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 OmSource
Registered: 03/09/11
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 humidifier through ducts- a no no? 
#16532447 - 07/15/12 12:37 AM (10 months, 4 days ago) |
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a question for commercial growers...
I have just spoken with a ducting specialist and he advised against running humid air through my ducting. Something about condensation and ruining the ducting in 6 months or less... he also mentioned that mould would start to grow quite quickly as the glue that holds the ducting together breaks down.
I was very keen to run my humidifier through the ducting as I'd like to supply humid fresh air to multiple spots of my largish grow room (20m2)
What would you guys recommend?
1. just putting the humidifier inside the grow room and forget about trying to humidify the fresh air coming in.
2. rig up a separate system that diverts the humidification to the entry ports of the fresh air
3. Forget the advice against running humidity through the ducting and run the humidifier through the ducting anyway.
Love to hear some thoughts!
Cheers,
OmSource
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 GroboClone
Anthropomorphic Elephant
Registered: 01/07/11
Posts: 345
Loc: Canada 
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Re: humidifier through ducts- a no no? [Re: OmSource]
#16532764 - 07/15/12 01:37 AM (10 months, 3 days ago) |
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I know poly tubing is used in large commercial operations as a disposable duct system.
Having said that, I've never had a problem with mold growing in my 4" ducting that goes from my humidifier/fresh air fan to my room.
However the 6" exhaust duct to my air exchanger gets covered in mold.
If your guy is worried about the humidity breaking down the ducts I'd say you're looking at the wrong kinds,
I'd go with plastic or metal only.
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OmSource
Registered: 03/09/11
Posts: 187
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Re: humidifier through ducts- a no no? [Re: GroboClone]
#16532920 - 07/15/12 02:14 AM (10 months, 3 days ago) |
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thanks for the reply grobo,
we're just using the regular hydroponic ducting, see link
Same ducting as you?
I was very keen to run it like so-
filter-fan-humidifier-split the ducting into two-two input ports equal distance apart.
after the ducting specialist said humidity in the ducting was a no-go I've been trying to think up ways to get the humidifier to the two input ports without going through the ducting.
what do you do?
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chefinainteasy
Chef
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Re: humidifier through ducts- a no no? [Re: OmSource]
#16533693 - 07/15/12 09:12 AM (10 months, 3 days ago) |
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I use a humidity bucket style, except with a 27 gallon rubbermaid bin, and pond fogger, with the same set up you are describing. I do use some flexible ducting in my system, allowing to lift the lid on the bin to refil, and in spots where ridged ducting would be to tight and space consuming.
 
I put a small amount of bleach in the bin when i clean out the side walls once a week. I haven't noticed any molds in the ducting yet. I have a 3' long pipe cleaner i swab occasionally in the inlet ports of the FC and where the air leaves the tote. Haven't found any sign of mold yet. Just be careful of putting bleach in your water take, it degrades the discs of the fogger faster and, upon a bad learning experience of duct mold paranoia, i put way too much in the water. It vaporized with the fog and settled on all the mushrooms i had growing killing or greatly retarding the growth of the mycelium and ruining a whole flush. Not a good week for me 
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woodland_jewel
In den Gärten Pharaos
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Om, my system is exactly what you're talking about and has been functioning well for nearly a year now. Never had any mold in the ducts.
If I ever build this again, I would probably use 4" pvc pipe instead of the regular galvanized ducting.
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OmSource
Registered: 03/09/11
Posts: 187
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yup, I thought I'd seen a few systems that use the ducting...
Quote:
chefinainteasy said:
I put a small amount of bleach in the bin when i clean out the side walls once a week. I haven't noticed any molds in the ducting yet. I have a 3' long pipe cleaner i swab occasionally in the inlet ports of the FC and where the air leaves the tote. Haven't found any sign of mold yet. Just be careful of putting bleach in your water take, it degrades the discs of the fogger faster and, upon a bad learning experience of duct mold paranoia, i put way too much in the water. It vaporized with the fog and settled on all the mushrooms i had growing killing or greatly retarding the growth of the mycelium and ruining a whole flush. Not a good week for me
good point on the bleach. I'll be using a commercial humidifier used to humidify greenhouses. It connects up with the mains water so not possible to use your technique.
Quote:
woodland_jewel said:
Om, my system is exactly what you're talking about and has been functioning well for nearly a year now. Never had any mold in the ducts.
