Grow tents are always essential when cultivating cannabis indoors. The market is now full of almost unlimited options to choose from. Such options can easily lead you to confusion. This guide will help you on how to use grow tents.
Why Should You Use Grow Tents?
Grow tents let the home cannabis growers have a confined space that will protect the growing plants. Also, you do not need to remodel your property or construct anything to accommodate your grow.
Likewise, tents streamline the whole growing process. That’s because they are easy to set up. They also give support to hang fans, lights, and any other equipment. They promote ventilation, too.
Aside from buying grow tents, you should also think about the requisites. Prepare the needed materials first for hassle-free setup.
What are the Basic Requirements in Setting up Grow Tents?
Though some grow tents have extra features that are making them stand out, all models work in the same manner. Grow tents are transportable frames that have a sturdy reflective fabric. It works as a cover.
Basically, that is what you should expect from grow tents. However, manufacturers aim to give extra features designed to help growers in cultivating weed indoors.
For a good setup, you should consider these things:
Energy Efficiency
Grow tents need LED grow lights. The lights will stimulate the warmth to accumulate inside. Thus, you must also install some ventilation fans that can help regulate the temperature.
These two energy-consuming features are commonly available in different grow tents. When you buy them, make sure you consider the price of energy needed for your proposed setup. That’s how you can plan things accordingly.
Pest Control
Unfortunately, there are pests that can breed even inside the grow tents. When you want to cultivate veggies and fruits which are more susceptible to pests, think about intercropping. It is an organic pest control technique that can help you keep your crops safe from pests. You can also try any other safe and eco-friendly pest control techniques.
Essential Lighting
Grow tents often allow growers to customize the volume of light that you can put in them. You should do some research and find out more regarding the best light conditions for your plants. From there, you can start doing some experiments to find the exact amount of light which will ensure the ideal conditions in your grow tents.
Temperature
Aside from lighting, the temperature is also a crucial condition in grow tents. It needs ventilation and continuous monitoring. Most plants need the temperature between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It can be up to 85 degrees Fahrenheit but more than that is dangerous.
Most plants like a higher temperature and will thrive well under a slightly warmer condition. The temperature should be consistent. Be sure the daytime temperature is always in the consistent range. Also, the off-lighting temperature should stay between 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Consistency is the main key here.
Carbon Dioxide
The carbon dioxide level has a direct connection with the plants’ growth rate. By getting the right amount of carbon dioxide needed, plants will grow faster. However, increased carbon dioxide can cause the temperature to escalate. It is a critical issue that you should address as soon as possible.
Choosing the Best Grow Tents
The main key when choosing the right grow tents for your needs will depend on what type of plant you want to grow. Your tents’ size is among the most important things to consider.
If they are too big, you will be wasting your money on most things, such as electricity for fans, lights, pumps, and so on. If the tents are too small, space will be overcrowded that causes the plants to compete for water and nutrients. It may affect a lot their potential to grow.
Remember, the form will always follow function when choosing grow tents for cannabis. You don’t need to buy grow tents with too many ventilation holes or the ones that are bigger than your needs.
Steps to Follow in Setting up Grow Tents
Once everything is ready, you can start setting up your grow tents by following these steps:
Step #1. Assemble Your Tools.
Here, you will need the following:
- Wire cutters (you can also use pliers that can cut cables.)
- Flathead screwdriver
- Scissors or a box cutter
- Tape quantifier
Also, don’t forget your personal needs. You may bring a fan or your favorite thirst quencher.
Step #2. Building Your Grow Tents
Your first job is to construct your grow tents. You may ask for help from someone if you can’t do it alone. You should get your stands up in 30 minutes. Grow tents may have two or three length sticks. Split your vertical rods into two bits.
Look for the provided instructions in the package or on the web. That will include building the base and forming one wall at a time. You must put up your grow tents in the open space in the meantime using grow-mates.
Also, make sure you have:
- A lighting program and a cord
- Carbon filter with a pre-filter
- Inline fan
- Notch light hangers (two for each machine)
- Two duct clamps
- Timer
- Ducting
Step #4. Set up the Ventilation System.
Setting up the ventilation system is a straightforward process. There are several standard settings. However, you should hang the filter and fan out of the grow tents. It can be the ideal solution for small to midsized carbon filters.
This will increase the growing footprint. Also, it will bring the air inside the tents through the filter, letting the air move faster. It will help in eliminating unpleasant odors while allowing fresh and clean air to penetrate the tents.
When carbon filters are too huge, and you can’t hang them in the tents’ ceiling, you should set them on the floor within your tents. The only potential problem here will be their ability to draw more warmth to your crops when they are busy. In fact, they occupy much space.
