Love Tents? Why? Hate Tents? Vent Your Reasons!

[Chevy cHaze]

They sure are damn practical!
I sadly never had the opportunity to do a full buildout, so have always been a camping kid and had all kinds of different tents, from really revoltingly cheap to very good.
I hate the fact that they're, under the circumstances we buy and use them, are hard to repair when, let's say a zip, breaks and you do have to throw away a whole lot of tent that would otherwise still be ok.


I'm currently using a Secret Jardin Lodge 90 and it has three compartments for flower, mums and cuttings. Small but compact and does everythign I need it to do.
I have put the fan, filter etc on the outside of the tent now to have more room inside, always hated all the equipment dangling from the ceiling.
Kind of miss the day when I was able to walk inside my significantly lager homebox tent though.

 

[f-e]

Interesting... where do you flower, and what do you believe is the difference?

The sound of the zippers will probably have to stay the same, but I can definitely see a few squirts of foam dulling the 'ring' in the poles.

I flower in a similar environment. With sheet right up to the plants were possible, and the air coming in at the floor, and up through them. In my pics as a room that was for all intents purposes a tent, but they just don't perform the same. In the past the paint on poles has proven to be toxic, but that's like a decade ago. Mine are a very heavy pvc with fabric backing. I have baked the shit out of them, and lined them with mylar. No difference. I can do a third more with a self build. A freeking third! But it's a while since I tried to flower in one. Maybe by later mylar coated one would be different. It's a big loss to try though, and I'm not really able to compare with grows online. Few peers have done it both ways enough times to know exactly what will happen, and published their findings.

Courtesy room pic


Negative pressure isn't a problem, if your net is on a sturdy frame that holds the tents sides out.

 

[Drop That Sound]

Haven't owned a tent myself, but I can appreciate them and all that they offer to us growers. I've thought about them a lot, and help set a few up over the years. I've came up with quite a few ideas to modify and upgrade them in the process. From insulation to remote AC/humidifier boxes, and more.

As of now I'm looking to come up with a simple bulkhead design, specifically for plumbing return lines for a remote res, for my custom RDWC\DTW\etc hydro systems that are designed just for tents. Something that anyone can setup, and all comes in a kit.

Basically 2 semi flexible plastic plates, one on each side of 2 fittings (and each side of tent fabric), that can be glued then screwed together, and line up easily with a guide pin. Then you simply cut the tent fabric in the hole afterwords and slide whatever sized pipe through, and some implementation for a good light seal. Would be much better than just cutting and taping a hole around pipes, and keep the fabric intact without tearing.

Say 1-1/2 or 2" for an undercurrent system, instead of using the lower fan port which is usually a little higher than you want, and more towards the ground. To keep the plumbing lines perfectly level, and pick the exact location you want. I would go a little higher than normal on the systems to retain the flood liner tray that comes with most tents, or at least a portion of it still. It could be sandwiched between the bulkhead fitting too, or just tucked under a little bit. More like 2.5 inches up instead of 1" like most undercurrent systems, but still able to drain most of the solution out.

I want to offer like 3-4 different sizes, that can be used mainly for plumbing, or even electrical if you wanted its own port and to clean up your wiring systems.

Tent bulkheads! Let's talk about it

 

[Drop That Sound]

Something like this, rather simple really...

 

[f-e]

I wouldn't go as far as calling tent material 'rip stop' but I have cut duct holes where needed, and they are still nice round holes. It's not just pvc sheet, it's applied to fabric. Sometimes quite heavy fabric. Many also come with little flaps low down for pipework, and you can buy zippers to insert anywhere you like. Though I have not seen a zipper in ages. They were like a zip in a patch, you glued on, then opened the zip to slash the tent.

PVC can be joined really well with plastic weld. A substance exactly like glue, that melts the surfaces together. Ideal on white tents. Likely useless on fabric backed mylar.

Find a discarded tent somewhere and have a play. Most places that people fly-tip at, will have a tent there before long.

 

[anoydas 666]

never had time to love or hate my tent, pigs took it so I suppose they needed somewhere to hang there bacon.

 

[Drop That Sound]

I wouldn't go as far as calling tent material 'rip stop' but I have cut duct holes where needed, and they are still nice round holes. It's not just pvc sheet, it's applied to fabric. Sometimes quite heavy fabric. Many also come with little flaps low down for pipework, and you can buy zippers to insert anywhere you like. Though I have not seen a zipper in ages. They were like a zip in a patch, you glued on, then opened the zip to slash the tent.

PVC can be joined really well with plastic weld. A substance exactly like glue, that melts the surfaces together. Ideal on white tents. Likely useless on fabric backed mylar.

