Running hot... Is this likely my problem?

I am currently about 3 weeks into my first grow - a DWC system using 3 X 130W 6400K CFL in a closet. My water PH and PPM is good, I have an extraction fan plus two fans blowing for circulation. While I suspect my current lighting won't be enough in the long run, I feel for the size of my plants at the moment that the lighting is sufficient. The CFL's are just a few inches from my babies and they are getting 18 hours of light per day.

My growth rate is pretty dismal. In three weeks all plants are small and from what I can tell from other grow journals I am running way behind where I could be. I guess at the moment they are just 3 inches high and only just starting their second set of leaves. I think I am doing everything right however the closet is getting warm. For the most part the temp inside is around 90F which I know is significantly hotter than the ideal.

I am trying to work out exactly where I am going wrong and guess it has to be the temperature. What would one commonly expect running at these types of temps? Slow growth? Weak plants? I wouldn't say they look weak, just very puny and don't seem to be doing much. Yesterday I increased my water to 300ppm which is probably as high as I want to go at the moment (from what I have read anyway). Any help appreciated.

i have grown in soil at 90 but had a dwc also in room and had high res temps and seem tto be fine and know someone else who did dwc in closet and seemed fine with high temps

MJ is a hearty plant
what is your water temp

lighting is your problem, go get a HID and throw those CFL's away

jesus of Cannabis said:

lighting is your problem, go get a HID and throw those CFL's away

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i don't agree with this completely... of course you'd get better results with hid lighting, but that's not to say that your plants shouldn't be bigger than they are now even when using cfls..
i like to start my seedlings under cfls for the first two or so weeks before moving them under the hids, and my growth seems to be more than 3 inches in three weeks like what the op is stating..

i think that the heat is your major problem.. i had a grow this summer where my temps got out of control, and i can attest that heat will really slow your growth down to almost a crawl...i would work on trying to get your temps down into the 70's or so, and see if that don't improve things for you..

Unfortunately I have no real way to get the temp down. We are coming into the Aussie summer and the problem will only get worse in time. I am going to fool around with the timer and have my 6 hours darkness during the hottest time of the day here, but I believe 75% of the heat is coming from the lights and fans and the general area where my grow space is.

I haven't checked my water temp but guess it would be close to the general growing room temp, it certainly wouldn't be hotter anyway.

I have no problem using HID lighting and would consider installing it, but I think this would just skyrocket my temps more?

I originally chose CFL to keep down electricity bills but most importantly because I thought they would run much cooler.

Little frustrating actually. The temperature seems to be right out of my control. Perhaps growing in winter might be better, but would still expect it to be quite warm in this closet.

yah, hids are going to do nothing but make your temps even higher, that's for sure...

there was just a thread on here about running your lights at this odd schedule so that you can keep the temps down.. it was something like 5.5 on, some off, 5.5 on, etc.. this is said to help keep the temps down as you're not having the lights on for a constant 18 hours a day, and sounded promising to me... google gas lantern tech for more info on if you're interested in it, or i could try and find the thread for you as well..
i'm no dwc pro, or even a novice, but i think that you'd need to have cooler temps in your res to help promote better root growth.. i've heard that higher temps will cause a lot of problems with root rot and other things as well... my one friend runs a ice probe chiller for his rez and keeps the temps at around 68 i thnk he said... his is made by nano i do believe is the name of the cmopany..

racerboy71 said:

yah, hids are going to do nothing but make your temps even higher, that's for sure...

there was just a thread on here about running your lights at this odd schedule so that you can keep the temps down.. it was something like 5.5 on, some off, 5.5 on, etc.. this is said to help keep the temps down as you're not having the lights on for a constant 18 hours a day, and sounded promising to me... google gas lantern tech for more info on if you're interested in it, or i could try and find the thread for you as well..
i'm no dwc pro, or even a novice, but i think that you'd need to have cooler temps in your res to help promote better root growth.. i've heard that higher temps will cause a lot of problems with root rot and other things as well... my one friend runs a ice probe chiller for his rez and keeps the temps at around 68 i thnk he said... his is made by nano i do believe is the name of the cmopany..

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u are right 68 is ideal
i used frozen 20 oz coke bottles the cool mine in summer but its a pain
he needs to talk to hellraizer he is hydro guy
https://www.rollitup.org/members/hellraizer30-34155.html

arizoning said:

u are right 68 is ideal
i used frozen 20 oz coke bottles the cool mine in summer but its a pain
he needs to talk to hellraizer he is hydro guy
https://www.rollitup.org/members/hellraizer30-34155.html

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nice, woohoo, i learned something, lol.. i forgot all about the iced soda bottle method, but i tend to agree with you and that it looks like a right pain in the arse.. having to change out two litre bottles every couple of hours doesn't sound like my idea of a fun saturday night, lol.. not to mention who the fuck even has that much room in their freezer to be able to do this all of the time....

i've also heard about using the parts of an old mini fridge to cool rez temps that looked pretty bad ass, but i forget the details on it atm as i'm not a dwc guy like i've said..
i'd look into that hellraizer guy though, sounds like he knows what's up, much unlike myself..

racerboy71 said:

nice, woohoo, i learned something, lol.. i forgot all about the iced soda bottle method, but i tend to agree with you and that it looks like a right pain in the arse.. having to change out two litre bottles every couple of hours doesn't sound like my idea of a fun saturday night, lol.. not to mention who the fuck even has that much room in their freezer to be able to do this all of the time....

i've also heard about using the parts of an old mini fridge to cool rez temps that looked pretty bad ass, but i forget the details on it atm as i'm not a dwc guy like i've said..
i'd look into that hellraizer guy though, sounds like he knows what's up, much unlike myself..

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i seen a post long time ago of a mini frig with 2 holes in top and coiled up poly tubing inside

and u can buy them frigs used for like 20-30 bucks at yard sale

The frozen bottles aren't an option. I am just not home enough to be able to do this.

I don't know what to do. I would seriously consider spending some reasonable bucks on a LED system if I thought it would help. I need to do more research but I am sure LED lighting would have to help with the temps. Probably the wrong place to ask this, but does anybody have any opinion on something like this?

http://www.newagehydro.com/shop/details.php?prodId=640

cocktail said:

The frozen bottles aren't an option. I am just not home enough to be able to do this.

I don't know what to do. I would seriously consider spending some reasonable bucks on a LED system if I thought it would help. I need to do more research but I am sure LED lighting would have to help with the temps. Probably the wrong place to ask this, but does anybody have any opinion on something like this?

http://www.newagehydro.com/shop/details.php?prodId=640

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save your money and buy a chiller