Growing marijuana at home, starting seedlings or growing edible indoor plants doesn’t need to be an expensive process, and you can get good yields from your plants with an affordable indoor grow room setup.
Here’s our guide to cheap indoor grow setups, the basic equipment to prioritize, and what to look for in budget products.
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How To Have A Cheap Indoor Grow Setup For Your Marijuana
What Equipment Will I Need for a Cheap Indoor Grow Setup?
Here are the most basic pieces of equipment your indoor grow tent setup will need. You can also read our guide on grow tent setup here.
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.
Read more on Cannabis Pest and Diseases That May Affect Your Yield.
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.
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.
Features
- Large observation window
- Good build quality
- Tool-free installation
- Removable tray for easy cleaning
- Stainless steel frame
- Waterproof and easy to wash
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.
Features
- Fast, tool-free installation
- Durably made from non-toxic materials
- Small observation window
- Multiple vents
- Removable tray
- Good customer support/quality assurance
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.
Features
- Small observation window
- Robust materials
- Waterproof and lightproof
- Tool-free installation
- 18-month warranty
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.
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.
Features
- Full spectrum light
- Equal to 200W grow light but uses 70W
- Easy setup with adjustable height
- Ultra-thin to save space
- 5-year warranty
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.
Features
- Full spectrum light
- Very energy efficient
- High-quality Samsung chip
- High quality aviation aluminum build
- 90-day money back guarantee
- 3-year warranty
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.
Features
- Full spectrum light
- Dimmable to 4 settings
- Automatic on/off timer
- Can be fixed to different surfaces or materials using screws or tape
- 50,000 hours lifetime
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.
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.
Features
- 8”x 8” x 7”inches
- 6-inch fan blades
- Compact design
- 2 speed settings
- Adjustable tilt
- Can be mounted on the floor or a pole
- 1-year warranty
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.
Features
- 13.82” x 7.52” x 6.89”
- 6-inch diameter
- 2 speeds
- Adjustable head
- Compact design
- Slip-on mounting
- 2 fans
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.
Features
- 6.54” x 5.63” x 4.69”
- 12W
- 100 CFM airflow
- Airflow and exhaust capabilities
- Quiet operation
- Easy to install
- Maintenance free
And that covers all the basics – you’re ready to start growing!
Extra Upgrades for Your Grow Tent
Of course, the sky's the limit in terms of upgrading your grow tent and adding new features, and the best grow tent setups for indoors can become very complex and costly.
If you have some space in your budget to add a couple of upgrades, here’s what we’d recommend.
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.
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.
Features
- 22”x 11”x 4” heating mat
- Watertight base tray
- Humidity dome
- 72-space seedling tray insert
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.
Features
- 10" x 20.75"
- Thermostat controller
- Temperatures of 68-86 degrees Fahrenheit
- Steady, even heating
- No risk of overheating
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.
Features
- 20”x 20.75”
- Water resistant
- Protected power connection
- Consistent heating
- Adjustable to 68-86 degrees Fahrenheit
- Thermostat controlled
- Soft far-infrared heating system
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.
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.
Features
- 8.86” x 7.28” x 9.84”
- 0.6 gallon tank
- Adjustable mist control
- Auto shut-off
- Quiet operation
- Even humidity levels
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.
Features
- 11.57” x 7.95” x 7.64”
- Large .66 gallon tank
- 24 hours of misting on one tank
- Auto shut-off for safety
- 360-degree spray nozzle
- Affordably priced
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.
Features
- 3.74” x 3.74” x 5.08”
- Compact design
- Quiet operation
- 2 misting modes/sprays
- Auto shut-off for safety
- 12-18 hour run time
- 0.13 gallon tank
- Affordable
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.
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.
Features
- App-based setup and monitoring
- Bluetooth range of up to 98 feet
- Waterproof
- Temperature sensor -40℉~140℉
- Humidity sensor 0%RH-99%RH
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.
Features
- App-based
- 2-year cloud data storage
- High accuracy and rapid data refresh
- 1.8” clear LCD display
- 6-month battery life
- 164ft Bluetooth range
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.
Features
- 300-foot transmission range
- 3 sensors for accuracy
- Alarm clock function
- Updates every 60 seconds
- Indoor temperature -14°F ~140°F (-9.9°C to 60°C)
- Indoor humidity 1% to 99%.
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.
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.
Features
- 32” x 11” x 6”
- Easy to set up
- Single-layer
- Timed circulation system
- 1-year warranty
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.
Features
- 0.79” x 0.79” x 0.79”
- All-inclusive kit with sponges, planting post, air pump and bubble stone, etc.
- Compact design
- Soilless system
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.
Features
- 37.79” x 19.68” x 31.49”
- 5 gallon water tank
- Two-layer system
- Easy to install
- NFT planting method
- Up to 72 plants
With a Cheap Indoor Grow Setup, Anyone Can Grow!
Cheap grow setups are ideal for starting seedlings, growing marijuana, or growing indoor plants, and they’re easy for anyone to set up.
With a sturdy grow tent, an LED grow light, and a fan for ventilation, your plants will grow quickly, healthily and all-year round, so there’s no need to worry about the weather or seasons.
We hope our cheap indoor grow setup guide gets you growing in no time at all!