Grow Room Ventilation 101

You need a fan and an air extraction system to keep your grow room fresh. Why?

Having a fan removes excess heat built up by lights, a couple of degrees on either side can be the reason for your crop being successful or not. Also if it is too humid in your grow room it can cause pest problems!

Plants that are grown outside are constantly battling the wind, you may think this is a bad thing but in fact, it actually benefits the plant in the long run as it strengthens the stems ready for when it fruits/flowers!

Oscillating Fans, what are those then?

These bad boys blow air constantly above, under and around your plants, this helps keep the room cool and improve air circulation. They are easy to pick up and move around so therefore can find the optimum place for the plants to thrive.

You may want to invest in a few fans if your grow room is large, as you'll want them to reach all areas. Although we said it is good having the wind to strengthen the stems, don't point them directly at the grow.

Fair enough...Why do I need an Air Extractor Fan too then?

An air extractor fan system/outtake kit cycles out the old air and brings in the fresh air, your plants need this to survive. Your system should replace the air in your grow room every 1-5 minutes.

You need to choose the right kit for your grow room; the best time to install a ventilation system in your grow tent is during the set-up, as you won’t have to work around plants or have to alter your system.

How Do I Calculate Fan Strength?

Fans are rated by cubic feet per minute (CFM), to work it out you need to know the dimensions of your grow room or the exhaust efficiency. Calculate the total volume of your grow room by multiplying the length x width x height. Next, you need to multiply it by the efficiency drop. This efficiency varies based on the age and make of the filter as well as the length of the duct between the fan and filter.

The Formula is: Volume of room x efficiency drop = CFM
Now that you have your CFM, look for a fan that is higher than this number.