Indoor growing spaces are ideal for many home growers. Whether it’s for the lack of outdoor growing space or the need to grow privately, more and more are turning to grow tents. Installation can be a breeze, especially with expert tips for setting up a grow tent.
Assemble the grow tent according to the manual. Then install the grow lights and ventilation. Considering your space and how much you’d like to plant, your grow tent size matters. Look for other useful grow tent features, too. Lastly, record keeping should be a norm to keep a close eye on how your plant is growing under different conditions.
What we have below are just the basics of setting up a grow tent. Of course, the process would vary depending on personal preference and experience.
Below, we’ll discuss the basics of setting up a grow tent and the essentials to look for. We’ll also give you some useful tips to make sure you’re getting the best out of your new growing space.
Why You Should Use a Grow Tent
Many home growers are making the switch to using grow tents instead of growing cannabis, among other plants, in the great outdoors.
Below, we’ll lay out for you all the good reasons why you should consider using a grow tent:
Fully controlled growing environment
Plants grown outdoors are often subjected to fluctuating and unpredictable weather conditions. This unpredictability is less than ideal for many plants.
Take cannabis or weed for example. Growing cannabis indoors would entail maintaining certain growing conditions
Cannabis plants grow and flourish in an environment with a temperature range of 70°F to 85°F. As for humidity, the ideal humidity range is 40% to 60%. Too much moisture is a breeding ground for mold and mildew growth.
In an outdoor setting, the ideal growing environment can be challenging to achieve. But with an indoor grow tent setup, you are in control of the weather conditions your plants live in.
You can also grow seasonal plants anytime in the year because you’re not relying on natural seasons.
You’re not relying on the outdoors’ weather conditions so you won’t have to worry about extreme weather conditions that can destroy growing plants.
With a grow tent, you won’t ever have to worry about natural weather conditions because you are now in charge of your plant’s growing conditions. Another way to control the environment is by insulating your grow tent.
Boost plant growth
A properly set up grow tent provides much higher plant efficiency and growth rates than the natural outdoors.
By being in control of all the plant’s growing conditions, you can make their growing environment much more effective. You can ensure that all plants, no matter how big or small, can get the nutrients they need to thrive and bloom.
Perpetual harvest
When grown outdoors, plants have harvest and dormancy periods due to seasonal changes. This means you may be incapable of growing some plants in certain seasons.
With a grow tent, you can create various year-round growth seasons, no matter the actual season outside. It will allow you to plant and harvest throughout the year.
What’s more, you can set up different growing seasons in different chambers in your grow tent, facilitating a perpetual harvest.
Keep odors sealed and grow in private
Setting up a grow tent will give you privacy to enjoy your hobby of planting. This is a crucial factor if you’re growing cannabis.
Not everyone is very welcoming to home cannabis growing. Say goodbye to prying eyes from nosey neighbors.
Cannabis plants have a potent smell to them. Your housemates and other occupants might not appreciate regularly getting a whiff of it.
A grow tent will help you conceal and seal off any smell from plants, preventing any from reaching your home’s common spaces.
Prevent pests and plant diseases at bay
An efficient indoor grow tent setup will help with pest control. Because you’re growing in a controlled and sealed environment, you can keep out pests, insects, and other animals.
Keeping out pests also prevents different plant diseases. This will keep your plants growing healthily and steadily.
Grow anywhere indoors
Lastly, a major convenience for setting up grow tents is they allow you to grow anywhere indoors, where there is power.
You can easily set up yours in any spare room. The living room, garage, and attic are also some common places.
Before You Buy a Grow Tent: Consider These First
Before you go ahead buying a grow tent kit, let’s first go over essential factors you should consider first:
Right size
Grow tent size matters. One of the first few things you should decide on before getting an actual tent is the right tent size for your needs. To determine this, figure out how many plants you would like to grow inside the tent.
Deciding on the correct tent size will ensure you will not cramp too many plants inside as this can produce disappointing yields come harvest time. Too big of a tent size will take up too much space and will consume power it doesn’t actually need to grow very few plants.
Below, you can find a list of typical grow tent sizes and an approximation of how many plants they can house:
- 2×2 grow tents can house up to two mature plants and are the smallest available option in the market.
- 2×4 to 3×3 grow tents can hold two to four mature plants. These provide a little more growing space and room.
- 4×4 grow tents can hold four to six mature plants comfortably. This is the minimum size if you want to grow a good amount of cannabis plants.
- 5×5 grow tents can easily fit nine to 12 mature plants.
- 10×10 grow tents can hold 16 to 30 mature plants. This is a great option if you have an entire spare bedroom that can accommodate a huge growing space.
The height of the plants also plays a role in determining the right tent size. Make sure you do proper research on the species of plants you’d like to grow.
Ideal spot and available space
Another important consideration is the spot and spaces where you want to prop up your grow tent. Looking at the space you will use can also help you determine the right tent size you should be getting.
The ideal spot can be a spare bedroom, your garage, attic, or closet.
Ventilation configurations
Before jumping the gun at a grow tent in the market, make sure to get specific information on its ventilation requirements. Ventilation can either be active or passive.
Make sure that the grow tent you want to buy allows for the ventilation configurations you have in mind.
Power, ducting, vents, and windows
Each grow tent in the market has its own power, ducting, and venting specifications. Some also have viewing windows incorporated into their design.
In choosing a grow tent, make sure all these specifications will fit your needs and the available space where you will install it.
