HELP! How can I reduce evaporation in hydroponic system?

[ufzsolo]

Hi y'all

So I have a little problem here. I've got a hydro tent (first one), its all doing pretty good, except the huge amount of evaporization. I have 4 20L bucket in there, and I have a dehumidifier going 24/7, filtering around 10L water a DAY!!! Thats a looooooot. I'm planning to upgrade my other two setups to hydro as well but I'm worried about the humidity. I could get more dehumidifier, but to be honest it's energy consumption is crazy.
So I'm wondering if anyone had the same issue, what could be the solution here. The buckets seal pretty good, the only "open area" is at the stem with the clay pellets. Should I cover that with something too?

Help please.
TIA

 

[Gingerbeard]

Sounds like your dehumidifier is causing your evaporation. If you have an issue with humidity, use an inline exhaust fan instead.
I'm going to suggest this in hopes of being corrected or affirmed. Your plants are losing a lot of water through the leaves because of the dehumidifier.

 

[homegrown]

I agree with Gingerbeard, take the de-humidifier out of the tent and place it in the room itself. Then use an exhaust fan to run the dry room air thru the tent. That de-humidifier is working overtime the way you have it set up.

 

[ufzsolo]

Oh no sorry the dehumidifier is not in the tent, it's in the room where the tents are. I run the setup without the dehumidifier for a month, everything got moldy, the water was literally dripping from the wall.

 

[Smoklahoma]

Cover the top of your net pots with aluminum foil. Keeps the light out of the buckets too. Don't know what it looks like in your tent but if its crowded, defoliation can help with that also.

 

[TjckTock]

Not sure if this is helpful for hydroponics, but a trick I learned from my sous vide adventures was to add ping-pong balls to the water to reduce evaporation by reducing the exposed surface area and providing a local surface for condensation to form and drip back into the bath. You need enough to completely cover the surface 2 layers deep.

 

[bboyfromwayback]

Your tent sounds like mine when I’m starting babies and I have all the fans and exhaust turned off inside the tent. More air flow and a better exhaust system is your answer

 

[DW2]

Howdy ufzsolo. You did not say what the water and air temperatures are in Your tent. Higher temperatures result in greater evaporation rates. Also, what is the ambient humidity of the room/area that the tent is in? Is there a way to vent the dehumidifier to the outside (of the grow room)? The addition of an exhaust fan (and filter) to move some of the humid air out of the grow area could help as well.
Good luck with Your grow.

 

[SwitchH2O]

I’m a hydro guy… I agree with DW2; what is your environment data? In the tents and in your room. If you live in Arizona, I’d suggest growing in soil
But it seriously sounds like you’re having and in dire need of exhaust fans.
It boggles my mind that your tent is dripping? …it’s not from your buckets… it’s the air in the tent. Do you have a fan running in your tent 24/7 and an exhaust fan in each tent running 24/7? You shouldn’t try to grow weed in a humidor, …I’m funny today.

 

[ufzsolo]

Hi yeah sorry good point.
Tent internal humidity is 52% with 21C temp. Outside room is pretty much the same.
The tent is 1.2m*1.2m*2m, it has 4 20L buckets. Have two VKO fan for air inflow and two for outflow and an external ventillator too. They all run 24/7.

What Im doing is trying to regulate the room environment rather than the tents individually. I have an A/C for temp control and a dehumidifier for humidity control (they are not in the tent, they are in the room).

For "legal purposes" im living in central europe, so I wouldn't call the place humid AF.

 

[ufzsolo]

This is the tent, I don't think its crowded at all. This is a photo I did before defoliation btw.

 

[3Berries]

If there's condensation it's because of too much temp contrast between inside and out. Maybe insulate the top of the tent?

 

[cybersmib]

Coco coir is considered a hydroponic system.