Find a discarded tent somewhere and have a play. Most places that people fly-tip at, will have a tent there before long.

f-e: My first idea was to simply take 2 small sheets of whatever plastic laying around, and mix up some epoxy or whatnot, and sandwich them over the area I need a hole. Then just use a hole saw and cut through it.

My feeling though, on selling my hydro systems that i'm designing just for tents, is that the thought of having to cut a hole (who wants to cut there brand new expensive gorilla tent, etc?) will turn most away.

I don't like that you have to put an arch in the plumbing to go up and through the lower duct port. That's one of my main cons with most tents is they aren't too compatible with under current systems. You need a secondary drain option for the containers, as the height of the lower duct port determines the level you can drain to.

If I could produce a nice looking cheap bulkhead option that comes with the hydro systems, one that the user could easily install, and insure there are no mishaps, i'm sure they would be more willing to purchase.

I myself am not afraid to hack and cut things up

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Awesome details, thank you all for contributing. As I stated in another thread, RL has been mashing me pretty hard but looking better. Threads like this I like to spend more time than I currently have for replies.

 

[baconman1945]

Hey Douglas.Curtis, interesting thread! There have been some great points made in comments throughout.

I've had two Mars Hydro's 48"x48"x80" tents, a super cheap 24"x24"x56" tent off Amazon, and a Gorilla Grow 24"x48" with the height extension to 107". The height extension is so valuable! Worth every penny since my ceilings can fit it.

By far, the Gorilla tent is the highest quality. The Mars tents had more light leaks direct from the manufacturer than either of the other two types of tents. The cheap cheap tent from Amazon felt cheap as hell in the zipper and the thickness (or rather thinness) of the material, but it worked fine for veg. I didn't measure it for light leaks. The Gorilla tent had a few pinhole leaks from the manufacturer, and over the last two years of negative pressure on the tent, it has developed some more pinhole leaks, particularly in the zipper seams.

One annoyance of not having dedicated rooms for growing with properly installed ventilation is having ducting running between tents! I'm not a fan of that at all. Generally, if I'm growing in two spaces (my Gorilla tent + one other tent or a cabinet), I'll only veg in the second space so I won't have to deal with carbon filters or trying to run ducting between the spaces. I'll just install a small extraction fan in the second space.

I keep all my growing confined to one room, and I keep the windows in that room covered with the blinds down to reduce ambient light when it's unneeded. I haven't had light leak related hermies since switching to the Gorilla tent. At this point, I've tossed the cheap cheap Amazon tent and one Mars tent and only use the other for drying harvested plants.

I love the ingenuity in some of the posts in this thread -people have come up with some neat alternatives to purchasing tents! I don't think that I'll give up tents completely anytime soon, but I definitely value my other grow spaces -a small cabinet and, soon, a re-purposed dresser.

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Great contribution, thank you. Welcome to ICMag as well!

 

[f-e]

A ripped tent could still provide a few spare poles and fittings. People often buy pvc pipe to make net frames, for scrog systems. Something similar could be made from your old poles. And being metal, they wouldn't deform so easily when tightening the net.

Alternately, the poles could serve to build your next tent a porch. Nothing special, just a few old drapes. So you can enter your porch, before opening the tent. Giving greater control over light spillage, and the fragrant air that opening your tent releases.

Porches were once available, but were more like a cape you crawled under. The idea works though. I myself work a tent within a tent. The outer one is simply a porch, with a porch door. Where I can sit at night trimming. Open up bags of green. Smoke without anyone knowing. Dry stuff. It's very useful for me, that porch who's air is drawn into the tent and scrubbed.

 

[Mr.Boland]

I have just bought a 3ft x 3ft tent. I have 6ins
Extraction. And a piece of 8ins ducting going
Into the side of the tent so when lights off its light
Proof.

But would i be better buying a 5ins intake ?

 

[baconman1945]

Thank you! Takes some work for me to get the first 50 posts in...

 

[madalasatori]

I have 4, but can't get a good yield in one. They are just handy. One is specifically for cuttings and plantlets. Another for drying. 2 for veg. I won't flower in them though, I tried and tried, but can't get past 500gpm.

I find the zips too loud, and I would like to fill some poles with expanding foam to see if they stop ringing during assembly/disassembly.

Interesting, I’ve a feeling I can increase my yield by getting rid of the tent and building a slightly bigger room within a room..

I’m wondering if the reduced yield may be due to reduced surface area due to the sides sucking in? Or maybe just poorer air flow in general?

