Ventilation Q's

Hey,This is my first grow. I'm currently @ 1 1/2 month in veg,using NFT. Lights: 600w & 150W CFL. 100 mm/4'' twin speed Extracton Fan & carbon filter on the uppe right of the tent and a 100mm/4'' intake fan in the bottom left,as shown in the pics attached. Also, inside the tent, I have a 6'' clip on fan headed to the light & top of the plants. All fans are on 24/7. Is it ok? Should I change something?Any help appreciated,Cheerz!

i dont understand how it hooked up from the pictures... the inline fan is blowing air into the tent?

sorry,ur right.i edited the last post,so I think its a little clearer now.
And yeath the inline fan's blowing air into the tent 24 hours a day. the exhaust & carbon filter also operates 24 hours/day.finally. a 6'' clip-on fan inside the tent 24 hours also.
First pic: inside tent (top left - exhaust fan)
Second pic: outside tent (bottom right - intake fan)
Third pic: outside tent (ducting -connected with the exhaust fan- coming out of the top right of the tent and to the carbon filter placed on top of that thing on the pic lol )

Hope it helped ^^

you look like you're good with the airflow .... you may not need to run your intake for the whole 24. as long as you have your clip on and exhaust running you should be good with nightime humidity issues... then again that's up to you how you'll run it.
you're exhausting your tent into the same room so be careful ... your room will heat up and no matter how much airflow you have going ...if your room is 85 .. then your tent is at least 85 ... maybe you know all this already but just giving you a heads up ....
i used to run a 600 in my tent with exhaust only ...no intake other than opening doors.. but my room heated up a good bit ......
if you end up having heat issues ...just run that ducting into another room while you have the lights on ....if that's a possibility

i think you should switch the inline fan and filter, the filter inside the tent to suck the heat from your lights out. use a 4 or 6 inch inline duct booster fan for a intake i use a 4 inch duct booster

thanks for the replies! fir3dragon,would it be better that way? Could u also explain to me why?
I will probably buy a timer for the fan,because I might need it in flower.
Ataxia,also thanks for the help. As for the heat issues,with the exhaust on, temps are in the scale of 25-27 C (sorry I'm not used in F's). I don't feel like I should worry about heat with these levels, so I leave it as it is.



I have another question, it's not for now but for flowering. I think I will use alternative ways of Co2 while in flowering. From the research I've done so far, I think I'm going to go with the vinegar and/or candles.
I don't know exactly yet, still thinking about it, but my question is, in the case I use one or both methods for CO2 enrichment in flower while lights on, what do i have to do with my ventilation setup? Do I need for example a timer for the fans or different airflow conditions?

Any help appreciated!

Cheerz!

xristina said:

thanks for the replies! fir3dragon,would it be better that way?
i think so yes.
Could u also explain to me why?
because heat rises, all the heat from your light will be at the top of the tent with the filter in there, it will take the smell directly out along with the heat.
I will probably buy a timer for the fan,because I might need it in flower.
i dont got my filter on yet, because they dont smell. i would only use the filter when they start to smell.

Any help appreciated!

Cheerz!

Click to expand...

no problem !

ok so if i'm getting this right .....you're extracting with a 4 inch inline and intake with the same type fan with the same correct?? ....

i'm still kinda trying to grasp what the above poster said ...for some reason i'm not understanding ....so ok here's what id do.
is smell an issue???
if not i would throw the carbon filter on the intake ... you have plenty of airflow but it's better to suck hot air out...if you know what i'm trying to say

as far as CO2 .. you don't need it in flower at all... CO2 should only be used during veg to pretty much speed up the process of growing ..in flower it's basically useless to run co2.
also when using co2 all ventilation equipment is usually turned off .... this would cause i rise in heat but plants can absorb more c02 in warmer weather ....
IMO isn't my bag...

