Redesign of my 4x8 tent...HELP!! :D

[zor]

is it because of price or do you relaly like ur can fans more than vortexs? Who has used both? Thanks!

SS

Hey man. I am not speaking from experience here. However, im undergoing the planning of a couple of tents myself, one being a 4 x 8. From my searches on this sight and others, ive read that the can fan HO have more 'torque' than the vortex's and use more wattage too achieve this. In other words, they are pushing more air against resistance. This also goes with the anecdotal reports of can fans being louder (they are moving more air). However, this says nothign about the efficiency of the cans vs the vortex as well as the quality.

If you are going the 8" route, which i too am considering, u might wanna look into the can fan max. The reports on it are very good. It is very efficient and allegedly is very quiet when hooked to ducting.

 

[IC BUDZ]

id go with the quantum digital ballast nothing but possitive feedback about them and voted HT ballast of the year.

 

[ShroomDr]

Go vertical!

This is my 4x4 homebox.




600w HPS + 600w MH + 8" cooltube + stanley blower.

 

[IC BUDZ]

OR DO THAT ^ you stole my idea lol jp +rep nice setup

 

[Super.Seeds]

zor,
Thanks for stopping by! Looked into the can fan max 8 and kinda bummed it is all plastic unlike its bigger 10" and 12" brothers...The guy at the hydro store said he goes with vortexs and they are pretty similar in price...Plus the Vortex is 747 CFM vs Can Fan Max at 675 CFM. Funny thing is another customer came in when I was there asking about the can fan max 8. SO CONFUSING but I'm likely to go with vortex since I own the 4" and it's a sexy piece of machinery! lol

IC BUDZ,
Thanks for the advice! I do keep hearing great things about the Quantum and it 99 percent power efficiency..BUT, I have to go with what I know which is the purps! Lumateks where its at for me. Finally made a decision on something!

ShroomDr,
Thanks for the idea! Is the 4 2x2 or 3x3 trays under those lights? Do you harvest perpetually? And hand water it looks like since I don't see any E&F fittings in the trays. I'd love to go vertical but that's not likely happening at this go around because I need to go with what I know as I don't have any margin for trials and error. I've been looking into all of the vertical setups they sell out there and it looks like building your own is still the way to go. Maybe some day I'll try my luck at a stadium style grow with bare bulbs but not in the near future!

I'm going to order today and the only thing I am still stuck on is whether or not to get 6" or 8" blockbusters. I am trying to weigh the pros and cons of stepping up to a larger duct size...Less reflective material but thats minimal...Does 8" really move a lot more air? The step up from 4" to 6" seems HUGE so I imagine and extra 2" with the 8" blockbuster would be even better and keep the lights cooler. What do you think? Any people have experience with 8" hoods? THANKS!!

SS

 

[zor]

Looked into the can fan max 8 and kinda bummed it is all plastic unlike its bigger 10" and 12" brothers...The guy at the hydro store said he goes with vortexs and they are pretty similar in price...

aha , i didnt realize the 8" can max were made of plastic. nice info there.

re: 6" vs 8" duct.

I think it all depends on how far you want to move the air.

For a straight shot of air cooled lights out of the tent, i think 6" should be plenty. but if you wanna travel some distance with that exhaust, an 8" duct is less restrictive but a pain in the ass to work with + less reflectivity on the hoods. Also, if you everntually wanna add more lights 8" might be better

 

[ShroomDr]

Its a 4x4 tent (i have two), and (4) 2x2 tables (8 in total). Yes i run perpetual. Going vertical is a bit of a leap of faith, but i dont think i could ever go back.

I flower in 5Gal buckets. I use bamboo stakes and zip ties to create a trellis/lattice, that i then train the plants too.

 

[Super.Seeds]

BUMP!

I'm going to order today and the only thing I am still stuck on is whether or not to get 6" or 8" blockbusters. I am trying to weigh the pros and cons of stepping up to a larger duct size...Less reflective material but that's minimal...Does 8" really move a lot more air? The step up from 4" to 6" seems HUGE so I imagine and extra 2" with the 8" blockbuster would be even better and keep the lights cooler. What do you think? Any people have experience with 8" hoods? THANKS!!

SS

If I don't hear back from anyone in the next day or so I will be going with 8" blockbusters...Let me know what you think/have experienced. THANKS!

SS

 

[summitoker]

Go with the Blockbuster 8" they are the highest quality hood out there! I am running a 4x8 tent with 2 600 watt and 1 1000 watt all in blockbuster 8 hoods. I just replaced some yieldmaster hoods with the blockbusters and the differance in light pattern is amazing.

 

[Maina]

nice find I came up with the same set up after doing my home work!

