Cool Tube or Vented Hood?

[dipshwich]

Starting my 3rd (closet) grow and adding C02 to this one. i'm guessing a closed vented lighting system will be nessesary to maintain a decent C02 level.
I could use some help or opinions on which vented fixture the more experienced growers prefer. Cool Tube or Vented Hood?
I'm leaning towards the hood style because it looks to be easier to change bulbs and keep the glass clean. Open for any suggestions before I buy one though. TIA.

 

[budlydoright]

If you have the space, a high quality vented hood will give you better light spread. If you need to cram a bunch of light into a small space to tube is better, lots more hot spots though.

 

[Lilstinky420]

I have actually heard that cooltubes are cooler than any shaded hood. The light however is a tad better with a vented hood. I own a 20'' x 6'' cooltube and the thing i like about it is the compactness becasue i have a small little grow area. I think cooltubes look neat myself, but some of teh more expensive vented hoods look really sharp as well.

 

[Racefan]

I got a 6\" cool-tube last week for my 1000w HPS. It`s open to the grow room at the air intake end (which has a couple of 4\" fresh cool air intake ducts) and is attached to a 6\" exhaust fan at the other end. It`s made a difference in the heat although I must say I had expected it to reduce the heat a lot more than it did (room went from 95 degrees with the HPS on to 88 degrees with the cooltube -- but I probably need to turn my fan up higher & I\'m having fan-noise issues right now). At my hydroponics shop, the CoolSun cooltube with reflector was $125 whereas the vented hoods were much more expensive (closer to $200 although I don\'t recall exactly -- I just know that price settled it for me and I needed one right there and then). I can\'t answer your question because I have no experience with the vented hoods, but I too am curious to see which experienced growers prefer.

You would have better cooling if you put a hose on that open end and drew your cooling air from a outside source. With it open your drawing heated room air into the tube which isn't as efficient.

 

[Racefan]

Starting my 3rd (closet) grow and adding C02 to this one. i'm guessing a closed vented lighting system will be nessesary to maintain a decent C02 level.
I could use some help or opinions on which vented fixture the more experienced growers prefer. Cool Tube or Vented Hood?
I'm leaning towards the hood style because it looks to be easier to change bulbs and keep the glass clean. Open for any suggestions before I buy one though. TIA.

budlydoright is correct with his advice. if you have the room the vented hood will provide more lumens but none of that does you any good if things are cramped. One needs space to help disperse heat.

 

[dipshwich]

I considered that but would I not then need another fan and in/out vents to bring fresh air into the grow room?

The ventilation system that I'm referring to (for Co2 use) has 2 closed vent circuits...1 for fresh air exchange, 1 for light hood air exchange and yet another fan for room circulation. 3 fans minimum I guess.

 

[exAkT]

Thanks for clarifying. I bought a 6 inch inline fan yesterday for fresh-air exchange - haven`t hooked it up yet but I`m crossing my fingers that it`s not too noisey!

was it the one from home depot?? I've been very curious about those. i think they come in 4, 6, and 8 inch diameters.

 

[Lilstinky420]

Ive got the Inductor 6" fan from home depot, a booster ducter i guess it is. I originally had it hooked up to my 6'' cool tube in my 3x3.5 closet with a 1000 watt hps. With a 20cfm computer fan as intake, and the 6'' duct booster on the cool tube with open end(not vented from outside) it would only keep 84-88. I imagine if someone had not stuffed a 1000 watt lamp into a tiny closet, it would work ok with like a 600watt or 400watt. I had the cooltube vented into the attic, but they work pretty good, rated at 165cfm. Definately not a real fan though.

I now use my duct booster to vent my homemade portable ac into the attic with 6inch hose. It works pretty well for this and I just leave my cooltube open now and keep it 77-79f degrees at all times. The cooltube pours out heat, but the room still stay pretty nice with the good ventilation, so I may or may not vent the cooltube in the future since the temps are already perfect.

 

[stully]

Ive got the Inductor 6" fan from home depot, a booster ducter i guess it is. I originally had it hooked up to my 6'' cool tube in my 3x3.5 closet with a 1000 watt hps. With a 20cfm computer fan as intake, and the 6'' duct booster on the cool tube with open end(not vented from outside) it would only keep 84-88. I imagine if someone had not stuffed a 1000 watt lamp into a tiny closet, it would work ok with like a 600watt or 400watt. I had the cooltube vented into the attic, but they work pretty good, rated at 165cfm. Definately not a real fan though.

I now use my duct booster to vent my homemade portable ac into the attic with 6inch hose. It works pretty well for this and I just leave my cooltube open now and keep it 77-79f degrees at all times. The cooltube pours out heat, but the room still stay pretty nice with the good ventilation, so I may or may not vent the cooltube in the future since the temps are already perfect.

i am building a new cabinet 6'h x 6'w x 2'd. Do you think the inductor 6 would keep my room temp ok(just for the cool-tube). i would have a carbon filter w/inline for air circulation. How noisy is it?

 

[dipshwich]

i am building a new cabinet 6'h x 6'w x 2'd. Do you think the inductor 6 would keep my room temp ok(just for the cool-tube). i would have a carbon filter w/inline for air circulation. How noisy is it?

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