habanero leaves curling

[chinamon]

i have two golden habanero plants in DWC buckets under a 400watt hps but the leaves are curling a bit. is it the heat from the light?

[GpsFrontier]

Unfortunately I don't have an answer for you. Though I am wondering what the air temp at the plants is. I have a feeling if you think it might be an issue, it probably is to high (even if it is not the problem). I would vent the heat out to eliminate it as an issue anyway. Pepper plants like warm climates but I wouldn't want the temp to get much above 80 degrees. I also would make sure the nutrient solution's temp was between 68 and 72 degrees consistently. Then check the pH level daily and change the nutrient solution once a week at least until they were looking healthy. These things I would just do anyway, I don't know if it will solve the problem but it should eliminate them as a problem.

[chinamon]

Originally Posted by GpsFrontier

Unfortunately I don't have an answer for you. Though I am wondering what the air temp at the plants is. I have a feeling if you think it might be an issue, it probably is to high (even if it is not the problem). I would vent the heat out to eliminate it as an issue anyway. Pepper plants like warm climates but I wouldn't want the temp to get much above 80 degrees. I also would make sure the nutrient solution's temp was between 68 and 72 degrees consistently. Then check the pH level daily and change the nutrient solution once a week at least until they were looking healthy. These things I would just do anyway, I don't know if it will solve the problem but it should eliminate them as a problem.

i just moved the light a little higher from the plants so it is about 3.5ft above the buckets now (they are still tiny plants). the light was around 2.5ft above the plants before but i do not know the temperature it was then. i put a thermometer (took it from my freezer) and put it on the bucket and it says around 27C (80F). unfortunately i do not have a thermometer to test the water yet cuz i do not want to get this one dirty since it goes around food. also, i am using a vortex 4" fan. i am thinking about getting an aircooled reflector but i dont know anyone using one inside a tent and if it is worth the money.

[chinamon]

i just changed the nutrient water and it did feel like the water was a little on the warm side. i will have to buy an aquarium thermometer soon so i can check it for sure. what if the water is too warm? how can i cool it? it would be kind of hard to do in a 2x4ft grow tent.

[GpsFrontier]

i put a thermometer (took it from my freezer) and put it on the bucket and it says around 27C (80F)

If it's the type like we have in our freezer that changes color with the temp, I don't think it is very accurate. There is too much room for interpretation with the different colors, also they are usually calibrated for cold temps. The high temp is usualy at the edge of its limits making it less accurate. I would get a regular room thermometer to be more accurate. I don't know what your budget is like but you could also get a "ACURITE" weather station like I have with a remote sensor. It tells you the air temp, humidity and even bromidic air temp. It even has a memory button that will tell you the high and lows for the whole day. I got it at Wal-mart for 30 or 40 bucks. I have the remote sensor outside but you could keep it near the plants. It also has a flat panel LED moniter that ether mounts to a wall or you can set it on a table or desk like a picture frame.

i am using a vortex 4" fan. i am thinking about getting an aircooled reflector but i dont know anyone using one inside a tent and if it is worth the money.

I don't know what kind of money that is myself, But I would never buy a fan from a hydroponic store or website. There is just too many choices of fans at Home Depot and Lowe's to choose from. If you need a custom fit, that's easy to figure out also. If you need to run the ventilation outside or somewhere the heating and AC ducting works great, and you can custom fit it to just about anything. Send me a private message If you want some help with that, just give me some details of your setup (pictures would help also) and what kind budget you are working with and I will try to give you some ideas.

i just changed the nutrient water and it did feel like the water was a little on the warm side. i will have to buy an aquarium thermometer soon so i can check it for sure. what if the water is too warm? how can i cool it? it would be kind of hard to do in a 2x4ft grow tent.

If the water is warm to the touch it is defiantly too warm. Body temp is between 96-98 degrees so it should defiantly feel cool to the touch. I have dealt with this problem myself because I live in the desert where it reaches 128 degrees in the summer and all my plants were outside. To fix this you should first figure out what is causing the water temp to rise, its absorbing heat from somewhere. There are a few ways to cool it down that I know of including ice (that can dilute the solution) that are inexpensive. If you can keep it from warming up in the first place that would be the best defense. It would help to let me know details like how many gallons of nutrient solution, the air temp of where the reservoir is stored is, if it's inside or outside, what type of container it is in. I also don't know how your set up, if everything needs to remain in the grow tent or can you move the reservoir outside of it.

[chinamon]

Originally Posted by GpsFrontier

If it's the type like we have in our freezer that changes color with the temp, I don't think it is very accurate. There is too much room for interpretation with the different colors, also they are usually calibrated for cold temps. The high temp is usualy at the edge of its limits making it less accurate. I would get a regular room thermometer to be more accurate. I don't know what your budget is like but you could also get a "ACURITE" weather station like I have with a remote sensor. It tells you the air temp, humidity and even bromidic air temp. It even has a memory button that will tell you the high and lows for the whole day. I got it at Wal-mart for 30 or 40 bucks. I have the remote sensor outside but you could keep it near the plants. It also has a flat panel LED moniter that ether mounts to a wall or you can set it on a table or desk like a picture frame.

i used a mercury thermometer.

Originally Posted by GpsFrontier

I don't know what kind of money that is myself, But I would never buy a fan from a hydroponic store or website. There is just too many choices of fans at Home Depot and Lowe's to choose from. If you need a custom fit, that's easy to figure out also. If you need to run the ventilation outside or somewhere the heating and AC ducting works great, and you can custom fit it to just about anything. Send me a private message If you want some help with that, just give me some details of your setup (pictures would help also) and what kind budget you are working with and I will try to give you some ideas.

it was $170CAD plus shipping. already bought and in use so i wont be getting rid of it. it is 172cfm and i havent seen anything that powerful in this size at any home improvement store.

Originally Posted by GpsFrontier

If the water is warm to the touch it is defiantly too warm. Body temp is between 96-98 degrees so it should defiantly feel cool to the touch. I have dealt with this problem myself because I live in the desert where it reaches 128 degrees in the summer and all my plants were outside. To fix this you should first figure out what is causing the water temp to rise, its absorbing heat from somewhere. There are a few ways to cool it down that I know of including ice (that can dilute the solution) that are inexpensive. If you can keep it from warming up in the first place that would be the best defense. It would help to let me know details like how many gallons of nutrient solution, the air temp of where the reservoir is stored is, if it's inside or outside, what type of container it is in. I also don't know how your set up, if everything needs to remain in the grow tent or can you move the reservoir outside of it.

that is my setup.
i think the water is getting warm because the buckets are black. i thought about spray painting them white but that would cause a disaster because i would have to wait for the paint to dry and i have nowhere to put the plants in the meantime. also, if i paint the lids i am afraid of the paint chipping and getting in to the water. i think the best way would be to use a white bucket and use some sort of black plastic liner inside... or maybe even just cover the bucket with a white plastic bag instead of painting it.
i would need to keep the whole setup within the tent as there is no room in my house for this (my parents would kill me) and i cannot move it outside (they will kill me again). the air temp of where the reservoir is stored is 27C, the same temp as where i measured the temp at plant/bucket level.

the only difference with my setup and the pic is i have moved the ballast outside the tent.