Inkbird plus, seedling heating mat

[Billygoat]

Another member mentioned a sale on these recently, so purchased one to help get some seedlings sprouted in the cooler weather.

Pardon our interruption...

Arrived promptly and for a cheap chinese made product is actually packaged well and looks to be reasonably well assembled.

plugged in and does what it says, heated up to desired temp pretty quickly and the heat feels consistent over the mat.

Instructions actually make sense.

I plan on putting a little domed seedling tray on top with some rockwool cubes and seeds straight in.

Anyone got any ideas what temp to put it at? I assume the plastic seedling tray will absorb some? maybe?

 

[med180]

Another member mentioned a sale on these recently, so purchased one to help get some seedlings sprouted in the cooler weather.

Pardon our interruption...

Arrived promptly and for a cheap chinese made product is actually packaged well and looks to be reasonably well assembled.

plugged in and does what it says, heated up to desired temp pretty quickly and the heat feels consistent over the mat.

Instructions actually make sense.

I plan on putting a little domed seedling tray on top with some rockwool cubes and seeds straight in.

Anyone got any ideas what temp to put it at? I assume the plastic seedling tray will absorb some? maybe?

I'd do a test to see how accurate it is and how much heat loss you get through the plastic and cubes. Set it all up at say 21° and check on your air and cube temps.

 

[Old fox]

I'd do a test to see how accurate it is and how much heat loss you get through the plastic and cubes. Set it all up at say 21° and check on your air and cube temps.

+1 test it first, with another thermometer, after running it for an hour or so. If the sensor is faulty and it climbs over 30% it can fry seedlings. Anything from 20 to 25c will work.

 

[Pikey]

If the sensor is faulty and it climbs over 30% it can fry seedlings.

I think you meant 30°C, otherwise that just doesn't make sense

 

[afghan bob]

Yeah I got one to, fits in bottom drawer perfectly, it tells me already 27 degrees so I set it for 25 to see if it would reduce but no chicken dinner
Mind u all the seeds in shoties did germinate within 2 days

 

[Billygoat]

Yeah I got one to, fits in bottom drawer perfectly, it tells me already 27 degrees so I set it for 25 to see if it would reduce but no chicken dinner
Mind u all the seeds in shoties did germinate within 2 days

Haha I’m not alone starting seedlings in shot glasses. . Can easily put them down the side/under the fridge or a heat source.

 

[Hudo]

I got a heated propagation tray with dome from Bunnings about 10 years ago it was still going strong Untill recently,I fill it with about an inch of water and it heated it up red hot and fried everything. So now I use one of my ink bird controlers with the probe in the water, set to turn on at 24 and off at 26

 

[Indy]

I got a heated propagation tray with dome from Bunnings about 10 years ago it was still going strong Untill recently,I fill it with about an inch of water and it heated it up red hot and fried everything. So now I use one of my ink bird controlers with the probe in the water, set to turn on at 24 and off at 26

+1.. with a aerator 'n stone.

My dome needs replacing too. About the same age and getting real brittle.

 

[Billygoat]

finally got around to running a little test on this.

Setup is as shown below.

Heat mat set to 26 degrees.
Humidity dome closed.
Single rockwool cube (wet).

The rockwool was wet under a tap and set in the humidity dome, switched on inkbird.

Ambient temp was just taken off a thermometer outside, but no heating on so the temperature change inside should be similar.

The mat surface temp was measured on the mat with a laser temp meter in the same place each time.

The rockwool cube was measured at the top close to centre by opening the small hole on top of the dome.

This morning I also opened the dome and turned the rockwool cube over. the base of the cube measured 24.6 degrees.

The green plastic base of the tray underneath, measured 26.6 degrees.

Seems I lose about 3 degrees from heat mat to the top of the rockwool cube. Also appears it only took about 45 minutes to warm the rockwool cube to full potential. (5:30pm-6:15pm).

