Growing plants indoors comes with a lot of convenience. You get to enjoy a virtually year-round growing season. And you also stay in charge of all major growing factors. Unfortunately, though, indoor growing isn't as easy as most people think.
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Outdoors, key growing factors, like sunshine and precipitation, take their natural course. Indoors, however, you reproduce them all by yourself. And while most indoor growing enthusiasts have basic lighting and watering figured out, air circulation is an often-overlooked aspect.
A fan and other ventilation tools are a must-have for optimal airflow in your grow tent. Let's find out why.
Key Reasons to Use a Grow Tent Fan & Other Ventilation Tools
In a nutshell, setting up a well-configured ventilation system for your grow tent is a must. With its help, you can easily:
- Control heat and CO2 emission levels It's no secret plants make chemical energy for their survival from light and CO2. But the lights for indoor growing can heat up the grow tent. And the CO2 levels in the grow tent become depleted very quickly. Ventilation system resolves both these issues. As the steady flow of fresh air cools down the tent, it also supplies more CO2.
- Manage humidity Optimal humidity levels create favorable conditions for the plant's nourishment and growth. Excessive humidity prevents plants from drawing water and nutrients from the soil. It also fosters just the right environment for everything that kills plants. Luckily, proper aeration quickly brings humidity levels back to normal.
- Prevent issues Air circulation helps sustain optimal humidity levels. This in turn helps plants fend off fungus, mold, mildew, parasites, pests, and a variety of diseases. Once it becomes elevated, humidity can give rise to these negative factors. And if you leave them unattended, it will only be a matter of time before they kill all your plants.
- Imitate natural wind stress Outdoors, wind waves subject plants to constant impact. This causes plants to adapt to be able to withstand this stimulus. As a result, wind stress is the reason why outdoor plants turn out to be stronger. If you don't imitate this natural pattern when growing indoors, your plants will have trouble bearing even their own weight.
As you see, having a decent grow tent ventilation system in place comes with many perks. Let's find out what key components it must consist of.
How a Grow Tent Fan & Other Ventilation Tools Can Be Helpful
Well-configured grow tent ventilation systems must address all the factors we've mentioned.
Namely, they should make use of:
- Extractor and oscillating fans Extractor fans draw all the hot air out of the grow tent, bringing in the cooler fresh air. Oscillating fans, on the other hand, help the air circulate inside the grow tent. A well-configured grow tent ventilation system needs both to be in place. Such a blend allows you to have optimal control overheat, humidity, and CO2 levels.
- Thermometers This tool is an obvious piece of equipment to utilize in a grow tent ventilation system. With its help, you can gauge the precise temperature inside your grow tent at any moment. And you can take timely action, adjusting fans and grow lights, to ensure your plants enjoy the most optimal temperature. With no thermometer, you're in for a lot of guesswork.
- Carbon dioxide gas injections If your grow tent has a sealed design, using carbon dioxide gas injections can be instrumental in boosting plant growth. Carbon dioxide gas to plants is what oxygen is to us humans – plants can't make it without access to it. If CO2 supply is low, plants are forced to slow down their metabolism, which interferes with their health and growth.
- Dehumidifiers When the fans are well-configured and run properly, sudden rises in humidity inside the grow tent are unlikely. But if your grow tent has enough space and your budget allows for that, installing a dehumidifier can be smart. In case the fans don't manage to drive away the excessive humidity, a dehumidifier will finish their job.
These devices should make up the bulk of nearly every grow tent ventilation system. Where does this leave us?
It's Time to Take Your Indoor Growing Game to the Next Level
Setting up your grow tent ventilation system properly is tedious. But it's well worth your effort. With key ventilation devices in place, your plants will have the conditions they need to thrive.
