A New Chilling Experience

[s1214215]

Well its been a while.

While living in Thailand, in an apartment got to about 40c in the day sometimes and with a fish tank that I was not able to use due to body corporate idiocy, I converted it into a cooled wardian case. This was using the fish tank, lights, an aquarium water chiller and a mile of tubes and other bits and pieces.

I am now back in Australia and have modified an old display cabinet along the same lines. The water in a reservoir is chilled to 18c, and pumped (from a smaller pump) into the wardian case to filter through a radiator with fans. The air blowing over the cold radiator chills the air in the case to a nice 22c and now its winter to about 17c at night. It oddly seems to stop the temps dropping too low also. I presume even though its cool, the radiator is at night warmer than ambient in the room.

Here are some photos.
The case with the 150 watt metal halide (5700K tube). I cut a hole in the top of the case to fit it. No heat gets in as the case has a glass false ceiling.


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The shelves made from egg crate and some bonding glue.



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The chiller, reservoir.




The radiator fan (computer cooling radiator that I have powered by a laptop power source.)


Pipes going in.


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Partly stocked up. Housing a lot of seedlings now until they get going in mounts and can go home to the greenhouse in spring. Doing very well with Polyrhiza lindenii seedlings, along with Psychopsiella liminghii, Sophronitis cernua flava, Bulbophyllum tingabarinum alba, Laelia alaorii, Nanodes medusae, various Lepanthes from flask, a few Masdevallia, Trisetella, Restrepia and others.

[My Green Pets]

Wow.

Love the organized, neat setup. All the plants are clearly displayed. Something for me to aspire to, surely!

When will I get to see it all in flower?

[Purple_phal_gal13]

Wow, that is amazing! Its such a delight to see how talented people are when it comes to Orchids! That my friend is like pure genius of a setup. Hats off to you and I hope all of your seedlings do well.

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[naoki]

Nice! I'm also thinking of water cooling of a grow tent. Where do you get that kind of a small radiator? Is it marketed for computers? If so, do you remember the maker/model number etc? I couldn't quite find something appropriate. I might be able to find a small oil cooler for a car from a junk yard.

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by naoki

Nice! I'm also thinking of water cooling of a grow tent. Where do you get that kind of a small radiator? Is it marketed for computers? If so, do you remember the maker/model number etc? I couldn't quite find something appropriate. I might be able to find a small oil cooler for a car from a junk yard.

I think a heater core would work.

[bellini girl]

Awesome set up, . Pretty sure if I had something like this my pleuros would bloom

[s1214215]

Thanks everyone. Glad this is of some interest.

The radiator I used was a ThermalTake brand and are pretty easy to get online. However, you may want to check this out for something better for outdoors.. You need to look at the videos.

Hydro Innovations - Ice Box - 8"