Heated grow trays.

Joined : 17 Mar 2008 Posts : 11 Location : Sydney

I was looking at getting a heated grow tray with thermostat to help improve my rather crappy winter germination rates, I was wondering if anyone out there could tell me anything bad or good about these trays. i.e. do the work well.

A variety of heated trays can be found here

http://www.gardenexpress.com.au/index.html?target=dept_443.html&lang=en-us

Cheers.

Age : 35 Joined : 26 Apr 2008 Posts : 177 Location : Cairns

This sort of thing was bought up earlier and I think I had suggested heat mats from a reptile store or a heat cord - both work well with a thermostat.

Check eBay for heat mats.

When it comes back online, www.wehaveitall.com.au often have some awesome deals.

Let us know how you get on with this other crowd if you do buy heated seed trays Smile

Cheers

Subject: Re: Heated grow trays. Mon Jun 02, 2008 6:38 pm

Yeah just use a decent thermostat otherwise you will fry your little baby cacti. The heat mat I use was from ebay, is a pet heating mat and they are available from the sitr slim mentioned. Pretty damn good for a cheaper alternative, just remember to use a thermostat. They are usually about $40+, I got mine from Jaycar Electronics.
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コレクタ

Subject: Re: Heated grow trays. Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:42 pm

Anyone ever tried the el cheapo method of ripping apart an electric blanket fixing it to a board and covering with sand??? I was gonna give it a crack but my partner wouldnt have a bar of it, fire hazard she reckons. Why is everything a bloody fire hazard ffs.

Subject: Re: Heated grow trays. Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:04 pm

Age : 35 Joined : 26 Apr 2008 Posts : 177 Location : Cairns

Leccy blankies aren't a fire hazard... I mean, sand doesn't burn.. you tell her that PD!!!

Heat mats are no better - incorrectly used or a faulty one will burn just as well as any blankie!

Joined : 07 May 2008 Posts : 597 Location : Melbourne

well i use a really crap old falling apart reptile heat mat which is at least 12 years old and was about to have been thrown out, with no thermostat, exposed wires where the covering has come away, which i fixed with duct tape. it sparks occassionally. im pretty sure it would qualify as a fire hazard. Wink

yet it works!

Subject: Re: Heated grow trays. Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:36 pm

Joined : 14 May 2008 Posts : 458 Location : Corio. Victoria

Here's my set up

Got to get something reflective to help keep the light and heat in. Finally got round to putting it on over the weekend and put in some seedlings and then planted and another 31 lots of seeds.
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Betty

http://community.webshots.com/user/parrotsheaven

Subject: Re: Heated grow trays. Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:51 pm

serious stuff Betty! wish I had more room!

Joined : 14 May 2008 Posts : 458 Location : Corio. Victoria

I was lucky to get this one fairly cheap. Its an old one of Rudolf Shultz's 3m x 1m. I just wish a bit of his growing powers would rub off on me Smile

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Betty

http://community.webshots.com/user/parrotsheaven

Age : 35 Joined : 26 Apr 2008 Posts : 177 Location : Cairns

Those tomato plants look pretty sus....

Subject: Re: Heated grow trays. Mon Jun 02, 2008 10:47 pm

Try panda film Betty, they sell it at hydroponics shops.

Joined : 16 May 2008 Posts : 194 Location : Canberra

This is what it looks like when its all sealed up - made from panda film and has velcro to close the flaps.

this is what its like on the inside - each level has two 18watt fluros. suspended on a wire mesh - the light below gives heat the level above. the top level is MDF with a few nasty holes cut out.

Joined : 14 May 2008 Posts : 458 Location : Corio. Victoria

Thanks guys I will see if we have somehere who sells hydroponics.

They are sure to as busts are quite regular up here Shocked

I have it on a MDF table I made that then has carpet with the mat on top and then plastic over the mat just in case. It has a thermostat that sits in a pot in the middle which has a meat thermometer stuck in it. When I said it was too expensive it actually cost me $150 but well worth it.

Slim6y if they were suss plants I wouldn't be working Wink

The tomatoes are actually adansonia and kedrostis plants. Look them up they are interesting plants Smile

WT that is a great looking set up which reminds me I must put my pereskiopsis on the mat.]

San Rainbow lucky I have to shed to throw it in. Yikes just had a terrible thought, what if I can't find a house to rent with a decent size shed. Aah spare bedroom might come in handy cyclops

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Betty

http://community.webshots.com/user/parrotsheaven