Filled with fluid, these large containers weigh about 250 pounds, and cannot be moved easily. Large plants such as tomatoes and cucumbers will require much more fluid than 5 gallons, so I grow these in 32 gallon buckets. If I am growing indoors, I always nest the full bucket inside of an empty bucket, to protect my floors in the event of a leak. Keep in mind that this extra care is optional, and you may still get decent results even when the hydroponic fluid reservoir temperature is 75 ☏ or higher.Ī small container such as a 5 gallon bucket can easily be placed inside or outside. If you are running a large hydroponic set-up, you might consider regulating your fluid temperature by either using a separate water chiller, rotating frozen bottles of water into your reservoir, or even burying your reservoir a few feet into the ground. If you think about plants growing outside in dirt, even on a hot day the temperature at the root zone is quite cool, just a few feet underground. This can help to keep certain problems at bay, such algae growth, bacterial growth and root rot. Ideally, the temperature of the plants’ root systems should be kept at 64-68 ☏ (18-20 ☌). You could also just paint the outside of these buckets and the lids with white paint. With the larger 32 gallon buckets, I wrap these in aluminum foil. With black 5 gallon buckets, I place these inside of empty white 5 gallon buckets, which keeps them cool. If you are growing outside during the warm summer months, I recommend covering your buckets to deflect some of the sunlight, which keeps the hydroponic fluid from getting too hot. If the outside temperature is 90☏ during the day, your plants may suffer, so consider growing indoors where you can more carefully control the air temperature. Temperature Hydroponic fluid will stay cooler in these covered buckets. You can set up your buckets anywhere, so should you set them up inside or outside? There are several factors to consider:
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