Smell is not an issue,but tbh I haven't switched off the exhaust,so I really don't know. you think I should try it ?Airflow Is good. As I said earlier in a post I think 29 C is the max it gets inside the tent while lights are on. Room temp around 22 C. I'm on a 20/4 schedule with an 600W Mh & 150 CFL vertically placed on top of the smaller plant and by the side of the big one.Clip on fan (6'') placed on the tank, facing the top of the plants & the lights. It's really close,but I haven't observed any harmful effects on them.if not i would throw the carbon filter on the intake ... you have plenty of airflow but it's better to suck hot air out...if you know what i'm trying to say : If you could explain it to me a little more.. Sorry,but I am really new to this..!I also want to add,that currently I have a very simple reflector (not air-cooled),but early next week I'm planning to buy the diamond-shaped air-cooled one from e-bay.I hope I somehow made you understand the situation hehe! First pic: light setupSecond pic: the exhaust fan (100mm 4'' twin speed)Third pic: the intake fan (100mm 4'' fresh intake fan)Ataxia,thanks for the accept & for your replies.Cheerz

so i did some research. i realised the carbon filter should be inside, so I'll change the setup and see how it goes..

I placed the carbon filter inside. the setup is now as shown on the attached pics. I will be monitoring temperatures & everything 2morrow. I caught a glimpse earlier and temps were the same (28-29 C but no more). I dont know if there's anything I can do to bring it down more. Maybe buy something like this? :http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270729940830?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649#ht_3075wt_1396
or maybe buy a better exhaust fan like this? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Line-Extractor-Fan-Grow-Rooms-Tents-Hydroponics-4-5-6-dia-250-500-m3-hour-/190616611737?pt=UK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&var=&hash=item7218907794#ht_2131wt_1163 (the 6'' 500/400 m3/hour)?
I think I'll be a little more patient and see how the new air-cooled reflector I mentioned earlier, will affect the heat & temp issues.Anyway, I'll be w8ing your replies also & see how it goes..

let me ask you ....why should the carbon filter be inside .... maybe we can both learn something? actually i do the research also ....I'm not an expert when it comes to this by any means but i've learned a bit along the path i've come so far ...so .....

you're good as gravy .... your temps seems right on so airflow is not an issue at all.

when i said it's better to suck than to blow ..i mean that sucking the warm air out of the room is more effective than your intake. but with your temps you're perfect.
how much cfm is your exhaust pulling out of curiousity?
as far as your filter ...i really shouldn't be giving advice. I never used em, and my house always stunk to high heaven. I always figured if smell isn't a problem where your at..neighbors etc... than i haven't worried about it. but i always wanted a filter intake to keep any nasty air or airbone pathogens to get to the plants .... that's just my opinion and others would differ.

like i said before if your temps are good, and all is well... don't change anything at all..... also ...
if or when you get an air cooled hood. Always pull the air from the light socket end of the lamp. The air passing over the socket and wires are cooler when being pulled (sucked) as opposed to pushing the hot air.... This is also an opinion and others may differ.
but always better to suck air out of the lamp.. than push air through and out. Once you get an air cooled hood your temps are going to be koool baby! i'm sure you'll drop at least 6-10 degrees less if not more.

Hey,

Again thanks for the replies! This post is really helpful indeed. That was also my thought about the temps! There are some neighbours living next door on the second floor though. As I've already told you, the smell right now is not an issue and I doubt it will be to be honest. The most tricky thing in the setup I am using now, is to somehow hide the silver of the ducting- if someone pays more attention outside & through the window of the room the tent is in, he might see the ducting and I'm really not comfortable with this! I'm trying to hide the ducting (using a black towel at the moment around the end of the ducting which I've taped on the wall with a black duck tape as shown on the pic). I did that, so that the end of the ducting is facing the opening of the window.. I guess this is better,considering the hot air from the tent goes directly outside the flat. (If I got anything wrong,let me know.. )
Intake & exhaust fan specs: Air movement - min: 145 m3/h, max: 187 m3/hRated power - min: 21 max: 33W
From your reply, Ataxia, I assume that buying a better intake fan for my setup would be more effective than buying a better exhaust fan?



Thanks again for the useful info

Cheerz!

ataxia said:

let me ask you ....why should the carbon filter be inside .... maybe we can both learn something? actually i do the research also ....I'm not an expert when it comes to this by any means but i've learned a bit along the path i've come so far ...so .....