 

[nameless]

i have a 145L that i run 3 600s in im surprised no one suggested this. i use the yield master 2 supreme 6inch reflectors and they work great. vented by a wide open eco 6" plus with a 90 degree bend behind it. i do have diffusers in hoods though.. id be interested to know if the blockbusters have a better pattern over the same amount of space. btw... i have the three hoods and another 6in eco plus in a 1/2" mdf sound dampening box all hanging from my tent they are pretty strong. i had to grab ahold of a crossbar to keep from falling the other day and all was well. good luck please share your new design with us when you get up and running id love to see 2 BBs, an ac, dh, and c02 in a 145L! best of luck bro...

 

[Super.Seeds]

UPDATE!!!

UPDATE!!!

summitoker,
Thanks for stopping by! I went with the Blockbusters and they are amazing! Thanks again.

Maina,
What exactly did you get? Blockbusters are sick! I bet you are a happy grower! Thanks for stopping by!


I've been very busy and things are finally coming together.

UPDATE (added the following):
-8" Vortex fan
-8" insulated ducting
-2 8" Blockbuster reflectors
-2 Pro-Grip light hangers-SO NICE! They can support 150lbs.
-2 1000W Lumatek ballasts
-2 1000W Sunmaster bulbs
-Bluelab Guardian monitor for Conductivity/Temperature/pH

Up next:
-Split AC
-Backdraft damper-for 8" ducting for lights

I need some help here!
QUESTIONS:
1a.)What size split ac do I need?
Details: 5x10x6.5 tent, with the 2K on and fan running temps are around 80 (as low as 76 and as high as 87) humidity from 40-50%. Night temps are currently: 76 degrees with humidity of 49%. I really want to get a beefy AC because these are WINTER temps and in the summer you can imagine it will be much hotter.

1b.)The second part to the above question is should I use my co2 propane burner or bottled CO2? A 2 burner unit will add nearly 6,000 BTU of heat when on. They say you should have 4-5K of cooling per 1K light, right? I think I've heard 2-3K per 1K light when air-cooled but I would rather have slight overkill than a POS ac that won't work in the summer months. I will use bottled ac if that's the general consensus but I'm afraid that a 20lb tank just won't last long in a tent...The zippers and duct holes are everywhere and aren't air tight! That's why I thought I might just use a burner and get a bigger ac. HELP!!

2a.)During the dark cycle, when the fan is off, I can feel cold air coming in from outside through the 8" duct and to the fan. The duct goes through the tent and to outside so its not doing much to the temps inside the tent but chilling the room the tent is in. I want to get a backdraft damper but don't know which one to buy:
-8" spring type-fantech or other-I think this has been the standard one for a while.
-8" cape backdraft damper- supposedly works better than other dampers at stopping undesired airflow. Says it is far superior in that it allows unrestricted airflow in the desired direction without reducing system efficiency. It's silent, produces no metal clanging sounds. Where maximum airflow out and minimal backdraft in is desired!

2b.)These backdraft damper are meant for rigid ducting and fit directly into the ducting? Will it work for the insulated duct?

Thanks to everyone who stops by and give their 2 cents. I really appreciate your opinions.

SS

 

[Super.Seeds]

nameless,

Thanks for stopping by and letting me know how you are doing your 145L. 3 600s must be SICK! I have an older model 145L so the supports were kinda weak and I just got upgraded plastic pieces for the middle bars (4 total) and now my tent is sitting right.

The reason I went with 2 1000s and not 3 600s is because of the weight issues I was concerned with and because 1K penetrates further and seems to put out a wider pattern than my 600s. The BBs are meant to put down a solid 4x4 light pattern and do that very well, with enough side lighting, I'd say they fully light up my 5x10 and blind me in the process.

I do plan on having a split AC, DH (already use one which def adds a lil heat), and CO2 in this 145L in the next few weeks! See if you can help me on the questions I asked in the post before this one. Thanks and thanks again for stopping by!

SS

EDIT: I might not need the DH when I add the split AC but we will see.

 

[nameless]

ss - i cant help much with your ac requirements, i happen to be lucky enough to have a house with the thermostat and return for upstairs ac in the bedroom i use so it keeps ambient at 69. i exhaust my lights into the attic and initially thought i needed a damper but tried without first and it seems to be fine. as far as c02 goes i dont use it currently but am stockpiling gear looks like it will be a challenge for my tent. vents alot with d/h inside. your ac in the tent should make it manageable. like i said i cant wait to see.

 

[Quitters]

QUESTIONS:
1a.)What size split ac do I need?
Details: 5x10x6.5 tent, with the 2K on and fan running temps are around 80 (as low as 76 and as high as 87) humidity from 40-50%. Night temps are currently: 76 degrees with humidity of 49%. I really want to get a beefy AC because these are WINTER temps and in the summer you can imagine it will be much hotter.

Super.Seeds

more important what are the hi/low temps of the room the tent resides in with lights on and off ?

are you pulling air into the tent, filter and lights then exhausting it outside the house or are you pulling air into the tent thru the filter and lights and then dumping it back into the room the tent is in, basically recycling it ?

