Cheap Indoor Grow Setup | Ultimate Guide for 2025

The Grow Tent

The best indoor grow tent allows you to grow your crop year-round, so your crop yield isn’t limited by the climate or seasons. It protects your plants from pests and diseases.

Grow tents allows you to create an ideal climate for the best possible growth, and ensures the best crop yields. You can get indoor tents in a wide range of sizes with different features, and the more features you have, the more expensive the tent will be. 

Here are our 3 top picks for a cheap grow tent.

1. PYLYFE Hydroponic Grow Tent

This grow tent is the most expensive of the three we’ve chosen, and has some great features for a budget-friendly option. It measures 24”x 24”48”, has a double-stitched mylar lining to block light from escaping. 

It has a useful large observation window so you don’t have to compromise the climate to check on your plants, and multiple vents for good air circulation.

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2. VIVOSUN Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tent

With slightly different dimensions at 30”18”x36”, this option costs a few dollars less and is the cheapest grow tent on our list – but that doesn’t make it poor quality.

It has a 98% reflective mylar lining, sturdy zippers with black lining to prevent light from escaping, is made of very durable 600D canvas material and has a small observation window too.

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3. OPULENT SYSTEMS Hydroponic Mylar Grow Tent

Our midrange choice is this compact cheap grow tent from Opulent Systems. It offers 98% reflective waterproof mylar lining, is made from a thick, durable canvas, and is double-stitched to ensure no light escapes.

Its dimensions are 24”x24”48”, which works well for a small or beginner grow tent operation, and it’s easy to set up.

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LED Grow Lights

Rather than using natural sunshine, grow tents rely on grow lights that emit the ideal range of light needed for maximum growth, plant health and yield. These are a little different from regular lights, and there’s a lot to consider when buying a grow light. 

LED grow lights are the most compact, which is best for smaller tents that aren’t especially tall, and they use the least amount of energy, which saves you money in the long term.

They also give off the least amount of heat, so your plants aren’t at risk of burning and controlling the tent temperature is much easier. 

Here is our top selection of cheap LED grow lights.

1. SERWING 200W LED Grow Lights

A slightly more expensive pick, this full spectrum grow light panel is compact and energy-saving, only using 70W in total power. It features 216 separate LEDs in a hanging panel, creating a uniform sunlight effect. It’s easy to set up, and has a lifespan of 100,000 hours.

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2. 600W Led Grow Light with Samsung Diode

If you want great quality tech at an affordable price, this is a great cheap grow light. It has 225 LEDs in the panel and uses a Samsung chip, only consuming 65W to make it the most energy efficient option on our list.

The full spectrum light offers a natural sunlight effect for your plants, and it’s easy to assemble.

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3. Mosthink LED Plant Grow Light Strips

Our most budget-friendly pick are these grow light strips, which use 20W and are great for compact grow tents. They offer full spectrum light, are dimmable and have an auto on/off timer.

The strips consist of 48 LEDs which can be attached onto different surfaces or fixtures, depending on your setup. The compact design is good for low grow tents and the lights are adjustable to 4 different brightness levels.

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Proper Ventilation for Your Plant

All plants need good airflow in order to grow. Good ventilation gives plants access to carbon dioxide that they need for the photosynthesis process and oxygen for cellular respiration.

Air flow also helps to regulate temperature more effectively, and prevent excessive humidity that can cause rot and mold outbreaks. 

The best grow setup for indoors we’ve recommended have vents for airflow, but it’s a good idea to add a fan to keep the air moving properly and mimic the breezes your plants would experience outdoors. 

Here are our recommendations for the 3 best cheap grow tent fans.

1. Holmes Convertible Desk & Clip Fan

With 6-inch blades, this fan is a good fit for a grow tent. It has two speed settings, an adjustable tilt head and can be mounted on the ground or clipped to a pole.

It’s a basic, no fuss fan that gets the job done, and its low-profile design means it fits easily into smaller tents.

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2. Comfort Zone CZ6C 6-Inch 2-Speed Clip-On Fan

For slightly bigger tents where you need more ventilation, this 2-for-1 package deal is a budget-friendly option. Like the Holmes fans, these are basic fans that get the job done.

They are clip-on only, so need to be pole mounted, and have 2 speed options as well as fully-adjustable heads.

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3. VIVOSUN 4 inch Inline Duct Fan

If you’re looking for something more advanced to fit a particular vent and connect to a basic venting system, this is a good option. With some cheap ducting, you can use it to eject plant smells and excess moisture outdoors while pulling in fresh, clean air. 

It’s a bit more expensive but offers great build quality and is compatible with any 4-inch vent.

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And that covers all the basics – you’re ready to start growing!

Heating or Temperature Control

Marijuana is a tropical plant and loves warmth, so a heating rig is a good idea if you are in a cold climate and using a space that doesn’t have good heating, like an unfinished basement, garage or garden shed.

