The All Important Environment

[Budelaire]

Heated underblankets?

Where from, please? Could use some of them up here in our frozen wastelands of Yorkshire.

Donovan rocks, man! Jennifer, Juniper..... la la la.... <Ooops, sorry, went off on one then>

I use standard electric blankets from the supermarket, just as good if you've got a big space as they are around

Single are 2x4ft £15

Double are 4x4 £20

Kingside are 5x5 £25

Controlled by Thermostat plugs ATM, soon to be run via soil probe as summer approaches, they will turn off and then back on as required lights off. If you've got a smaller space than a proper heat mat or reptile mat will do. But large proper horticultural heat mats are very expensive.

Edited February 15, 2013 by Budelaire

[GreenDreams]

Whilst we are the subject of temps, what do you think of this. I have 3 600w bulbs in growstars in a area of 2.4 x 1.5, I have a 5 inch ex and 4 inch fresh and a small AC unit (2.5kw) and an oscilating fan, now where would be the best place to take an ambient temp? I have two thermometers one at high level and one low ( just below lights). now the temp at top is 17c and below lights is 25c..so which should I use as an ambient temp? I have tried every type of configuration and there is always about 6 to 8 degrees difference between the two?

[smokey79]

Above but covr the sensor to prevent reflected heat. . A read this as tru heat rises...was printed sumplace u go to fifty c reflected/ only really sayin what I read I put mine about 42cm same as light below above and bn going kl

[smokey79]

Please dnt blame me incorrect works a double check hand over top girls

[bubbleberry007]

What is the technique you use with the netting whats it do ? Plus sides and bad sides ? Many thanks just started a grow and am intersested in keeping canopy lowish

[7x7]

Sorry to hi jack this owderb but 1 last question !!.

What good extraction fan/filter package can i get on a budget to do 89m3/hr of air ? , are the bulldog 1's on a well known auction site any good ?,has any1 used em on here yet ?,they dont seem to ring any bells as they are quite a new company aren't they ?.

I could get a tt with heat or speed control i suppose ?? , and run the 4" bathroom fan constantly replenishing with outside fresh air ? my mate with a shop has said the tt's are noisy little buggers ,but i suppose the foam box i'm gonna put it in will silence it a bit and if needed i can make a ply box to house it in ? or should i get a cheap room stat controller jobbie now available as i cant stretch to a twin fan room controller i have used previously (and i aint coughing up the £100 required either !!).

I know its a lot of questions but i wanna get my room enviroment 110% without 6" fans whooshing away in my loft as my walls are paper thin and just 4" block seperate's my from nextdoor !! .

Thank's

GNA #1

i'd forget about the TT fans, they're noisy and the bearing's don't last as long as RVK / Ruck's. I'd go for a Systemair 4 Inch RVK 100E2-A1 which'll move 184m3/hr before scrubber and ducting attached. much better fans, quieter and last a lot longer. you'll pick a 4" RVK for around £50.00 on auction sites. Go for a Rhino Pro Carbon Filter, they're the best filters you can get and last around 2 years. You can make up a box and wrap the fan up in pillows to silence it, as it's self cooling, it's safe enough and i've had no problems so far with my 5" RVK running 24/7.

Edited November 24, 2013 by 7x7

[Johnny Two Pies]

Realy like this post Owderb emphasises the need for common sense ,thats all i had a month ago. making a couple of your recommended adjustment (temps airflow and humidity,heavy frost already) then the fatty bombatty ive been saving all day,cheers owd

[edd.excessive]

So how much difference does root temperature really make? would a reptile heat mat be a good investment?

[vince noir rock n roll star]

rootzone is more important than leaf zone ..get the roots happy and the plant shows it ..as above so below ..

[Owderb]

Just be very careful with heat mats mate as they can do more damage than good if not set up correctly

Owd

[captainbirdseye]

I have got a root it heat mat and and a root it thermostat. I am burying the probe from the thermostat into the soil in the pot. What would be the correct temperature to set the thermostat. Owderb says not below 18 and the ambient temperature should ideally be 76-78. So should I be setting my probe in the soil to 76-78?

Also earlier in this thread Owderb mentions about light leaks. How dark should it be during lights out? Does it make much difference if there are a few slivers coming in from around the door frame? I have been finding it hard to completely light proof my door. What about the displays on thermostats etc? Would they have an adverse affect. Also I have a light on the smoke detector which flashes once every 30 seconds. Should I tape over it.

I am just starting out so would appreciate peoples advice.

Thx

[wu-tang-sam]

Prob best to work from one temperature scale for starters.

Bear in mind if you're taking readings from the top half of the pot, the bottom will be much warmer as we're talking conductive heat to the pot here. Nothing to do with the ambient reading in the groom, heat your intake air for that. So no higher than 20 with the probe only buried a few inches imo.

When I've used underpot heating, I always took the reading at the bottom of the pot, and aimed for 22/23, so the pot as a whole stays in the safe zone. Anything higher and you'll get issues with your roots.

Yes sort all those light leaks dude!

[captainbirdseye]

Thanks wu-tang-sam. Where do you put the probe to get a reading at the bottom of the pot. Do you put the probe underneath the pot or bury it all the way down to the bottom which I would imagine would be difficult with larger/taller pots. I agree with you about mixed scales, I was just repeating Owderb's numbers! Funny how us Brits keep our feet planted in both the imperial and metric scales.

[wu-tang-sam]

Sorry man, just read that back, looked a bit snappy.

Yeah when I first had one of the root it thingies I burried it to about an inch off the bottom, off to one side of course.

This became a bit of a faff what with moving pots around and harvesting etc, so I ended up just taping it flush to the drip tray/saucer, in the recess bit of the pot bottom, then cranking it up a couple of degrees. Needed to experiment a bit.

I think I've seen a thread with someone doing similar, just taped to the drip tray. Only initially they monitored the temps in the centre of the pot with one of those spiked soil thermometers, until they got the heat mat setting to correspond to centre of pot temp.

Bout a fiver those things, so worth getting if you want to get it absolutely spot on.

[captainbirdseye]

Good advice wu-tang-sam I will try that. Cheers.