CONDUCTION: Conduction is direct heat flow through matter.Example: Conduction of heat from the hot surface of a stove to a fry pan.
CONVECTION. Convection is the transfer of heat within the air.The heat travels upwards to the ceiling with the natural movement of the air.Example: space heaters, hair dryers.
RADIANT: Radiant is the transmission of electromagnetic rays through space. These rays have no temperature, only energy. Every material or object with temperature above absolute zero emits these rays in all directions until they're deflected or absorbed.
Before getting started it is highly recommended that every indoor garden has a max/min thermometer. This product allows the gardener to see exactly the fluctuations in temperature within their garden. Without this useful tool there is no accurate way of knowing the different temperatures between daytime (lights on) and nighttime (lights off). The difference between the two temperatures is very important to plant growth. Anymore than a 10F-15F difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures and you risk shocking and stressing the plants. In general the optimal daytime temperature for plant growth is between 70F -75F. Drift too far above this range or too far below and growth can be severely affected. Daytime temperatures exceeding 90F or under 62F will stunt a plant's growth. If the temperature drifts higher than 95F the plant’s enzyme production will drop off and the plant will begin shutting down. At temperatures that high photosynthesis shuts down due to the stomata in the leaves closing to conserve water. At normal temperatures the stomata will be open, taking in CO2 and sweating water to keep the plant cool and allowing for transpiration.
These temperature ranges will vary depending on variety and species of plant. For instance, some orchids require more than a 10F-15F difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures in order to flower.
Ideal temperature also varies depending on whether or not CO2 is being introduced to the environment. A more suitable daytime temperature when the air is being enriched with CO2 is 80F-85F. This temperature range promotes the exchange of gases between the plants and the environment. Also, it can speed up the process of photosynthesis. A plant in an environment at 86F can perform carbon extraction from CO2 twice as fast as at 68F. It is still recommended that the night time temperature drop no more than 15F from that of the daytime temperature. There is another relationship between temperature and the absorpsion of gases by plants that many hobbyist growers are aware of. That is the relationship between the temperature of the water in your reservoir and the amount of oxygen the water can hold. The best range that your reservoir can be between is 60F-75F. Ideally the reservoir temperature should be at 65F because this level contains the most oxygen. Also this temperature will help control transpiration (the act of drawing up nutrients by evaporating water through out the leaves), and humidity levels. Buying a simple floating thermometer will allow you to know where you fit in this range.
Another great reason for regulating the temperature in your grow room is that biological processes can be sped up exponentially by every degree. This is true for your plants as well as the potential pests that may invade your grow room. Pests such as spider mites can reproduce up to 10 times faster with every degree the temperature rises. These pests can destroy a garden in no time flat, you really do not want to make it any easier for them. With a daytime temperature at a steady 72F and nighttime temperature of 65F it is much easier to control and destroy spider mite, thrip, and many other pest populations.
The same principal can be applied to the prevention and control of fungi, molds, mildews, and bacteria, which can spread more rapidly when temperatures in the grow room or reservoir exceed 90F. Also, the warmer the air, the more water it can retain which means humidity levels can easily go beyond the recommended 40-50%. This high humidity coupled with lower nighttime temperatures can cause condensation to form on leaves. This will invite molds, mildews, fungi, and bacteria to take over you grow space. With high temperatures the likely-hood of losing control of the problem, such as powdery mildew, is very high. Once control is lost your plants may be the next to go.
Temperature is also very important when it comes to starting seeds and getting cuttings to root. Placing seedling trays on a heating mat will reduce germination time dramatically. Speeding up germination time usually leads to stronger and healthier plants. Also, less time spent between crop cycles makes a garden efficient. More harvests provided in less time can equal big bucks in the pockets of professional growers. The ideal temperature to achieve these results is 80F. Any higher and you risk burning the roots. Also, many seeds simply will not germinate at temperatures over 90F. The seeds will become dormant and never sprout.
The same principal used for seeds is used on cuttings to coax roots out quicker. The sooner cuttings can establish roots the better. If roots can be forced quickly they will grow strong and stay strong. A bottom temperature of 80F-85F, roughly 10F warmer than the air, will speed up rooting time and help to jump start those roots once they do begin. Let the temperature get too high or too low and roots growth will be hindered or they will never grow at all. Using the proper technique and the proper temperature for bottom heat not only can rooting time be sped up from 2 weeks to as little as 3 days, but the survival rate of your cuttings will drastically improve.
