I am new to growing. I bought a complete setup used
The setup I bought came with a Vivosun 4’x8’x80" tent. 3 600watt Yield Lab light kits HPS & MH bulbs with cool tube reflectors, 4-8" inline metal fans, 4-mini clip rotating fans, and a new carbon filter.
I will be growing in a basement in 6’10" x 8’4" room. I am about to drywall the whole room in inside and out ceiling as well and add water faucet, I am also going to be adding electrical outlets on there own circuits around the room in the process.
I bought a bigger setup than I had to have I’m sure, but did not want to decide later that I wanted more room. I still have a lot to learn. I will be growing in soil.
(1) With this tent should I run 2 or 3 of the lights**?** The ballast are adjustable.
(2) while the light tubes and Ipower GLFILT6M filter are for 6" ventilation the inline fans are 8" is there a inexpensive way to connect it all that will still let it be efficient**?** Buying reducers for each fan would be a bit expensive and take up room. Remember I bought this used and have no idea why the size difference.
(3) do I need to run ducting from inlet in tent up to the first light?
(4) Can I have just a fan at inlet of tent and then at lights run it fan-light-fan-light-fan-ducting out of tent to carbon filter**?** Will I need a fan directly at filter**?**
If you need more info just ask and I will do my best. Thanks again
@Broken I have a led set up I can link you to it it shows tent carbon filters and how everything was setup in the basement I’m also a soil grower I can probably help you with just about any question you have but I want to welcome you to the number one fourm in the world there will be more people to help you then you will even need but everyone here is so awesome I hope you enjoy Your time growing and making people’s lives better.
Thank you Hog. I have not found many pictures of the whole tent set up. I have been working on getting the room the tent will be in for now but figured this would be a good time to start asking questions.
First off, welcome to ILGM and great that you are asking for some pointers. There are sometimes several ways to do the same thing and sometimes our answers might be confusing, but if you need clarification, just ask.
Some of the things grow rooms need are ample electrical outlets, cool air, warm air, ventilation both coming in and going out as well as water and drainage.
Before you drywall you should look at those and make sure you have prepared for them so you don’t have to do the harder work later.
Also, don’t drop even one seed till you have a ph meter to test your water.
Trying to clarify what you are using for ventilation 4 4" inline fans sounds to me like previous owner was using 1 for intake 1 on each cooltube and kept the 6" that was for the filter?
I would likely splurge for a new filter fan combo because a used carbon filter is always questionable you have no idea how many hours are on the filter if they sold it because they replaced all their gear? a new one can be better matched to your space and the 4" fans can be used to cool lights and provide fresh air imo you can run all 3 lights in that footprint so long as the cool tubes are vented out of room but 2 would also do the trick leaving you with a spare or future add in for flowering.
I am curious why you would build a room around a tent? Sounds like it’s going to barely be bigger than the tent and you may want the air flow around the tent more than the drywall but I am not in your room. I have an 8’x6’ room I put my 8’x4’ tent in and there is no room for anything else. I may be misreading what you are doing tho.
Bob31 I have bought the outlets for around the room and will be installing separate circuits used only for the room. I am running a water line in but will have to carry water out. I will be buying a phone meter today. My water is spring water so no extra city chemicals in it.
Donaldj the online fans are 8 inch vortex 400 cfm each. The 6 inch carbon filter is new in box as is most everything. I don’t think he had even bought a fan for the filter yet. I will be running 2 15 amp breakers so I could run all 3 lights but would the 3rd light make much of a difference in growth? I know it would cause more heat and money on electricity.
Stomper the tent was part of the package and rather than just set it up in the open the room let’s me hide it and maybe keep the smell more contained, or at least that was my thinking. I could just use the room without the tent but would have buy mylar for the walls and exhaustive fan and need more airflow again just my thoughts not experience. The room is already framed and a door. I would have a 3 foot x 8 foot work area outside the tent.
Cool. That’s about what I have. My room is not in a basement so I have to have an ac unit to keep it below 100 f in the summer. I only use a 4x4 area and am getting about 9-12 z every 120 days give or take. You can see my set up and grow if you want under my Bubbelicious Scrog Grow journal.
