want to start a grow tent help me choose things

Hey so what I have now is a 1000w HPS and a 4' umbrella reflector (too big!).

I want to get an air cooled reflector and a grow tent because its going to be hard as hell to keep stuff cool during the summer time. The reflectors I'm looking at use glass lenses and ducting and I'm thinking a 400CFM fan should be good and I might set up an air conditioner in my room for the summer as well.

Now there are two main reflectors I'm looking at which are the AIROFLOW and the Easycool, which are available at HTGsupply. There are also Cooltubes, which might work better?

Any input would be good also about the size of grow tent I should use. I want the smallest possible grow tent that will work safely with a 1000w, to concentrate as much light as possible on as few plants as is reasonable.
+rep

also would I need the inline fans that cost $200 and are inline can fans or would the much cheaper inline duct fan which is $30 and has a higher CFM rating work?

dbo24242 said:

also would I need the inline fans that cost $200 and are inline can fans or would the much cheaper inline duct fan which is $30 and has a higher CFM rating work?

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go to htgsupply.com ansd get their 6'' fan and carbon filter combo for $199...464 cfm or something like that.....I but a Xtrasun XL air cooled reflector and like it, think it cost me like $80. I got the DR 150 5x5x6.5 for $279 out the door from 4 hydroponics.com, just a couple of suggestions...I have everything I need except a portable ac it's get hot here in the armpit of California.....the duct fans for like $30 at home depot doesn't do the trick they are nice for a boost but not much else...

I am interested in what every 1 says because I am in the exact same situation

OK the charcoal filter is a good idea, and a grow tent as well. 5x5x6.5 sounds about right do you think I will have to get a cool tube to cool a 1000w light in there or could I just use the 424cfm fan included.
My options would be use a larger tent (5x5x6.5 or so) and my 4' umbrella reflector with the 424cfm fan and filter venting the top, or get a slightly smaller (4x4x7 or so) tent and pick up a cooltube. Cooltube option might cost $100 more, but which is better? either way I would be venting air form the grow room (not running ducting through the room/cooltube) in order to deodorize.

Thanks for input

dbo24242 said:

OK the charcoal filter is a good idea, and a grow tent as well. 5x5x6.5 sounds about right do you think I will have to get a cool tube to cool a 1000w light in there or could I just use the 424cfm fan included.
My options would be use a larger tent (5x5x6.5 or so) and my 4' umbrella reflector with the 424cfm fan and filter venting the top, or get a slightly smaller (4x4x7 or so) tent and pick up a cooltube. Cooltube option might cost $100 more, but which is better? either way I would be venting air form the grow room (not running ducting through the room/cooltube) in order to deodorize.

Thanks for input

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I am setup completely as of now, co2, ducting, exhaust everything...I am doing a few test runs to check temp and everything....I have a 600w in there and I hook up the big 424 cfm and when the light is on it runs about 82, win the exhaust kicks off for co2 it rises to about 88. I have no experience in cool tubes but from what i read they work good, but they don't get as good coverage, take that for what it's worth...Your gonna be running 1000w so maybe a cool tube is the way to go....I would stay away from your current reflector though if you have a grow tent, it must be air cooled or the tent will get too hot inside...

A tent as small as 4' x 4' would be good. Go with a cooltube they keep the temp lower than any air cooled reflectors...

yeah actually I have to move the plants now haha so I guess I will be boxing and transporting later this week.

I picked up a 6" cooltube, ducting, and booster fan (240cfm) and will set it up with the tube when it gets here.

^^ what kind of fan did you get? i am in the same exact prediciment now trying to figure out the best and most affordable way to cool my 400w air cooled hood inside my 3.3x3.3x6.5 tent.

i am wandering if one of those 30 fans from htg would work or do i really need one of those that cost over 100?

TacocaT said:

^^ what kind of fan did you get? i am in the same exact prediciment now trying to figure out the best and most affordable way to cool my 400w air cooled hood inside my 3.3x3.3x6.5 tent.

i am wandering if one of those 30 fans from htg would work or do i really need one of those that cost over 100?

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I am telling you right now, get the more expensive one, those little $30 ones from htg suplly are a boost, they are ok but I am in a tent twice your size with a 600w, I use the big one to exhaust out of the light and my temps still run around 82-87 degrees, btw the guy has a cool tube it is much different than an air cooled reflector like we have...

the fan I got is a cheapy at $54. It blows more air than the ones from HTG and probably comes from a more respectable brand, its just a generic inline fan I picked up at the hardware store though.
240cfm but no tent or anything so can't say.

Thanks for that rec! I was thinking that would probably be the case.

Next question, I'm going to get a 6" since the air cooled relector is 6" as well. My question is does the fan mount directly to the reflector then ducting going from the fan and out of the tent?

Or how does that work? Also if that's the case would you even need ducting in the other side of the reflector? If so for what cause it seems as though there wouldn't be much of a purpose?

I may be way off here. Thanks guys for the help. really appreciate it.

TacocaT said:

Thanks for that rec! I was thinking that would probably be the case.

Next question, I'm going to get a 6" since the air cooled relector is 6" as well. My question is does the fan mount directly to the reflector then ducting going from the fan and out of the tent?

Or how does that work? Also if that's the case would you even need ducting in the other side of the reflector? If so for what cause it seems as though there wouldn't be much of a purpose?

I may be way off here. Thanks guys for the help. really appreciate it.

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Here is how my light is, some people don't like it but it's how its setup for me... I have my reflector> 5 feet of ducting>fan pulling.....The fan is powerful enough to suck out all the hot air of the reflector. I got the fan and carbon filter from HTGsupply for $199. I leave the other end of the reflector open and the fan has enough juice to suck out a lot of the other air in the tent...Bewrae the fan is really loud, I built a custom box and it cut down sound 50%, hope this helps.....I will try and post pics tonight

Definitely helps. I kinda had the right idea but ducting directly on the reflector instead of the fan. Pics would definitely help as well. No worries though if it's too much of a pain.

So I guess this will make alot more sense once I'm actually setting all this up but where do you mount your fan? Does it hang from the ceiling ofbthe tent? I'm having trouble visualizing that.

Again thanks for all of your info! Can't wait to finally get growing and be able to contribute back my info to the community. Should be up and running in about 2 weeks or less.

TacocaT said:

Definitely helps. I kinda had the right idea but ducting directly on the reflector instead of the fan. Pics would definitely help as well. No worries though if it's too much of a pain.

So I guess this will make alot more sense once I'm actually setting all this up but where do you mount your fan? Does it hang from the ceiling ofbthe tent? I'm having trouble visualizing that.

Again thanks for all of your info! Can't wait to finally get growing and be able to contribute back my info to the community. Should be up and running in about 2 weeks or less.

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no problem, I have only 1 grow under my belt but definitely helped me out for this 2nd batch of clones I just started 3 days ago....

I have a spare room in my house so my setup is easier than a lot of people's I think....the ducting runs from my reflector to my fan which sits on top of a shelf in my closet, it is enclosed in a box (beacuse of the noise) made by 2x2's.