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Velocity92C
Stranger
Registered: 07/22/06
Posts: 170
Last seen: 14 years, 9 months
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Can't keep my incubator temperature stable.
#5948052 - 08/09/06 05:21 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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I thought I had it at a solid 82 degrees for a few days, then suddenly it rose to 91 one day, then down to 76 the next. I attributed it to water fluctuation at first, plus I've been adding and removing jars. My heater doesn't have a temp setting, but it is adjustable. I've been lowering and raising it like crazy. I know healthy growth needs to maintain a steady temp, and it getting up in the 90s is dangerous. Any idea what it could be? I only paid 10 bucks for the thermometer at wal mart, could it not be reading right?
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Tippinthru
contented

Registered: 04/07/05
Posts: 1,131
Loc: "The Garden"...
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Re: Can't keep my incubator temperature stable. [Re: Velocity92C]
#5948164 - 08/09/06 05:53 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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First off, what is your incubator?
Sounds like the heater thermostat is malfunctioning.
Glass-Mercury thermometers don't malfunction. (unless you break the glass)
-------------------- Perfection is attained by slow degrees; it requires the hand of time... [
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Velocity92C
Stranger
Registered: 07/22/06
Posts: 170
Last seen: 14 years, 9 months
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Re: Can't keep my incubator temperature stable. [Re: Tippinthru]
#5948196 - 08/09/06 06:00 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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Woops, sorry, used 2 tubs from walmart and the heater's in the bottom tub. It's the second one I've bought because I thought the first one was faulty. Sometimes the water seems hotter than other times, but I've double checked it and IS a submersible heater. No idea what could be causing it.
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Tippinthru
contented

Registered: 04/07/05
Posts: 1,131
Loc: "The Garden"...
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Re: Can't keep my incubator temperature stable. [Re: Velocity92C]
#5948230 - 08/09/06 06:13 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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The very inexpensive low watt submersible fish tank heaters are crap.
You want a higher quality one, about 100, or 150 watts.
They run about $30.
Sounds like yours stays on to long, then off to long. IMO, that is why you are getting wild fluctuations.
Straight room temperatures would work better.
-------------------- Perfection is attained by slow degrees; it requires the hand of time... [
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darkbuster
Hometown Zero


Registered: 06/09/06
Posts: 43
Last seen: 8 years, 8 months
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Re: Can't keep my incubator temperature stable. [Re: Tippinthru]
#5948246 - 08/09/06 06:18 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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i'll have to go with tippinthru on this one, you should stay away from any low priced water heater sold at walmart. the one i purchased was nothing but junk, would turn on only when it felt like it, and overall just a hassle. if at all possible try and invest in something of a little higher quality. i will be doing the same for my next grow.
good luck.
--------------------
Z-strain on BRF cake.
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Anonymous
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Post deleted by Anno [Re: darkbuster]
#5948481 - 08/09/06 07:32 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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Edited by werdnaeroom8 (08/09/06 07:33 PM)
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RogerRabbit
Bans for Pleasure


Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 42,214
Loc: Seattle
Last seen: 11 months, 3 days
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Re: Can't keep my incubator temperature stable. [Re: ]
#5948493 - 08/09/06 07:36 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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I still say to save your money and incubate at normal indoor room temperature. It won't take more than three or four days longer for a jar to colonize. Is all that expense and hassle really worth getting your crop four days sooner? RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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Velocity92C
Stranger
Registered: 07/22/06
Posts: 170
Last seen: 14 years, 9 months
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Re: Can't keep my incubator temperature stable. [Re: RogerRabbit]
#5948873 - 08/09/06 09:37 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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RR, I know you're a pro around here and I'm a noobie, I just go by what I read here though, people say that incubation is so key to speeding up growths. I kept my first batch sitting in a cabinet above the fridge, and you're right, they grew fine.
I've already got everything but the heater and I've already spent the 20 bucks on the walmart heater, so I can take it back and get a better one for just a few more dollars it seems like. I think it's convenient to have a good place to keep them all too, I could probably hold 50 jars in the makeshift incubator, as opposed to 20 in the cabinet space I have.
Regardless, thanks for the advice - I'll try the mid grade heater and if that doesn't work I'll just take it all back and let the jars sit in the tubs by themselves. It is kind of chilly in my apartment though, around 72.
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creamcorn
mad scientist


Registered: 03/13/06
Posts: 2,962
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Re: Can't keep my incubator temperature stable. [Re: Velocity92C]
#5948897 - 08/09/06 09:45 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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i never had luck after 2 submersible heaters.
i got lucky and figured out a a heating pad, under the tit, works perfect for me, given the particular size of the tubs and output of the heating pad i happened to have. normally heating pads are a no-no for incubating, but i still use two tubs, with water in the bottom one and all, and the heating pad under the whole thing (of course not submerged!) and it works perfect. temps are stable at around 82-83. its been running for months and months now with no problems, so apparently it hasn't been a fire hazard yet the pad is also 35 watts i believe, and i keep it on the low setting, so it may just use less electricity than a fish tank heater.
two sterilite containers at $6 each, plus a $14 heating pad. $26 plus tax. didn't exactly break the bank nor is it a hassle none of the items have been modified in any way either, so if they should stop performing the job of incubator for me some day, i've got 2 tubs to throw crap in and a heating pad for my sore back. same sort of thinking too... its just a nice, convenient organized place to keep colonizing jars regardless, and is tucked in the bottom of a closet... dont even notice its there.
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Velocity92C
Stranger
Registered: 07/22/06
Posts: 170
Last seen: 14 years, 9 months
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Re: Can't keep my incubator temperature stable. [Re: creamcorn]
#5948947 - 08/09/06 09:56 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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yeah, I'm definitely gonna try the extra 10$ heater and if that works great, if not no biggie, I'll just stick em in the tubs and throw a blanket over em or something.
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