Unleash Your Green Thumb: Grow Tent Tips And Tricks

Whether you are considering picking up your very own grow tent, or you are simply looking to improve your indoor growing knowledge, this guide is sure to be useful to you. We will cover a few general tips and tricks to take your indoor growing to the next level including an in-depth look at ventilation systems, odour control, space optimisation, climate control, and more. As simple as indoor growing can be, there are many ways to enhance the experience and improve your harvest.

If you weren’t already aware, at Futurama, we are experts in cultivation and growing, and we have a wide range of products that can help you elevate your growing abilities, including indoor grow tents, aromatherapy products, carbon filters, full grow kits, inline fans, LED grow lights, and much more. Indoor growing has become an extremely fast-growing industry, and we are constantly adding to our selection. If these topics sound interesting or useful to you, why not read on and find out more?

Successful Odour Control Explained

If you are just getting into indoor growing, one of the first things you might notice is that your plants let off quite a distinct smell. Some people are not bothered by this at all, and others are; if you align more with the latter, then allow us to walk you through the ins and outs of odour control. This smell you are picking up comes from the VOCs or volatile organic compounds that all plants release, especially in their flowering stage of life.

Some of these VOCs are quite pleasant, and others can be pungent and frustrating – it all depends on the type of plants you are cultivating. The most common, and possibly most effective, method of dealing with this odour is by installing a carbon filter. These filters can be quite easily installed into your grow tent, as most brands offer compatibility in this regard.

They work by utilising activated carbon that efficiently absorbs the scents and odours within your indoor tent. Usually, they are linked to the ventilation system of your grow tent, so the air being filtered back out of it has been pushed through the carbon filter – cleansing it of any noticeable odours. How many carbon filters you will need will depend entirely on the size of your grow tent – the bigger it is, the more filtration it will require. Beyond carbon filters, there are a few other ways of controlling the smells coming from your grow tent, these include:

• Air purifiers
• Odour neutralisers
• Controlling the air extraction and exhaust systems
• Ozone generators

While all of these methods can be efficient in their own ways, we feel that carbon filters are generally the easiest and least time-consuming way of successfully controlling odour.

Carbon Filter – 100x300 mm (4”x12”) 40 mm Carbon Bed

Since we are on the topic of carbon filters, this activated filter is easily one of the most efficient options on the market. The 100x300 mm 40 mm Carbon Bed makes use of an advanced process to treat and trap airborne pollutants within the porous structure of the filter. Particles between 0.5 to 50 micrometres will be removed with surgical precision, meaning your grow tent will have the opportunity to thrive in the best possible conditions. This offering includes a changeable Velcro pre-filter, an inner and outer mesh that boasts greatly improved air flow, and a switchable filter flange that should extend its lifespan considerably.

How To Optimise Space In Your Grow Tent

We understand that all growers want to get the utmost from their indoor growing space, and if you design and plan accordingly, you can maximise your harvest and optimise your grow tent effectively. Let’s look at a few important factors that should help you do just that.

1. Use Lights That Make Sense For The Space – Your choice of grow light is one of the most crucial decisions you will make in terms of optimising space, but also for successfully cultivating your plants. Some growers opt for high-wattage HPS lighting, which can be fantastic in larger growing spaces, however, it is not ideal for smaller grow tents. This is due to heat issues, which can damage the plants, but also because the lights themselves tend to be quite large and take up a considerable amount of space. Instead, we recommend choosing a CFL or LED lighting system, which are usually much more compact, meaning you are better able to use the limited space effectively.

 

2. Utilise Vertical Space – Of course, many grow tents are wider than they are taller, which isn’t ideal for vertical growing. However, if your indoor tent allows for it, it can make a huge difference to utilise this space to the best of your ability. Some higher-end tents now come with multiple separate growing compartments; these vertically divided tents can greatly increase your harvest. If you don’t have one of these specialised tents, don’t worry, it is possible to take a DIY approach and create compartments on your own. Just remember to create these floors with hardy materials, otherwise they could collapse and damage your crop.

 

3. Consider The Size And Shape Of Your Containers – When growing your plants in containers, it is useful to put some thought into the dimensions of your pots to ensure that you are using the space optimally. For instance, if you aren’t able to grow vertically, consider opting for shorter, squat pots, as these will allow for improved outward growth of the roots, rather than downward growth. With that being said, they should not be too shallow, as this can hinder the growth of the plant in the long run.

 

4. Try To Encourage Tightly-Packed Branching – By this, we mean avoid allowing your plants to stretch out and occupy more space than is necessary, as this can drastically reduce the number of plants you can cultivate. To do this, you can tie a string around the plants, which should encourage upward growth rather than outward growth. Alternatively, you can use topping and other training techniques to help facilitate this effect. Remember that the higher your plants grow, the closer they will get to the light source, so try to keep a bit of distance otherwise they may overheat – causing damage to your yield.

Mammoth Pro 240L Grow Tent – 240 x 120 x 200 cm

If you are a grower who values a bit more space, with plenty of much-needed openings for simple cultivation, then the Mammoth Pro 240L Grow Tent – 240 x 120 x 200 cm is certainly the way to go. This excellent indoor tent is built with extremely durable materials, including a steel tube frame, reinforced plastic corners, strong zippers, and highly reflective 210D mylar material, which should meet the expectations of even the most demanding growers.

Mammoth products are well regarded for their ease of use and versatile design, allowing users to mix and match components to create the ideal growing environment. The Pro 240L is equipped with numerous inner supports designed to accommodate lighting systems, aspirators, odour treatment filters, and measuring tools, among other additions. If you have been searching for the perfect way to get your foot in the door when it comes to indoor growing, this offering is a surefire path to success.

Managing Climate Control In A Grow Tent

Perfecting your climate control is easily one of the most challenging aspects of indoor growing, but with a bit of time and the right knowledge, you should have it down in no time! If your tent becomes too hot or cold, it can compromise your entire crop, so it is quite important to be proactive about it. The first thing to consider when regulating the temperature inside your tent is the light setup.

As we touched on earlier, metal-halide or HPS lights emit a substantial amount of heat which, in the confined space of a grow tent, can cause the temperature to rise dramatically. For this reason, LED lights are a considerably safer bet, as they rarely cause overheating issues – facilitating an ideal temperature of between 22 – 28 degrees. With that being said, even with LED lighting systems, size is a factor – if your light is too big or powerful for the space it’s in, it will likely cause problems further down the line.

The ideal temperature of 22-28 degrees is essential to keep in mind. Luckily, the presence of a grow light means you will likely only need to concern yourself with cooling the grow tent. There are a few ways to do this; the most common of them is effective air circulation, with hot air going out and cool air coming in. However, this can become complicated during summer, when the air circulating back into the tent is warmer than the air that’s already inside.

This can be rectified with an inline fan setup or a clip-on fan for smaller indoor tents. The other benefit of efficient air circulation is that it helps to avoid mould buildup, which can occur when there is little to no new air coming in or the humidity levels in the grow tent are too high. In South Africa, it isn’t likely that a heater or humidifier will be necessary, due to our climate. However, a dehumidifier is extremely useful for removing excess humidity from the air inside your growing space.

A Quick Look At Ventilation

Without adequate ventilation in your indoor tent, it can throw out your growing quite quickly – the air can become stagnant, leading to overheating, too much humidity, and a lack of oxygen for your plants to consume. For most growers, an inline duct fan can facilitate successful air circulation. So, investing in one could make a world of difference to the success of your harvest. While it is possible to make do without one, it can make your life substantially more complicated.

They assist in a number of ways, including proper oxygen circulation, temperature control, and humidity regulation. The reduction in stagnant air reduces the chances of harmful pathogens taking root or excessive mould buildup. Earlier we spoke about carbon filters and how, when used in conjunction with an inline duct fan, they can work together to remove odours and contaminants from the air – preventing unwanted smells from escaping beyond your indoor tent.

If you have any questions about cultivation, we encourage you to make use of our expertise and get in contact with us!