DIY germination chamber

Simple DIY germination chamber

I started this last year as we were having issues germinating upstairs due to temp fluctuations in the house.

Things you need

Fish Tank that will fit a 1020 tray, you can get them used (craigslist, letgo etc) or use one if you have an old tank.  Estate sales and garage sales are also great for finding one.

Aquarium heater.  The one we had was able to be fully submerged.  For the amount of water you are heating I don’t think wattage really matters

Bricks or something that will keep your 1020 trays out of the water.  We used bricks because we had them.  Cut some plastic pieces to put the bricks on so you don’t scratch or break the glass.
A top, we initially used saran wrap on the top but due to moving it into the basement we opted for insulation panels to keep the heat in. I liked have the clear sides when germinating several flats at once because we could see what was popping up.

Surge protector to plug the aquarium heater into (useful for lighting if you have seeds that need light to germinate)

So that is all the thing you need to assemble it.  I have seen other people use large coolers but I was not able to find one for a cheap price that would accommodate 1020 trays.  If you have a large cooler by all means use that.

How to build

One you have the fish tank, bleach the hell out of it and get as much hard water stains and whatever else is in there as you can out of it.  Rinse it out and then let it air dry.
Check the seals on the sides and bottom of the tank,  If need be reseal with silicone sealant.
Bring the tank to where it will be used.  Put the aquarium heater on the bottom towards the center.  Ours had suction cups which made it easier.
Fill the tank enough to have about an inch of water on top of the aquarium heater.
Set the heater to around 75F, put the top on and let it heat up.  We usually let it go for about 24 hours until we see water droplets building up on the top.

We use soil blocks which are damp to begin with but I would think 6packs could be watered lightly before putting in the germination chamber.  Remember it’s going to essentially be a rain forest in there so no need to water to much prior.

Some info I have noticed
  I’ve noticed many positives to using a germination chamber.  I think the first is the percentage of germinated seeds.  I feel that it’s a little easier to pop difficult to germinate seeds.  In the past we have always had issues with impatiens that we grow for my mom.  Last year using the germination chamber we got about 80%-90%.
Second, the seeds germinate more uniformly, usually all are up within a 24 hour period of the first one popping.
Third is how quick they germinate.  This year we are trying all of our herbs from seed.
Rosemary is supposed to be 14-21 days, we had them up in 36 hours.

This is how I germinate, I’m not saying it’s the best method but for me it has helped greatly.