Bucket color dictates water temps?

noxiously

Well-Known Member
People say to use black colored buckets when you do a DWC because it blocks out light preventing the growth of algae. I understand this cause light + water = algae. But after losing a battle to root rot it left me wondering how could I keep the water temps down in 5 gallon buckets low enough to prevent this. I guess using Great White Shark or Orca would help battle the bad bacteria but water temps is the
main concern. We all know that dark colors absorb light causing heat and lighter colors reflect light causing less heat. So would it be better to use white buckets and battle algae, which might be easier to get rid of instead of using black light absorbing buckets which in turn will cause your water to heat up quicker? I stuck a thermometer to the lid of the bucket and the lid itself is registering 90F. If white buckets reflect more light shouldn't it cause the water temps to go up slower, with the hopes that by changing the water once a week would help prevent root rot?
 

2supra4u

Well-Known Member
get black buckets and get some krylon fusion paint for plasticsand spray paint them all flat white.

light is blocked and they are white to reflect light and not absorb as much heat.
 

Illegal Smile

Well-Known Member
get black buckets and get some krylon fusion paint for plasticsand spray paint them all flat white.

light is blocked and they are white to reflect light and not absorb as much heat.
This. You can buy spray paint marked for plastic at Walmart.

ps I don't understand the concern about water temps. Once my plants are big enough to form a canopy, the temp on top of the res is at least 10 degrees cooler that at the foliage canopy. Since I keep my canopy temps under 80, my water temps are not going to be a problem and I never check them.
 

Dalamar71

Member
I have my buckets buckets blacked out and have no trouble with the water temps. I do have one of my air pumps setting next to an air vent so it is pumping in air from a cooler source than room temp. This might help with your bucket temps, not sure.
 

dbkick

Well-Known Member
I believe they also make some sort of insulation you could easily wrap your bucket with too but igloo coolers are def the way to go.
 

Illegal Smile

Well-Known Member
There's another one that leaves me scratching my head. A cooler or any other kind of insulation will eventually come to the same water temp as an ordinary tote. It might keep cold water cooler longer, but without an external energy source (anything from an electric chiller to ice) it will come to the same temperature. But then again, I don't see how you can have water temps too high, without having plant killing temps up under your lights.
 

dbkick

Well-Known Member
"Eventually" being days and days. Coolers work . Some people may not be able to maintain a proper room temp so say the room is running at 75 degrees, this leaves your water just a touch over the safe mark of 70 F. Another instance is say you run co2, you're gonna run your room temp up to possibly the mid 80s. what temp is your water gonna be in an uninsulated res within hours? Not in a cooler.
 

dbkick

Well-Known Member
then lets not even consider the safe mark of 70 F , lets consider what affect temperature has on DO.warmer water means less o2 retained.
 

dbkick

Well-Known Member
I see, you just want to argue with someone. look around, you'll see the info.It all has to do with bacteria and fungi and how they form in water over 70 degrees.
 
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