Is 67/68 degrees too cold?

Coldnasty

Well-Known Member
A heat mat should help in a basement. I’m using one in a 3x5. The ones Mars makes now are huge. They cover the entire floor almost. 2 of them would cover a 4x4 area. It raises my temps from 70 to 78F. View attachment 5252959View attachment 5252958
That’s a great idea. Something about the e warmers always freaked me out. No basis in fact that I know of just seem dangerous. Probably aren’t but still as soon as my stuffs rooted that things goes off lol
 

Fangthane

Well-Known Member
Wish I had the OP's problems. Here in AZ (in a house with no AC) I'm only running a 480watt QB in a 5x5, and during the summer my tent still spends a good bit of time above 90*. Swamp coolers are fucking useless! I wouldn't think 68-ish would really be considered too low, but I don't know shit.
 

Nope_49595933949

Well-Known Member
Wish I had the OP's problems. Here in AZ (in a house with no AC) I'm only running a 480watt QB in a 5x5, and during the summer my tent still spends a good bit of time above 90*. Swamp coolers are fucking useless! I wouldn't think 68-ish would really be considered too low, but I don't know shit.
For LED you want to be low 80s. I try to keep mine between 80-82 with lights on. Most times it's between 78-82, which is fine.

When OP switches to HID I believe he wants to be in the mid 70s, but I haven't used an HID light since my very first grow many years ago.
 

Fangthane

Well-Known Member
When OP switches to HID I believe he wants to be in the mid 70s, but I haven't used an HID light since my very first grow many years ago.
I bought a cheapie Amazon 315watt CMH setup a few years ago. I can only run the thing in the dead of winter, and even then it puts out a bit too much heat when the furnace is also running. Think I'm doomed to stick with LED. Manged to pull about a pound out of my setup once, but that grow just went ridiculously well for some inexplicable reason. Beyond my lack of experience, the lack of much environmental control just kills me sometimes.
 

Rurumo

Well-Known Member
PM grows best right around 70 degrees and 45% RH (according to one study at least, but also in my personal experience), bringing it up to around 80 really helps avoid a lot of problems. I grew for many years at suboptimal temps in an outbuilding and the struggle was real.
 

Orangejoos

Well-Known Member
I bought a cheapie Amazon 315watt CMH setup a few years ago. I can only run the thing in the dead of winter, and even then it puts out a bit too much heat when the furnace is also running. Think I'm doomed to stick with LED. Manged to pull about a pound out of my setup once, but that grow just went ridiculously well for some inexplicable reason. Beyond my lack of experience, the lack of much environmental control just kills me sometimes.
My furnace is closeby too… BUT, doesn’t seem to raise the temp much… or maybe it’d be much colder without it? Not sure.
 

Orangejoos

Well-Known Member
I’m in upstate NY so it’s cold here during winter. The best bet is to get a 35 dollar ink-bird and set your temp on that so your heater kicks on and off to keep the temp steady. The ink-bird was a game changer for me but I also run a duct off my coal stove so the forced hot air goes directly to my tent intake so my heater barely ever runs. The heater really only runs during lights out just to keep the temp steady.
You can run the HPS light to get more heat but most of that heat will be up above the plants so I still think it’s better to have the small space heater down low so that heat rises and keeps whole tent warm. Just a thought though
Hmm. Good call. My space heater kills the power bill though. I’ll figure something out. Thanks for the insight! Much obliged
 

Orangejoos

Well-Known Member
Wish I had the OP's problems. Here in AZ (in a house with no AC) I'm only running a 480watt QB in a 5x5, and during the summer my tent still spends a good bit of time above 90*. Swamp coolers are fucking useless! I wouldn't think 68-ish would really be considered too low, but I don't know shit.
Damn. I’m surprised how warm my basement is considering it’s freezing outside. 68 isn’t too bad considering there’s a foot of snow on the ground right now.
 

John Rollwan

Well-Known Member
I’m well aware of the ideal temp conditions, but my tent which is in my basement, in New York (winter) is steadily about 67 to 69 degrees. I have a small space heater, and am able to get it into the 80s in about 10 mins, but it just goes right back down to the high 60s once I turn it off within 45 mins or so. It’s way too expensive to run constantly or on a thermostat, so I ask you, is 67 too cold?

I have 1 early skunk, 1 master kush both doing great, but my two diesel plants are way behind. I’m hoping it’s just a slower grower, but things are seeminglyslow right now. Thoughts? Everything is relatively healthy, just really small and slow.

First grow in a while, so don’t have too much to compare to. I grew from seed planted on Dec 5 and the diesels are only at the 4th node. Does this sound right?

thanks in advance for any insight.

67-68 is a bit too cold to push more tropical strains that like 74-78 where I live at. Some people push higher but for my RH and set up 74-78 seems to be the sweet spot, the Kush X ice cream I’m running absolutely loves 64-70 range at all times. Your indica dominant stuff will thank you for not increasing heat. The idea for more light though was solid, through all phases won’t hurt.

Even indoor it can help to map seasonally get your indica in winter for deeper colors you can easily access cooler nights. Sativa summers easily dense up whispier strains w heat. Growing them together in one 4x4 is a challenge, I share with you there. I only have a 4x4x8 flower room with a 4x2x3 veg room so I gotta plan a lot. I have tile heating pads on the floor in a pinch and it helps a lot without risk of burn, assuming you have negative pressure.
 

John Rollwan

Well-Known Member
I feel like when I turn that fan on, it’s gonna get cooler…
You’re correct. I’d go with either:
A) a heating matt. There’s cheaper versions in all hardware stores sold under different labels. Tile heater. Seedling warmer. Etc.

B) up the lighting, which won’t help as much w your 2 sativa dominant ones. They will still want the heat.

Either way exchanging air keeps your air closer to atmosphere w/ enough CO2 for plant life. I don’t think you’ll die if you skip this, it’s just a good tip from Nope imo
 

John Rollwan

Well-Known Member
I feel like when I turn that fan on, it’s gonna get cooler…
When I was younger I used a reptile heat lamp once, the ones that give off zero light and just have a heating coil, in the top of an attic during winter lol for 2 plants. They still did absolutely awful, I tried to daisy abunch of basic T8’s together and thought I’d be the next Willie Nelson.

However the reptile heat lamp idea, she’s in play I might try it on the canopy up top for half the 4x4 on the 2 lemon Kush autos I have sprouting to go w these photos fems if it’s still chilly early spring. See what it do for fun. The first one just broke dirt today, so it’ll be a bit before I put them under full LED.
 

John Rollwan

Well-Known Member
It will.
Maybe consider a smaller tent. Way cheaper than a new light.
I run 320w in my 3x3 in the same temperature basement and have no trouble keeping the tent around 80 when the lights are on. No heater involved
Exhaust kicks on and off on temps during the day and by humidity at night.
lowe’s now stocks 100% reflective insulation, 25 foot sheets of 48” tall for I think $39.99 each. Suuuuuuuper handy when I redid my hidden room to be custom instead of a grow tent.
 
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