre frozen water bottles starting tomorrow. I'll have about 4 - 6 inches of water in the tub surrounding my bucket and the ice bottle in the water. I'll monitor my temperature and see how it goes.

[Ckbrew]

You could use a 3/8 soft copper tubing formed into a coil to fit inside your bucket. Make it so the feed and drain come out the top. Then you have to figure how to chill it. I'm thinking ice and water in a cooler and a recirculating pump. Or if you have access to, a refrigerator freezer. Use a thermal switch to control the pump so it doesn't over chill, insulate the bucket. Idk if the copper tubing in the nutrient solution is a concern, not a DWC person.

[Jebidiah]

After I get a canopy to shade the light from my tote the water temps usually stay within a couple degrees of my ambient temperature around the tote since the thin plastic is no good for a insulator. Is it possible to drop your space temp a couple degrees? When I first started I was worried about running in the top end of the temp range but after I did and the only thing I was growing was my plants and not bad bacteria I called it my normal using hydrogaurd.

[SwitchH2O]

Scott, best of luck with the DWC system.
Here are some suggestions:

You may want to switch it to a RDWC (Recirculating)...if you have the room. It's an extra bucket, but you'll love the simplicity. I had a DWC system and then built it to a recirculating system. It definitely helps to keep the temps lower. Temperature change in one bucket fluctuates a lot more than water in 5 buckets. With the extra bucket, you could add your ice packs and not worry about anything touching your roots.

Your weed plants love room temperature. So if your tent/room is running a little hot, increase your circulation. Cool down your room and you'll cool down those pails. The moment I switched my lights to the new LED Samsung diodes, it decreased my heat tremendously.

Another thing you could do is switch your lights so they come on during cooler temps in your house. (like at night) and have the lights off during the day when it's warmer out. Of course this depends where you live and what your set-up is like. I have a basement, so i keep my pails on the cement basement floor, which helps regulate the water temps.

Here's your best idea, place a reflective or mylar film across the top of your pails, having the plant come out the middle. So the light is blocked from your medium. I'm assuming your using some form of clay pellets as your medium? And...the baskets that you use to hold the media, it comes in different sizes, 10" and 6". The smaller ones keep the light out more but the bigger ones provide a larger root base.

Just thought i'd give you some ideas other than buying a water chiller.

SwitchH2O
_______________________________
4’x4’x8’ frame built grow room
Spider Farmer SE3000
4” Vivosun powered intake
8” Vivosun outtake with 8” Filter
RDWC (Recirculating Deep Water Culture System)
Rockwool starter with clay pellet medium
Combination of Remo, Advanced Nutrients and a proprietary blend.
2nd last grow - 19.98% THC
Last grow - 22.23% THC

CURRENTLY GROWING
White Tahoe Cookies - 3rd week of flowering

[Sc0tt]

Thanks for the feedback. Its appreciated...

I probably will get into rdwc eventually. This is my first time trying hydroponics (other than peat and perlite, if you want to call that hydro). I'm just a hobby grower who grows just for myself so I limit what I spend on my set up..

I'm running an led light (mars hydro tsw3000) with a 6 inch inline fan (outtake). I do have a spare 4 inch which I think I will add as an intake... I'm using expanded clay pellets in a 6 inch net pot. My grow tent is 4x4. Which is in my basement. I'm in the middle of a Canadian winter here so room temp stays the same day and night.

[Cali]

Best advice is if you are serious about hydro. Spend the money you need to doit right. Too expensive? Add up all the things you are going to try to no satisfaction and compare to a one time well spent money for a solution and no headaches. Remember time is money.