Cooling Grow Room With Ice – Everything You Need to Know

Your plants in the grow room need the right conditions to grow. But the one important condition that needs to be right is the temperature. But sometimes you will find that your grow room has become heated. In such situations, you need to find ways for cooling the temperature down. Most people will simply suggest that you install an AC to cool the temperature. But what if you don’t have the budget for that? Then you can simply use ice for cooling your grow room. 

But before we tell you how you can use ice for cooling your grow room, you need to understand the possible reasons that are causing your grow room temperature to rise. 

What are the reasons behind grow room temperature rise? 

Below stated are the most common reasons behind temperature rise in your grow room: 

• Multiple heat sources: Note that if there are other appliances or light sources present in the room then there will be much more heat in your room. So if you want to cool your grow room down, then just reduce the number of light sources you have. This will ensure that you don’t have to go through extra effort to use ice for your grow room. However, if you find that removing light sources isn’t possible. Then there is another option here and that’s to switch to LED lights since they produce less heat and more light. 

• Improper ventilation: A major reason behind high heat build-up in your grow room is improper ventilation. So, once you are done checking your light sources, you need to check if the issue could indeed be ventilation. Know that your room needs to have great airflow, otherwise there will be an excessive heat buildup. So make sure that there is an exit through which warm air can escape. 

What kind of grow rooms/tents can be cooled down using ice?

Know that if you are planning on using ice and adding a fan to it for cooling the space down, then the temperature will fall for sure. But do note that this process won’t benefit every kind and such of grow-spaces. To be more precise, this is a method that will work on small grow tents or rooms. 

For example: tents of 2′x2′ – 4’x4′ will benefit a lot from it. At most, you can use this method on 5’5′ grow tents as well. But if you have anything larger than installing an AC is the only way to cool it down. 

What are the different kinds of ice you can use? 

However, even after you detect the source of over-heating if you can’t cool down the grow room then it’s time for you to look at other cooling options. However, not everyone has the budget needed to buy an AC. 

As such, in these situations, you need to opt for the next best alternative- ice. Note that by using ice cubes you will be able to keep your grow room temperature between 70 to 75F. It’s very easy to get it done. The basic concept is that we are using fans to blow on cold water. As such, this will result in a temperature fall. 

However, before we tell you how you can get it done, let us talk about the types of ice you will be able to use for cooling the grow room. These are: 

• Normal ice: Normal ice will last for around 2-3 hours so you can use it for your needs. However, depending on the ice chest size, you might have to change up the ice-bar sizes. 

• Salt ice: This is a good alternative to normal ice since it will last a little longer. It is this long-lasting and yet great cooling feature that makes it a popular choice for cooling among many grow room users. Know that if you want better results then you should use seawater for freezing your ice. 

• Dry ice: It is made from CO2 and the biggest advantage of using dry ice is that it doesn’t fully melt-down by itself. Apart from this non-melting advantage, know that if you put a fan towards it, then it will blow CO2 into plants and that will be beneficial for them. Not to mention that along with this, using dry ice means you don’t need to contend with water cleanup as well. However, the only trade-off is that you will need more ice and it will cost you more compared to using normal ice. 

What kind of ice should you ideally use? 

Ideally, you should use dry ice since that will last you longer and your plants will get the CO2 they need. But since it is expensive, so you can go for salt ice as well. It’s advised that you don’t opt for normal ice as the first option since that will melt way too fast and often you will only be left with a puddle of water. 

What will you need for setting up the ice-cooling mechanism? 

You will need: 

• An Ice chest: Note that a proper ice chest, like a picnic cooler, will get the job done. All you need to do is ensure that the box is made of styrofoam or is hard-sided. But if you have a tight budget, then you can make use of polystyrene containers as well. 

• Air-duct hose: Know that you will need an air-duct hose that is flexible and elastic. Also, note that the hose needs to be 4″ to 6″ in diameter as well as around 10 feet in its length. But if you need a longer hose for you grows room, then you can certainly get it accordingly. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that the duct must be set up in such a way that it’s liner or as linear as possible. Know that you need to keep the duct flange straight because any bend will cut off the fan power by a whole 5%. 