Putting the strainer and buff outside the tent is the least ideal solution. It can conserve space, but it can cause some drawbacks. One of these is the fan can cause more noise due to its position.
To set up the ventilation system, get the pre-filter and slip it on your carbon filter. Fasten it by using the extra elastic rings. Perform it based on your preferred installation technique from the 4th step. Follow the succeeding steps provided for installation A, B, and C.
Measure 5A (Hanging Inside the Tents)
With the elastic nylon straps in the kit, hang the inline lover by using the elongated end. Point it to where the kayak exhaust hole is. Make sure the lover is in the center to keep it balanced.
Use the extra nylon straps in your grow kayak set. Hang on your carbon filter by using the flange pointing to where the inline enthusiast is. Make sure as well that the enthusiast is in the center to keep it balanced.
Gauge the distance from the head of your filter lip to the head of your inline enthusiast lip. Cut this ducting period using the cable and box cutters.
Fasten one end of the ducting you cut to the enthusiast’s lip with a clamp. Secure the other tip of the ducting in the carbon filter lip. No more bolt needed.
Run the remaining part of the ducting from your preferred rotor hole. Attach the other tip at the end of your vertical enthusiast by using a strand. Run the fan’s electric wire from the nearest tent wire hole behind the crate.
Measure 5B (Placed Inside the Grow Tents)
Put the carbon filter on the ground at your preferred location. Next, put the inline fan aside from the filter. Use the tapered tip pointed outside in doing this.
Make sure the enthusiast’s lip is within the filter lip. Fasten it using one to two packs of transparent ducting tape. You need to buy it.
Twist the ducting to the enthusiast’s lip and fasten it using the ducting clap. Let the ducting run from your preferred expansion tent emitting opening. Also, allow the lover cable to run from the nearest wire hole behind the crate.
Measure 5C (Putting It Apart from the Grow Tents)
Put the gathered carbon filter on the floor in your preferred location out of the grow tents. Place the inline fan and filter by using the tapered tip pointed down.
Secure the enthusiast using one to two transparent tape packs. The kit doesn’t include it.
Change the ducting in the enthusiast by using the casing clamp. Let the ducting run to the grow tents venting hole.
Step #6. Hang Your Lighting System
Hanging up the lights in the grow tents is easy. The only problem is how to keep the cords out of the way off the floor.
By having 2 ratchet hangers, hook a crossbar close to the top of the cage along with the pins connected to the ratchet connectors in those hangers.
Put the pins attached to the string ends of these ratchets to equal lengths. Place the hook in one of the hanger mounts of the light system.
Run the mild system power wire from the nearest tent wire hole behind your grow tents. You can also adjust the lighting’s elevation by tapping both the rachets and hangers.
Some Tips for Lighting Your Grow Tents
Change the way your light elevates is crucial while your plants grow. Make sure you check the given recommendations for your lights. Damages can occur when you are not careful. In case you are not sure of what you’re about to do, don’t hesitate to seek help. Don’t splash the water in the lighting gear like the ballasts.
You must conduct new HID bulbs for 12 hours or longer in their first start-up. This will boost the lifespan of the bulbs. When changing the bulbs in the HID lights, do not touch the glass with your bare hands. Also, don’t do it when your hands are oily as it may cause harm to the bulb. Wear some gloves to prevent it.
Step #7. Install a Fan or Light Timer
Change the mild system wire in one facade of the timer. If you want to install a timer for the enthusiast as well, plug it in a fan electric wire in the timer’s opposite side. Otherwise, just plug it to a power supply. Follow the instructions for using a timer in setting up occasions.
Assessing the Problems
Before you turn the lights and fan on, make sure you double check the electric connections and any dangling straps or hooks. Inspect everything in an hour to see how it changes the ecological things from your grow tents.
Make sure the airflow is enough. Likewise, ensure the lights are not outrageously sexy. It is a good idea to make sure there are no light leaks.
Feel free to ask for help from a friend or someone in your house. It’s normal to see some pinholes of light leaks out of the grow tents. After all those things, you can start planting your crops.
Maintaining Your Grow Tents
While you grow cannabis, you should also pay attention to your grow tents. Cleaning them regularly is a simple way to maintain them. Do this especially before you begin planting new plants. Wipe the surfaces using hydrogen peroxide or bleach. This will eliminate the lingering diseases or germs in the grow tents. Make sure you thoroughly scrub the pots and even the components that you plan to use in the next growing season.
Conclusion
Setting up grow tents for cultivating cannabis indoors is now more common. It is a brilliant option for growers who want more control over the environmental factors to ensure growth and increased yield.
Grow tents are invaluable assets. However, you must set them up correctly to make sure they run at their best. Follow the provided tips and steps above to ensure your success in growing cannabis indoors by using tents.
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