I dont know why I didn’t think of this sooner, but panda film wrapped white side out on dwc buckets to stop them from absorbing light as heat energy. Gotta love when good ideas come to ya on the toilet.
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“Why is my resevior so warm?” Asks the guy with dark black or dark blue buckets and lids.
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Good idea, I wrap mine in water tank insulation…both would be doublegood!
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Those white buckets would be lots of algae in DWC, too much light pollution.
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I’ve thought about doing that too. I think I will when I get setup for my next grow. I’m changing my process up a bit. Gonna propagate in one big dwc tote then transfer to rdwc at node 2 or 3.
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Yes, it’s all I had at the moment.
They have been replaced by black 100% opaque 5 gallon buckets…
I have 5 gallon netpots for the next run…
Keep it Green! 
,
WHAB
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I’m not talking about white buckets, I’m talking about dark buckets being wrapped in a reflective layer. The main buckets aren’t opaque so lights not creating algea but dark colors do absorb light as heat energy which in turn heats up the water/nutrient solution.
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Ah I gotcha, good point, I’ll have to look for it.
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I’m just using blue lowes buckets right now, they get a bit warmer than I’d like and I’m increasing light next run so they’re all getting coated in something to insulate/reflect and getting turned into 2 8 plant recirculating systems. I’m trying to avoid having to add chillers if I can because well I don’t feel like adding them to my electric bill 
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I’ve used metallic bubble wrap insulation for this very purpose. Worked well but then I built a new system and plan on making another set in the summer
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I use Reflectix foil insulation for my RDWC. It’s great, even when using a chiller, because it helps the chiller not work as hard & reduces condensation on the outside of the buckets.
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I’m shutting down for summer other than couple of mothers because the heat is such a battle…and holidays.
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Looks like Chinese take out!
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Thats the stuff!
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The Lowe’s bucket are not opaque, they are translucent (I have 6. I bought 6 just for transfer buckets, never intending to grow plants in them…while I was waiting for my ULine order to show up.)…light goes right through them.
ULine has 100% opaque buckets, light does not get through.
Uline also have EZ Peel Lids which really are Easy Peel. They snap shut and peel right up! That came in really handy when I ran the black (opaque) air lines out to the buckets in the grow space, with not much room to move around.
And, yes, you are right, heat will transfer.
Keep it Green!
,
WHAB
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I’ve looked at them, but ive got a bunch of lowes buckets and I think the reflective insulation should make up the difference. They’re a good deal though and I would’ve definitely gone that route had I seen them before lugging a suspicious amount of buckets into my house.
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That’s a Roger, Roger!
,
WHAB
My neighbors across the street asked what was with all the buckets. “Uhh I uhh use them for stuff, yeah”
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I use the dark blue Lowe’s buckets also. Stops enough of light on sides when crowded in small room. The plant blocks any other light from going down from top.
I put buckets on 1 1/2"×1/2" slats so air circulates under buckets. Big improvement.with a fan blowing at them
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