Safest way to increase Humidity?

[GR33NL3AF]

I am running sealed rooms with a split system A/C. Lately I have not been able to keep my humidity levels up to that sweet spot on the VPD chart because my A/C runs so much. Any ideas on how to safely bring the humidity up without risking mold/mildew?


-GR33N

 

[jammie]

i keep my humidifier on the same circuit as my lights cause rh will spike when temps drop at lights out. but more importantly is GOOD 24h air circulation. this will keep condensation from forming on the leaves which then causes mold and mildew. remember- a rolling stoner gathers no moss!!

 

[GR33NL3AF]

i keep my humidifier on the same circuit as my lights cause rh will spike when temps drop at lights out. but more importantly is GOOD 24h air circulation. this will keep condensation from forming on the leaves which then causes mold and mildew. remember- a rolling stoner gathers no moss!!

Where is the best place to position a humidifier? High - low??

 

[jammie]

I use a 5 disc fogger from amazon in a 5 gallon bucket, puts out 4-5 gallons daily. Place it in front of my intact fan so I,m not blowing dry air on my girls

 

[GR33NL3AF]

I use a 5 disc fogger from amazon in a 5 gallon bucket, puts out 4-5 gallons daily. Place it in front of my intact fan so I,m not blowing dry air on my girls

I'm completely sealed, no intake no outtake, maybe place behind or under my wall fans?

 

[justhydronow]

The safest way to increase humidity is mist spraying. Try it...

 

[Jalisco Kid]

I prefer a lung room to place a humidifier in. In your case I would put in on your exhaust of the evap. I like to use farans 707 in my room designs. JK

 

[ttystikk]

GET REALLY DRUNK ON CHEAP BEER AND PISS ALL OVER EVERYTHING!

LOL

 

[OftheEarth]

Got 5 plants under a T5. Should I switch over to the 4 MH or just let the t5 d the veg? Switch right? All rooted and like a foot tall.

 

[OftheEarth]

Have fan and all so heat is a non issue

 

[cctt]

As far as preventing mold issues I'd recommend putting it on a hygrostat so it kicks off before potentially overhumidifying.

 

[buddahslave]

put water in a five gallon bucket and leave it:cigar:

 

[OftheEarth]

As far as preventing mold issues I'd recommend putting it on a hygrostat so it kicks off before potentially overhumidifying.

Hygrostat? Never heard of that......

 

[ttystikk]

put water in a five gallon bucket and leave it:cigar:

This only works if you drop an airstone in it.

 

[buddahslave]

This only works if you drop an airstone in it.

If you place water in a glass the surface of that water will evaporate creating a gas as long as the relative humidity of the air in contact is less than 100%. The surface of the water in any bucket will continue to evaporate as long as humidity in the room is less than 100%, and the rate at which it does that will be determined by temperature. Yes an air stone will speed up the process but in my opinion adding an air stone may raise humidity to an unsafe level creating a mold nightmare. The bucket alone should be enough. I hope this helps!

 

[ttystikk]

If you place water in a glass the surface of that water will evaporate creating a gas as long as the relative humidity of the air in contact is less than 100%. The surface of the water in any bucket will continue to evaporate as long as humidity in the room is less than 100%, and the rate at which it does that will be determined by temperature. Yes an air stone will speed up the process but in my opinion adding an air stone may raise humidity to an unsafe level creating a mold nightmare. The bucket alone should be enough. I hope this helps!

You forgot the single biggest variable; surface area between water and air to be humidified. This is why a coffee cup won't fog up the whole house. The airstone is to accelerate the transfer of moisture, but it isn't like a mist or spray- which certainly would raise rh levels too high. I've used buckets with airstones in smaller spaces for exactly this reason. In my experience, humidity levels did what I wanted them to.

Also, in early through mid flower, you really do want your humidity values to be about ten points below your temperature in Fahrenheit. Yes, that means 70% at 80f! Don't let your night time rh levels spike. As of two weeks before finish, or when you flush, that's when you drop your rh into the fifties.

 

[ttystikk]

Hygrostat? Never heard of that......

Not an uncommon device; they work just like a thermostat, only to regulate rh. Just like a thermostat, they come in two types; the ones to lower humidity will be all you will find in the South without a special order. The ones to raise humidity will be stocked in the arid West. Be sure you know which type you want before you buy!

I used to sell cigars in south Florida. Man, y'all should have seen the looks I got when I told these crusty ol' guys I was trying to RAISE the humidity, to protect moisture levels in the cigars in inventory! Why did we need to raise rh levels in south Florida? Because the AC dried the air inside the warehouse too much! Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

This, folks- this is why I bought a chiller. AC kills your rh, chillers don't. If you think buying 2 tons of cooling for $3000 is a lot of money, add up your AC, humidifier, dehuey for nighttime, and additional chilling for your hydro system. Then factor in the fact that my chiller is likely to be roughly twice as efficient as any single component of that assemblage (including the little chiller, bigger is much better), AND with my chiller none of those components work against one another, like dehuey and AC do, and you can see why I'm such a passionate proponent of water chilling as the way to go.

 

[OftheEarth]

What's optimal rh for an indoor setup?

 

[ttystikk]

What's optimal rh for an indoor setup?

Nothing like a can o' worms question to start the day, huh? LOL

Personally, I run my veg and early through mid bloom according to the VPD chart; 70-75% RH at 80f. I know, everyone thinks I'm nuts- but the tropical half of this planet exhibits similar conditions, and plants grow just fine there.

This also has the effect of requiring higher EC, since plants aren't working so hard at taking up so much water just to avoid wilting. An additional benefit of interest to those running CO2 is that when optimal VPD conditions are met, the stomata open on the underside of the plant's leaves. Only when these stomata are open can the plant properly respire CO2, which means that if you are supplementing gas in a low humidity environment, you are doing this thing I like to call 'wasting money.'

 

[ttystikk]

This is important enough to have its own post; the ONLY time I intentionally bring my relative humidity below 60% is the final week or two of bloom, and of course through flush.