• Small Fan: A small fan that of 12V will get the job done. Make sure you get a backup battery of 12V if needed. As for size, get a fan that’s between 4″ to 6″. 

How to make your ice chest yourself? 

• Cut holes on your box: In the very first step, you need to cut out two holes of different sizes on your box of 4″ and 6″ to 8″ respectively. Make sure to cut one out bigger, while the other should be smaller. The bigger hole will be used for connecting the good ducting flange and this will indeed blow cold air right into your grow room. As for the smaller ones, you will need that to place in your fan for driving in the fresh air. The only thing you need to ensure is that there’s enough space present beneath all the holes. After all, there is where you will be placing the water and ice. Do note that your ice levels should be beneath the level of the cut holes. So one of the best ways to go about it is to cut out holes present on the lid top. 

• Place the fan: Once you are done cutting out the holes, you need to add your ducting flange to the bigger 6″ hole. Make sure that there’s no leakage. Once you have set up one end, move to the other one and place one 12V fan there. Make sure that it all fits perfectly and then power it up. 

• Fill up with ice: After you are done setting up the above mechanism, it’s time to add a bag full of ice into the chest. You don’t need to add a huge chunk of ice. So if you want, you can break it up efficiently into smaller pieces. All you ultimately need to ensure is that the air which gets sucked in works properly on the present ice. Do note that depending on the size and temperature present in the grow room, you will have to figure out the schedule for shifting ice. 

• Run your test: As of now, you need to power your fan and ensure that the entire duct hose that you have put up stays linear. Also, put in a working thermometer in your grow tent before leaving it be for 30 mins. Then you need to keep on pumping cool icy air into the room. If all goes well then the temperature within it should drop. Know that sometimes you might have to face the issue of over-humidification. But you can indeed avoid it by making use of a cooling digital humidifier inside of the grow room. 

If everything goes well then you will behave a cost-effective and working ice cooler that will keep your grow room cool. Of course, you will have to work on changing the ice out and cleaning up the leftover water. But it will still save you a lot in terms of electricity bills. Not to mention that with it you will be able to bring the temperature of your room down to a respectable 70-75F. Also, as for changing out the ice, note that one slot of ice should last you anywhere from an hour to two. So in the end you will get a cool room without burning your bank account. 

FAQs

Can you cool a grow room with ice?

Yes, it is possible to cool a grow room with ice. All you need to do is make a grow room icebox and use a couple of fans for blowing cool air to the room. You can use this method to cool down the grow room with ac.

Can dry ice cool down a grow room?

Dry ice starts melting in the presence of fans or when you blow air over the ice. Dry ice is perhaps the best way of cooling a grow tent.

What increases the temperature of a grow room?

Multiple reasons lead to higher grow room temperatures. It could happen due to poor ventilation and the use of heaters and LED grow lights.

Can you use ice to cool down a bigger grow tent?

The method of using ice and fans to cool down a grow tent will only work if it is a small one. In other words, it is ineffective on bigger grow tents.

How does grow room temperature affect plants?

If you want to grow plants in a grow room, you will need to maintain optimal temperatures at all times. The grow room temperature directly affects the plant processes, including photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration, germination, and flowering. As a result, the growth of your plants is also affected.

What kind of ice do you need to cool your grow room?

It is recommended you use dry ice for cooling your grow room. The advantage of using dry ice is that it lasts longer than regular ice. Also, your plants will get the CO2 they need. But if it doesn’t fit your budget, then you can consider opting for salt ice. But you should avoid using normal ice as it will melt away quickly and leave a puddle of water.

What are the different kinds of ice you can use to cool your grow room?

You can use three different types of ice to bring down the temperatures in your grow room. This includes dry ice, salt ice, and normal ice.

Is salt ice good for cooling a growing room?

Yes, salt ice makes a good choice because it is long-lasting. For better results, you should use seawater to freeze your ice.