Overview
Table of Contents
Ventilation is essential and indeed a vital factor when it comes to your cannabis plant growth. Setting up a sound ventilation system is very important, significantly if you are growing your cannabis plants indoors. Indeed, creating a grow room or setting up an indoor growing system can be both exhausting and entertaining, and at the end of the day, when you see your plants grow beautifully, you will also realize how rewarding it can be.
When you grow your cannabis indoors, you have all the control regarding the factors and elements involved in the growing process. This will also allow you to alter the growing seasons and schedule and eventually allow you to gain more profit. Putting up a sound ventilation system can indeed require a bit of investment; however, it can benefit you in so many ways possible.
In setting up a grow tent, you must learn and understand how different elements can contribute to a successful grow tent. When you put up an indoor growing system, you may still need to replicate an outdoor environment where your plants will be able to enjoy light, water, soil, and air to keep them happy and healthy. That is why you need to have good air quality and airflow to maintain your plants’ good health.
By putting up a functional and useful ventilation system, you will be able to supply fresh air from the outside world, providing CO2 for your plants and helping them achieve photosynthesis (read more here: Cannabis Photobiology). Good airflow will also remove the air from the inside, therefore, aiding in the control of moisture for your plants inside, and this will also help manage the odor inside your grow area. As you can see, adequate ventilation will also be responsible for promoting good air circulation, heat regulation, and CO2 supply for your cannabis plants. This article will help you understand and explore why ventilating your grow tent is extremely important.
What is a ventilation system?
Ventilation is a process that involves the extraction of stale, hot, humid, and CO2-depleted air from your grow tent while being able to let fresh, clean, and CO2-rich air inside as well. A ventilation system can be simple or complex, whichever you like them to be. An example of a simple setup is an exhaust vent that provides airflow through the difference in air pressure inside your grow tent.
Nowadays, growers combine vents and exhaust fans, intending to provide better airflow inside grow tents. This is a more complex ventilation system setup where an interior circulation fan is utilized to keep air flowing inside paired with extractor fans to extract air out effectively and oscillating fans to maintain air circulation.
More advanced ventilation systems may include filters, fans that are a lot quieter, heaters, and air conditioners. If you are still starting to set up your grow area, you can read the Beginners Guide to Growing Weed.
Why is it important to ventilate your grow room?
As mentioned above, there are indeed more reasons than one as to why you should be ventilating your grow room. You need to provide the best airflow and circulation possible for your indoor plant in the nearest possible way your outdoor plants are enjoying it, and here is why:
Remove excess heat or regulate healthy temperature.
Maintaining a suitable temperature is crucial for the healthy growth of your cannabis plants. Typically, they need an average temperature of about 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, 90 being the absolute maximum already. Sudden changes in temperature can be very harmful to your plants; extreme high temperatures can scorch and may kill your plants; too cold temperature, on the other hand, can wither your plants. Having the proper air ventilation can prevent this from happening since good airflow can keep the temperature constant at an acceptable level.
For warmer climates, a ventilating fan is significant, especially during the summer. Heat can quickly build up inside growing tents, and you must let the warm air out. A heater is recommended to keep your plants safe from withering in freezing climates because of the frost.
Reduce Cannabis Smell
Even with its legalization, many growers still choose to grow their cannabis plants discreetly because the neighbors may be bothered by the intense aroma and smell that the plants give off. Cannabis plants have a powerful and distinct aroma that can quickly fill the area or space where they are grown. Excellent and correct ventilation can quickly disperse the aroma and keep your grow tent smelling neat and unobtrusive. If you are growing cannabis strains with the most robust and most potent aroma, we suggest that you use carbon filters with your ventilation system to contain and trap the scent in the exhaust ducts quickly.
Controlled and healthy humidity levels
It is crucial that you maintain healthy relative humidity levels in your growing area since humidity can be detrimental to your plants’ health if not regulated and maintained. A very high humidity level can promote mold and mildew growth resulting in rotten plants and negatively affecting your harvests.
If you are using a grow tent, it is vital that you keep an eye on the humidity levels since a grow tent is an enclosed area causing water vapor levels to rise quickly. To keep healthy humidity levels inside your grow tent, an efficient ventilator should be used. Good airflow works effectively to move out water vapor and oxygen and bring in CO2 and dry air from the outside into the tent. Humidity rises when air is stagnant, so airflow is essential to keep humidity and moisture at healthy levels.
Prevent pests and bugs
Without proper airflow, moisture will quickly build up inside your grow tent and eventually build up in soil too. An increase in the soil’s moisture level can attract pests and bugs. Pests also love laying eggs in damp soil, another reason you should keep the environment in your grow tent dry with a steady airflow. Increased atmospheric moisture can also damage the coating of the plants supposed to protect them from pests. A sound ventilation system will significantly contribute to making your growing tent an unwelcoming environment for pests and bugs and a better environment for your cannabis plants.
Manage wind stress to keep your plants strong
Wind can essentially make your cannabis plants stronger and have sturdier stems and branches. That is why outdoor plants that are always being blown by strong winds tend to grow strong. Building strong stems and branches will significantly help your plants when it is time to flower and produce yields.