I have an issue with them only using a 15 amp breaker in that room so you might look at having a 30 amp set up for that area at least. 15 amps is not enough for an hid ballast plus ac but will do a small fan or small LEDs with it.
With this tent should I run 2 or 3 of the lights**?** The ballast are adjustable.
I would run two lights for veg and three lights in flower although you could run two all the time (1 per 4×4’)
(2) while the light tubes and Ipower GLFILT6M filter are for 6" ventilation the inline fans are 8" is there a inexpensive way to connect it all that will still let it be efficient**?** Buying reducers for each fan would be a bit expensive and take up room. Remember I bought this used and have no idea why the size difference.
your going to need reducers
(3) do I need to run ducting from inlet in tent up to the first light?
unclear what you’re asking
(4) Can I have just a fan at inlet of tent and then at lights run it fan-light-fan-light-fan-ducting out of tent to carbon filter**?** Will I need a fan directly at filter**?**
I have filter hanging inside tent/ light/ light/ fan/ to out of room…
Stomper I pray I don’t have to use AC. My tent will be close to an outside wall which should help a little. I will take a look at your setup. I misspoke the breakers are 20 amp and I will have 2 separate ones in the room. I pray I don’t have to use AC. My tent will be close to an outside wall which should help a little. I will take a look at your setup. I misspoke the breakers are 20 amp and I will have 2 separate ones in the room
Paranorman Thanks for the info on the lights. #2 The ducting I was hoping someone would say just tape it lol.
#3 I was wondering if I should run a duct from inlet to the first inline fan so the cooler air would pass through the lights upon entering as this would also pull air in instead of just a passive inlet.
#4 I’m just trying to figure out How to use the 4 efficiently. I’m thinking now Maybe I can use one 400cfm fan for my inlet duct it up and into first light the duct to second light and another 400 cfm fan at end of the second light. If that will keep the heat down to acceptable level I would still have two 8 inch 400 cfm fans I could use to pull air through my filter and to exhaust.
So now I have a question # 5. if i connect two 400 cfm fans inline in the duct from the filter to exhaust will I have 800 cfm or
some of this is making me nervous fan speed is fan speed and the best way to vent cool tubes is fresh air in and straight out of space not passive and not into tent a single vent duct from outside tent then inline fan cool tube another duct to next light from other side of cool tube then right out of space entirely. this will cool your lights
Donaldj a path bringing in cool air and going straight through the tent would pull the smell out of the tent would it not? All air must leave the tent thru the filter to avoid smell, which is very important. What am I missing?
if you leave the tent out like i did when you finish dry wall paint it flat white
Believe me this will give you much needed room. If there is an adict, then run your vents up in there smell and heat. Problem solved ,
As far as the lights go two will be more than enough and if they have covered hoods with vent holes ya that what will keep tthe temp down by venting that heat from the lamp stright out.
And @HogMaster Thank You that was way cool of you my friend
How can you tape and makeup for a 2-inch difference that’s Mickey Mouse spend 8 bucks for the flange
I use a 220 inline can-type filter feeding outside air into a bottom vent.
Hang your filter in the top of your tent with the ducting going through the light(s) and then have it drawn out through your 440 inline fan, you want it outside of your tent, (mines on tent roof) and then you discard that heated air (I think you’re a kind of overthinking it my friend ?) …good luck
A straight path is a straight path since the vent cooling the lights is dedicated and doesn’t use air from inside tent or in theory leak because all seams are taped and clamped it doesn’t need to be filtered. The idea is quite simple this means you can pull air from outside which cools lights and the warm air in turn is exhausted without adding to tents temperature
the other aproach is to pull air into filter and push it through cool tubes this way also offers exact same effect but you are using warmer air to cool lights
One other thing, always test groundwater for its baseline ppm and ph before trusting it. Especially if you live where they allowed trash burning and home landfills in the 60s.
@Paranorman Now If I use the whole room I can bring fresh air in from the floor above into room. I can then go from carbon filter and fan through lights exhaust it thru ducting That would leave me with one inlet and one exhaust. ?