 

[StillOvergrowin]

$383 for a 4x8 Gorilla tent, hardly a perfect design. It will work and it is convenient.

But it has 3 thin poles on each 8' side, so much for framing 16" on center. Lol, Your walls are going to suck in a bit from negative air pressure.

Ok so you don't have tools. You can buy a really cheap hammer, you can buy a really cheap hand saw, a cheap tape measure, a cheap utility knife and a cheap staple gun. What's that $20-30 in tools?

Materials ok, 2x3's are cheap and will support your walls better than tent poles, you can also slap some blocking in between your studs to help prevent the negative air pressure sucking in your walls. We might be at $60 now.

Walls, panda film works though the real cheap shit needs an extra layer. You can also get that mylar type shit fairly cheap but it's not much better than flat white paint. So probably $100-150 all together if you have to buy tools.

I can do the same dimensions, make it water proof and disassemble and reassemble fairly easily.

The only logical reason to buy a tent is it is convenient. I'm actually not that young I'm over 30, just too wise to spend my hard earned money on something I can build better for much less.

$383 I can drywall an 8x8 and still have money left over.

I have to at least partially agree with the old guy here.


$360 for a 4ftX4ft space is pretty outrageous.



You have to think in minimalist terms. I'm built rooms with cheap 2X2 lumber and the 4ftX8ft sheets of reflective insulation boards. (they're lightweight sheets of strofoamish material with a foil covering on one side for like $10).
Use plenty of good quality tape to seal it.

You can use zipties as fasteners for some things, and you can make a door from plastic sheeting and velcro strips from walmart or home depot.

In reality, all you're doing is banging together a rough box and sticking some glorified cardboard on the inside. Pretty simple.

You could even use the velcro or double sided tape to attach it to the walls if you wanted.


Or for an even more minimalist design, skip the 4X8 sheets and just attach the plastic film to the 2X2 frame.

That would be quick to disassemble and easy to move.
Granted, it does take some imagination and creativity.

You can probably even make a frame from PVC parts if you're deathly allergic to lumber or building materials.

 

[Man at Arms]

I love tents! I bought a cheaper one off Amazon and could not be happier. My tent is 2’ x 2’x 5.5ft. I grow for only 1, myself. Well 2 if you include my wife. My tent is in my office set up with a carbon scrubber and all. I can grow whatever beans i want because I can control the smell. I’m using cheaper led lights(blurple) that I think are doing a kick ass job. There is 0 smell coming out of the tent and I’m able to control temps and humidity. I only use the tent to flower and use my office closet as a veg closet. But yes for what I’ve got going, I love tents

 

[FRANKENBUDS]

Tents are sweet. If you need something 100% lightproof i can see where they would let you down. But theyre kind of like one more buffer between the plants and any kind of swings in the environment. At least it seems that way to me.

My

 

[Cdnguy]

I just got a 3x3x6 Vivosun for my first tent. I find it's going to be a little crowded with all equipment inside, will go with 4x4 next time if I have room.

Waterproof floor is nice. Zipper can be a beeotch. No light leaks like I thought there would be.

Overall I'm happy for the price I paid. 140 bucks Canadian delivered

 

[Snook]

I just got a 3x3x6 Vivosun for my first tent. I find it's going to be a little crowded with all equipment inside, will go with 4x4 next time if I have room.

Waterproof floor is nice. Zipper can be a beeotch. No light leaks like I thought there would be.

Overall I'm happy for the price I paid. 140 bucks Canadian delivered

Have a bright light on outside the tent get in and zip it up.
See all those little pin holes? Light leaks, every one. It doesnt take much.
If there are no pinholes (light leaks) I'll buy one of those tents today.

I do not go into the room the tent is in while grow lights are out.
Yes, all zippers are light leaks too and are a bitch, use the windows more rather than unzipping. Good luck

 

[Dax]

I had a space that wasn't large enough for a bigger tent, but wasted too much space for the smaller tents. I fashioned together styro insulation wallpapered with mylar bubble wrap insulation. My space is a modular partition tent in design. My basement is slightly too cold for growing, so the extra insulation along with leds together are near optimal growing temps. The pvc skeleton also carries a drip feed for clones/seeds and structured to hold a scrog screen. The space is custom sized for my dwc tubs. I use a few spare painter's drop cloth holding painter's poles to give it a better light proof cover.

TBH, the whole setup is a hacked together mod. The resilience of adding a panel, or taking a panel and cutting it down is still a five minute chop and tape fix. Once I get everything dialed in, I can throw studs around it and either be semi permanent or back out a few screws and be dismantled and moved in under an hour.

Hope I can spark some ideas.