I always have great success germinating seeds under my fridge or near something quite warm, so my aim is the have the rockwool temp at round 28 degrees, meaning I will set the inkbird to 31. Feedback welcome before I cook some seeds

Time	Ambient	Mat surface	top of cube
5:30pm	18	27	20.2
5:45pm	18	26.5	22
6:00pm	18	27.1	22.9
6:15pm	17	26.5	23.5
6:30pm	17	26.7	23.7
6:45pm	16	26.6	23.8
7:00pm	16	27	24.1
8:00pm	14	27	24
9:30pm	12	26.7	23.6
8:00am	14	26.2	23.2

 

[VinDeezle]

I've always wanted to try a heat mat but at the end of the day the seeds pop in winter regardless of the temps on my end. I swear they are more hardy than people expect. Just never had the need for one here in SE QLD. The current five all went into pots and were out the medium 2 days later even with the 12-13c night and 22c days in the tent.

Tbh I've never found it any harder to germinate it grow seedlings in winter vs summer. Hell, I find it easier in the dead of winter.

 

[SAW]

Good info Billygoat. Your methodology ticks boxes in my OCD scientific brain.

 

[Billygoat]

I've always wanted to try a heat mat but at the end of the day the seeds pop in winter regardless of the temps on my end. I swear they are more hardy than people expect. Just never had the need for one here in SE QLD. The current five all went into pots and were out the medium 2 days later even with the 12-13c night and 22c days in the tent.

Tbh I've never found it any harder to germinate it grow seedlings in winter vs summer. Hell, I find it easier in the dead of winter.

Hey mate, i've not had issues with germination, but with seeding growth, generally slower when it is cooler, particulary just under a little fluro light not putting out much heat Figured the extra heat at the root level might get that bit moving along quicker. soon find out ... Then also same principle when i take some cuttings if the weather is cooler...

 

[VinDeezle]

Hey mate, i've not had issues with germination, but with seeding growth, generally slower when it is cooler, particulary just under a little fluro light not putting out much heat Figured the extra heat at the root level might get that bit moving along quicker. soon find out ... Then also same principle when i take some cuttings if the weather is cooler...

I have a feeling I'm just off with temp measurementsbtbh as I'm usually shading my sensors. It's probably a lot warmer in there with the radiant heat from direct light (I'm using a 250w board at 125w in the little 80x50x100 tent) and the black pots are probably warming up over time due to soaking up the light. When they get 600umol/s from birth they are probably getting more warmth than I expect. What I'm seeing is probably not a good representation of the actual temp. I've always just found it interesting that I tend to get better growth over winter in comparison to summer.

I have a feeling that might explain my foxtailing in summer even though the shaded sensors aren't reading too high.

 

[Billygoat]

Had it running at 31 degrees since this post this morning.

The top of the cube is at 27 degrees.

That will do. Ill pop some seeds straight into rockwool in there tomorrow and see how they go.

 

[Billygoat]

6 x seeds have gone in to rockwool cubes this afternoon, no soak, just straight into a wet cube.

Temp set at 31. With six rockwool cubes in there getting bit of condensation on the lid, perfect for germination! lol

 

[Billygoat]

48 hours later, we have life... all 6 have popped, may have put a couple in upside down. lol

Yay, didnt cook them!

 

[SAW]

Nice thread @Billygoat, I’m tempted to get one. I’d be curious to try them with my seedling soil pots and whether it would influence/warm soil about 8-10cm deep?

 

[med180]

Nice thread @Billygoat, I’m tempted to get one. I’d be curious to try them with my seedling soil pots and whether it would influence/warm soil about 8-10cm deep?

I use the heat mats under 14l pots during my colder months, keeps the root temps stable, a bit of fine tuning as it gets warmer down the bottom but they keeps my small tents temps fairly stable . The bigger pots creates a 20 degree heat banks

 

[SAW]

Good to know. I’m stepping over into the dark side (tent arrived today) and was considering sexing sativas over winter/spring, and getting a head start.

 

[Billygoat]

Another 48 hours and put them under some light. Little fluro for starters.

Matt temp still set to 31. Roots already poking through bottom of cubes.

Will mix up a light nute strength and give them a feed later today.