Grow Mediums DWC Experiments

pop22

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This started out as a way to see if I could salvage a plant doing poorly in soil. I've since decided to make this a multi-stage experiment. The plan is to see how far I can push the limits of res temperature, bot high and low. Also, I'm going to be using a modified Kratky Method. No pumps, no airstone. I'wll be altering the temperature of the res water with ice bottles. The water temps will be altered in stages.

For stage one I have placed my res, a 2.5 gallon bucket, into a cardboard box fill with packing peanuts for insulation. I'm running GH Maxigrow at 400 ppms in the res. Once the plant has roots into the water I'll lower the water level so that there is at least an inch of airspace.

My first test which i just began, was to lower the res temp to 60 degrees ( actual was 59.7F ). The res is indoor under my 2 three hundred watt LED lights with my potted plants. Im timing the temperature rise to 70F.

Next I'll try to get the res down to about 55F and time the rise to 70F.

Stage 2 will be to repeat these tests with the bucket outdoors. I will push the high temp extremes on the outdoor test, allowing the res to rise to 80F, then rapidly chilling it back to 55F.

Pity my poor girl, who has already led a rough life! LOL!

"Munch..munch..munch
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Do you know any felizol freezer of that size You gave me a great idea to chill my solution by placing the bucket in cold water in a bigger box :D

Have fun harassing your plant :D
 
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What's a gold water box ?

Cool experiments Pops :)


All the best,

steely
 
View attachment 361011
cold*
mistake, I was a bit baked :D
If you add ice it keeps it frozen even the water when the ice eventually melt will be ice cold for 2-3 days. great for camping food too ;)
 
Update:

The res hit 70.3 just 33 minutes shy of 24 hours. The room temp was up to 79 when I woke up as the lights have been on since 6 am with no cooling running as the airconditioner is set to fan only at night. Sounds like a long time but lets see have happens when the temperature gradient is higher. Looks like that will have to wait a bit outdoor temps will not get out of the 60's today. If it hits 70 or better tomorrow, I'll set it outside in the sun. Again, I'll start the res with a temp of 60F and time it to 70F. should give me a better idea of the insulation factor of this among other data. If I can hold the temps down with the res outside for a couple hours at least,

I plan to set her outside everyday for a couple weeks after I flip my lights to 12/12 to give her time to grow, if she's going to. Then I'll put her under 12/12 also. Other test are going to be to see what other materials around home that can be used to insulate a bucket. I have a roll of bubblewrap, I'll test that, layers of cardboard, and anything else I can think of. I'm a big believer in DIY and this project already has me thinking of improvements for my larger reservoirs. As I have the room to run large reservoirs, one thought is to place 2 10 gallon totes inside a 50 gallon tote filled with insulation. Each 10 gallon res could hold one 10" net pot, or 2-4 5" net pots. There are lots of variations that could work. Although I plan to eventually build a chiller, I'd like to keep the need for it to an absolute minimum.
 
Update:

Changed the res today. Also, as the box with peanuts work well, but is a pain to use when you change the res, today's experiment begins with a new insulating material. I've wrapped the bucket in bubblewrap. No idea how good an insulator that is, we'll find out! I want to use cheap, easily available materials for this. Ultimately, I'll buy some of the foil wrapped soft foam insulation. I think though, a 5 gallon bucket with a drain hose placed in a box of peanuts would give great temperature control. I may experiment with a 10 gallon tote inside a 22 gallon or larger tote filled with an insulating material.

Tomorrow it should get near 80, so I'll place the bucket outside for a couple hours and see how it does.
 
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