Don't worry,what u say is true We can both learn new things!


like i said before if your temps are good, and all is well... don't change anything at all..... also ...
if or when you get an air cooled hood. Always pull the air from the light socket end of the lamp. The air passing over the socket and wires are cooler when being pulled (sucked) as opposed to pushing the hot air.... This is also an opinion and others may differ.
but always better to suck air out of the lamp.. than push air through and out. Once you get an air cooled hood your temps are going to be koool baby! i'm sure you'll drop at least 6-10 degrees less if not more.

Click to expand...

that was also helpful, although I have to ask smt, cause I'm a little bit confused. The air-cooled reflector will be connected with the current 4'' exhaust fan or a new fan ONLY for the cooltube is needed? And if connected to the same exhaust, can the ducting from the cooltube be connected, f.e. with a 'V-shaped' ducting to the same extractor fan or is there any other way?
Sorry if my q's sound stupid! hehe!
+rep for all the replies & help.

Cheerz!

only stupid questions are ones that aren't asked. You're in the right place for questions like yours. It looks like you've done all your research, you're just having noob questions about ventilation and sometimes they don't explain it right in the books....

the cool tube. This reflector sucks, and many would agree. Cooltubes are great for vert growing, but the problem is the they have poor reflective properties. They're very bright but shoot light everywhere as opposed to directly on top of your babies. if you must buy it do it by all means, but if you can get a different air cooled hood, you're yeild will thank you. I'm saying this from my experience with a cooltube. I bought one thinking it would be the best for temps and space, but it really isn't. I noticed i lost ALOT of light with mine....

also you mentioned getting a better intake as opposed to exhaust. That's not needed. If you have decent airflow your intake will not matter as much as what is being sucked out. a good exhaust fan will pull hot air out and also pull fresh air into the tent via the vent holes in the tent. you having a proper intake fan has you a step ahead of the game already....
..you mentioned about getting another fan .....or using a V connector to exhaust your hood and room. You can do this. I've considered this but haven't gotten around to doing it. BUT ..remember if you're using that fan to exhaust both.. you're going to lose pull of that heat since the fan is pulling air through two seperate channels. If it's possible it's best to have one fan for the light, one to pull the stale air out of the room .... I was never one to use an intake fan, but if that's what you're trying to do ...by all means do it.
If you must buy another fan, i would suggest buying a duct booster. Use the two fans you have now ..one for light ..one for exhaust and filter. and use a duct booster for your intake. That is if you want to buy more equipment ....we all know how expensive growing can be.
But i honestly think you're doing a great job... as far as the ducting. I wouldn't worry unless people are really that nosy. as long as there's no suspicious smells. You could always just do what you're doing and camo the silver ducting with whatever... You seem pretty crafty so i think you'll figure out a way... sorry it's a little hard to understand the metric terms due to the fact that the US never caught up to the rest of the world, i'm not good with the conversion. but it looks like your buying DECENT equipment.
as far as the V connnecter .... try it... see how your temps do .....you may not need to add anything. But if you have the money, i'd consider a different air cooled reflector than a cool tube.... hope i answered your questions ..... believe me ...i can't grow now. so helping someone who is sincerely interested in growing is a pleasure ....i only wish i could help with any plant questions you might have, but saddly i don't know hydro at all..

xristina said:

that was also helpful, although I have to ask smt, cause I'm a little bit confused. The air-cooled reflector will be connected with the current 4'' exhaust fan or a new fan ONLY for the cooltube is needed? And if connected to the same exhaust, can the ducting from the cooltube be connected, f.e. with a 'V-shaped' ducting to the same extractor fan or is there any other way?
Sorry if my q's sound stupid! hehe!
+rep for all the replies & help.

Cheerz!

Click to expand...

also ... just remembered how my set up went. If you buy a cooltube you can alway keep one end opened as opposed to buying a v connecter. That way .. your exhausting your light and pulling hot air out of the room at the same time. That's what i used to do... but i never really had my temps to the level i would like ...lack of funds kept me from buying the proper equipment... it's all up to you ... experiment. But remember if your temps are good, humidity is ok, plants are happy ....don't worry about changing much.

