Reddit reviews VIVOSUN 10"x20.75" Seedling Heat Mat and Digital Thermostat Combo Set MET Standard

• 2x1020 trays
  
• 2xSureRoots 50 Deep Cell Plug Trays
  
• 2x7" Vented Humidity Dome
  
• 2xVIVOSUN 10"x20" Seedling Heat Mat plugged into an outlet strip hooked up to a temp controller
  
• 1x
  VIPARSPECTRA Reflector-Series 300W LED Grow Light
  
• 1xTaoTronics LED Grow Lights Bulb left over from last year because why not?

I use a seed mat heater lightly placed around the vessel. I bought one with a regulator on amazon. This one works well for my 2 gallon vessel. VIVOSUN 10"x20" Seedling Heat Mat and Digital Thermostat Combo Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016MKY7C8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_HEelybCXF3F8D

okay, so there's another culprit here. Temperature swing can definitely cause some things. You have one of those heat mats? I use a setup like this. My jar is down in a 5kg keg I got from some chemicals for my lab. [Flavor chemicals]

https://www.amazon.com/VIVOSUN-Seedling-Digital-Thermostat-Standard/dp/B016MKY7C8/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=heat+mat+and+thermostat&qid=1572988692&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExSUY5U0hYMTBUM0ZCJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjQwNTgxMThVVVI1Q1NTNEc1SiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTU1NTY1MVZCSFUxSkVRTFBSJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

https://www.amazon.com/VIVOSUN-Seedling-Digital-Thermostat-Standard/dp/B016MKY7C8/ref=zg_bs_14252891_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2DHNSWK6XBQBWV7NQVKW

These seedling mats worked perfect for me in winter

They sell that same mat with a temp controller. I rubber banded the mat around my kombucha fermenter and taped the temp probe to the opposite side. Works well.

https://www.amazon.com/VIVOSUN-Seedling-Digital-Thermostat-Combo/dp/B016MKY7C8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1486574400&sr=8-3

I got one off amazon with a temperature controller, was a bit more expensive than just the pad, but since I needed to be sure the seeds germinated I didnt mind. https://www.amazon.ca/VIVOSUN-x20-75-Seedling-Digital-Thermostat/dp/B016MKY7C8/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?keywords=heat+mat+thermostat&qid=1568954250&sprefix=heat+mat&sr=8-6

i got this pad VIVOSUN 10"x20.75" Seedling Heat Mat and Digital Thermostat Combo Set MET Standard it's water proof and has temp settings that some heating pads don't have.

Here are a couple more images. This is Golden Teacher, grown in a monotub on coco coir and gypsum. I was worried about the temperature of the fruiting chamber, so I ended up buying This seed mat and temperature controller.

You could try I guess! I have no idea how warm they get.

This is the sort of thing I use. Not this specific make/model but they probably all come from the same factory with different branding printed on. If you’re doing any appreciable volume of cactus seeds it’s very helpful. It’s good for rooting cuttings and degrafted plants too.

https://www.amazon.com/VIVOSUN-Seedling-Digital-Thermostat-Standard/dp/B016MKY7C8/ref=zg_bs_14252891_8/132-1848626-0927011

Kombucha is fairly forgiving, but the following might help:

• The biggest thing you can do to improve your kombucha is to use filtered water. Buy it filtered in bulk or install an inline filter.
  
• I find it easier to buy loose-leaf tea and a kitchen scale to measure our tea than to count tea bags, but YMMV. The loose leaf can go into a nylon mesh bag like a giant tea bag.
  
• Keep an eye on the temperature of the water that you use to brew your sweet tea - it should be well below boiling to avoid burning the tea leaves. With the 80/20 mix of green/black tea, I try to steep it at 170F for 10 minutes.
  
• Start 1F with a lot of kombucha starter - almost 1 gallon for the 5 gallon batch is a good place to start to make sure the scoby is nice and active. At a minimum, you should be using a half gallon of starter for that size batch.
  
• I like keeping track of the progress of my batches over time (pH, brix, and total acidity). If you feel similarly, get a pH meter, brix refractometer, and a total acidity titration testing kit (I just use some NaOH solution and the pH meter). I'm still trying to figure out a convenient setup for testing that provides a reasonable estimate of alcohol...
  
• Depending on the temperature in your brewing area, you may want to invest in a heating mat and thermostat that can keep the 1F at a consistent temperature. If you use one, wrap it around the sides of the bucket to make sure that both the yeast (which tends to sink) and the bacteria (which tends to float) benefit from its effects. Placing the bucket on top of the heating mat may lead to a kombucha batch that tastes heavily of yeast.
  
• When it comes time for 2F, there are a few options for moving your batch:
  
  • Pour it out: simple, but potentially messy
    
  • Ladle it out: simple, but time-consuming
    
  • Install a bottling spigot: very useful, but it creates the potential for leaks and it can get plugged up with yeast
    
  • Use gravity and an auto-siphon: a little difficult to understand the first time, but after that it's the best solution
    
    I hope that helps :)