Nice blog. I don't believe you need the water chiller. I've never used one and my plants haven't suffered any ill effects.
The cover itself should be ample to keep things cool.
BTW, I live in central NC so we both have similar day time temperatures.

Its probably even cooler here than central NC.

Hatteras Island has never recorded a temperature over 96 degrees.

I could definitely be over doing it with the chiller, but maybe my grow will be more productive having it.

I found a great deal for a chiller on craigslist by someone who was breaking down an aquarium, so I bought it.

Do you grow your plants in a deep water culture, ebb and flow, or nutrient film?

I switch from year to year. I have a modified DWC/ aeroponic system I grow tomatoes in . last year I grew peppers in DWC initially, then converted in to NFT due to environmental factors. Currently I have some strawberries in NFT and EnF. The one in NFT are blowing out the EnF plants, but we'll have to see how the fruits in each turn out.
Oh wait, I also have a tomato in my office in DWC that's been growing since August of last year and is still fruiting.

what do you run your E.C./P.H./TDS at for your tomatoes?

To anyone that is interested I have an update on my outdoor hydroponic heirloom tomatoes. Click on the link (The Greene Tomato) below to look at all the pictures.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Greene Tomato

They look fantastic!! I didn't know about pruning the flowers that weren't keeping up, thanks for that tip! (and feel free to offer more!! lol)

Cheri, to be honest, I'm only doing what Arizona University said to do.

It seems to make sense that energy should not be diverted from future trusses/main stems, to grow "slow poke" tomatoes?

I'd like to hear more opinions on it.

:)

Here is a link that might be useful: The Greene Tomato

I don't think I need a shade cloth for tomatoes until my heat gets to 90 degrees right?

Something to do with flower drop due to pollen caking?

This stuff is 40% polypropylene shade cloth, I put it up to see if it would work, but I plan on removing it until my outdoor air temps get in the upper 80's.

Any opinions or backing of that strategy?

Here is a link that might be useful: The Greene Tomato

Shade cloth is good thing to protect from excessive UV and heat exposure and is used a lot here in Thailand. But it's not often used with tomatoes here, as they can use and need any UV available. We simply go seasonal outdoors fully exposed, or ventilated and misted in greenhouses during hotter month.

I am not saying you shouldn't use it at all, but if the temperature is not exceeding the max, you don't actually need it - and if the temperatures are getting as hot as potentially inducing blossom drop, BER or even general tissue damage to the plants, the cloth shade wouldn't be good enough to prevent it - simply because it doesn't lower ambient temperatures that much. What I am saying is, that the window when a cloth shade is actually indicated and truly helping with tomatoes, is quite narrow ;-)

Thanks for the info. My friend had some leftover from his garden, so I put it up yesterday to see if it would fit with my current setup. I told him I didn't think it was necessary, as tomatoes love the sun granted they have adequate water.

He's going to leave his up anyway b/c he thinks the sun has been his problem. I think it was his watering schedule (or lack there).

Today I'm going to take it down. I still have about 7 tomato plants that need to be placed outdoors in the ebb and flow system. Perhaps I'll cover those guys with the cloth until they adjust to the bright outdoor conditions.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Greene Tomato

Update: Lots of Greene' tomatoes! Transplants hardened off:

Here is a link that might be useful: The Greene Tomato

NICE! Lookin good!!

@widespreadpanic--Wow! I checked your blog and it is very informative, you sure have lots of good info on growing tomato plants there. The latest pic of the "mini mater" you got looks really nice. The tomato training is also very clever ;) Oh, your tree frog friend seems to love the barrel he is in now. :))