CPS: Continuous Production Systems Part IV
Water cooled lighting allows for the closest plant to
lamp tolerances possible. Sure, some of the light gets
lost through the water, but the grower can provide
incredibly high light levels to the plants, as the
water cooled units run cool enough to allow the
placement of 1000 watt HID lamps within inches of
the plants, if required. They also help to create a very
quiet growing environment. Air-cooling can be quite
noisy, even with some of the grow room construction
secrets revealed through this series of articles.
In this model, the following areas can be adopted to
water cooling for high efficiency, optimal grow room
temperatures and crop performance:
• CO2 burner
• Water cooled lights
• Hydroponic reservoirs
• Air Conditioners
• Air cooled lighting with in line heat exchanger
(converted to a modified “open” system)
Microbial Inoculation - The beneficial microbes in the
prepared cartridge have been triggered to break dormancy.
In the next 24 hours, their populations may multiply billions
of times before being applied to crops.
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MAXIMUM YIELD USA - March 2009
All of these items, excluding the
water cooled AC, can be connected
to the same water tank a nd cooling
system, although a very large volume of
reserved water would be recommended
if connecting a water cooled CO2
burner to the same water cooling
system as the lights. Above ground
swimming pools are inexpensive, or
existing swimming pools or other
bodies of water can be used.
One of the great things about the water
cooled lighting system featured in this
article is that it is suitable for vertical
installation. In the earlier phases, when
plants are smaller and branching should
be encouraged, containerized plants
can be huddled around the vertically
mounted unit. With the extremely
close plant to lamp tolerances, and the
fact that the light is being delivered to
the sides of the plant (which should be
rotated daily or at least every few days),
early flowering growth is squat and