Thinking of buying one of these: http://cgi.ebay.com/HYDROPONICS-6-ACTIVATED-CARBON-AIR-FILTER-18-LONG_W0QQitemZ7756008159QQcategoryZ43555QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem For a 6 by 6 ft bathroom would you recommend I buy the 4" or 6" version? Is this unit self contained? What do I need, a compatible fan? I'm confused since I only used a fan with a weak ionizer before but am soon realizing this may be the way to go. Help is appreciated!!!!
Get the 6 inch, the bigger the better, oder control, you can't afford to skimp on it. Put a nice 440 cfm can fan on it and you'd be rockin!
Does any "CFM" fan just sit right on top of the filter unit perfectly? Is it as easy as that? If I go with the ladies 6 inch by 24 inch unit: http://cgi.ebay.com/HYDROPONICS-6-ACTIVATED-CARBON-AIR-FILTER-24-LONG_W0QQitemZ7755796911QQcategoryZ43555QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem could you direct me where to buy a fan that is compatible with the above link? Also, the lady selling this sent me a diagram of how it "could" work. One scenario had a "felxible duct" between the top of the unit (flange) and the fan I have to buy. She also said I could just put the fan directly on top of the unit. What is recommended? Why is this so hard? And finally, am I looking for a "squirrel cage blower" that additionally has an exhaust fan? Or just a fan?
those Foothill filters are cheap - as in "cheap" not "inexpensive". Also, coconut shell carbon is not the best to use for just simple MJ odor removal. Oddly, what works better (and costs less) is coal-based activated carbon. It has more receptivity to organic odors and it costs less and you have to change it less often. A great filter is by Atmosphere. They make "reversible" filters that you can flip around to utilize the other end and go almost twice as long before needing to change the carbon (if that didn't make sense, let me know and I'll explain further). You can get these for about $150 for a 6"x20"long or around $175 for a 6"x30" long (both reversible - the non-reversibles cost less). A real good vortex fan that fits on the end (or can be used with ducting) is about 150
The fans that go on top of the filters, am I looking at a "squirrel" fan with the exhaust part on the side, or just a fan with the proper CFM rating? I want to thank those that are replying. I don't mean to be a nag with all my inquiries, it's just that I'm a little OCD. And by that I mean, I like to fully understand what I'm using, why I'm using it, and so on. With the understanding I learn, then I can fully understand how to more effeciently use what I use. So thanks How about this: http://www.sea-of-green.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=47_50&products_id=343 matched with this fan: http://www.sea-of-green.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=47_49&products_id=338 My question for this pairing is, what about the exhaust of the unit, none? Does it need none because the air is drawn into the filter, done deal? Sea-of-green also has more expensive ones if you do a little navigating on that page. The only drawback on this unit I can see (or guess) is that they are non-refillable. Any thoughts from people that know? Why do some filters reccomend putting the fan right on top, while others have ducting in between the filter unit and the fan? Are these fans loud? I'm looking at something around 400 CFM.
I'd still go with an Atmosphere. I don't know anything about those fans. The ones I was talking about are "Vortex" fans. Here's a pic.
You have a link? The air is drawn in from the fan into the filter, but does the drawn in air get exhausted externally, or does it go into the carbon, and that's it?
The fan on the top is blowing air out correct? So the filter absorbs air on it's own and the fan blows out the air. This explains the need for tubing if you wished to have the air exhausted out of the grow room (why I don't know, is the air hot or something?) Originally I thought the fan was used to draw air into the filter. Nowhere is the basic function of these carbon filters ever explained. This is why it is so difficult to comprehend. So, am I correct?
the fan sucks air through the filter and then spits it out the other side clean and smalling fresh. send me a PM and I'll tell you where to get the stuff. I don't want to violate any forum rules by posting links to somewhere else.
Every grow area needs ventilation--exhaust and intake. The bigger the lights, the more ventilation you need. A charcoal filter simply removes the odor from the exhaust air. The air that is drawn through the filter needs to be exhausted outside the grow area. If the grow area is large (more than one 400 watt light) the air will probably need to be exhausted to the outside, or to an attic, rather than into the living space, because it will contain a lot of water vapor. The reason the fan is connected to the filter by a length of flexible duct is to reduce noise. Fans usually vibrate a little, and the duct keeps the vibration away from the filter, which would act to amplify the vibration and sound otherwise. The best duct to use for this is insulated heater/air-conditioner duct, available at any building supply (Home dePot, etc). Use the same ducting to direct the exhaust air out of the area, and/or out of the building. Mount the exhaust filter close to the ceiling in the grow room (where the hot, stale air collects), and be sure to shock-mount the fan with a solid rubber bungee. The last set of links you posted (sea-of-green.com) look like reasonable equipment. Size your fan/filter combo as large as you can, within reason. You lose about 30% of the airflow capacity when you use a filter--keep that in mind. Good ventilation is one of the keys to success when growing indoors.
I got a 4" vortex fan (the smallest one they make) and its very quite other than all the air its moving. You can buy a fan controller and use ducting and its completely quite. Worth the money if you got it and need something that moves a lot of air and does it quitely EDIT: Also i would get the vortex fan and carbon filter from http://mdhydro.com/activated-charcoal.html just find the sized fan you need and pick the filter. Then click the thing to add the fan to the shopping list too, and the ducting if you need it. I ordered from them, came in a plain box labeled Maryland Electronics as the return address, billed as that too. Came in quickly too, i think it was 3 days for a carbon filter, hydro nutes, and a vortex fan.
for the input Goosie. I was considering another brand of filter though because I think it might be more economical in the long run one with the ability to refil the carbon. I'll consider it though.
BEE, are you saying a carbon filter will only make the air coming out of the fan odorless? As in, something to hook up to the growrooms ceiling/exhaust fan? I am under the impression that even if the unit was sitting on the floor in the growroom, with the fan attatched to the top/flange, it would be sucking in the odor, exhausting clean smelling air constantly, in effect, making my growroom smell legal.
It would be better to hook the filter up to the exaust, if its just sitting in the room than it wount catch all the weed smell. And the CAN 9000 i baught just took unscrewing some of those square screws and popping off the top and the carbon came right out, seems easy to refill. im not sure about the other models tho EDIT: Either way, mdhydro.com is the cheapest place i was able to find the vortex fans, if your interested in getting one.
yes, you can do this and it would probably be "adequate". But Goosie is right. It's much better to exhaust your air actively out of the growing container through the filter.