Options Details

Options & Features

Below you will find photos and an explanation of each option we offer in addition to the standard features of the Growing Dome.

Vents

Solar powered actuators, based on expansion of wax in a tube, open the upper and lower vents at a preset temperature. Both openers are adjusted by screwing the tube or adjusting nut inwards to have them open at a lower temperature or screwing outwards to have them open at a higher temperature.

Hot air escapes from the top of the Growing Dome, creating a "chimney" effect, drawing in cold air through the lower vents, which prevents overheating. The window vents close automatically, freeing you to go on vacation without worry. The larger domes, instead of lower vents, have solar powered or 110V cooling fans that are automatically regulated. The two types of openers are described below.

Bayliss Vent Opener

The larger domes, 26' and up have Bayliss openers on the top vents and the 26' have Univent on the lower vents.You may want to upgrade to Bayliss openers if you live in a windy area because the Univent openers (standard on smaller domes) may not be strong enough to withstand high winds. The smaller domes have smaller windows and therefore you may not need the upgrade unless you live in an extremely windy area. Also, if you are in a high wind area you may want to add an extra Bayliss opener to the top vent; this is the double Bayliss option.

Univent Openers

The Univent openers are standard on the smaller domes and have proved to be very satisfactory over the years. In high wind areas they may not withstand the forces involved in which case you would want to upgrade to the Bayliss option as described above.

Electric (110v) Cooling Fan with temperature activated shutters

The Electric (110v) cooling Fan is included in the kit for the 33' - 51' domes. In some circumstances the owner may want to upgrade to a solar powered option. For details see description below.

Solar Powered (12v) Cooling Fan Upgrade

The solar powered cooling fan upgrade is for the 33' - 51' domes that normally come with 110v cooling fans as standard. However, if you want to be more energy efficient you can upgrade to the 12v fans that run off a solar panel. This would save on electricity costs, however, the 110v cooling fans only use between 50-85 watts each, which is the size of an average light bulb. They are on a thermostat so they don't run all the time.

The downside of the 12v fans is they only bring in 1/3 of the amount of cooling air of the 110v fan (1000 cfm as apposed to 3000 cfm). If you wish to have everything operate by solar you would need this upgrade.

Extra Solar Powered (12v) Cooling Fan Option

If you live in a very hot area of the country, you may find that the normal combination of cooling features may not be sufficient to cool your dome in the summer. In this case, we recommend adding an extra solar powered cooling fan to any size Growing Dome. If the outside air temperature is over 95 degrees, this option may not help and you may want to consider a swamp cooler.
Here is a company we recommend: Kansas Wind Power.

Solar Powered Waterfall

The solar powered waterfall is chosen for two main reasons.
1. It provides aeration for the tank which the fish enjoy and helps to slow down algae formation.
2. It creates a wonderful ambiance inside the dome.
The waterfall only runs when the sun is shining as it is directly wired to a solar panel that runs the submerged pump. The option consists of a pump, solar panel and connecting hardware.

We offer two types of solar powered waterfalls and you'll need to specify the one you want when ordering.
1. Decorative Bamboo
2. Dish that you fill with attractive rocks from your environment

Door with Window

Some people enjoy having the door with a window and we've shown a picture of that below. It can provide another source of air flow as it has a sliding opening window with screen.
The polycarbonate glazing is clear, but distorts images, so the window in the door allows you to see out clearly in that direction.

Bottom Plate Options

Our normal bottom plate on the wall is pressure treated lumber. It is covered on the outside of the dome with hardi-panel siding and the inside is covered with sheet metal. The plate contacts the gravel immediately below and does not come into contact directly with the soil in the beds. The reason we use pressure treated bottom plates is because most building departments require these and they last longer by resisting decay and are also resistant to termite damage.

Some people are very concerned about any chemicals in or around the dome, so for this reason we offer an upgrade as described below.

Redwood Bottom Plate

The Redwood is resistant to decay for many years.

Shade Cloth

Shade cloth is very useful in hot areas. It cuts down the amount of heat entering the dome. The shade cloth is sized for each dome and comes with strings and screw eyes to connect to the outside of the dome and it pulls over tightly. You may have to cut a hole in any area where a solar panel or vent might be obstructed. Most people put it up in June and take down in October.

Metal Glazing Strips

The Growing Domes come with aircraft tape as a standard feature to seal the seams between the panels. This tape has a life of approximately seven years and will eventually need to be replaced. It does provide a leak proof dome and we have been very happy with it over the years. However, we are experimenting with metal glazing strips with a different kind of tape underneath. We believe the strips will slow down the degeneration of the tape and be more cost effective in the long term. These are still in the experimental phase and we continue to refine them.

2ft Wall Option

The benefit of a 2ft wall is to allow raised bed gardening which owners really enjoy as they don't have to stoop down as much. Also, in area of high snowfall they raise the dome so more sunshine can enter through the glazing. the wall is covered on the outside with a fiber cement siding which resists decay and weathering better than the T1-11 siding shown here.

Heating Options

We often have people ask about heating options. We do not sell heaters, but recommend a Southern Burner Heater which is specifically designed for greenhouse use. Another option is a Mr. Heater top attached to a propane tank which you would set next to the water tank. This heats the water and allows it to radiate the heat throughout the dome.

