DIY grow tents

Hooked · 11-06-2009, 08:58 PM

Hey y'all

Trying to find out if anyone has had success converting portable clothes closets or other prefabricated enclosures into good grow tents. We've got ourselves in a little deep the first time out and need to get out of the closet for a number of reasons.

Is this possible/practical? Or is it just better to buy a legit tent from a supplier/grow store?

As always, any/all input is graciously accepted.

**farmergiles** · 11-07-2009, 02:55 AM

A clothes closet is a wardrobe right? Excellent start for a cabinet.

You can make a temporary grow space using 3x2 timbers or similar to make a frame and lining it with lightproof black/white sheeting. You'll probable need to make a doorway though.

IMO a homemade set up can be better than anything you can buy, you don't need mega construction skills either.

How big does it need to be?

Cerebro · 11-07-2009, 03:28 AM

if it's a lightweight portable robe you'll need to tinker abit
basically, you're looking to suspend mylar around a frame
maybe some dowel, some string, velcro

smallarmsfire · 11-07-2009, 07:26 AM

if you're going to be extracting a lot of air from the tent (ie if your lamp wattage requires an inline,) you will likely create a negative pressure zone inside.

unless the walls are very sturdy, you will be surprised at how the negative pressure will affect the integrity of your "tent" by sucking in the walls to a varying degree..

saw a brand new model of a GrowLab the other day, and the 4'x4' space was reduced to a 3x3' by the sucked-in walls, just from a 6" inline pushing into an external filter. it would have been even worse but the guy had an interior "boxing ring" trellis setup that was supposed to be for training his table, but instead was serving to keep the tent walls from collapsing inward even more. he had 4 passive 6" intakes opened up (slick feature on the tents is the ease of intake/exhaust placement,) but it wasn't even close to enough to keep the pressure balanced.

I guess what I'm saying is.. if you use a flimsy structure, you definitely gotta run the light on it's own closed duct run if you're doing air-cooled, and just do a minimal air exchange for the tent atmosphere with a cheap$$ duct booster or something.

11-06-2009, 08:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
Hooked Hedonistic fool Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Denver Metro Posts: 5,479 Thanks: 22 Thanked 35 Times in 28 Posts	DIY grow tents Hey y'all Trying to find out if anyone has had success converting portable clothes closets or other prefabricated enclosures into good grow tents. We've got ourselves in a little deep the first time out and need to get out of the closet for a number of reasons. Is this possible/practical? Or is it just better to buy a legit tent from a supplier/grow store? As always, any/all input is graciously accepted. __________________ The never-ending quest to find a reason to smile...

11-07-2009, 02:55 AM	#2 (permalink)
farmergiles Yahookan Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: In My Fire Engine Posts: 7,134 Thanks: 2,040 Thanked 3,167 Times in 2,191 Posts	A clothes closet is a wardrobe right? Excellent start for a cabinet. You can make a temporary grow space using 3x2 timbers or similar to make a frame and lining it with lightproof black/white sheeting. You'll probable need to make a doorway though. IMO a homemade set up can be better than anything you can buy, you don't need mega construction skills either. How big does it need to be? __________________ Cultivate a stoic calmness *Fuck the Monkeys*

11-07-2009, 07:26 AM	#4 (permalink)
smallarmsfire <3 veg vigour Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: (x, y, z) Posts: 503 Thanks: 43 Thanked 209 Times in 129 Posts	if you're going to be extracting a lot of air from the tent (ie if your lamp wattage requires an inline,) you will likely create a negative pressure zone inside. unless the walls are very sturdy, you will be surprised at how the negative pressure will affect the integrity of your "tent" by sucking in the walls to a varying degree.. saw a brand new model of a GrowLab the other day, and the 4'x4' space was reduced to a 3x3' by the sucked-in walls, just from a 6" inline pushing into an external filter. it would have been even worse but the guy had an interior "boxing ring" trellis setup that was supposed to be for training his table, but instead was serving to keep the tent walls from collapsing inward even more. he had 4 passive 6" intakes opened up (slick feature on the tents is the ease of intake/exhaust placement,) but it wasn't even close to enough to keep the pressure balanced. I guess what I'm saying is.. if you use a flimsy structure, you definitely gotta run the light on it's own closed duct run if you're doing air-cooled, and just do a minimal air exchange for the tent atmosphere with a cheap$$ duct booster or something. __________________ i have a motto, sort of. i jotted it down in a schoolbook diary: i aspire. i don't know why i chose those particular words; they're odd, and i like the ambiguity.. do i aspire to heaven or hell? -truman capote

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)