One of the common problems every grow tent owner faces is the heat. Natural heat is good and necessary for plants. But when the temperature goes high due to the confined area, used lights, or weather, they no longer stay well. Cooling down the temperature is the only way to keep plants healthy and alive.
But how to cool a grow tent? Is there any way to cool down a grow tent fast?
Well, gardeners have been successfully cooling down the heat for decades and so can you. The article will show you different methods of cooling down the temperature to keep your plants healthy.
What causes heat to rise in the grow tent?
Before knowing the solution, you should know the causes. The causes will help you prevent and solve the problem easily. Here are the reasons for heat growing up in the tent.
Improper ventilation
The main difference between a natural garden and a grow tent is the ventilation. Along with the sunlight, a natural garden offers free airflow that keeps the air cool. The heat will rise up if you lack proper ventilation. Cool air cannot come in and hot air cannot go out which leads to high heat.
Multiple heat producers
Most people use LED lights to heat up the grow tent. They are a great source of heat. But the grow tent consists of some other heat producers such as pumps, light ballasts, and others. These items can increase the heat of the tent as well.
Non-insulated area
Picking the right area is important for a grow tent. A non-insulated area can increase the temperature a lot compared to an insulated area. If your tent is located in a non-insulated area, chances are high that it is the reason the heat is so high.
Hot surroundings
Sometimes, the area might not be non-insulated. But the surroundings may create heat and make the area hot. Your grow tent will be hot if it is summer and the surrounding is hot. Some heat sources such as heaters, machines, or anything around the tent can also raise the temperature.
Wrong ratio or non-optimized lights
An over-optimized light design can be another vital reason for high heat. You may install too many lights in the tent when you don’t know the right ratio. Positioning is also important since installing the lights in the wrong positions can increase the heat as well.
How To Cool A Grow Tent?
When you are aware of all the reasons for the heat, it becomes easier to find the solution. Here are the solutions to follow to cool a grow tent.
Ensure proper ventilation
Improper ventilation is the main reason for growing heat. So how to cool a grow tent? By ensuring proper ventilation. Proper ventilation means maintaining the same airflow as Mother Nature. Installing the oscillating fans and extractor fans can be a good solution to ensure proper ventilation.
You will find different variations in the fan size, type, and numbers. Consider the tent size, plant numbers, growing space as well. Make sure to place the fans in the right positions.
Change into LED lights
If you are a user of HPS or MH grow lights, it is high time to switch. These lights provide good lights yet produce more heat. You can use LED lights that provide the same output yet produce less heat. Besides, they consume less energy to save your utility bill.
Keep Ballasts or Drivers outside
Another season for the heat buildup is multiple heat producers such as light ballasts and drivers. Install these heat producers outside the tent. It will prevent heat from growing inside and keep your tent cool. If you already have these inside the tent, simply remove and reinstall these sources.
Put a swamp cooler
A swamp cooler is a great way to cool down the tent temperature. It cools the air by adding evaporating water. That’s why it is also called an evaporative cooler. Among so many cooling options, it cools down the tent more efficiently. But it adds moisture in the air. If your tent has a higher humidity level, don’t use it.
Install air conditioner
The air condition is the most effective and fastest way to cool down a tent. You want to use it in a large space since it can consume more energy. It also reduces the humidity level in the tent. If your tent consists of more humidity, you can use an air conditioner. Even an air conditioner outside the tent will suffice.
Properly optimize the ducting
Under optimized ducting is a major problem for overheating that most people ignore. When you bend the duct more than needed, the fan needs to work hard. The calculation is, for every 90-degree angle, the fan has to work 5% harder. If your duct has such bending, try to reduce it and cool the tent down.
Choose the place wisely
The place plays the most vital role in heat building. If the weather is hot and the surroundings emit hot air, your tent will be hot for sure. When thinking of building a grow tent, make sure to select the place wisely. Consider if there is any barrier to prevent airflow or not. Direct sunlight for a long time also causes overheating. Try to pick a good place.
Reposition the tent
If you have already placed it in the wrong position, or if your surroundings become hot, consider repositioning. You can try the other things mentioned above to solve the problem at first. If none of these work, make sure to reposition the grow tent to keep your plants healthy.
Use fans
Fans can also be a good way to cool down a grow tent. It circulates the air to the entire tent thoroughly. However, if you don’t have any ventilation system, the fans will circulate the hot air only. In that case, fans might not work well.
Install water chillers
If you find the air condition option expensive, consider the water chillers to cool down a tent. They absorb moist vapors from air and water and emit to keep the condition cool. Since they are almost the same as swamp coolers, they also increase the humidity level.
Icebox can be a good option
Even if the water chiller is expensive to you, you can use an icebox. You will find a ready-made icebox. You can even make it using a bucket and cool down the water. It will drastically reduce the heat.
Conclusion
Now you know how to cool a grow tent. It is highly important to understand the condition of a tent to take necessary measurements. The plants will not stay healthy if the temperature is too high. Find the exact reason why the temperature is so high.
It will give you a clear idea to cool down the heat of your tent. Try with the cheaper option. If the cheaper option doesn’t work properly, then go for the expensive one. However, prevention is always better than prevention.
Once you solve the problem, make sure you don’t make the same mistakes that can raise the heat. Keep everything organized and optimized to control the temperature and keep your plants healthy always.