Before getting started it is highly recommended that every indoor garden has a max/min thermometer. This product allows the gardener to see exactly the fluctuations in temperature within their garden. Without this useful tool there is no accurate way of knowing the different temperatures between daytime (lights on) and nighttime (lights off). The difference between the two temperatures is very important to plant growth. Anymore than a 10F-15F difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures and you risk shocking and stressing the plants. In general the optimal daytime temperature for plant growth is between 70F -75F. Drift too far above this range or too far below and growth can be severely affected. Daytime temperatures exceeding 90F or under 62F will stunt a plant's growth. If the temperature drifts higher than 95F the plant’s enzyme production will drop off and the plant will begin shutting down. At temperatures that high photosynthesis shuts down due to the stomata in the leaves closing to conserve water. At normal temperatures the stomata will be open, taking in CO2 and sweating water to keep the plant cool and allowing for transpiration.
These temperature ranges will vary depending on variety and species of plant. For instance, some orchids require more than a 10F-15F difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures in order to flower.
Ideal temperature also varies depending on whether or not CO2 is being introduced to the environment. A more suitable daytime temperature when the air is being enriched with CO2 is 80F-85F. This temperature range promotes the exchange of gases between the plants and the environment. Also, it can speed up the process of photosynthesis. A plant in an environment at 86F can perform carbon extraction from CO2 twice as fast as at 68F. It is still recommended that the night time temperature drop no more than 15F from that of the daytime temperature. There is another relationship between temperature and the absorpsion of gases by plants that many hobbyist growers are aware of. That is the relationship between the temperature of the water in your reservoir and the amount of oxygen the water can hold. The best range that your reservoir can be between is 60F-75F. Ideally the reservoir temperature should be at 65F because this level contains the most oxygen. Also this temperature will help control transpiration (the act of drawing up nutrients by evaporating water through out the leaves), and humidity levels. Buying a simple floating thermometer will allow you to know where you fit in this range.
Another great reason for regulating the temperature in your grow room is that biological processes can be sped up exponentially by every degree. This is true for your plants as well as the potential pests that may invade your grow room. Pests such as spider mites can reproduce up to 10 times faster with every degree the temperature rises. These pests can destroy a garden in no time flat, you really do not want to make it any easier for them. With a daytime temperature at a steady 72F and nighttime temperature of 65F it is much easier to control and destroy spider mite, thrip, and many other pest populations.
The same principal can be applied to the prevention and control of fungi, molds, mildews, and bacteria, which can spread more rapidly when temperatures in the grow room or reservoir exceed 90F. Also, the warmer the air, the more water it can retain which means humidity levels can easily go beyond the recommended 40-50%. This high humidity coupled with lower nighttime temperatures can cause condensation to form on leaves. This will invite molds, mildews, fungi, and bacteria to take over you grow space. With high temperatures the likely-hood of losing control of the problem, such as powdery mildew, is very high. Once control is lost your plants may be the next to go.
Temperature is also very important when it comes to starting seeds and getting cuttings to root. Placing seedling trays on a heating mat will reduce germination time dramatically. Speeding up germination time usually leads to stronger and healthier plants. Also, less time spent between crop cycles makes a garden efficient. More harvests provided in less time can equal big bucks in the pockets of professional growers. The ideal temperature to achieve these results is 80F. Any higher and you risk burning the roots. Also, many seeds simply will not germinate at temperatures over 90F. The seeds will become dormant and never sprout.
The same principal used for seeds is used on cuttings to coax roots out quicker. The sooner cuttings can establish roots the better. If roots can be forced quickly they will grow strong and stay strong. A bottom temperature of 80F-85F, roughly 10F warmer than the air, will speed up rooting time and help to jump start those roots once they do begin. Let the temperature get too high or too low and roots growth will be hindered or they will never grow at all. Using the proper technique and the proper temperature for bottom heat not only can rooting time be sped up from 2 weeks to as little as 3 days, but the survival rate of your cuttings will drastically improve.
On the topic of roots, there is an ideal temperature for the root zone after the plants’ roots have been established. Roots are working 24 hours a day and constant attention is required concerning temperature in and around the root zone. The ideal temp for this root zone is generally 75F. At this temperature the ion exchange between the roots and the environment around them is at its absolute best. This means that the plant’s root system can take up more macro nutrients, more micro nutrients, and more oxygen at this temperature than at any other level. This makes a plant more efficient and a plant working efficiently will provide a superior yield.