Construction quality
Some buyers often refer to brands and names to gauge the quality of a grow tent but a brand name doesn’t equate to quality.
Take a look at each component in the indoor grow tent package you’re considering: frame, canvas, cover, and zipper material, among others.
Essential Components for Setting Up a Grow Tent
Before you set up your grow tent, it’s important that you have all the essential components right by your side for a hiccup-free installation:
Grow tent
Of course, the grow tent is the number one essential in setting up an indoor growing space.
The perfect grow tent should be perfect for your needs. Consider the space available and how many plants you’d like to be growing at the same time.
Grow lights
Grow lights are an essential part of your grow tent. It’s what gives your plants heat and energy to process their food and nutrients so they grow and bloom.
Grow tent lights have undergone major developments over the past few years. They come in various shapes, sizes, and intensities for every need.
Options you will encounter include fluorescent lights, HID (high-intensity discharge) lights, and LED lights.
Ventilation
Efficient air flow and ventilation give plants enough air exchange. Plants need enough carbon dioxide (CO2) levels to survive.
Outdoors, mother nature provides enough of it but if you’re growing indoors, you are in control of this essential component.
Ventilating your grow tent properly lets your plants breathe. They also remove excess heat from too much light if there is any.
Odor control
Growing cannabis indoors can give off a very potent smell. This can annoy and disturb neighbors and housemates.
To prevent this odor, a carbon filter in your ventilation system shall do the trick.
Other miscellaneous equipment
Though not required, additional equipment could make your growing tent even more efficient:
- Humidifier and dehumidifier
- Timers and automation
- Temperature and humidity gauge
- Fan silencer
- Heater and AC unit
- CO2 generator
- Water filter
How to Set Up Grow Tents
Follow our simple steps below on how to set up a grow tent:
- Unpack and assemble the grow tent
Assembling the grow tent itself comes pretty easy, especially for smaller-scale tents.
A complete grow tent kit has everything you need and you would only need to assemble it.
Unpack your grow tent kit and look for the instructions manual that comes with it.
Though assembly instructions could vary, it comes down to two basic things: assembling the frame and then putting the cloth or canvas on top.
- Set up grow lights
Once your tent is up and stable, set up your grow light. Attach the hood and organize all the wiring neatly to the timer and the plugs. Then, attach the light to the holder.
- Install the fan, carbon filter, and other ventilation equipment
To get your ventilation system up and running, attach the exhaust fan, carbon filter, and intake fan. Then, position and install your circulating fans.
For a more detailed guide on how to ventilate a grow tent, check this out.
- Install other miscellaneous accessories and equipment
You’re not limited to only using the “essentials” in your grow tent though. You can add more accessories and equipment to make it a more efficient growing environment.
These additional equipment include dehumidifiers, humidifiers, heaters, AC units, thermometers, hygrometers, and timers. Some growers also add CO2 injection.
Install and set these up in your tent.
- Dialing in
Just because you’ve set up all necessary components and a few additional pieces of equipment doesn’t mean you can just turn everything on and forget about it.
To ensure an efficient growing environment, you need to test all your equipment and run them without any plants inside first. Keep a close eye on airflow, humidity and temperature levels, and the overall structure of your grow tent.
Everything should run according to your plant’s growing requirements. Things should be stable and nothing falling out of place.
This is where you can adjust certain settings to make sure everything is ideal for your plant.
Tips for Setting Up a Grow Tent
- Grow tent size is very important. This depends on the space available and how many plants you want to grow.
- Look for a space with a sufficient power supply. While the tent doesn’t require power, other equipment like the lights, fans, AC, humidifier, and dehumidifier all need electricity to run.
- Grow tent kits come with their own manuals and instructions. To make sure you’re building yours right, go through and read the grow tent setup guide first before assembling. This is to avoid confusion down the road.
- Employ help from family and friends if you’re assembling bigger-sized tents.
- Look for other useful grow tent features. Waterproof base trays, viewing windows, ventilation holes, and mesh layers are some features to look for.
- Keep records while growing. Take notes of water, lighting, ventilation, and growth development. Keeping records will tell you what configurations give you the best yields and what could impede your plant’s growth and development.
Common Grow Tent Setup Examples and Types
Depending on your experience, there are many grow tent setups and examples out there. Here are two of the most common setups:
- Single-chamber grow tent
If you’re an amateur home grower, a single-chamber grow tent should be enough. This is the most common grow tent setup.
This is ideal for small-scale growers who just want to grow a few plants inside their homes. This is affordable and simple to install and customize for your personal needs.
- Multi-chamber grow tent
A more complicated approach to growing tents is the multi-chamber setup. In this grow tent setup, there are two or more compartments or chambers. This allows growers to simultaneously grow plants in different stages.
Separate chambers mean growers can specify conditions in each chamber to be specific for different growth stages.
These are more expensive and a little more complicated but offer more flexibility for serious growers.
Conclusion
Indoor cannabis growing is becoming the norm these days. To do this, a home grower should install and set up a grow tent. It might seem like a straightforward task to take on but a few tips for setting up a grow tent will definitely go a long way.
To set up a grow tent, first, assemble it according to the manual. Then, set up and install the grow lights, ventilation system, and additional equipment. To make the most of your grow tent, make sure you have the correct size for your needs and the available space. Electricity is a major factor to consider and of course, keep records of all adjustments made and what difference they make on the development of your plants.
And that has been our detailed guide on the how-to and tips for setting up a grow tent. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us below!