Quote Originally Posted by bud luv
hey tokudai, nice work so far.

one question - why shade the thermometer you're using to guage temps? the plants aren't shaded, wouldn't you want the same reading the plants are getting?

smoke on,
BUDLUV
Thanks!

The reason I shade a thermometer is because if not, it can cause an inaccurate measurement when checking actual temps. Since the light radiating down directly onto something feels warmer - think about being in an airconditioned room at 75 degrees next to a window where its 100 degrees outside and the sun is shining through - It feels much warmer, sitting in the spot where the sun beames through, but your actual temperature you are feeling is 75 degrees on the majority of your body. Even though it feels (and is) warmer in the sunspot, your actual temperature wont change much.

Plants have the ability to withstand 80, 90, even low 100's with no problems when measuring with the thermometer directly in the beam of light, as long as the ambient (shade) temperature is low enough. When its 85+ in the shade, thats when you see problems start to pop up from temps