A Details Guide on DWC Water Temp Control

Deep Water Culture or DWC is an alternate way to grow hydroponics plants, which is considered as the purest form to grow plants. With this method, there is no need for any other support besides taking care of the water temperature. Many have several concerns and raised questions about DWC water temp control and here we will discuss it in brief.

The best advantage of DWC is that there is no need for any supportive substance for its proper growth. Rather you can grow a lot in a small place. As we all know that water is something that you must apply to your plants but do not forget to look after the temperature of it.

DWC Water Temp Control

Temperature Range	Ideal Range for DWC
18-20°C (64-68°F)	Recommended for Vegetative Growth
20-23°C (68-73°F)	Recommended for Flowering Stage
18-23°C (64-73°F)	Acceptable Range for DWC
Below 18°C (64°F)	Too Cold for DWC, Can Slow Down Plant Growth
Above 23°C (73°F)	Too Warm for DWC, Can Reduce Oxygen Levels in Water
20-22°C (68-72°F)	Optimal Temperature Range for DWC

One of our articles –Best Nutrients for DWC.

What is DWC?

Before jump to the procedure of water temperature control, we must know what is DWC. It is the most advanced way to grow plants at any place you like by creating favorable temperatures and climate. You can develop a DWC system with the help of a container, net pot, lid, and pump.

The container will hold the nutrient solution which is ten to fifteen liters and in a net pot, the lid will help the plant to grow. Roots will stay out of the pot and will be drowned in the nutrient solution. As the condition of the roots is very important for the plants, you must keep attention to the temperature of the water.

Why It Is Required Range to Control the Temperature?

It happens very often that the gardener who chooses a deep water culture system will face reservoir temperature related problems at any time. It has a solution and to maintain good condition to the plants you must follow it. The main reason behind this is the high wattage lighting.

This lighting is important but it also puts a negative effect on the nutrient reservoir. The temperature of the root area increases because of this, which is needed to be normal. As a result, the quantity of dissolved oxygen in that particular area decreases. And after all this, a situation like a storm for oxygen deprivation happens.

Pathogen like Pythium is the output of the above-created situation. If you want your plants to be in good condition then the air temperature should be higher than the water temperature of your system. In case you need to know the best temperature for hydroponics, then it is 75 to 80 degree Fahrenheit for air temperature and for water, it will be 68 degree Fahrenheit or lower.

If you do not know the DWC water temp range, then from your curiosity, you might be curious about the fact that a bit of higher temperatures like 70 to 75 degree Fahrenheit is good for the roots to grow well but at this temperature, the root diseases and pathogens get a good chance to grow and thrive.

Therefore, considering all the circumstances, 65 degree Fahrenheit is the proper temperature for your deep water culture system.

DWC Water Temp Control — Image source: northslopechillers.com

How to Control the DWC Water Temperature?

So far, I have given you an idea about DWC and talked about the importance of it. There should not be any major confusion regarding its necessity. In this section, I will discuss how to control the DWC water temp.

Using A Chiller :

The water chiller is the most effective way for hydroponics temperature control. It will also cost you a bit much than any other way. Specially designed for underwater operation, this chiller has electric units similar to air conditioning units. A refrigeration line, compressor coils, and fans have been used in its construction.

To use the chiller, first, make sure that all the parts are connected. Then plug it in any electric supply and play. Gradually the temperature level will slow down. If you circulate the nutrient mixture, the water cooling will be faster.

The 1.5 to 2 horsepower chillers are the most used to control the hydroponic temperature. Commercial users go for chillers in this range. This type of cooler will take care of all sorts of activities in your Deep Water Culture system. There are different kinds of chillers available in the market and might seem costly to you but they are very handy.

Enlarge the Size of the Reservoir:

It is really difficult to maintain the water temperature of your DWC if you have a small system or growing in a smaller reservoir. The temperature fluctuation can be a matter of headache for you. With a bigger reservoir, temperature control can be very easy.

A 75-gallon reservoir is a large one and its temp control is also easy. If you are not interested to bring in any cooling device or material, it can be controlled without much annoyance.

As you know the ideal hydroponic reservoir temperature, its maintenance will be very easy for you. Because of a good quantity of water, a balance between the pH and PPM value will be established.

Painting the Reservoir:

We all know that dark colors absorb more heat. It is not mandatory to use a particular color but when it is about how to cool hydroponic water, then using a little brain while choosing the color can be very beneficial.

A light color (white is preferable) can reflect some heat and keep your reservoir cool. By using white spray paint the temperature will lower down a couple of degrees.

Build A Shade:

You never expect your DWC water temp too high. And to maintain it you have to block every possible way to enter heat or light into the reservoir. If the excess entry of other heating elements can be reduced, your hydroponic water will be in good condition.

A shade can do the kind of job for you. It will prevent heat to reach your nutrient solution. I advise you to use aluminum foil, cardboard, or anything that makes a strong blockage between the heat source and your nutrient mixture.

Place the Reservoir in a Ground Hole:

Your DWC can be developed inside or outside of your home. If you are planning to do it outside, you have the option to dig a hole on the ground and put the reservoir inside it. This system indeed needs a lot of effort but it is very useful.

The cool environment of the ground will never allow the root zone temperature hydroponics to increase. As a result, there will be no heat buildup in your nutrient mixture. You can apply this method without any hesitation.

Own Cooling Coil:

You have already known about the chiller that cools down the reservoir quickly but that is very costly as well. If you like the chiller idea but do not want to spend more, then there is another option for you. An efficient chiller can be made on your own with a little effort.

There are various ways to build a chiller and you can go with any that suits you the best. Various online sources may help you in this case. All the home-made chillers result in almost the same. The difference is their making process and the amount of money you want to spend.

Build A Swamp Cooler:

There are a lot of ways to prevent your DWC water temp goes too high. The swamp cooler is one of them. Using it, you can expect a temperature decrease of 5 to 10 degree Fahrenheit.

All you have to do is to set a clip-on fan above your reservoir and let it spin. But you have to be careful regarding the fan setting. With this process, you will lose water in the air as steam. Moreover, there is a chance of PPM increase because of the evaporation process.

Cooler Solution:

This is the last but the simplest solution of DWC water temp control. You might have heard about the cooler nutrient solution. By adding this system, the temperature of your reservoir will come in balance. This seems very easy but you have to go through some study before applying it.

This solution is not for frequent use. Usually, the temperature issue happens very often. It is not like you are using a solution and it will never happen again. So, the best way is to be prepared always and keep eye on the system. However, this cooler solution can be used as a one-time solving if you have not prepared anything else to control water temp. As all the solutions have side effects, regular use can harm the roots underwater.

One of our articles –DWC Nutrients Guide.

Wrap Up

The ‘Deep Water Culture’ is a lucrative and demandable plants growing method. Many take it as a hobby also. But the DWC water temp control can be very annoying for the growers if it is not applied appropriately. By taking actions and applying proper methods, you can get rid of high temperature issue easily.

All the commonly used solutions to DWC temp control have been thoroughly discussed here. For some methods, you have to spend a few amounts of money and for some, all is need is your effort only. What process you are going to apply largely depends on what you are growing and what you are expecting. Before going for any method, you should know all the facts first.

Good luck next step on how to keep hydroponic water warm.