Why you need a water chiller hydroponics system
One of the problems with hydroponics systems is the potential buildup of algae or other bacteria in your water trays and at the roots of your plants. Although the water is moving in a hydroponics drip system, it is moving very slowly, and the chance of algae build up is a reality. Any hydroponics system needs temperature control, but often the hydroponics gardener focuses on the air temperature not realizing that warm water can actually cause the plants quite a few problems. If you install a hydroponics water chiller you can maintain a cool temperature for the water and nutrients in it, thus avoiding a breeding ground for bacteria and algae, and eventually diseased plants.
What are the choices for a hydroponics water chiller system?
There are a number of choices when buying water chiller hydroponics equipment, and the type you select will depend on the hydroponics system you are using and your budget. You need to find out whether the system you are considering has surge protect, as one of the continual headaches for a hydroponics gardener is the loss of power, to the extent that serious hydroponics gardeners install a backup generator. Surge protect system attached to alarms will at least avoid your electronics being fried by a power surge. Some water chiller systems have temperature memory systems so that if you set the temperature it will remember and adjust should there be environmental factors that alter the temperature. You choose your water chiller based upon the quantity of water you need chilled and by how much you need to bring the temperature down. So, for example, a ¼ horsepower, water chiller hydroponics, system operates at 280 watts, will chill 180 gallons by 10 degrees or 100 gallons by 30 degrees and needs the 650 gallons per hour pump with ¾ inch fittings. These water chillers are suitable for flood table and ebb and flow hydroponics systems.
Types of water chiller hydroponics systems
For most amateur hydroponics gardeners if you want to buy a 1/0 HP water chiller, expect to pay around $350 to $400, from most hydroponics equipment retailers. If you have a lot of money to spend, and are growing a lot of crops, you may need to install several chillers, as you probably will have several lines of crop growing. Some growers get away without using a water chiller hydroponics system, they rotate the water by adding bottles of chilled water at intervals, and use air fans to cool the ambient temperature, but that is a lot of work if you have more than a few plants to monitor. If you can find the funds, a water chiller hydroponics system is worth the investment.
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