Products such as digital ballasts, exhaust fans and cutting heating mats all will help the a gardener save precious time and money. Ventilation of any garden is very important. This is especially true when the garden is indoors. Good ventilation will provide fresh air and help maintain proper temperatures. The best way to keep the air in your garden with an ideal temperature of 70F -75F is with an exhaust fan. Exhaust fans are used to remove hot, stale air from your grow space and bring in cooler air from either an adjacent room or outdoors. The proper fan for your room can exhaust your room in less than five minutes. This is essential during hot summer months when the outside temperature can cause the temperature in the grow room to rise past 90F. Your exhaust fan should be timed to turn on at least once an hour for five minutes.
An easier way to have the temperature of your room stay in the range that you want is to have your fan hooked up to a thermostat. Simple thermostats will plug right into the wall and the fan will plug into it. The thermostat will have a coil on it that will tell temperature. Place the thermostat in the room and set it to the temperature that you wish the air not to exceed. When the room reaches that temperature the thermostat will trigger the fan to come on. The fan will then exhaust the room until the thermostat reads that the grow room is no longer at that temperature.
Products such as digital ballasts, exhaust fans and cutting heating mats all will help the a gardener save precious time and money. Ventilation of any garden is very important. This is especially true when the garden is indoors. Good ventilation will provide fresh air and help maintain proper temperatures. The best way to keep the air in your garden with an ideal temperature of 70F -75F is with an exhaust fan. Exhaust fans are used to remove hot, stale air from your grow space and bring in cooler air from either an adjacent room or outdoors. The proper fan for your room can exhaust your room in less than five minutes. This is essential during hot summer months when the outside temperature can cause the temperature in the grow room to rise past 90F. Your exhaust fan should be timed to turn on at least once an hour for five minutes.
An easier way to have the temperature of your room stay in the range that you want is to have your fan hooked up to a thermostat. Simple thermostats will plug right into the wall and the fan will plug into it. The thermostat will have a coil on it that will tell temperature. Place the thermostat in the room and set it to the temperature that you wish the air not to exceed. When the room reaches that temperature the thermostat will trigger the fan to come on. The fan will then exhaust the room until the thermostat reads that the grow room is no longer at that temperature.
For gardeners who are in a tight space or are really battling heat from the lamp, an air-cooled reflector can provide some relief. Air-cooled reflectors are airtight reflectors that are run inline with a fan to take all the heat from the bulb and exhaust either back into the room or preferable out of the garden altogether. This style of reflectors not only helps to keep heat away and temperatures down but also allows for plants to be closer to the bulb than normal. This will greatly increase the efficiency of your light and should lead to greater yields come harvest time.
An oscillating fan aimed at the space between your bulbs and the canopy can be quite beneficial. Oscillating fans won’t lower the overall temperature of the garden but it will help to keep heat from building up directly around the plants. Using exhaust and oscillating fans are simple, almost foolproof ways of making sure that your indoor garden never exceeds certain temperatures. The same thing can be done for rooms that temperatures drift too low (below 62F). A space heater can be plugged into a thermostat and set to come on when your growing environment gets too cold.
An oscillating fan aimed at the space between your bulbs and the canopy can be quite beneficial. Oscillating fans won’t lower the overall temperature of the garden but it will help to keep heat from building up directly around the plants. Using exhaust and oscillating fans are simple, almost foolproof ways of making sure that your indoor garden never exceeds certain temperatures. The same thing can be done for rooms that temperatures drift too low (below 62F). A space heater can be plugged into a thermostat and set to come on when your growing environment gets too cold.
When growing indoors and using hydroponics, one should not only think about room temperature but also about the temperature of their nutrient solution, which should be between 60F- 75F. 65F is ideal because the water holds the most oxygen at this temperature. Allowing your reservoir temperature to drift below 50F or above 85F is dangerous because the risk of damaging the roots is high. To control the temperature of the nutrient solution a reservoir chiller or an aquarium (insert) heater may be used. Aquarium heaters are common for reservoirs that are sitting on cold floors, for example concrete or tiled flooring. Aquarium heaters are submersible heat elements controlled by a thermostat on it. * Safety Tip * Only plug an aquarium heater into a grounded outlet and make sure that the heater does not rest against the bottom or side of your reservoir. Also never leave an aquarium heater on outside of water because it will rapidly heat up and burn out.
High reservoir temperatures can cause the gardener many problems. This can cause water to evaporate, which concentrates the nutrient solution. High temperature also increases the possibility of water-born disease. If this is the case it may be time to invest in a reservoir chiller. Reservoir chillers cool the nutrient solution by circulating it through refrigerated coils set by a thermostat. When the temperature gets high, reservoir chillers are worth every penny.
