RDWC Water Chiller Help Please!

Hello,
This is my third grow. Having problem getting the chiller to bring the water below 25°c (77°f). Last two grows, both through autumn/winter, the room temp kept between 20°c & 26°c (68°f & 78°f). And the chiller had no problem bringing water down to 16°c (60°f).

Now it's mid spring her in Australia. Room temp is around 35°c (95°f).. Had mh bulbs in but ditched them as temps were even higher than they are now.

My setup is 4, 75 litre (20 gallon) garden bins
4 Air stones in each bin
One 800 litre\hour pump for each bin (had that big
$300 green one in pics but read air is too hot with
them so ditched it
System is 200 litres (52 gallons) all up.
Water gets pumped from res through 19mm tubing up through bottom of each bin.. Then water reaches 25mm return line that is inch from bottom net pot. This way bins always stay full of water and only res depletes.

All I can think of is room is too hot, the feed and return line is heating up, maybe.. Feels fine I don't know.

Chiller definitely works tried in smaller container. Its rated to 500 litres (132 gallons)

Any ideas?, Thanks

make ur buckets white for one... will help more than u think.

wrapping them in that shiny bubblewrap lookin stuff from hardware stores works best... im too high to think of the name, sorry, new bong arrived... from old school, to a 21arm perc... way high...

Flagg420 said:

make ur buckets white for one... will help more than u think..

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Really?

I've read more than 10 times over last 6 months that white buckets are crappy, due to letting light in and algea growth..

a white bucket IS bad, u need it light proof, but the exposed outer layer needs to be reflecting heat/light not absorbing it. Black absorbs better than white/mylar. If u look up a cheap passive pool water heater... its just a black base with lotsa black hose, sittin in the sun being warm....

Dont start with white buckets (or blue from lowes, lol) get that good opaque bucket, then cover it. Vent tape, duct tape, insulation wrap, mylar, anything.... (if i build a new RDWC it will be made out of igloo coolers....)

Insulate your lines also, I was having trouble bringing my temps down until I wrapped the lines. Hope you get it figured out.

TMan

Sent from my SM-G900P using Rollitup mobile app

Like this for your buckets, keeps light and heat out:



I also covered my tubing with a towel, insulated wrap would be better.

Shit thanks for all the replies guys, probably won't change the color of buckets at this stage.. But will definitely be wrapping bins and lines in that insulated bubble wrap that everyone recomended..

Cheers

The reflectix is about $16 for 25' at Home Depot. Its like Franks Red Hot sauce

hbbum said:

The reflectix is about $16 for 25' at Home Depot. Its like Franks Red Hot sauce

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Haha yeah,
We don't have home depot here in Australia.Our biggest hardware store here wants $250 for 20 meters.. It has a silver side and about a cm of insulation. I'll see what else I can find

Even some white spray paint would be a major improvement over the black in a pinch on the buckets, then some white/reflective insulating wrap for your tubing.

someone was on about "making" buckets white(painting them)....not "getting"white buckets ..i wrap mine in bubble wrap and mylar.......a bit like my wife.lol.


the white paint would definetly help....good luck .