Please send questions to: info@growingspaces.com / P.O. Box 5518 / 1868 B Majestic Dr. / Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
1-800-753-9333

Vents Solar powered actuators, based on expansion of wax in a tube, open the upper and lower vents at a preset temperature. Both openers are adjusted by screwing the tube or adjusting nut inwards to have them open at a lower temperature or screwing outwards to have them open at a higher temperature. Hot air escapes from the top of the Growing Dome, creating a "chimney" effect, drawing in cold air through the lower vents, which prevents overheating. The window vents close automatically, freeing you to go on vacation without worry. The larger domes, instead of lower vents, have solar powered or 110V cooling fans that are automatically regulated. The two types of openers are described below.
Bayliss Vent Opener The larger domes, 26' and up have Bayliss openers on the top vents and the 26' have Univent on the lower vents.You may want to upgrade to Bayliss openers if you live in a windy area because the Univent openers (standard on smaller domes) may not be strong enough to withstand high winds. The smaller domes have smaller windows and therefore you may not need the upgrade unless you live in an extremely windy area. Also, if you are in a high wind area you may want to add an extra Bayliss opener to the top vent; this is the double Bayliss option.

Univent Openers The Univent openers are standard on the smaller domes and have proved to be very satisfactory over the years. In high wind areas they may not withstand the forces involved in which case you would want to upgrade to the Bayliss option as described above.

Electric (110v) Cooling Fan with temperature activated shutters The Electric (110v) cooling Fan is included in the kit for the 33' - 51' domes. In some circumstances the owner may want to upgrade to a solar powered option. For details see description below.

Solar Powered (12v) Cooling Fan Upgrade The solar powered cooling fan upgrade is for the 33' - 51' domes that normally come with 110v cooling fans as standard. However, if you want to be more energy efficient you can upgrade to the 12v fans that run off a solar panel. This would save on electricity costs, however, the 110v cooling fans only use between 50-85 watts each, which is the size of an average light bulb. They are on a thermostat so they don't run all the time. The downside of the 12v fans is they only bring in 1/3 of the amount of cooling air of the 110v fan (1000 cfm as apposed to 3000 cfm). If you wish to have everything operate by solar you would need this upgrade. Extra Solar Powered (12v) Cooling Fan Option If you live in a very hot area of the country, you may find that the normal combination of cooling features may not be sufficient to cool your dome in the summer. In this case, we recommend adding an extra solar powered cooling fan to any size Growing Dome. If the outside air temperature is over 95 degrees, this option may not help and you may want to consider a swamp cooler. Here is a company we recommend: Kansas Wind Power.

Solar Powered Waterfall The solar powered waterfall is chosen for two main reasons. 1. It provides aeration for the tank which the fish enjoy and helps to slow down algae formation. 2. It creates a wonderful ambiance inside the dome. The waterfall only runs when the sun is shining as it is directly wired to a solar panel that runs the submerged pump. The option consists of a pump, solar panel and connecting hardware. We offer two types of solar powered waterfalls and you'll need to specify the one you want when ordering. 1. Decorative Bamboo 2. Dish that you fill with attractive rocks from your environment

Door with Window Some people enjoy having the door with a window and we've shown a picture of that below. It can provide another source of air flow as it has a sliding opening window with screen. The polycarbonate glazing is clear, but distorts images, so the window in the door allows you to see out clearly in that direction.

Bottom Plate Options Our normal bottom plate on the wall is pressure treated lumber. It is covered on the outside of the dome with hardi-panel siding and the inside is covered with sheet metal. The plate contacts the gravel immediately below and does not come into contact directly with the soil in the beds. The reason we use pressure treated bottom plates is because most building departments require these and they last longer by resisting decay and are also resistant to termite damage. Some people are very concerned about any chemicals in or around the dome, so for this reason we offer an upgrade as described below. Redwood Bottom Plate The Redwood is resistant to decay for many years.
Shade Cloth Shade cloth is very useful in hot areas. It cuts down the amount of heat entering the dome. The shade cloth is sized for each dome and comes with strings and screw eyes to connect to the outside of the dome and it pulls over tightly. You may have to cut a hole in any area where a solar panel or vent might be obstructed. Most people put it up in June and take down in October.

Metal Glazing Strips The Growing Domes come with aircraft tape as a standard feature to seal the seams between the panels. This tape has a life of approximately seven years and will eventually need to be replaced. It does provide a leak proof dome and we have been very happy with it over the years. However, we are experimenting with metal glazing strips with a different kind of tape underneath. We believe the strips will slow down the degeneration of the tape and be more cost effective in the long term. These are still in the experimental phase and we continue to refine them.

2ft Wall Option The benefit of a 2ft wall is to allow raised bed gardening which owners really enjoy as they don't have to stoop down as much. Also, in area of high snowfall they raise the dome so more sunshine can enter through the glazing. the wall is covered on the outside with a fiber cement siding which resists decay and weathering better than the T1-11 siding shown here.

Heating Options We often have people ask about heating options. We do not sell heaters, but recommend a Southern Burner Heater which is specifically designed for greenhouse use. Another option is a Mr. Heater top attached to a propane tank which you would set next to the water tank. This heats the water and allows it to radiate the heat throughout the dome.