Suitable and adequate airflow inside your grow tents will help your cannabis plants grow upright and be able to have better yields with healthy and bigger buds. The right ventilation system can recreate wind movement and stress, therefore able to strengthen your cannabis plant’s structure and sturdiness.
Controlled CO2 levels
Plants are powered by a process referred to as photosynthesis, and they do this through the absorbance of sunlight, water, and CO2 through their leaves. After the absorption of CO2, they will then produce oxygen as a waste product consumed by other living things such as humans and other animals. If you cannot provide proper ventilation, your grow tent will be filled with oxygen that will eventually drown your cannabis plants and deprive them of the carbon dioxide they need. With the right ventilation system, you will be able to maintain healthy and natural levels of CO2 in your grow tent.
A model of nature
When growing your plants indoors, you should have the goal of replicating the nature of the cannabis plants’ natural habitat. You should look and think of your tent as a part of nature that is placed inside the safety of your home, and the best way to keep and maintain its natural conditions is to provide a sound ventilation system. This will help your plants enjoy a replica of nature with a healthy wind breeze and balanced CO2 levels that can significantly help them thrive and grow.
Ways to ventilate your grow room
As you set up your grow tent, it is essential that you need two types of fans to start with a sound ventilation system. These are the oscillating fans and the air extractor fan system.
Oscillating fans
This type of fan is generally cheap yet effective, and oscillating fans can blow air continuously above, under, and around your cannabis plants. This greatly helps in maintaining a desired temperature inside the grow tent and improves air circulation as well. This type of fan is also straightforward to set up and work with, which means you can conveniently make adjustments in your oscillating fans’ placements. It is vital that you position them in certain areas where your fans will be placed in an optimum location for them to reach your plants. However, it would be best if you always placed your plants where they are not directly pointed to your plants to avoid windburn. Putting up oscillating fans will help maintain a healthy temperature and adequate humidity levels in your grow tent.
Air extractor fan system
Oscillating fans will not be enough for your grow tent; that is why you will need to set up an air extractor fan system. This fan system will be responsible for moving out the old air and bringing new or fresh air. The ideal replacement of air inside your grow tent will be every minute or once every three to five minutes. Also, remember to choose the correct fan size according to the size of your grow tent.
Here are some advanced tips and considerations for ventilating your grow tent:
- Passive vs. Active Air Flow: Most grow tents can use a passive intake system, where the inline exhaust fan creates a vacuum that pulls in fresh air. However, for larger tents or to achieve the best environment, an active intake system with an additional inline fan may be necessary.
- Sizing Your Ventilation System: Calculate the CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) needed for your space. A general formula is (Grow Space Width x Length x Height) / 5 = Recommended CFM. If you’re using a carbon filter, add an additional 20% to this figure to account for the loss in fan performance.
- Using a Carbon Filter for Odor Control: Hang your carbon filter inside the tent and make an inline connection with the exhaust fan, ensuring air passes through the filter before being exhausted outside. This setup is crucial for controlling odors, especially when growing cannabis.
- Silencers for Noise Reduction: Installing a silencer after the fan can significantly reduce noise, changing it from a whining to a gentle swooshing sound. This is especially useful for indoor tents situated within living spaces.
- Sealing Your Grow Tent: Proper sealing is essential for efficient ventilation. It ensures air only passes through the intake hole and leaves through the exhaust fan, creating negative air pressure which is vital for controlling odors and maintaining a controlled environment.
- Oscillating Fans for Air Distribution: Oscillating fans are effective for evenly distributing air around your grow tent, helping to keep your plants’ stems strong. Position them in a way that ensures the entire crop receives airflow without causing wind burn.
- Temperature and Humidity Control: Regularly monitor these factors. Effective ventilation helps manage the temperature and humidity within the tent, preventing overheating, chilling, and excessive moisture that can lead to mold and fungal issues.
- Invest in Quality Equipment: Don’t compromise on ventilation equipment. High-quality fans, inline ducts, and carbon filters ensure efficient air circulation and filtration.
- Positioning of Fans and Filters: Place intake fans near the bottom and exhaust fans and filters at the top of the tent. This setup aids in effective air circulation and odor control.
- Using Ducting Wisely: Keep ducts as straight and short as possible to minimize resistance and maximize efficiency. Avoid kinks and bends that can obstruct airflow.
- Maintain Cleanliness and Hygiene: Keep your tent clean to prevent the buildup of dust, debris, and potential pathogens. A dirty environment can hinder ventilation efficiency and increase the risk of pests and diseases.
- Variable Speed Fans for Different Growth Stages: Adjust airflow based on the specific needs of different stages of plant growth. Variable-speed fans offer this flexibility.
- CO2 Enrichment: If using additional CO2, ensure your ventilation can handle the extra demand and distribute CO2 properly.
Final thoughts
The best time to install your ventilation system is during the setting up of your grow tent, too, and whichever way you decide to give your plants their necessities, you need to keep them happy and healthy in every way possible.
As mentioned above, growing your plants in a grow tent with good, and proper airflow is essential for them to enjoy healthy plant growth. With the right ventilation, you will surely be able to provide your cannabis plants an environment where they can healthily thrive and grow. In turn, your cannabis will surely be able to give you an abundant yield and bountiful harvest as well.