Greenhouse project

[jhunko]

Go for it james, I am down in Sumter, I could always come help you build

 

[minfinger]

$$$ and time and homeowners association.

HA You too?

Well my plan is to build a 20'L x 15'W "Utility shed" behind my house LMAO What the HOA doesn't know won't get me fined!

Thank goodness the cop next door is now off the HOA

But that's a long way off and it's going to cost me about $4,000 to do it.

 

[Triterium]

Hi Dendro,
amazing thread!!! you have inspired me. I have had a small greenhouse for many years now and this thread had got me thinking...

I have a small 20,000 BTU natural gas heater and was thinking about using it to heat a saltwater system (200-500gallons). Would I just need to mount a tub of water above the heater and connect that tub to the system? What temp do you keep the air in your greenhouse in the winter months? Thanks.

 

[galleon]

The study used monochromatic light, so that could be a factor. Maybe it is the lack of other wavelengths. Plus, I think they used a Stylophora coral. Their pigmentation is a different type than in Acros.

Were they in a glass greenhouse?

 

[Ken Sellick]

Slugs

Slugs

I was going back thru this thread and saw a question about slugs.
A simple way to get rid of slugs is to put a can of beer
in a tray and let it get stale. Slugs love stale beer and suck it up until they burst. They don't care about brands, the cheaper the better.
Place the trays below or next to the Orchids and the slugs will come.

 

[dendronepthya]

Would I just need to mount a tub of water above the heater and connect that tub to the system? What temp do you keep the air in your greenhouse in the winter months?

No, not literally, but you have the right idea. I send the tank water to the heater in a 3/4" pipe and coil it near the heater's output. The coil itself is about 100'. That provides excellent heat exchange which warms the water several degrees. I would not feel comfortable having a tank on top of the heater.

The greenhouse air temp is between 65-75 degrees depending on how cold it is outside, and the water is between 72-80 depending. On the low end, outside temp is down near 0-degrees F. On the high end, the outside temp is about 35-degrees F. If I didn't run the heater and just relied on the air temperature, the water cools to about 65-degrees F (clearly too cold for corals).

Just to warn everyone thinking about getting into this without really planning. Gas prices to heat the greenhouse in the coldest of winters can be astronomically high (4-digits).

A simple way to get rid of slugs is to put a can of beer
in a tray and let it get stale. Slugs love stale beer and suck it up until they burst. They don't care about brands, the cheaper the better.

I have heard that. I think my parents are doing that now because they keep skunked beer around. Makes sense now.

 

[photobarry]

Were they in a glass greenhouse?

What in heaven's name was I talking about. I don't think it was in a greenhouse. I think it was in an aquarium.

 

[Triterium]

Thanks Dendro,

Do you have any pictures of your heating coils? I was planning on just mounting the 50 gallon rubbermaid refugium (which will have a DSB) above the heater. The heater is an open flame and 20,000 BTU.

Another concern I have is the amount of CO2 the heater puts out and how that will effect the pH of the water.

 

[Micki]

Will you post your web site please. I live in Ohio!

 

[tdwyatt]

I take interest in your "4 figure" costs estimates for heating the greenhouse with gas, what are you thinking of using intead? Are you heating the G'house with gas now?

I have seen some solar collectors that circulate antifreeze and utilize an insulated rock stack of several tons of rip-rap as a heat sink during the day, and a heat source during the night at the temp transition transect, have-you-considered/are-you-using this now?

Being in the Deep South (US), I am more interested in cooling during the summer, as there are periods of time when the temp hits 100 plus with 100% humidity every day for weeks at a time. I've read about swamp coolers, do you have any suggestions or resources for cooling alternatives?

Thanks in advance, I am in the research end of this as we speak, and I'm thinking about polycarbonate Southern exposure on a hill facing South and insulated into the earth on the other 3 sides.


James: How are you setting up the Greenville club?

 

[dendronepthya]

I take interest in your "4 figure" costs estimates for heating the greenhouse with gas

Yeah, I wish that were a cost estimate. What I got was a bill. There were some factors that made the figure higher than it had to be. The gas installation wasn't 100% satisfactory, and some of the bill may have been a result of that.

Also, we do not have all the systems installed. We have 1,750 gallons or so right now, but when fully operational it will be closer to 3,500 (500 is freshwater). The cost to heat the water is practically no different whether I have 100 or 3,500 gallons. The real benefit though is having all that heated water acting like a heat sink. I expect that will significantly cut into the cost of the heating bill for next winter.

I've read about swamp coolers, do you have any suggestions or resources for cooling alternatives?

I have heard swamp coolers work well. Others use some sort of geothermal loop. In my situation, I don't really need to worry a lot about cooling in the summer. The exhaust system works very well at keeping the water temperature below 90 degrees.

Do you have any pictures of your heating coils?

Actually, I don't. Strange. They aren't all that pretty to look at. Just think "tubes full of water by a heater."

Another concern I have is the amount of CO2 the heater puts out and how that will effect the pH of the water.

Never even thought of it. Then again, there are like 500 orchid plants in the greenhouse that probably keep any elevated CO2 levels in check.

Will you post your web site please.

Sorry, too commercial. If you want, you can PM me for the address. I'm not selling anything yet, but you can take a look at the site.

 

[Wolverine]

I have heard swamp coolers work well. Others use some sort of geothermal loop. In my situation, I don't really need to worry a lot about cooling in the summer. The exhaust system works very well at keeping the water temperature below 90 degrees.

The air has to be very dry for swamp cooler sto be efficient; I don't remember the exact humidity you need, but it is significantly lower than you will find in a greenhouse in Ohio in the middle of August. They're amazingly efficient in the southwest.

Dave

 

[Rhodophyta]

Wolverine is right. Swamp (evaporative) coolers are a dry climate device. In our climate, the evaporative cooler would blow very humid air into the greenhouse and the cooling pads on the device would get moldy and the smell of the mold would begin to get stronger and stronger.

 

[tdwyatt]

Heh heh heh!

I guess that the Upstate of South Carolina in August might not be the best area to consider evaporative cooling...

 

[Rhodophyta]

Heh heh heh!

I guess that the Upstate of South Carolina in August might not be the best area to consider evaporative cooling...

You've got that right! Even in the Arizona/Sonora Desert, there are several weeks every year when the humidity is too high to use a swamp cooler. I doubt if the humidity here or in South Carolina EVER gets low enough to use one.

 

[maxvan1]

do you have any stock in?

 

[maxvan1]

do you have any stock in?

 

[dendronepthya]

Nothing for sale, but I've got some goodies growing

 

[Neowind]

Any chance we can get a few more closeup shots of what you got growing in your tanks now? I would love to see an update on this.

 

[Micki]

dendronepthya, When do you think you will be open for business? Would love to check out your place!