Thanks for the reply StrangGuy,
Sorry to hear about the
pump disaster, amazing how fast the plants wilt and die (with hydroponics) when they don't get there water. Glad they came back to life though. I have had similar problems with the water level getting too low and the plants don't get watered like they need. I even forgot to plug the pump back into the timer after a
nutrient change a few times (but no pump failures yet though).
Sounds like I was close anyway on the water uptake estimates. Figuring that they could drink up to 1-2 gallons per day each, for plants that were 3-4 feet tall (depending on heat and humidity). Looks like about half the plants are about 3 feet tall now, and still growing. So I wouldn't be surprised if they wind up drinking as much as a gallon per day (each) a month from now.
I agree the peppers are better off protected by the foliage from the hot direct sunlight. But I think spacing the plants farther apart would also allow the side shoots to grow farther out, allowing them to get much wider and producing even more peppers. That would still protect the peppers from the sun. But anyway, it looks like you are going to be eating a lot of peppers for a while. Do you have any thoughts on your next crop in this system. Are you going with peppers again? Something else, or even thinking of a combination of plants? I imagine you'll want a winter crop of something next.
As for the freezing technique you mentioned, it does work. We do it all the time. I haven't done it with peppers, but we do it with fruit like blueberries and strawberry's (even meat like pork chops sometimes). It's just a mater of freezing each individual piece when there not touching, that way the moisture in them freezes before they touch, and then wont stick together when you put (and store) them all in the same bag. But you need to keep them completely frozen all the time. Don't forget to put them right back in the freezer as soon as your done, or the slightest thawing will create moisture that will make them stick together when it freezes again. Also they wont last forever in the freezer. Unless they are vacuum sealed, there still subject to getting freezer burned. But they should last a few months in there anyway.