Grow Tent Setup – The Complete Guide

Why Use a Grow Tent Setup? 

Let’s take a look at why grow tents are becoming popular and why it is the best way to grow cannabis plants.

1. Complete environmental control – When you’re growing plants outdoors, you have to work with a climate that may not suit these plants, as well as deal with pests, diseases and extreme weather events that can damage or destroy your plants.
   
   With a grow tent, you get complete control over the environment, including over the soil, humidity, air flow and temperature.
2. Faster results – A high-quality grow tent will help boost growth levels so that plants mature faster than they would outdoors.
   
   This is because the interior of a grow tent is 100% reflective, ensuring that even small and lower leaves as well as the buds get as much access to light as possible.
3. Perpetual harvest – For outdoor crops that have to deal with the changing seasons, there will be a clear set harvest time and dormancy period.
   
   With a grow tent, you can control the conditions and create a year-round growth season, so you can harvest continually through the year.
4. Clean buds – The trichomes of the cannabis plant are very sticky and easily attract bugs, dust and fine debris when the plant is living outside in the fresh air.
   
   Keeping it in a grow tent where the air is filtered helps keep the buds as clean as possible.
5. Privacy – Not everyone appreciates cannabis plants being grown nearby, especially since they let off a very potent and characteristic smell when they’re flowering.
   
   A grow tent will keep that smell from annoying the neighbours. Grow tents will also allow you to use UV lighting through the day and night without disturbing others with intrusive lighting.
6. Inexpensive – Grow tents aren’t very expensive to set up and use, especially when you consider the other benefits like privacy and year-round harvesting.

Ideal Spot for Your Grow Tent Setup

Grow tent setup starts with selecting an ideal spot for your structure. You want to use a space that offers a stable and controllable environment, so inside your home is best.

• Location - A grow tent can also be situated in a garage or shed, but you have to keep in mind that these spaces tend to be more easily affected by changes in temperature and humidity.
  
  That is why you’ll have to compensate for that as the weather and seasons change.
• Power - You will also need easy access to a power supply to provide lighting and power to electronically-controlled hydroponics.
• Water - Another good thing to consider is easy access to water. Having a tap or water source nearby makes watering your plants a lot less labour intensive!

Ventilation Considerations

Good air flow is critical for growing cannabis plants, so you need an area where you can ventilate with ease.

Make sure the intake and exhaust ports of your grow tent can be placed near a window to make access to fresh air easy.

Tips On Setting Up a Grow Tent

There are so many different types and sizes of indoor plants and weed growing kits, it can be a bit of a challenge to find the right one! Here are some tips:

• Size – Consider the amount of space you have available to you as well as the number of plants you want to grow.
  
  You don’t want your plants to be cramped against one another, and you don’t want to waste money on one that is too large for your space either.
• Cannabis variety – Read up on the growing conditions for the species you want to grow, as some have larger space requirements than others.
• Build quality – If you want your grow tent to last a long time, look for one with a warranty and good build quality.
  
  The best grow tents have metal zippers and steel interlocking mechanisms rather than plastic ones, as these are a lot stronger, sturdier and more durable.
  
  They also have thick canvas that is more resistant to tearing and ripping, and contains the smell more effectively. Both high density (600 Denier or more) polyester and nylon work well.
• Features – Some grow tents have viewing windows so that you can check on your plants without opening the tent and disturbing the environment, while others have ventilation windows at the bottom covered with mesh to prevent insects, pet fur and dust.
  
  Another good feature is a waterproof, washable base tray that can catch all spillages of water, soil and plant debris without soiling your flooring.

How Many Plants Can I Fit in a Grow Tent?

Using the ScrOG (Screen of Green) technique, which provides the best yields, you can generally plan 4 small/medium-sized cannabis plants per 4 square feet of space. 

How to Set Up a Grow Tent

1. Prepare the Space for Your Grow Tent

Start by thoroughly cleaning the space where you want to put your grow tent. Disinfect and clean the room thoroughly, and block up any gaps or spaces where dust or insects can enter. Then let the room air dry completely.

2. Set Up the Structure

This part of the grow tent setup process is pretty easy, although it differs from tent to tent.

Read through the manual carefully and search for YouTube videos from the manufacturer that give clear instructions and help you troubleshoot different issues.

Be careful not to rip the fabric of the structure.

3. Set Up the Extractor Fan and Intake Fan

These units will control the airflow in your grow tent, supplying fresh filtered air and ejecting stale exhaust air from the tent. If you want zero smell from your crop, it’s best to use an extractor fan that has a high-quality filter.

Install the cables as per the manufacturer manual, and attach the fans in the correct position on the frame, usually on the upper inside of the grow tent.

Make sure it is clamped securely into place. Then, attach the aluminum ducting, keeping it as straight as possible. Test the fans to make sure they are working properly.

Fans are very important as they help distribute heat properly, strengthen the plant’s stems, prevent carbon dioxide build-up and prevent outbreaks of disease.

If you want to add additional fans to improve air circulation, use a small clip on fans and point them away from the plants so you don’t dry them out. The leaves should only move gently.

When hanging your exhaust fan, it’s best to use strong rope ratchets and a nylon rope inside your grow tent. Doing this will reduce dramatically the vibration and the sound of the fan.

4. Set Up the Grow Lights

Your plants will need artificial lighting in order to inside the tent, which can be kept on all night to promote rapid growth.

Attach only as many lights as recommended by the tent manufacturer. Too many lights can burn the plants, while too few will cause poor nutrient uptake and stunted growth.

LED lights are the best grow lights for plants, as they use very little energy, last a long time and don’t give off much heat, which can damage the plants. You can use rope ratchets to hang them since this type of rope is easy to set up and is relatively cheap.

They can easily be adjusted, which means that your lights will be adjusted without you worrying about dropping them on the plants that you have or blinding yourself in the process.

5. Set Up the Temperature and Humidity Gauge

Plants need the right combination of moisture and heat in order to grow properly, so this needs to be constantly monitored to ensure you’re providing your plants with an optimal climate for production.

Cannabis plants like temperatures of 70-85 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want the best growth from your plants, stick to the warmer side of that range and don’t let the temperature vary by more than 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit.

In terms of humidity, experts recommend about a 60% relative humidity level. You can increase humidity by leaving wet sponges close to grow trays, putting plant pots on humidity trays, or spraying the plants with a fine spray of water each day.

6. Do a Safety Check

Before placing your plants and utilising your grow tent, do a quick safety check:

• Make sure all electrical connections are secure
• Make sure no electrical cords are on the floor or where they could get wet
• Check the lights and fans to make sure they are all working 

Make sure that the above checks are performed correctly. The last thing you want is a to have missed something and you need to call an emergency electrician or worse you kill your plants. 

7. Add Your Cannabis Plants

Your tent is now ready for your plants! Remember to monitor your grow tent’s environment, including humidity, carbon dioxide levels, temperature and lighting to make sure they are within optimal ranges.

As your plants grow, they will affect the environment around them, so expect to make some changes to humidity and ventilation as they get bigger.