I’m moving out of my 4x4 into a 4x8 tent and was going to add a couple dwc units. I know on my RDWC system I have my water chiller in that system, but just doing a single bucket dwc what would I want the temp range to be because I can’t see how to put it inline with the chiller
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62 to 70F is the range. If you have a crap ton of air you can hedge that up a bit.
I put some pieces of aluminized styrofoam over the totes in my grow space and it dropped temps 5 degrees.
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I wouldn’t bound the lower temp. I am successful at growing in an unheated space that often goes to 50F withough significant harm, just slows down the growth. The largest worry at higher temps is the growth of nasties in your DWC at higher temps. Dissolved O2 can help significantly but even aerobic (o2 loving) will consume all the o2 in your buckit/tub at higher temps. it all about cleanliness.
The standing temp in the room is 58F on a concrete floor. I just got my 3x3 tent up in there tonight and have put a bucket with water to get a reading
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Any chance you do a stand alone reservoir? Put it outside the grow space and it will maintain pretty well. Especially if you can couple the reservoir to the floor somehow. (make it thermally conductive)
On a cold concrete floor your buckets should stay in the acceptable temp but a little hydro guard is a good safety precaution 
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@myfriendis410 thanks for reminding me I was planning on trying to put the res outside the tent and had problems with the tent getting here today and completely forgot I had planned on that
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@myfriendis410 where would I find the styrofoam at? I checked amazon and Home Depot didn’t see anything
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Home Depot carries it in 1/2", 1", 1 1/2" at least. They also have polyisocyanurate but it’s more expensive. The Styrofoam is aluminized on one side.
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A piece of recycled cardboard would work too. You’re just trying to shade the container to light.
Hydroguard is a natural bacterial root inoculant Bacillus amyloliquefaciens designed to decompose organic matter. But in DWC there shouldn’t be organic matter. It will help fight off other bacteria, but would not be a significant benefit at lower temperatures.
Offen the best solution is a simple no/low cost solution. Too much snake oil without proof of claims being sold in the industry.
I had root rot once! Just once I never ran my plants under the tap to clean out nasties I got hydroguard I used it the root rot went away and I have never got it again the hydroguard cost me thirty bucks and I have been using the same jug for over a year with perpetual harvest 2 pounds every 10 -12 weeks I would say I got my money’s worth
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If you really want to add microbes in your dwc, this would be a much more cost effective solution (@1/2 teaspoon/5gal):
But is not NEEDED. The solution above also has myco and other known beneficials that is dry shelf stable.
That stuff costs twenty bucks for 4 oz. And it takes 5 oz. To do 12 square feet of landscape which is cool if I am at work but not the same as hydroguard @WickedAle
@Gardenguy some people don’t need to:
Some are here for some fun and a cost effective solution to grow a bit of weed for self consumption. Spending $100’s of dollars for all of the chemicals that are not proven to do anything just makes it way more complicated and not cost effective than it really has to be for a beginner.
I spend about 12 bucks per plant for nutrients
I agree and it can be very simple.
That is not the same thing you posted up the thread ,I am not trying to be a jerk I am just saying for a beginner a ounce of prevention goes a long way and I was just trying to point out that the bottle lasts through allot of grows it’s not like it costs a ton of money in the long run .I would rather tell someone that has never done dwc to use it to maybe avoid a problem than explain how to fix it when things are going south and they are getting discouraged
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