If I ever build this again, I would probably use 4" pvc pipe instead of the regular galvanized ducting.
good to know about the success using ducting I might go ahead and just do it the way I had planned.
PVC would be ace but pretty pricey the replace the 6"
probably worth it tho!
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OmSource
Registered: 03/09/11
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Re: humidifier through ducts- a no no? [Re: OmSource]
#16535598 - 07/15/12 06:08 PM (10 months, 3 days ago) |
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whats the heater for woodland?
does it play any part in the ducting system or just heating that room
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woodland_jewel
In den Gärten Pharaos
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Loc: Pennsylvania
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Re: humidifier through ducts- a no no? [Re: OmSource]
#16535702 - 07/15/12 06:34 PM (10 months, 3 days ago) |
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I just had that in the incubation room this past winter when the temps got super cold. It's not integrated into the humidifier at all.
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woodland_jewel
In den Gärten Pharaos
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Can you share some info on your humidifier?
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OmSource
Registered: 03/09/11
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yup, check them here
there an australian company, the price tag on it is out of control high, but my drainage situation is pretty much non-existant so we can't use misters. Also the life on the pond foggers has always turned me off them.
I figure invest in good equipment and it'll last a life-time (or thereabouts)
So many times I've cut corners and suffered the consequences!
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NSF
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Re: humidifier through ducts- a no no? [Re: OmSource]
#16538246 - 07/16/12 09:18 AM (10 months, 2 days ago) |
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You need to visit some of the victorian shroom farms Om, Yarra Glen is a real opener, so you can see just how basic it all can be.
Why can't you mist and have a gravel floor? Just lower your mist amount, it shouldn't be pooling anyway.
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OmSource
Registered: 03/09/11
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Re: humidifier through ducts- a no no? [Re: NSF]
#16543263 - 07/17/12 04:17 AM (10 months, 1 day ago) |
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thats a pretty good idea with the gravel floor.
I've had a try with misters before and it didn't go over so well
do you have any sources of decent misters here in Oz NSF?
Trying to keep it pretty basic, just a centrifugal fan pumping humidity through ducting, can't find a good humidifier with a reasonable price though!
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NSF
Eager to learn
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Re: humidifier through ducts- a no no? [Re: OmSource]
#16548217 - 07/18/12 08:41 AM (10 months, 16 hours ago) |
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The most basic way to humidify is to spray an ultra fine mist from garden sprinkler type nozzles, or even buy one of those fan/misters they use out the front of cafes in summer. You can get them from the big warehouse.
Otherwise, just regular garden misters sprayed into nice porous surfaces like concrete, scoria or gravel.
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RogerRabbit
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Re: humidifier through ducts- a no no? [Re: OmSource]
#16548237 - 07/18/12 08:51 AM (10 months, 16 hours ago) |
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Quote:
OmSource said:
the price tag on it is out of control high, but my drainage situation is pretty much non-existant so we can't use misters. Also the life on the pond foggers has always turned me off them.
Don't attempt to grow mushrooms in an area that you can't wash out well with a hose. If you have a gravel or rock floor with drains below that, you won't have to worry about humidity or even running a humidifier system. You can simply spray a time or two daily.
In addition, misting and humidity are for different purposes. Misting replaces moisture the block has lost due to evaporation and fruit development. You also should spray substrate blocks daily to wash off mold spores.
My experience agrees with the manufacturer that you should not pass over-saturated air through a duct.
RR
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woodland_jewel
In den Gärten Pharaos
Registered: 09/07/11
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Re: humidifier through ducts- a no no? [Re: RogerRabbit]
#16548957 - 07/18/12 12:43 PM (10 months, 12 hours ago) |
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Roger, are you talking about a concrete pad with gravel on top, or just a gravel floor on the ground?
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RogerRabbit
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Either would work. My mushroom farm has concrete below 4" or so rocks.
RR
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OmSource
Registered: 03/09/11
Posts: 187
Last seen: 53 minutes, 20 seconds
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Re: humidifier through ducts- a no no? [Re: RogerRabbit]
#16557972 - 07/20/12 03:28 AM (9 months, 29 days ago) |
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Quote:
RogerRabbit said:
My experience agrees with the manufacturer that you should not pass over-saturated air through a duct.
RR
Yup, he was pretty adamant.
Good to know you second that opinion, I'll redesign my system around that problem!
Thanks!
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