Hey guys.. i'm trying to start up my setup and need some guidance! I have the small Grow Bright tent which is 36" wide x 20" deep x 63" tall It has four 4" vent ports and 2 5" vent ports as well as 3 bottom vent flaps. I also have an air cooled reflectors that I'm using some 250w bulbs in with the appropriate ballast. My question is - what kind of ventilation will I need for exhaust and intake? I was told that the ventilation can be all in one - pulling the heat and other air across the lightbulb and out from the reflector instead of setting up one vent line for the reflector and one for the hot air within the tent itself... I currently have one 4" inline fan that goes at a rate of around 80-85cfm's. I don't have $100 or anything to plop down on an expensive inline or one with a scrubber. I'd like to start this soon and can always upgrade my fans later. I was looking at the different, less expensive inline fans on HTGSupply... but wasn't sure exactly what I should purchase. And then from there, I'm not quite sure how to route everything.... and reading books, articles and seeing videos on the topic doesn't seem to help me out - i don't know why but I can't seem to apply it to my tent's layout.. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Anyone? 12 hours later...27 views and no reply? Come on... someone here has to be able to answer this question
as long as you have a good fan the air cooled reflector should be enough....thats a small grow tent so the negative pressure from the exhaust will pull in fresh air from the other holes
It's a closed reflector.. has 2 4 inch openings and the opening for the light bulb. I need to know which fans I need to buy in the $20-$30 price range.. how many.. where do they go? How do I do the ducting,etc?
to be honest your not going to get any kind of decent fan for 20-30 unless you get like 3 or 4 of them which would be like computer fans...your best bet would be something like this...its relatively cheap compared to other setup yet its more than enough air circulation http://forum.grasscity.com/do-yourself/598023-*basic-diy*-modifying-stanley-blower-cooling.html
Yeah I'm not going to be modifying anything and I definitely don't have the capability to tear open a fan like that - not to mention, I'm a girly girl, I don't have those kinds of tools just laying around in my little one bedroom apartment... that idea is completely unrealistic to me. Not to mention, that fan is a "blower" i'm looking for a fan that will pull air FROM the tent, not blow air into it. I just want to buy the fans in the 20-30 dollar range and was told by multiple people that I only need 1-2 inline fans.. possibly just one. Is there someone in this forum who has done a lot of grows and REALLY understands ventilation and that I don't need to go plop $100 down on an inline fan and can suggest what I need to buy? As I said, I was looking at the less expensive fans on HTGSupply but want to know if maybe there are other comparable ones, etc..
that does pull air from the tent not blow into it, but I understand your situation...your best bet then is just to get computer fans for your intake and exhaust to keep air moving just cause I dont have actual "grows" under my belt doesnt mean I dont know shit its called research.... but my bad for trying to help ya out since noone else was
I just got the feeling like you didn't even read my initial question I'm looking for inline fans (not computer fans) in the $20-$30 range - how many do I need and how do I set it up with my tent? Anyone that actually has the answer to this question, please reply!! I'm honestly kind of shocked that only one person has bothered to reply
well thats what i have been trying to explain to you your not going to find an inline fan for 30 bucks that is going to fit your needs thats the whole point of giving you alternatives
Here's what i did, I got a 6" inline duct fan from HTG ($25) put it at the top of my grow box to pull air out and just got some 4" PVC pipe and put it at the bottom of the box leading to outside of my closet on the opposite side of the duct fan for intake, the 6" inline duct fan is more than strong enough to pull the hot air out of the box and draw in cool air from the intake at the bottom, my box is 30"W-23"D-63"H running a 150W HPS with an open hood. But yea, you shouldnt have a problem if you run your exhaust through your hood, since you said it has 2 4" openings, just vent through one opening and leave the other open for the air to go from in your tent across the bulb and out through your other opening that has the exhaust hooked to it, then you can just leave one of the bottom flaps on the tent open for intake and see how that works, if your temps are running a little high then you can just add a small computer fan or one of those 6" clip on desk fans (you can usually find them at any walmart, kmart, target, for like $20) at the open flap to help bring in cool air.
I'm sorry, but you're just completely incorrect. Don't bother replying again because you don't seem to even understand what I'm trying to do. Fantastic... this is EXACTLY what I wanted to know. Would you suggest I get the 6" fan from HTG (That's the same $25 one i was looking at) with an adapter? Or are there easier ways to get 6" fans to work with 4 inch ducting and holes?
personally I would recommend the 6" fan and then just look at your local hardware store in the duct work section and I'm sure you'll find something that will convert a 6" duct to 4" for like $5-$10 tops
awesome.. and then just get like a pipe or something for the intake you said? I don't really need a fan for that? Thank you so much for your help... I was beginning to think something was wrong that a whole forum full of growers couldn't answer one simple question without being elitist and trying to tell me it can't be done when I know it can. Ur help is much appreciated!
You could use something like this - http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100138736/h_d2/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&keyword=duct+reducer&jspStoreDir=hdusΝ=P_PARENT_ID&navFlow=3&catalogId=10053&langId=-1&ddkey=THDStoreFinder It's called a duct reducer/increaser the one in the link is to attach a 4" to a 3" but I'm sure you can find a 4" to 6" because 4" - 6" - 8" are the most common sizes.
yea i didnt need a fan for intake but I'm only using a 150W, you can start off that way and see what your temps are like and if they are a little high then just add a small fan for the intake like a computer fan or one like this - HTG Supply - Growbright 6 Inch Clip-On Fan to help bring in cool air.
Yeah the duct reducers are probably way cheaper at Home Depot.. I'll go that route and pick up the 6 inch fan... and the little clip on too because I need one in the tent to circulate the air as well... You've been a great help and I truly mean it.. thank you
The dryer duct that comes out the back of the dryer/fan that fits inside works fine for me, plus small fans are inexpensive, especially if u hit up target or walmart when winter first shows up. Just have the duct coming out of it and the fan blowing outwards as well....it will create airflow and even more if u have another small fan inside oscilating