How to choose and set up tent ventilation

When growing indoor you cannot rely on natural air circulation like you can when growing outdoors. That is why you need to depend on a more or less sophisticated ventilation system and provide your plants with a sufficient supply of fresh air — more precisely oxygen and carbon dioxide. Heat generated by artificial lighting inside the grow box must, on the other hand, be exhausted out of the grow area. Read how easy it is to assemble ventilation so your plants can breathe well!

We choose ventilation primarily according to the size of the tent or room. The basis is a fan. You will also need an odor (carbon) filter and of course flexible ducting.

Experienced growers use smart ventilation control systems that respond to temperature and humidity. Automatic control will save you time and money in the long run, and above all help you achieve a great harvest more easily.

Let’s start with odor filters. How to choose one is covered in a separate article. A common beginner’s mistake is incorrect placement. The following lines will help you extend the life of the filter and, thanks to correct installation, ensure smooth operation. We recommend placing a classic carbon filter always inside the tent and drawing air through it...

One of the best-selling odor filters on the market by the traditional brand Prima Klima.

The fan can also be inside the box, but it can equally be outside — the key is that it is located after the carbon filter, as shown in the picture. The filter is usually equipped with a prefilter that captures larger debris, and the rest — odors and microscopic impurities — are handled by activated carbon.

The opposite installation sequence is less common and requires the use of an inline carbon filter.

In general, we recommend ensuring the filter always has a higher capacity than the fan, because although the two components form an inseparable pair, the carbon filter reduces the effective performance of the fan.

Fan

If you plan to use a carbon filter and run ducting with more than one bend, we recommend a radial fan, whether with integrated control or without. For home growing needs, they outperform axial fans by far.

Axial fan should be used rather for simple and short duct runs. Filters and bends present obstacles that significantly reduce their performance when conveying air.

Speed control of the fan, for example according to temperature, will greatly simplify the whole growing process, because especially for a beginner it is not easy to set the fan during the grow cycle so that it ensures an optimal microclimate inside the grow box at every stage. And that is the goal!

Prima Klima also manufactures top-quality radial fans with temperature-based control.

Saving on the fan at all costs simply doesn’t pay off, even at the start. The same applies to fan noise, whether for your own comfort or the household next door. Therefore, keep in mind that the quieter you want the ventilation to be, the higher the purchase price will be. In reality, you’d hardly find a grower who regretted not buying a louder model without control or even skipping the carbon filter at the beginning...

An excellent helper for air movement in the tent is a circulation fan. With a circulation fan complementing the main fan, your plants will not only take deeper breaths but will also be more vigorous and resilient thanks to the simulated wind in the artificial grow environment. Even in smaller boxes, practical clip fans are a great fit.

When choosing ducting, it again depends primarily on where your grow box is located and how audible the airflow can be. For large grow boxes you will want ducting that can handle higher pressure. For a start, a smaller tent will do fine with basic flexible ducting. An absolutely discreet option is the PhonicTrap ventilation ducting.

PhonicTrap flexible ducts are twice as effective as standard soundproofed versions with glass wool. Thanks to the absence of glass wool, there is also no risk of contaminating your grow area.

We are happy to help you choose ventilation — feel free to contact us when you assemble your ventilation. We are here for you and our goal is your joy in growing. We look forward to your questions at the usual address info@higarden.cz.

• Fans (ventilators)
• Flexible ducting
• PhonicTrap soundproofed ducting
• Carbon (odor) filter