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Hot/Humid Mcihigan summer questions with a Tent

So last summer I can a grow.. Mid/late summer was VERY hard to keep my tent cool enough... MY tent is unfortunately in a 2.5 car garage with 12ft ceilings and once heated up it kinda just holds it in... I was debating on putting the tent in the corner (I have a window there) and putting some sort of material around my 4x4 tent to make a slightly enclosed room. Im just not sure what to use? I was thinking getting some heavy shower curtains to put around the tent maybe a 6x6 foot area? and the put my Portable Ac in there, or just directly into tent. Any ideas?
 

insomniac_AU

Active member
Hi Mrkline
I have dealt with the same issues when I tried to grow in my garage. I gave up in the end and started growing in the house. It was just way too hot in summer and way too cold in winter. Cannabis likes to live in a fairly stable climate. I just couldn't overcome the wild temperature swings thoughout the year. Is there no way you can find a spot inside your house?
 
Hi Mrkline
I have dealt with the same issues when I tried to grow in my garage. I gave up in the end and started growing in the house. It was just way too hot in summer and way too cold in winter. Cannabis likes to live in a fairly stable climate. I just couldn't overcome the wild temperature swings thoughout the year. Is there no way you can find a spot inside your house?

Not really no.. Was supposed to be moving and would have had a basement! but we found black mould!!! so turned it down.. It wasnt TOO terrible after i purchased the AC for the tent. But idk... I need/want to grow, just trying to figure out a happy medium.. Maybe I can just throw up a few cheap plywood boards around the tent, and the put the shower curtain/tarp onto the plywood walls? it wont obviously be 100% perfect but would help regulate I think??? specially If i got a second AC. my current 1 is a 10k BTU so itll kick some cool out forsure..
 

insomniac_AU

Active member
Not really no.. Was supposed to be moving and would have had a basement! but we found black mould!!! so turned it down.. It wasnt TOO terrible after i purchased the AC for the tent. But idk... I need/want to grow, just trying to figure out a happy medium.. Maybe I can just throw up a few cheap plywood boards around the tent, and the put the shower curtain/tarp onto the plywood walls? it wont obviously be 100% perfect but would help regulate I think??? specially If i got a second AC. my current 1 is a 10k BTU so itll kick some cool out forsure..


It's worth a try. If you have no other options at the moment you have to try and make it work.
I'm not professing to be an expert by any means but I have grown for quite a long time and I've found air temperature and quality to be a key factor in growing successfully.
 

pop_rocks

In my empire of dirt
i think the overall idea is solid
instead of cooling the entire garage, just cool a smaller space
what were you going to hang the curtains on? if you are going to build out a frame, go the extra mile and use insulation panels instead of the curtains
it will help keep in the cold
if there is any way to lower the temp in your garage that would be good too
 
i think the overall idea is solid
instead of cooling the entire garage, just cool a smaller space
what were you going to hang the curtains on? if you are going to build out a frame, go the extra mile and use insulation panels instead of the curtains
it will help keep in the cold
if there is any way to lower the temp in your garage that would be good too

Yeah, I tried cooling the entire garage, unfortunately it'd take too much to do so almost 7000 sqft with the ceiling clearance... As for foam board yeah, I could do that.. Im just not trying to fork out a bunch of cash.. But ill look into it, thanks.
 
It's worth a try. If you have no other options at the moment you have to try and make it work.
I'm not professing to be an expert by any means but I have grown for quite a long time and I've found air temperature and quality to be a key factor in growing successfully.

I agree... I dont want to go through the headaches that I had last go.. ill have to think of something..
 

Limeygreen

Well-known member
Veteran
I would make the space at least twice the size of what you're thinking, unless you are for sure not going to expand your grow ever. If you want to be really slick, make a lung room where the air conditioner sits then use that room to draw your air into your tent, you could just exhaust out your window or into your garage. This would allow you to just use air conditioned air to act as your supply air then you don't have to worry about making a whole room around your tent and should be able to use you air conditioner more efficiently. If you're planning to run a heater in the winter then the whole room idea would be a better bet.
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
2x4's to frame in two walls and hang a cheap door. double plastic (one sheet on each side of the walls like drywall), should help seal off the area. I do the same inside a house with blankets or heavy sheets. Keeps tha/c working only the tents. :) Good on you for spotting the black mold. Nasty stuff!!
 
I would make the space at least twice the size of what you're thinking, unless you are for sure not going to expand your grow ever. If you want to be really slick, make a lung room where the air conditioner sits then use that room to draw your air into your tent, you could just exhaust out your window or into your garage. This would allow you to just use air conditioned air to act as your supply air then you don't have to worry about making a whole room around your tent and should be able to use you air conditioner more efficiently. If you're planning to run a heater in the winter then the whole room idea would be a better bet.

No dont plan on going bigger than the 4x4 tent. 2-4 plants is MORE than enough for my needs, and slightly overkill. So i may keep the outter area 6x6, or do 8x8 depending on the plywood and insulation sze. I know both come in 4x8 so depending on how I want to do things lol
 
2x4's to frame in two walls and hang a cheap door. double plastic (one sheet on each side of the walls like drywall), should help seal off the area. I do the same inside a house with blankets or heavy sheets. Keeps tha/c working only the tents. :) Good on you for spotting the black mold. Nasty stuff!!

Yea my parents house a few years ago had it hiding in the walls, they ended up having to pay mortgage AND pay on another place while going through legal issues with the original owner who fled town.. So when i seen the mould i HAD to have it checked out. Got the news the MORNING of moving in!!! so very lucky.. But now im stuck with limited growing space :( but better than kids breathing in toxic spores!
 
I would make the space at least twice the size of what you're thinking, unless you are for sure not going to expand your grow ever. If you want to be really slick, make a lung room where the air conditioner sits then use that room to draw your air into your tent, you could just exhaust out your window or into your garage. This would allow you to just use air conditioned air to act as your supply air then you don't have to worry about making a whole room around your tent and should be able to use you air conditioner more efficiently. If you're planning to run a heater in the winter then the whole room idea would be a better bet.

for the supplies to build a little 6x6 area is only 100bucks total for a few " 1/4 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. Aspen Osb Sheathing Board" and "FOAMULAR 1/2 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. R-3 Squared Edge Insulating Sheathing" You are right about a decent sized lung room.. what size would it need to be though? also though, the garage gets VERY hot once its sat all day. garage has insulation which helps but once it has heat in it it DOESNT go away. So i figured I could build the 6x6 and keep that area cooler in total.
 

tleaf jr.

Came up off 75w
Veteran
Why not just bring in air from your house pretty sure you have central air...and if not put the ac in the room leading to the garage and use that as a lung room. Ducting, flanges and a hole should be cheaper than building a room.
 

green404

Member
If you go the 2x4 wall route you can cover both sides of the wall and you will get a trapped air space in the wall that will hold temperatures better. Even cardboard(free..) on the back side will help hold the cool air in.

I am cheap, I would probably try cardboard on both sides and cover the inside with tarps. It is only for a few months.
 

growingcrazy

Well-known member
Which end of the Mitten are you from? Makes a difference in humidity/temp extremes and what is necessary for year round growing here.
 
If the garage holds in the heat it needs to be ventilated with a roof or gable fan. That would bring the temps down.
I would run lights at night.
I'm in a garage too using 2 Viparspectra 450 LED's instead of 600 hps.
They only draw 200 watts each.
I switched last Fall and never going back to HPS.
I still shut it all down for 2 months each summer, the quality and yield suffers and it's just not worth it.
 
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