 

[Super.Seeds]

Quitters,
Hi again! There is an 8" vortex fan outside the tent pushing air through the 2 lights and then to outside. No intakes or exhausts for the tent. I have a carbon scrubber inside the tent with a vortex fan sitting on top of it just recirculating the air in the tent. I also have a DH to keep humidity under 50% but it definitely adds heat.

With the lights on:
-Temp in room the tent is in: 66-72 degrees
-Temp in tent with doors zipped up: 86-88 degrees at plant canopy (80 in tent)
-Temp in tent with doors open: 79-85 Degrees at plant canopy (76 in tent)

The temps in the room the tent is are always anywhere from 65 in the winter to 75 in the summer. Thanks again for stopping by and helping me with this!

SS

 

[Super.Seeds]

Opened up the doors an hour after the lights turned on and it was 88 (inside temp) 91 at the canopy (outside temp with probe). WAY TOO HOT! Especially with no Co2... This means that until I get a proper ac hooked up I will have to open the tent doors (when the lights are on) in order to combat the heat from the 2K.

Still waiting on replies. If you are one of the 969 viewers who has stopped by and left no advice then you suck. This site is here for many reasons and one of those is for growers to get advice from other growers. Help me please. I am asking nicely. I want to get this squared away in the next week or so.

QUESTIONS:
1a.)What size split ac do I need?
Details: 5x10x6.5 tent, with the 2K on and fan running temps are around 80 (as low as 76 and as high as 87) humidity from 40-50%. Night temps are currently: 76 degrees with humidity of 49%. I really want to get a beefy AC because these are WINTER temps and in the summer you can imagine it will be much hotter.

1b.)The second part to the above question is should I use my co2 propane burner or bottled CO2? A 2 burner unit will add nearly 6,000 BTU of heat when on. They say you should have 4-5K of cooling per 1K light, right? I think I've heard 2-3K per 1K light when air-cooled but I would rather have slight overkill than a POS ac that won't work in the summer months.

I will use bottled ac if that's the general consensus but I'm afraid that a 20lb tank just won't last long in a tent...The zippers and duct holes are everywhere and aren't air tight! That's why I thought I might just use a burner and get a bigger ac.

HELP!!

2a.)During the dark cycle, when the fan is off, I can feel cold air coming in from outside through the 8" duct and to the fan. The duct goes through the tent and to outside so its not doing much to the temps inside the tent but chilling the room the tent is in. I want to get a backdraft damper but don't know which one to buy:
-8" spring type-fantech or other-I think this has been the standard one for a while.
-8" cape backdraft damper- supposedly works better than other dampers at stopping undesired airflow. Says it is far superior in that it allows unrestricted airflow in the desired direction without reducing system efficiency. It's silent, produces no metal clanging sounds. Where maximum airflow out and minimal backdraft in is desired!

2b.)These backdraft damper are meant for rigid ducting and fit directly into the ducting? Will it work for the insulated duct?

SS

 

[Super.Seeds]

Who has a split ac in a tent? ANYONE? What size tent, wattage in lights, and how many BTU ac? What problems did you run into with the split ac?

I really like Cannabeans DIY for the window ac units...Really doesn't seem too hard to construct or that complicated. I just figured a split ac is more efficient and a better choice for serious cooling.

SS

 

[Cannabean]

Hey SS, Ill try to help some.

first off, why do you need a backdraft damper? Why is it bad to have cold temps in the room that the sealed tent is sitting in? I run my light fan 24/7, keeps it nice and cold in the room the tent sits in at night. Dehuey keeps the tent warm.

You asked about a dehuey in your original post, do you have one? the soleus cfm-40? I'd think for a 5x10 tent, the cfm-40 will be quite busy and continually raising temps...In my 5x5 I have to keep it on full power dehuey to keep the rh around 50%. Does the dehuey not keep the temps high enough at night to avoid buying a backdraft damper?

Go with a co2 tank for sure, if you are battling heat you do not want to add more with a co2 generator. A 20lb tank will last you almost an entire grow right? I refill mine just about every 2 months. Plus, in a sealed room, why would a tent leak co2 at a noticable rate? there is no positive pressure inside the tent to push it out...I think you're just worrying. Unless you hate going to the hydro store for refills...or wherever you refill yours at...go with a tank instead of a burner.

You want an overkilll AC? 12k btu up to 15k for your size tent. Id try to find the cheapest window ac between 10k-15k btu with the highest EER rating on craigslist.

Im sure youve done more research on split ACs than I have...Ive heard something about needing a professional to charge the lines? have you heard of this? Im not sure split ac's are as plug and play as window units....something to consider.

 

[Quitters]

SS, do you have any way of venting outside either thru preferbably the ceiling or floor ?

reason i ask, your not exchanging the hot air in the tent around the plants right ?

if you mounted the filter inside the tent then pulled cleansed air into the tent > thru thefilter > fan > lights > then exhaust the air thru the floor, ceiling or wall you'd then be replacing the hot stagnent air in the tent with fresh air


if so, you probably wouldn't even need an AC nor CO2