While we're on the subject ..what strains ya got growing there?

xristina said:

I placed the carbon filter inside. the setup is now as shown on the attached pics. I will be monitoring temperatures & everything 2morrow. I caught a glimpse earlier and temps were the same (28-29 C but no more). I dont know if there's anything I can do to bring it down more. Maybe buy something like this? :http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270729940830?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649#ht_3075wt_1396
or maybe buy a better exhaust fan like this? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Line-Extractor-Fan-Grow-Rooms-Tents-Hydroponics-4-5-6-dia-250-500-m3-hour-/190616611737?pt=UK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&var=&hash=item7218907794#ht_2131wt_1163 (the 6'' 500/400 m3/hour)?
I think I'll be a little more patient and see how the new air-cooled reflector I mentioned earlier, will affect the heat & temp issues.Anyway, I'll be w8ing your replies also & see how it goes..

View attachment 2065424View attachment 2065425View attachment 2065427

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its fine. if you need your temps gone then you need to get a window ac unit in it like i got in mine. i built a cab, so im not using a tent but its inside my closet. i got a 4 inch duct booster fan for intake at the left side on the bottom then i got my inline fan hole up at the top right the inline fan mounted on the wall directly outside the cabinet. i got the ducting running from the fan, through the hole inside the tent ready for my filter to be attached though its not because smell isnt a issue atm. i got a 150w hps, temps in my room are 73 temps in the cab are 77 or so sorry i cant put in Celsius so ventilation is good. and also, all bends in ducting should be avoided because it looses CFM but if it needs to be bent then it needs to be bent.. mine does and it still blows out a shit load of air.

xristina said:

Hey,

Again thanks for the replies! This post is really helpful indeed. That was also my thought about the temps! There are some neighbours living next door on the second floor though. As I've already told you, the smell right now is not an issue and I doubt it will be to be honest. The most tricky thing in the setup I am using now, is to somehow hide the silver of the ducting- if someone pays more attention outside & through the window of the room the tent is in, he might see the ducting and I'm really not comfortable with this! I'm trying to hide the ducting (using a black towel at the moment around the end of the ducting which I've taped on the wall with a black duck tape as shown on the pic). I did that, so that the end of the ducting is facing the opening of the window.. I guess this is better,considering the hot air from the tent goes directly outside the flat. (If I got anything wrong,let me know.. )
Intake & exhaust fan specs: Air movement - min: 145 m3/h, max: 187 m3/hRated power - min: 21 max: 33W
From your reply, Ataxia, I assume that buying a better intake fan for my setup would be more effective than buying a better exhaust fan?

View attachment 2065809View attachment 2065810

Thanks again for the useful info

Cheerz!

Click to expand...

you can drill a hole in the roof/wall/floor if you need to. keep the circle peace you saw out so you can patch it back. since you live in a apartment.

thanks ataxia!
I caught a glimpse of your replies,not had the time to read carefully (I''ll do it later when i get home). Anyway,just wanted to tell you the strains..
The big girl is Royal Queen Seeds Amnesia Fem and the smaller one Royal Queen Seeds White Widow feminized.Pics uploaded for convenience..

Anyway, g2g, I'll catch up with you l8r!

Cheers!

Hi, the reflector I am going to buy is this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Air-Cooled-Diamond-Hydroponics-Grow-Light-Reflector-Hood-/280799055018?pt=UK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&hash=item4160ed8caa#ht_1336wt_1128

I checked around the net and noticed that many ppl would agree that it is a great reflector. We will see.

When time comes I'll probably be purchasing the v-shaped ducting and a duct booster at the single end. Does it sound okay to you guys?

The temperature inside the grow tent is at 86F with the lights on. I hope by getting the air cooled reflector I mentioned, the temps will drop to the optimum of 75F.

As for the plants, the big babe, seemed from the start to be a very good seed, as it was the only one of the 5 that survived four days being watered with a 3.3pH water. This was the result of me being inexperienced and an epic fail miscalculating the pH lol . The small one was also the only one that survived among 6 as I did not use an intake fan and the temps went at 95-100F overnight, they dried out and drooped. Noobies mistakes but I think I've learnt from them

Again, thanks for all the info, it has been really helpful!

you can drill a hole in the roof/wall/floor if you need to. keep the circle peace you saw out so you can patch it back. since you live in a apartment.[/QUOTE]
I have thought about it,but I really can't do it,cause after the summer I'm going to move out from this house,so...
I think I will wait to install the new air-cooled reflector,monitor the temps and then see what to do..