Liquid cooled light questions.

I'm looking to upgrade from my tiny 400w cabinet into a larger 5x5 grow tent. I would like to use a Lumatek 1000w dim-able ballast with a hortilux bulb in a 8" Raptor reflector. To cool the cabinet I have been looking at getting a Fresca Sol Platinum liquid cooled cool tube. I was thinking of using two plastic 50 gallon drums as a reservoir to hold the water for the cool tube.

What pump should I get to pump enough water through the light and through the barrels?

I'm thinking of growing 6 plants in 20 gallon pots in a 5x5 grow tent. I'd veg them for a while under my 400 then veg them under the 1000 for a couple weeks. then switch to 12/12. Will be growing in my own organic soil mix. Looking at growing Pure Power Plant and Raspberry Cough.

The plastic barrels will be kept outside the grow tent. Id like to keep them in the same room as the tent however.

Odor will be controlled by a 200cfm fan running a 200cfm carbon filter. I could vent the cabinet air out side the tent or leave it inside the tent and just rub it as a scrubber.

The tent Im looking at is a Secret Jardin 60"x60"x80"


If anyone sees anything that Im forgetting or has any suggestions, let me know.

Isn't the Raptor hood to long to mount the Fresca Sol so you have to alter the hood to support the end of the Fresca Sol not mounted in the vent hole?

I personally think liquid cooling is a sham. Tested up through 6000w without even trying hard, I've never even had minor issues getting the hoods cool. For the price of a chiller, then the electricity to run it, I think they are a waste big time. Plus theres the cost to maintain, and the issues you run into if there is a failure or a leak.

It's like Liquid cooling in a PC, with all top of the line stuff, and overclocked to the max, I always was able to just add more high quality fans and avoid heat issues. It's just a novelty item that is extremely expensive.

I'm ordering the Fresca Sol Platinum which is a bit longer. Im sure it will take some rigging to get the fresca sol inside the raptor, but thats the fun part of building grow rooms.

I'm trying to use the liquid cooled light in order to avoid the noise issue that is created by an 8" fan. I'm not planning on using a chiller but a large enough reservoir where the temperature will be controlled. If I need something else to remove heat from the water, I will rig up an old car radiator with an electric fan and use that as a heat sink.

Only thing I see bad about the water cooled lights are if you get bubbles(water is low) the light is displaced. And without a chiller it will only take a few hours to get the water hot so it can't do it's job of cooling. So for the price of the water hoods and chiller plus the extra water( yes you need to change it out weekly) you can get a 10" fan and 2 silencers. 1 before the fan and 1 after. Also aford hard vent pipes instead of flex ducting. It's the turbulence that makes alot of noise.

Oh and as far as the heat sink radiator/fan thing. It dosnt work. I've tryed it. Water needs to be 50-60 degrees leaving the radiator. Unless you in a ice country the air will be hotter then that. Yes I tryed when I had 2' of snow. Still didn't work.

They are 24" long. They make an extension rod to fit the larger hoods. They work great and are far from a sham. Light that shines thru water sure looses some lumens but what you get in return is far worth it. You can get away with a not using a chiller but they work better with them. Of course these days chillers are fairly easy to make DIY and work fine. If you have any questions I have been running a water cooled light for over ten years.