Seed Heat pads, way more trouble than there worth.

potpimp

potpimp

Sector 5 Moderator
I use a heat mat and would not do without it. After wasting *hundreds* of seeds to experimentation, I've found that the one thing that makes the most difference is a heat mat. You have to dial it in before using it - period. Mine is a digital but I still put a small thermometer with the seeds just to make sure.
 
Burger Boss

Burger Boss

Well-Known Member
Hey Pot, you old rascal....Well put. Nothing seems to effect the "baby girls" so negatively as crazy temp fluctuations.
I sure as hell wouldn't leave home without MY Hydro-Farm heat mat, LOL.
Good to see you around and full good advice my friend. And BTW, I'm thinking by the time you get to CA, it's gonna be legal!
PM me & give me the "Wuz Up". Good luck & good grow to ALL.......BB
 
potpimp

potpimp

Sector 5 Moderator
Burger Boss said:
Hey Pot, you old rascal....Well put. Nothing seems to effect the "baby girls" so negatively as crazy temp fluctuations.
I sure as hell wouldn't leave home without MY Hydro-Farm heat mat, LOL.
Good to see you around and full good advice my friend. And BTW, I'm thinking by the time you get to CA, it's gonna be legal!
PM me & give me the "Wuz Up". Good luck & good grow to ALL.......BB
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Hell yeah man!! We're still looking at northern Cali. It's such a pita to find work unless you live there. Will PM you in a bit.
 
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BigBudE

Well-Known Member
I hooked up my fan speed controller to the heat mat and am testing it out figuring out what setting equal what temp. What is the best setting for seeds and seedlings? I remember someone mentioning 80.
Me fucking up those seeds was my own fault but why would they make a seed heat mat that gets that hot??? If i would have known you had to have a temp controller i definitely would have bought one but niave me figured a seed heat mat would only get as hot as needed. Im thinking i might have gotten a faulty one becouse even without out a temp contoller it should not have got hot enough to melt the bottom of the propagation tray a little. O'well leason learned.
Thanks for the reply
BigBudE
 
freddiemoney

freddiemoney

Well-Known Member
BigBudE said:
I hooked up my fan speed controller to the heat mat and am testing it out figuring out what setting equal what temp. What is the best setting for seeds and seedlings? I remember someone mentioning 80.
Me fucking up those seeds was my own fault but why would they make a seed heat mat that gets that hot??? If i would have known you had to have a temp controller i definitely would have bought one but niave me figured a seed heat mat would only get as hot as needed. Im thinking i might have gotten a faulty one becouse even without out a temp contoller it should not have got hot enough to melt the bottom of the propagation tray a little. O'well leason learned.
Thanks for the reply
BigBudE
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Jorge Cervantes' book has 78-80 degree soil and 72-74 degree air as ideal conditions for germination.

That heat mat may have been defective, especially if it got so hot it damaged the tray. A couple of years ago I had a car with basically no heat, so I used a seat heating pad that plugged into the cigarette lighter. The heating grid in it went bad in no time and would just fry one side of your ass while everywhere else froze. There was a lot of bouncing and shifting around that winter. :)
 
potpimp

potpimp

Sector 5 Moderator
One thing that has not been pointed out is you don't put the seeds directly on the mat; you put down a face towel first, or put them in rapid rooters, peat pots or what not. I put a dome over mine too. I have it where I can see the thermometer thru the clear plastic.
 
Total Head

Total Head

Well-Known Member
do the thermostats of these heat mats work opposite? example if the room temp is 70 degrees and i set the heat mat to 60 degrees, will it simply not kick on or will it maintain the 60 degree temp? i'm figuring it won't kick on because it is a heating and not a cooling element but i thought the people who have them might know.
 
Burger Boss

Burger Boss

Well-Known Member
Total Head said:
do the thermostats of these heat mats work opposite? example if the room temp is 70 degrees and i set the heat mat to 60 degrees, will it simply not kick on or will it maintain the 60 degree temp? i'm figuring it won't kick on because it is a heating and not a cooling element but i thought the people who have them might know.
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Your take is correct. It is a heating pad, it can elevate temps, but not lower them........BB
 
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BigBudE

Well-Known Member
I use propagation tray that has another tray that it sits in to collect the water, and I also use root riot cubes and a humidity dome. This was only my second time using them but the first time was with clones and they worked great and they probally would have worked great this last time if not for me having incredibly bad luck.
BigBudE
 
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tztop

Active Member
It surely would help if you guys would check your spelling and grammar so the rest of Us can understand what You're trying to say. It only takes a few seconds to make sure you got it right. Thank You.
 
T

tztop

Active Member
If You have a thermostat but You do have a timer set it to go on for 30 minutes and off for 15 minutes. And if You do have a thermostat set it for 85 degrees and fo get about it. Little Italian humor there!
 
LeastExpectedGrower

LeastExpectedGrower

Well-Known Member
TiresMakeContactwRoad said:
I just discovered this problem today. Fried 4x 2020 biscautos and 6 mint macaron auto seeds and Im pretty bummed about it
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Yeah, you really need the thermostat if you're going to use a heat-mat. I have a few therms and 4 or 5 mats, I run a few mats per thermostat and it works perfectly. Not only do I use them for seeding but I use them for younger seedlings to keep the soil zone at a reasonable temperature. They also work well for brewing and baking if you play with yeast hobbies.
 
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oswizzle

Well-Known Member
Don’t use heat mats this time of year unless you grow in an Igloo…you’ll end up with mush…. Break them out for colder times of the year …
 
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