Do you also cover questions regarding greenhouses?

I am trying greenhouse hydroponics for vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers and squash for the first time. I also have several types of greens, for salads. I am wondering if it would help the plants to keep the water cooled. The temperatures are now in the 70s outside, and the inside temperature is getting quite high. I know this will get much more as summer is getting close. I have relatively cool spring water and thinking about running it through a coil in my storage tank and cool the plant water down. This will help keep the roots cooler. Does this make sense, and how much help will this provide. What would be a reasonable temperature to aim for? TNX

Green house questions are absolutely welcome here. We also have a green house forum if you prefer to use that.

Heat is a big issue in greenhouses. I try to keep my hoop houses under 95° F. Most days in the summer they are between 85-90°. I do that with a combination of ventilations, fans and shade cloth.

Your plan sounds reasonable but the effect will be temporary. If your hoop house is hot the ground won't stay cool for long. And while you don't say how cold your water is, be careful if it is really cold as you wouldn't want to shock the plants with frigid water.

I would focus on ventilation, fans and shade cloth. You should have windows and vents to allow air to circulate. And fans to pull out the hot air. You can purchase solar powered fans if you don't have power in your green house.

Shade cloth will help prevent your greenhouse from getting too hot by limiting the amount of sun that gets into it. Shade cloth comes in a variety of densities from 10% to 100%. That varies the amount of light that gets thru the cloth. The crops you grow and the climate in your area will determine the density you need. I'm at a high altitude in New Mexico. I grow mostly greens and vegetables and I use 60% shade cloth. Be sure to purchase the correct density for your needs and area.

That's a good question! Soil temperature is absolutely important to root health so temperature seems like it would be important in a hydroponic system also. I found this great article discussing your exact question:

http://www.homehydrosystems.co...

A great reference article, Daisyl. Thanks!

I built a 4-season greenhouse for 8000 ft. elevation: bitter cold winter and lots of sun in summer. I second the idea of using shade cloth and automatic vents to keep the ambient air temps lower when the sun's out. Don't know the optimum temp range for hydroponic water, but suspect it can vary with direct sun and high air temp.

For some practical stuff and photos, look for my posts in the Share Photos of Your Greenhouse thread.
The thread "Please share photos of your greenhouse" in Greenhouses forum

Thanks for that link to "Nutrient Solution Temperature is Important", Daisy. Very informative.

@Highcold, I grew lettuce hydroponically in my cellar this past winter. I had the opposite problem...too cold. The air temp in the cellar stays about 45-48, so I put an aquarium heater with a thermostat in my reservoir to keep the water temperature at 70. Lettuce did very well.

I imagine it would be tougher to cool down your system and keep it consistently in the 68-72 range. Might be easier to use other methods to keep the entire greenhouse cooler as Henderman has suggested.

BTW...when you have a chance, please post some pics of your setup. I would love to see them.