Not wanting to invest in a powered humidifier I decided to try a passive system. I found a shallow plastic bin/tub that is roughly 16" wide by 30" long and 5" in height. I came across a 100% cotton shop rag that continually wicks water out of the tub and over the side; not all cloth works equally well and experimentation is necessary. The bin sits mounted just below the ceiling and I have enough room to insert a plastic hose for refilling with a small utility pump. The circulation fan pushes air over/through the bottom half of the hanging cloth. Before doing this mod my humidity levels were about 25-30% RH. With the new wick system, a separate vertical wet towel, and a cloth under the plant's grow tube/pipe (6") I can now achieve 50% RH levels. The PITA is keeping the bin topped up w/ H2O and the other media wet. The bin uses about 1-2 gallons daily and requires replenishing every 3rd day or so. I want to next make a micro drip system w/ plumbing pipe to keep the other towel media moist; not sure what that will require at the moment. For future grows I would like to incorporate a shallow galvanized pan about 2 feet by 3 1/2 feet to sit underneath the grow pipe. Fill it with creek stones and keep it topped off. That should make humidification even simpler to maintain.
If anyone else has utilized passive humidification techniques I would be interested to hear about them.
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