Are grow tent light leaks ok?

[cfltime]

Hello. I am new here to icmag forums, and have been reading around alot.

I am in the market for my first grow tent. My choices are Secret Jardin or Growlab.

Now I have heard about these light leaks, but I have seen the tents in use on some great threads here, and people seem to dismiss the light leak issue as if it never existed, growing some fine buds.

I here that weed grows outside and "under the moon light" so would an indoor strain in flowering have any issues with a tiny spec of a spec of light? I like the features of the tent and would really like one. Ill be using CFL all the way by the way.

I can get the secret jardin dr80 for 169.00usd and the same gl60, same size, for 124.00usd. Should I be worried? Please help a noob at growing, be put at ease. Thank you. Merry Xmas everyone. Im glad to be part of another GREAT forum. I hear this is the overgrow community. What a site that was. Take care.

 

[Iron_Lion]

I have an HTG tent, Im sure its the same with the tents you mentioned, I have little pin hole light leaks in a few spots around vent flaps and zippers. Nothing a little aluminum tape cant fix. You gotta think though, no tent will be 100% light proof right out of the box, especially when using the vent flaps. Instead of buying more flanges and building light traps I found it easier to just black out the only window in the room with a few sets of black curtains in the room that the tent is in. this works great if you have a large closet or room dedicated to growing.

Also, some strains will be more sensitive to light leaks, light leaks can cause messed up bud formation and hermies.

 

[Hydro-Soil]

no tent will be 100% light proof right out of the box,

Ummmm Sun Hut anyone?
Sure, you have to pay more.... but everyone who has one agrees that you're definitely getting more.

Get a jardin or growlab if you're interested in buying a 'starter' tent. Be prepared to buy a Sun Hut when you realize this isn't a 'hobby' for you and that you're going to be doing it for a long time. Quality lasts.

Stay Safe!


p.s. As far as pinholes go... there are some strains that won't hermie.... most will though. A pinhole puts a concentrated point of light on the plant. Moonlight/streetlight bathes most of the plant that isn't in shadow.

 

[geopolitical]

Higher end tents can indeed start off and stay light proof. That being said, tiny pinhole light leaks are most likely not going to cause you any problems even if you don't fix them.

 

[BLUNToPOTomuss]

Moon light is something like .5 watts a square foot when it hits the ground, virtually none........ It seems brighter because our eyes are great at gathering light.

 

[REZDOG]

No.
Holes are NOT acceptable.
Ever.
Buy Right the first time,you'll have fewer regrets later.
Or,learn to stitch canvas.

 

[Nortin]

I ran a 4x4 tent (was a cheap piece of ebay crap) and it still did a great job. If you buy a grow lab or sun hut you will be happy they work great and are a very easy way to throw up a room within a room. Im thinking I will eventually do a 4x8 grow lab or sun hut myself. My cheap ass tent fell apart.....dont go cheap and you will be very happy my friend. Peace hope it works out well for ya.

 

[milehighmedical]

I was aware of the quality of the sunhut's but bought a secret jardin because it was available locally. I'm not interested in ordering on-line so it's just not an option. There are definitely a few pinhole leaks here and there. But a few minutes of attention with a roll of tape (aluminum, gorilla, duct, electric... whatever) and some tidy duct work will have it sealed up. I mean, you would have to be exceptionally lazy to not be able to do this.

If it's available to you I'd get the sunhut, but my secret jardin is still a great upgrade to my previous 2x4 and poly contraption which takes hours to put up or tear down. For the $300 I spent I'm perfectly content. It will easily pay for itself, even if I only use it one round.

 

[montanaorganics]

I used a Secret Jardin tent recently and I really liked it. I liked it more than my buddies growlab, thats for sure. Had some problems with nanners, in my opinion they were more heat related than light. I feel that a tiny amount of consistent light leak cant hurt too bad(ie pinholes, where light amount never changes), and in a tent, which is always in the house, its probably dang hard to eliminate every single source. So do your best and dont sweat what you cant control.

 

[cfltime]

Thanks!!!!

I am considering the GL40 or 60. Probably 40. Its 79.95 at my buddies shop. the 60 is 124.

I am thinking just throw a blanket over it at night during the night dark cycle. Thanks so much guys. Would love to see some tent pics , especially the GL40. Take care.

 

[geopolitical]

I built an 8x4x6 tent out of 2x2's and pandafilm that worked great for many months. I did get a few pinholes, they never did anything as far as hermies or yield afaik. My total cost including lumber was under $50 for the whole thing. When I had to move I just tore the whole thing down, trashed the film and reused the framing lumber for projects around the house.

One thing, the heavier your tent material and frame, the better it will resist air pressure differentials and now bow inward under air pressure. Found that one out the hard way first time I tried it. Looked great, kicked on the fan. . . *SHOWWWUPPPP CRACK* whole thing caved in.

 

[redspaghetti]

Hi cfltime,

I have both SJ and GL, maybe i am lucky with mine because both with no light leak at all. Im sure you will be happy with them. ( but if they do leak, nothing duct tape wont fix )

Cheers,

Red.

 

[slowandeasy]

The Growlab models with viewing windows leak light everywhere! Atleast mine did. I am very anal about light leaks, why risk it? Be prepared to lightproof it, and the intakes. If my growlab was in a room with light, I would have hermies for sure. Either cover, black out your room, or fix all holes....one less thing to worry about. The Growlab has too much velcro, everywhere there is velcro...it leaks light. The flaps are a PITA too. Would try another brand next time. If you have the height, go with the Sun Hut. If not try the Secret Jardin, I heard they are more lightproof. Good luck.

 

[good drown]

my secret jardin dr80 had a few leaks around the flaps. i use it as a 24 hour veg chamber so i sealed them off, so that light does not effect my 12/12 flowering area
if you use cfls, the light wont be as noticeable, but once i added my 400w mh, i noticed the leaks. if i re-velcrowed them shut, it got rid of a lot of the light leak, but i used black gaffers tape to seal them all up

 

[cfltime]

more info and opinions, thanks!!

ive been thinking. since my buddy is gonna hook me up and get me a 30-40 percent discount off a 124 dollar tent, ive got to take it.

im not up to building a cab out of wood panels from home depot.
i dont want to cut shit to make intakes and outtakes.

i figure, the flowering period will be at night, while i sleep. itll be in a room where no light can get to the plants or the tent ANYWAY.

i guess i could always throw a black blanket that i have over it. that should take care of it.


THANKS!!!!!

 

[Shiherlis]

I bought a Homebox tent... pinholes around zipper lines at bottom, and in one corner at the top there is a little opening where the stitches came out. Should be easy to patch up. The real issue is the there is only one 4 inch intake hole that is light proof. The other vents are see through screens with flaps on the outside that velcro shut. I will need more than one intake hole so I have to light-proof at least one of these other vents. That's the only way the tent disappoints.

 

[2fast4u2]

im a tent farmer, and i can tell ya, if ya got any light leaks, make sure to find them and patch them, or keep your tent redundantly dark in an isolated room if possible.

Tents are great, but they arent 100 percent light proof.