High reservoir temperatures can cause the gardener many problems. This can cause water to evaporate, which concentrates the nutrient solution. High temperature also increases the possibility of water-born disease. If this is the case it may be time to invest in a reservoir chiller. Reservoir chillers cool the nutrient solution by circulating it through refrigerated coils set by a thermostat. When the temperature gets high, reservoir chillers are worth every penny.
Here are a few products to think of that will help keep temperatures in the grow room at their ideal level. Next time you are purchasing a ballast, or if you just want to cut down on heat, consider electronic ballasts. The conventional magnetic coil ballast is a great product and one that is tried and tested. But they do give off a fair amount of heat as a by-product of operating a lamp. Electronic ballasts work similarly to the magnetic coil variety in principal but function quite differently. Electronic ballasts give off heat but the heat given off is quite minimal compared to the heat produced by magnetic coil ballasts. Switching to an electronic ballast can allow people to grow in continued (did he mean confined?) spaces. It can also let growers who had to shut down during hotter summer months to cultivate year round.
Light movers are an excellent option for indoor growers who need to distribute the heat underneath the bulb. Light movers are also a great alternative from growers who need more evenly distributed lighting but do not want to add another lamp. By moving the lamp around the grow space, light movers help keep heat from accumulating directly under the lamp. Instead heat is spread out more evenly. This also means that lamps can be moved much closer to the tops of the plants without burning the tender leaves or delicate flowers. I have used rail light movers in the past.They are interesting to say the least and do work to ensure heat distribution. Maintenance on them is a little different and they tend to be noisy. Another time I will go into what I have tried and used over the years and what I prefer to use. Remember that light strengths (lumens) increase exponentially as it moves towards the source. A plant two feet away from its light source will only receive a quarter of the lumens that a plant one foot away will.
There are two common kinds of light movers. The first systems will consist of two or more lamps in small reflectors attached to arms that turn constantly in a circle. The other is the lights rail system, which consists of one or more lamps in reflectors constantly moving back and forth down a rail. Light movers not only provide more intense light with the lamp closer to the plants but they can provide far more even lighting. This allows three lights with a light mover to do the work of four. Another overlooked benefit of light movers is what the motor for the mover will be using around 1 amp, which is around 75watts-100watts. With 1000watts HID at 120 volts just of 9 amps, with house circuuits generally designed for 15 amps -20 amps, any way to save electricity is essential.
The sooner cuttings are established the better and this means growing roots fast. The best way to have almost any cutting root quickly is to have and maintain a bottom temperature of 80-85F. Keeping the roots 10F warmer than the air will speed up rooting on cuttings and drastically improve their survival rate. The best way to achieve this is by having a heating mat under the tray of cuttings. This can speed up rooting clones from two weeks to three days. Personally I have never used a heating mat in my own garden. I have not needed to as I am not located in an area of the country that weathers go through too many extremes, lucky me!
Light movers are an excellent option for indoor growers who need to distribute the heat underneath the bulb. Light movers are also a great alternative from growers who need more evenly distributed lighting but do not want to add another lamp. By moving the lamp around the grow space, light movers help keep heat from accumulating directly under the lamp. Instead heat is spread out more evenly. This also means that lamps can be moved much closer to the tops of the plants without burning the tender leaves or delicate flowers. I have used rail light movers in the past.They are interesting to say the least and do work to ensure heat distribution. Maintenance on them is a little different and they tend to be noisy. Another time I will go into what I have tried and used over the years and what I prefer to use. Remember that light strengths (lumens) increase exponentially as it moves towards the source. A plant two feet away from its light source will only receive a quarter of the lumens that a plant one foot away will.
There are two common kinds of light movers. The first systems will consist of two or more lamps in small reflectors attached to arms that turn constantly in a circle. The other is the lights rail system, which consists of one or more lamps in reflectors constantly moving back and forth down a rail. Light movers not only provide more intense light with the lamp closer to the plants but they can provide far more even lighting. This allows three lights with a light mover to do the work of four. Another overlooked benefit of light movers is what the motor for the mover will be using around 1 amp, which is around 75watts-100watts. With 1000watts HID at 120 volts just of 9 amps, with house circuuits generally designed for 15 amps -20 amps, any way to save electricity is essential.
The sooner cuttings are established the better and this means growing roots fast. The best way to have almost any cutting root quickly is to have and maintain a bottom temperature of 80-85F. Keeping the roots 10F warmer than the air will speed up rooting on cuttings and drastically improve their survival rate. The best way to achieve this is by having a heating mat under the tray of cuttings. This can speed up rooting clones from two weeks to three days. Personally I have never used a heating mat in my own garden. I have not needed to as I am not located in an area of the country that weathers go through too many extremes, lucky me!
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