i never used a tent i line the walls with panda film but i have used soil and i think its a bad way to grow .its just to hard for a beginner you should find a place to buy plastic mop buckets to make hempy buckets out of and fill it with perlite, or turface gamesaver , you can find that stuff at garden or landscaping places,how many plants you going to do and what lights do you have? any thing else just ask