How thick should styrofoam be for concrete floor?

[thirdeye]

This is to put between the cold concrete basement floor and the bottom of my new tent. At home de pot and they had 3/4 inch, 1 inch and 1 1/2 inch styrofoam board. The 1 1/2 inch looked like overkill, so I got the 1 inch. Will one inch do it or should I have gotten the 1 1/2 inch? thanks

 

[BesideHimself]

I think you did good mate I agree the 1 and 1/2 would have been overkill. I would have even been tempted by the 3/4.

 

[FreezerBoy]

1" sounds good but, why do you want it?

If growing in soil or similar, it may be a good thing but, if growing in DWC or E&F, a cold floor may be preferable.

 

[thirdeye]

Thanks for the reassuring feedback BesideHimself and Freezerboy. It is for a soil grow so I think I'm doing right.

 

[moses224]

im starting new house soil and just painting the cooler floors actually will benefit me but i guess it varies by location

 

[Philosophelon]

1 inch will be fine. Also setting your pots on a cold concrete floor is never beneficial because it significantly decreases temps in the rhizosphere, especially if one lives in cold climate. It also lowers one's yields

 

[moses224]

In areas that dont reach below 40 degrees and average 80-90 i would disagree. But isn't that the point of discussing it? Maybe iv been looking at it wrong way whole time? I'm in temps like south America below Mexico so its pretty damn warm

 

[bterzz]

I live in an area that never reaches below 40 and does typically go above 85.

I too had to put a wood pallet under my plants to keep them off the concrete floor.

They seemed to be growing very slow until I took them off the concrete floor, they then started growing like rapid fire.

The reason my concrete floor gets so cold is because its my garage floor, connected to the outside.

The concrete warms up quick too but at nights (even with the lights on, air cooled hood) it doesnt warm up the floors enough AT ALL. AT ALL AT ALL.

This is the first day I put the pallet under my plants. 7 days ago. This was also week 3 !!! of veg from clone.. See how slow the growth is?? No root growth.

Here they are...just 4 days later..

1 week later (since putting pallet under)

 

[moses224]

Did you try saucers? would a thick plastic saucer work or do you recomend the wood. Im trying to keep my setup clean thats why i went with painted concrete (keep in mind im building dont actually move plants into room until april first). If not saucer what about hydro 4x8 trays? what do you think?

 

[Philosophelon]

Anything that puts some air space in between the floor and your plants will do. If you put the saucers upside down it would probably do the trick. Also, imho, it is not just that the concrete makes the root-zone too cold, it is also that the concrete makes the root-zone much colder than the ambient air temp -- Even if your soil temp isn't super-low, if the air temp is 85 or 90 it will stress your plants to have the root zone so much colder than the rest of the plant. Kind of like how having too big of a difference between night and day temps will stress your indoor plants.

Since you live somewhere super-warm (I live somewhere pretty damn cold), you may be an exception to the rule, and you are correct that it is good to keep your root-zone a little colder than your air temp. However, I would at least run a side by side test with some plants off and some plants on the concrete -- just to make sure -- as having too cold of a root-zone significantly inhibits root growth, and yield depends in large part upon root size, particularly in soil. If your soil temp with your pots directly on the floor isn't too low (say at least the mid 60s), you should be fine.