Hydroponic Water Temperature ideas

I'm looking for some ideas on how to cool the water here. 5 Gallon bucket with 3 gallons of water in it. Aeroponic delivery. I dont have a thermometer (low budget DIY project), my guess is that the water is between 80-90F degrees.

I read in some other threads where u guys say warmer water doesn't hold much oxygen, but in this setup the roots are suspended in air/hydroton and being sprayed by water so is the water temp even much of a factor in this case?

Some pics to help below.:thumbsup:
Other variables:
-5 CFL's 3 cool/2warm all 40w (roughly 8-9000 lumens total)
-room temperature floats around 85-90 during day, 75-80 at night
-Hydroton rocks for medium
-Tap water - PH'd around 5.5 - 6.5
-1 large Computer fan inside moving air around plants
-submersed water pump - 100gph <-- is this producing the heat???

Thanks!
Fade

Quote:

---

Design Principles:

The following problems must be solved to build an efficient and functioning hydroponic system. The first five principles deal with your plants roots and their health.

1. Nutrient solution flow-rates in the root zone must be adequate.
Circulation ensures the roots will receive adequate dissolved oxygen and nutrients. Usually 2 litres per minute per root-zone/gully for optimum results in nft (1/2 gal/min). Circulation also ensures that opportunistic fungi that thrive in stagnant water will not gain foothold. With nft, a slope of 1/30 - 1/50 will ensure that nutrients flow steadily past the root zone.

2. Optimum nutrient solution temperatures for maximum dissolved oxygen.

Remember, water holds less oxygen at higher temperatures. Optimum temperature would be 20-24 C degrees, 68-75 F degrees. Solution at 20 C / 68 F
holds about 9 ppm oxygen at 100% saturation, when the solution is 30 C or 86 F it holds 7.5 ppm oxygen when fully saturated (100%, at sea level). It is assumed at this point that solution temperature will equal root-zone temperature.

3. Nutrient solution must be aerated vigorously for maximizing dissolved oxygen levels.
Dissolved Oxygen levels should be a minimum of 4 mg/l up to 10 mg/l or more (super-saturation). Dissolved Oxygen is required for root respiration and health. High DO-levels will result in faster root initiation and growth.

4. Raised drain in the root zone for small solution reserve in case of pump failure.
Especially useful if no medium or very little medium is used in the system.

5. Non-toxic materials for all parts of the system.
Food grade PE-plastic, PE-HD, PET, PEX and PP plastics are materials known to be safe for use in hydroponics. Non-toxicity ensures that no nutrient-lockups or accumulation of harmful substances will occur - both the plants and growers safety.

The following section deals with the practical every-day ergonomics of a hydroponics system.

6. System must be failure safe in case of situations like pump failure, flooding of the channels or clogging of the drains.
A Secure system is an absolute requirement. Simplicity will lead to fail-safe designs more often than not. Usually this problem/principle is really easy to solve. Nutrient solution leakage may cause plant death, material damage or other serious problems including risk of electrocution. Clogging pipes and drains and siphoning of the solution are the most popular problems stemming from the sub-standard design and testing.

7. Any part of the system must be easy to assemble, access, maintain, clean and disassemble.
Careful planning will make jobs like nutrient solution change or removal of plants easy. This principle points to - simplify, simplify, simplify! Remove any part that is not absolutely necessary and then optimize the remaining parts.

8. Support for plants or trellising netting must be readily in the system or easy to incorporate into the system.
Failing to provide adequate support will normally produce damaged plants during blooming.

9. The root zone and nutrient solution should be protected from any light.
Algae will start growing in the solution if it is not protected from light. Feeding lines and growing mediums clog easily, along with slimy layers of protozoa covering the waterline as a result of algae. It is also noted in some sources that light deters root growth.

Finally, this applies to any system, hydroponic or not.

10. The system should be sustainable,

Efficiency. Reusability. Durability. Recyclability. In other words, as little materials and energy should be needed for construction and maintenance of the system. It should be durable as a result of the materials and energy expended, and finally, after its lifecycle is over it should be easy to use elsewhere or recycle.

---

http://www.planetskunk.com/cannabis788.html

Thank you, I learned a lot from this.

Fade

An easy way to keep a small resevoir cool is to freeze a couple gallon jugs (milk containers) of frozen water and toss them into the brew.

Here is the deal...having built every little ghetto system in the world, i can say this...I always had water temp problems when I used pump inside res...so,

Here is what I would do. Get a 10 gallon sterilite tub(for your rez)...make that your rez. In your 5g bucket add a boat style 3/4" bulkhead fitting in the side 2" up from bottom of growing bucket(use aquarium sealant to make watertight...attach a 90degree and turn it down through a hole that fits snugly in top of 10 gallon sterilite(this is your drain)....put you pump in the 10 gallon (more water volume=lower water temps) tub, and extend your feeder lines to the top of 5g bucket. It will take some Mods, but I did it and you will be happoer with all your results.

water temps should be 65-70 degrees in your rez for optimum oxygenation...Z says "68 degrees is perfect"

got it? I'll be back...by the way...Nice job with the info "slowthestone"

Good advice from everyone. With a couple of fittings and some hoses I can probably create a separate resevoir. It will probably make changing the water easier for me too.

So if reading this correctly even if the roots are supsended in the air they still breath oxygen through the water?

Fade

You can also use frozen water bottles to bring down the temperature in a rez. You just fill them 3/4 of the way full so they have room to expand when it freezes. Drop in a few at a time and keep some in your freezer to exchange with. This way you get cool water but you don't change the water level and no diluting of your nutrients.

Awesome ideas with the frozen bottles. I added an air pump yesterday to bring extra oxygen in. I'm putting together a new resevoir and ill combine water bottle idea to manage temp.

I usually cut a round access hole (netpot size)in top of bottom tub, so I can pump out or refill...then fashion blank and tape to cover the whole in order to keep out light. good luck, can't wait to see what you come up with.

I pulled apart a $54 dorm room fridge I got at Lowes and stuck the freezer part in a 25 gallon res and put a box fan pointed at the fridge for about a 20 degree drop in temps.. if that helps anyone.

My closet set up is a 30 gal. storeage tug from wally world{wal-mart} in the resevoir I put a under gravel filter. It's a pump that has two suction cup that hold it in place.It will move your water all around in the res keeping the nutrients mixed and helps put oxgen in the water too.I also use a small air pump and air stone in the tank too.My closet is air condition and I have a 8" fan moveing the air all around the closet. This helps keep the water temp at about 68* to 72* degree in the tank. I hope this helps you .Have a great day!

I took the advice and got a cheap rubbermaid 18 gal bucket $4.50. Miscellaneous cpvc peices, hose, etc. $15. Pictures below to show changes.

Perfect timing because the roots on these little guys have exploded and would have made maintenance a disaster. Having a separate resevoir will make things easier on me. :thumbsup:

Ill be trying the rotating ice packs idea to keep things cool. :cool:

Fade

I think these ideas helped.

The water is staying cooler with a bigger resevoir and rotating ice packs and added an air pump to the resevoir. The plant has more than doubled in the past 2-3 days and looking good. :thumbsup:

Fade

For some reason, whenever someone says "icepacks" i think of the blue refreezable packs. Those are not the best option because the regular freezing and refreezing may cause a leak and contaminate the nutes. Plain ole water is the ticket.:)

Good point. I am using Blue icepacks. I should just eliminate the possibility then if they have dangerous chemicals in them. I'll save those for my food...;)

Fade:thumbsup: