Grow Set Up

A good grow set-up is essential for a good cannabis grow! Here we offer guidance for what you will need to set-up your grow depending on your space and goals. We provide our recommendations for the best grow tents, ventilation equipment and climate control accessories for your indoor cannabis grow.

Grow Tents & Spaces
Ventilation
Climate Control
Equipment & Product Guide Menu
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Grow Tents & Spaces

Grow Tents

Grow tents offer many advantages for home growers. They allow you to control the climate and light that your plants experience. They also provide a reflective interior to help maximize the efficient use of light. A grow tent can be set up in any room and can be packed up and put away again if needed.

We recommend two brands of grow tents above others. The Vivosun tents are great quality grow tents at really great prices. They feature 600D canvas, metal poles, and quality zippers. Users report good experiences with them and few light leaks. We recommend them for tents sized 3’ x 3’ and above (see below). We do not recommend the Vivosun 4’ x 2’ tent because it is too short.

The Mars Hydro tents are an upgrade over the Vivosun and most other grow tents on the market. They feature 1680D canvas, sturdy metal poles, and quality zippers. We recommend the Mars Hydro tent as our pick for the 4’ x 2’ grow tent below because it is taller than other similar tents. We recommend the Vivosun tents for the other sizes based on price and value. If you want to upgrade from the Vivosun tents, the Mars Hydro tents are a great option. The best deals on Mars-Hydro Grow Tents are through their website (use discount code: CCFC).

4' x 2' Grow Tent
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A 4’ x 2’ tent is a convenient size for a small home grow. They offer easy access to the plants and a convenient shape for most rooms. When selecting a tent be aware of the vertical height. Many 4’ x 2’ grow tents are only 60” tall, which is shorter than we recommend. The Mars Hydro tent that we recommend is a little more expensive than the shorter 4’ x 2’ tents, but it offers 70” of interior height.Light needed for 4’x 2’ Tent: Optimal True PPF = 520 µmolHarvest Estimate: 234 - 338 grams, 8.4 - 12.1 ounces

3x3 Grow Tent
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A 3’ x 3’ (1meter x 1meter) tent is slightly larger than a 4’ x 2’ tent and may offer a more convenient shape for your room. Like with all smaller tents, you need to be aware of the vertical height. We recommend the Vivosun 3’ x 3’ tent which is 72” tall.Light needed for 3’x 3’ Tent: Optimal True PPF = 585 µmolHarvest Estimate: 263 - 380 grams, 9.4 - 13.6 ounces

4x4 Grow Tent
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A 4x4 (1.2meter x 1.2 meter) tent is pretty much the standard for most home growers. They are typically 80” tall and offer enough space for growing a decent harvest. Both Dr. Photon and I use 4x4 tents. The Vivosun tent that we recommend is the best deal on a quality 4’ x 4’ grow tent.Light needed for 4’x 4’ Tent: Optimal True PPF = 1040 µmolHarvest Estimate: 468 - 676 grams, 16.7 – 24.1 ounces

5x5 Grow Tent
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With a 5x5 (1.5meter x 1.5meter) tent you can really increase production. These tents have a total of 25 square feet and can produce significantly more than smaller tents. However, they are quite large so make sure that you have enough room for it.Light needed for 5’x 5’ Tent: Optimal True PPF = 1625 µmolHarvest Estimate: 731 - 1056 grams, 26.1 – 37.7 ounces

Create Your Own Grow Space

If you do not want to get a grow tent, then there are a few products that you can use to help modify your existing space to be reflective and sealed.

Panda Film
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Panda Film is white on one side and black on the other. The black provides light protection from outside light sources during the dark period. The white side is over 90% reflective and helps increase the efficient use of your lights.

Mylar Film
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Mylar film is more reflective than Panda film, but it is not as easy to work with. This is great to use to line the walls if you are converting a small room or closet, but it is not convenient for sealing openings or doors.

Aluminum Foil Tape
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Whether you are using a grow tent or creating your own space, aluminum foil tape is incredibly useful stuff.  You can use it to seal up light leaks or cover any light absorbing items in your tent. I used it to cover the bench inside my tent.
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Ventilation

Exhaust Systems

In a ventilated grow space, the exhaust system is one of the most critical components.

The exhaust system that you need will depend on the size of your grow space, the heat generated by your grow lights, and the climate that you are working with. 

4" Exhaust Kit
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These exhaust systems are a perfect starter kit for a 4' x 4' tent running LED lights. The kits come with exhaust fans, carbon filters and some ducting. If you are setting up a home grow on a budget these kits are a great option.

6" Exhaust Kit
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These 6" exhaust kits are adequate for small HID set-ups or LED rooms up to 6’x6’. The fans that are included are more powerful than the 4" options above, and if you are concerned at all about managing heat or humidity, these kits would make a better choice. This 6" fan also features a speed controller.

Exhaust Fans

The starter kits above come with exhaust fans, however, there are several reasons to opt for an upgrade. The AC Infinity fans that we recommend below are more powerful, quieter, and are controlled by heat and humidity sensors. These fans work with you to help you manage the climate and keep the plants happy. They are an added investment, but if you are concerned about managing the climate in the grow space, they are well worth it.

4" Mixed Flow Fan
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The AC Infinity Cloudline T4 is our top pick for 4” exhaust fans. It moves 205 CFM making it perfect for grow tents up to 4’ x 4’. It comes with an “intelligent controller” and corded sensor probe. It is easy to program and will turn on and off depending on the heat and humidity in the grow space. I just upgraded to this fan and am impressed with how much quieter it is than the fan that I used before.

6" Mixed Flow Fan
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The AC Infinity Cloudline T6 is an even more powerful model that moves 402 CFM. It is perfect for tents up to 5’ x 5’ or for anyone who really struggles with heat and humidity in their grow space. Like the Cloudline T4, it comes with an “intelligent controller” and corded sensor probe. In the UK, we linked an HG Power fan which is comparable in power and build quality.

Carbon Filters

Carbon filters attach to the intake end of your exhaust system (inside the grow space). The exhaust fan pulls air through the filter (and then through the hood of HID lights), and then pushes it out of the grow space.

4" Carbon Filter
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I use the iPower carbon filters linked for US and Canada. They hold up well and do an excellent job controlling the smell of flowering cannabis plants. The Ram Filter linked for the UK is comparable.

6" Carbon Filter
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If you have a 6" exhaust system you will need a 6" carbon filter. Different pricing and availability led us to select different brands in each amazon market.

Mufflers: Noise Reducers

4" Muffler
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Mufflers or sound reducers dramatically reduce the noise from exhaust systems. They attach to the exhaust end of your exhaust system and absorb most of the noise that comes out with the air flow.

6" Muffler
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I use a muffler because my tent sits in my office. Without a muffler, I would not be able to get work done!

Duct Clamps

4" Turn-Key Duct Clamps
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If you have 4” fans and ducting, I highly recommend  these clamps. They can easily be secured and removed without tools, which is super convenient even if you have the tools. Well worth the simplicity when you must change a component or re-run a line while hovering over your plants.

6" Turn-Key Duct Clamps
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If you use 6" ducting, this is the set of clamps for you. We are looking for similar products in Canada and the UK.

Semi Rigid Duct Hose

I use and recommend “Semi-Rigid Flexible ducting”. It has much better airflow than other flexible ducting, which improves the efficiency of your fans. It is easy to shape into any position and it holds its shape. 

4" Semi Rigid Ducting
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Semi Rigid Ducting for 4" diameter ventilation systems

6" Semi Rigid Ducting
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Semi Rigid Ducting for 6" diameter ventilation systems

Intake Fan

Using active intake is the best way to control the climate inside your grow space. If you use a good exhaust fan without an active intake fan, the exhaust fan will practically cause the tent to implode. In small grows with little heat or humidity to manage, you may be able to do without and use passive air intake.
The goal with active intake is to help balance air pressure, but you always want the exhaust fan to be more powerful than the intake. You want to avoid the cheaper inline fans that will not work against any resistance. You also want to avoid high powered fans that would eliminate the negative air pressure in the tent.

6" Duct Booster Fans
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These 6" duct booster fans are great options for active air intake in most grow tents. They will pair well with any of the exhaust kits that we link above.

Intake Pre-Filters

One-Gallon Fabric Pots
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This is a hack! Rather than paying for relatively expensive intake prefilters, I simply attach these  fabric pots to the intake end of my ducting with duct tape. Fabric pots work better than most other materials as they stop dust, insects, and light, but do not significantly reduce airflow.
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Climate Control

Thermometers & Hygrometers

In order to control the climate, you first have to know what it is!

Ambient Weather WS-10
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This weather station system is unmatched for complete environment metering. It has Radio Frequency remote sensors and is capable of monitoring up to 8 receivers. You can place the main display anyplace that it is convenient and monitor the heat and humidity at several places inside your grow space. This is a very powerful climate monitoring tool suitable for any size grow!

Hygrometers with Probe
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For a somewhat less expensive option, we recommend getting a hygrometer with a wired probe that can measure the temperature and humidity inside the grow space. You can mount the unit outside the tent and run the probe into the tent through a port. I have two similar hygrometers and use them in different ways on every grow.Be aware, many similar units have a wired probe that only measures temperature. They may appear to measure both temperature and humidity, but they measure humidity at the base station not with the probe. The units that we recommend here all measure both Temperature and Humidity with probes.Check out our "Measuring Equipment" page for other Thermometer/Hygrometer options!

Circulating Fans

Inside the grow space it is important to keep the air moving around. You don't want too much wind, which can injure plants, but you need to keep the air moving to maintain optimal conditions for growth and to reduce the chances for pathogens. We recommend using two fans to move the air around in most grow spaces. Consider your budget and your grow space and you can choose among the following options.

8" Oscillating Fan
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These little fans are ubiquitous in grow tents! They are small and convenient and are the best low budget option for oscillating fans.

6" Clip Fan
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These are the easiest way to blow air around the canopy during the flowering period. Just clip the fan to a tent pole and you can position the breeze just over the top of the canopy.

Humidifiers

I live in a very dry climate, which is perfect during most of the grow because the plants themselves produce a lot of humidity. However, early in the grow when the plants are small I must use a humidifier to create the ideal environment for seedlings and young plants. We recommend ultrasonic humidifiers as they do not use heat to create humidity, but Instead atomize water through ultrasonic vibrations. The absence of heat is important so that it does not interfere with the grow room's natural balance and create more problems than it tries to solve.

Large Ultrasonic Humidifier
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If you live in a very dry climate, you should invest in a larger humidifier. The 6-liter size can run for 24 hours on high and put out a good stream of vapor. This one also features a top fill system, so you don't have to remove the tank from your tent in order to refill it. It also has an app that let's you control the humidifier from your phone. Pretty neat!

Small Ultrasonic Humidifier
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If you only need a little bit of additional humidity, you can consider a smaller, 2-liter humidifier. These are all solid choices for a small ultrasonic humidifier.

Dehumidifier

Most growers can control humidity by leaving the exhaust running. Dehumidifiers are needed only in sealed rooms, or climates with very high humidity. Dehumidifiers can be helpful for grow rooms where high humidity is a problem, however, a problem with dehumidifiers is that they create heat. We do not recommend simply exhausting the hot air because doing so also removes the dry air and defeats the purpose. In hot and humid areas, you may need to seal the grow space (limit air exchange through exhaust) and use a double vented air conditioner along side a dehumidifier.

AirPlus 70-Pint Dehumidifier 
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This unit can remove 70 pints of moisture per day, which should be more than adequate for most grows. Avoid dehumidifiers that remove significantly less as they will not really help. A dehumidifier will need to be rated to remove at least 30 pints per day to be useful in a grow setting.

Air-Conditioner

Air conditioners are very useful when exhaust systems can no longer control heat. You can get AC units that are single or double vented. Single vented units are fine for most set-ups when you are not using a dehumidifier.

Single Vented Portable A/C
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The BLACK+DECKER 8000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner Unit is a very good choice for a single vent AC unit. We are researching the best options from the UK.

Double Vented Portable Air Conditioner
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If you are using a dehumidifier, a single vented unit should be avoided because they will vent the dry air from your grow space. When AC is used in combination with dehumidifiers, you should use a double vented unit.The Whynter Dual Vent Air Conditioner is an excellent choice for a dual vent AC. We are researching the best options from the UK.

Oil Heater

If it is too cold in your grow space, you may need to add a heater. We do not recommend using fan heaters, or any heating system that can create a fire risk if something were to happen. Oil heaters are the best option for heating as they distribute their heat safely without getting overly hot on the surface.

Delonghi Oil Heater
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Dr Photon uses and recommend this Delonghi Oil Heater.

Dual Systems Controller

Inkbird Itc-308 Digital Temperature Controller
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A dual system controller allows you to connect and control two climate control appliances. For example, Dr. Photon uses it to connect his exhaust system and his oil heater. When it is cold, the controller switches the oil heater on. When it is hot, the controller turns the exhaust system on. You can set the operating range of each appliance separately so that there is a threshold between the two systems, and they do not compete with each other.
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About Our Product Recommendations

At Coco for Cannabis, our mission is to help growers maximize the success of their cannabis crops by providing scientifically accurate information and sharing proven growing practices.

The products that we recommend are the actual products that we chose to purchase and use ourselves. In a few cases, we recommend products that we would buy if we needed them. We do not accept advertising and will not recommend any product that we would not buy for ourselves. We offer this guide as a resource to growers.

We may receive a referral when you purchase products through this page. This is the main revenue stream that keeps Coco for Cannabis up and running! When you click through our links and make purchases you are supporting our work! As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Whether we receive a referral does not influence our recommendations. For example, when products are cheaper to buy locally, we’ll tell you that rather than just recommend a more expensive online option.

Disclaimer:

The information on cocoforcannabis.com should not be considered as financial, legal, or medical advice. You are responsible for knowing and following the local laws that pertain to cannabis cultivation, possession, and use. Decisions to grow cannabis should be made in consultation with a lawyer or qualified legal advisor. Decisions to use cannabis should be made in consultation with your doctor or medical professional.