Help on grow tent setup please

[kimchikush]

Here was my original game plan.
2.6x2.6x5 tent
400 mh/400 hps sun star 24x13 air cooled reflector
347 cfm vortex-s 6" as exhaust (passive intake) planning on opening two 6" vents below the tent.

so originally i was going to go for the passive intake route.
i was just at the hydro store and the guy was telling me that passive intakes are vulnerable to dirt/pests/bacteria/mold. he was suggesting that i buy another intake/filter and a small AC (from home depot) to put on my window.

after hearing this I lost hope in the passive intake route...

What are you thoughts guys? I have been reading up on posts and i see alot of the users are using passive intake so i am still not sure which route i should take.


also another quick question .......
i just ordered a 3 amp variac variable transformer for my exhaust fan.
if i were to lower the fan speed by 50%.. would i be getting half of my cfm rating? for example 347cfm/2 = 173.5 cfm (still plenty of cfm for my grow space).

i am stumped on which carbon filter i should get... a filter thats rated 300 cfm or... a filter that's rated 173 cfm..

cheers~

 

[JuanCarlos]

Don't let one person's opinion change the course of your plan. Take a peek at some of the tent grows in the journal section and see what others are doing and if they are experiencing any problems. You could do a passive intake with a filter such as a HEPA or Dust Shroom. That would cover you on the issues of dirt/pests, I don't know what it does against bacteria and mold.

For your carbon filter I would get one rated at close to your fans max CFM just in case you need to run it at full speed for any reason. Better to have too much than not enough.

 

[iwltfum]

Don't let one person's opinion change the course of your plan. Take a peek at some of the tent grows in the journal section and see what others are doing and if they are experiencing any problems. You could do a passive intake with a filter such as a HEPA or Dust Shroom. That would cover you on the issues of dirt/pests, I don't know what it does against bacteria and mold.

For your carbon filter I would get one rated at close to your fans max CFM just in case you need to run it at full speed for any reason. Better to have too much than not enough.

I think a HEPA filter is too tight for passive intake. They really need a fan right behind them to for them to work effectively. They air would be more likely to come through your seams then through a HEPA without a can fan.

On the other hand, I think a dust shroom would work. Although they are annoying as hell to clean and reactivate. I use big prefilters meant for carbon filters for all my in's. I just cut them to size and stick them in the flange or duct attachment on the outside of the house (the tent, in your case). I run can fans for my in's, but they would work for passive intake too. You would have to have some kind of flange or outside duct attachment so you aren't just shoving the filter in the duct, but if you place the filter correctly, it works like a charm. Keeps bugs and dirt out. Not molds and diseases though. I live in a place where I walk out my front door and can spot both a spider mite and a spot of powdery mildew within seconds on wild plants and trees. I've run my intake through these filters for years and haven't had much of a problem with either mites or mildew other than when my plants are unhealthy.

 

[kimchikush]

Hey guys thanks for the replies. Boy, those mushrooms are expensive
I have 2 6" intake holes on the bottom of the tent, im thinking about getting two 6" 90 degree pvc and putting them in the slots.
Im located in socal. The small apartment im in, the manager takes real good care of bugs by having someone spray the whole apartment with stuff Our apartment actually has a garden converted from a pool... as for mildew the garden has no mold what so ever.

 

[Snoop429]

I have a 6" carbon filter sucking out so I use a 8" ducting about 3-4' long for my intake. Long enough and with a bend to keep light out. Then bought a furnace filter sheet and covered the end in the tent. Cant remember if it was Hepa or not but seems to do the trick so far.

 

[kimchikush]

i see what you did there with the 8". maybe.. i should try a 6" + 4" as my vents in the grow room are adjustable.
thanks for sharing your idea

 

[Snoop429]

Good Luck, your going to have some fun. I think its harder trying to figure out how to set things up and get it to run so your environment is where you want it then actually growing the cannabis. My first grow had issues all the way through and still ended up with 100g. Its not that great but it smokes and will keep me going till I finish my second grow. Plants are 10x healthier this time around. If you want to see how I messed up/learned check out my journal links.