Ideally, the temperature in the grow tent should stay at 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Here are our best picks for temperature control in a grow tent.

1. Jump Start CK64050 Super Germination Station

This UL-listed waterproof heat mat uses 17W to operate and includes a useful 2-inch humidity dome which is great for seedlings.

It has a watertight tray that can fit 72 seedlings, and the mat can be used separately to keep plant pots warm.

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2. VIVOSUN 10x20.75 inch Seedling Heat Mat

This heating mat holds temperatures between 68-86 degrees Fahrenheit, offers stable, uniform heating and is ideal for temperature control, growing seedlings and propagating plants.

It is ideal for standard 1020 trays and it is IP67 water resistant for easy cleaning. It uses just 18W and it’s designed to prevent overheating.

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3. VIVOSUN Durable Waterproof Seedling Heat Mat Warm

This is a larger pad suited to slightly less compact and square grow tents. It is thermostat-controlled, offering heating between 68-86 degrees Fahrenheit through soft, far-infrared light waves.

The mat is durable, IPX-4 water-resistant with an extra-fortified power connection, and only uses 40W. It can heat your plants 24 hours a day without problem without scorching plants.

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The Right Humidity Level

Learning how to grow marijuana? Here is our guide how to create flavored marijuana. Marijuana plants enjoy a humidity level of between 40-50%.

The cheapest way to introduce more humidity into your grow tent is to mist your plants each day or set the pots on a wet gravel bed on a humidity tray. However, these are not very effective in dryer climates, and a humidifier will work more reliably. 

Here are our best picks for cheap humidifiers for cheap indoor grow setups.

1. Homasy OceanMist 2.2L Humidifier

Although this is our most expensive item on the list, it does offer good value and one of the largest water tanks, which means less refills and a longer operating time.

It has an omni-directional nozzle for even misting, is easy to clean, and you can adjust the misting output to several settings for easy control. It also has an auto shut-off in case the water tank runs dry.

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2. Magictec Cool Mist Humidifier

With the biggest tank of the humidifiers on our list, this is a top pick for grow tents. It offers up to 24 hours of humidification before running dry, has an auto shut-off for safety and a 360-degree spray nozzle for even misting.

It runs quietly and has very good build quality for an affordable price.

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3. SmartDevil Small Humidifier

If you’re looking for a compact humidifier, this is a great option. It uses ultrasonic vibration to create a very fine mist and operates very quietly.

It has an auto shut-off feature for safety, and you can choose between two modes of spray. Its tank is smaller but still very functional for this compact product, which lasts 12-18 hours and it is USB powered.

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Monitoring Devices for Grow Tents

Since climate control is such an important part of successfully growing marijuana and other plants indoors, it’s a good idea to invest in a temperature and humidity monitoring system.

They are the ideal investment if you are learning how to grow marijuana.

Here are our picks for the best monitoring devices for cheap indoor grow setup.

1. Inkbird Wireless Thermometer Humidity and Temperature Monitor

This humidity and temperature monitor operates over Bluetooth with a range of 98 feet, alerting you when levels get too high or too low.

It is waterproof with an IPX-4 rating, can connect to smartphones, and the graph, accuracy calibration, sampling interval, etc. is all set up using a convenient app.

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2. Govee Temperature Humidity Monitor

Using an app, you can easily monitor and control the temperature and humidity in your grow tent. This device will alert you automatically when the readings are outside their correct range and data is updated every 2 seconds for accuracy.

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3. ECOWITT WH0280 Indoor Outdoor Thermometer

Ideal for indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity monitoring, this wireless device offers fast, accurate readings with a 300-foot transmission range.

It is powered by 2 x AA batteries, has a clear LCD screen and alarm clock function. It connects to up to 3 different sensors, and supplies min/max records.

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Hydroponics System

If watering your plants by hand becomes a hassle, you can invest in a hydroponics system or deep water culture system. More professional setups for growing marijuana indoors (or other plants) use these systems.

These supply the ideal amount of water to the plants automatically, preventing overwatering that can lead to root rot, and underwatering that can kill the plant. 

The plants in these systems also use less water and produce a greater yield, faster.

Here are our top picks for hydroponics systems.

1. VIVOSUN Hydroponic Grow Kit

The most expensive and largest system on our list is this single-layer hydroponics system. It has a timed circulation system that can be set manually or automatically, it’s easy to assemble and made of high-quality PVC.

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2. Artilife Hydroponic System

This is a compact deep water culture hydroponics system that uses a soilless system to grow your plants. It’s small in size, so ideal for small indoor grow tents, balconies or indoor spaces, and it’s made from durable, eco-friendly materials.

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3. LYLT Hydroponic Grow Kit

This is a two-layer hydroponics system made out of high-quality PVC. It’s easy to assemble, uses a NFT planting method, and has a 4-5 gallon water tank.

It uses a timed pump to supply the plants with nutrients, and can accommodate 72 plants.

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