Humidity help...

What suggestions does anyone have for increasing humidity? Standard humidifiers cannot keep up. Very high, dry altitude-weather. Anyone use swamp cooler?...recirculating waterfountain device?...or other method?
Thanks

 

Swamp cooler and/or misters, both will add humidity as well as help bring the temperature down.

 

cheapest way, add a bucket or 2 full of water in ur growroom, might not increase it by much tho, 5-15%

i hear mini foggers are great, u can get 1 at maplin for like 10-15£ i hear

 

Thank you both.

Are they the type that you see that create fog in little tanks? (Like in Japaneese bonzai garden things?)

And does anyone know of foggers/misters that don't require a lot of pressure to work? I'm not comfortable at all with hooking a garden hose to a device and then being gone from home.

As to the water in containers, that usually doesn't work 'cuz the water warms up to the room's temp and then doesn't really evaporate.

TKS

 

It depends on the surface area exposed and the temp of the grow room.

What is the average humidity reading for your room?

 

Because the floor is unfinished hardwood I can spray a little water on the floor and raise the humidity to around 60%...but otherwise it will drop to 45%. Several books have different stats on humidity...but I believe 60 is better than 45.
The average temp of the room is 80 during lights on. I have excellent ventilation, just very dry here. The small humidifier just can't keep enough cool, moist air moving on.

TKS

 

I'm testing this baby. It was only 160$ through heartland.

 

The only foggers/misters that I am familiar with are intended for outdoor area cooling, like in a patio. They are placed up high (six or eight feet) in a string a foot or so apart, pressurized water is forced through the tiny apertures to creat a mist that evaporates quickly and creates a cool, moist, condition. They wont work without some pressure. But I think there are some that work with lower pressure, like you would get from a recirculating pump - I'll see what I can come up with!

Misters may be harder to work with unless you have a good sized area, they need more "space" to function properly. If the water doesn't have a chance to fully evaporate before it hits the ground, it will leave a wet surface and creat water problems.
You should be able to get hold of an old swampcooler for next to nothing, repair parts are available and cheap!

 

MY 2 cents: Low humidity isn't all that bad. At certain times of year my ambient humidity drops down to the 20 degree neighbourhood with no apparent ill effects, but I'm a hydro kind of guy. I don't like too high a humidity cause I gotta worry more about fungus and similar crap that doesn't happen when it's drier.
If you were on a small scale you could use little tricks like watering your floor, which you're doing, or buying a few sponges and letting them breathe moisture into the air.
I like the waterfountain idea.Don't discount what the kid said about buckets of water; if he would have said shallow pans of water he had it right. They should evaporate quickly.
If you're on a larger scale you gotta take bigger steps, but then you are into greenhouse type supplies.

 

It looks like misters/foggers want between 25-80 psi of pressure (typical city water supply). I reckon that would need a pretty hefty pump (or a private water tower 60-190 feet tall - each foot of height adds .43 psi)! So unless you have a greenhouse, or a shed, maybe their not such a good idea!!!

But I would still recommend a swamp cooler.

 

Awesome help! Thanks to all. As luck would have it I found a swamp cooler at a use-it-again store for under $30. Now to see what it will do!!

Appreciate everyone's input. Happy growing...!

TKS