Growing your own cannabis plant comes with unparalleled joy and satisfaction, and the connection you build with your plant as it grows from a seed to a mature plant is a remarkable experience.
However, it's not possible for everyone to grow cannabis outdoors due to space restrictions, peeping neighbors, or unsuitable climates; at the same time, growing indoors may be difficult for many, too.
That's where grow tents come in. These compact micro-grow sets allow you to grow cannabis indoors without dedicating your entire bedroom to the operation.
Yet, for a beginner, a grow tent can be an expensive purchase that's often not worth it in the early stages of your growing career.
Enter, DIY grow tents. These tents offer tremendous benefits and are easy to set up with the right methods.
In this article, we will delve into how DIY grow tents can help you grow your first cannabis plant, how to build your own grow tent at home for cannabis, and some additional tips on growing your cannabis plant with a DIY grow tent.
Read on to learn all about DIY grow tents for cannabis plants.
Advantages of a DIY Grow Tent for Cannabis
Growing your own cannabis gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment, but growing it indoors also allows you to have control over your plant's growth and quality. So, if you want to grow cannabis indoors, you cannot go wrong with a DIY grow tent. It offers a ton of benefits over the one mentioned above. Here are some reasons why you should consider growing your first cannabis plant in a DIY grow tent.
1. Affordability
One of the primary reasons to choose a DIY grow tent is because it is an affordable way to grow cannabis plants if growing outdoors is not an option for you. Growing indoors in a grow room can be an expensive affair because the cost builds up fast over time, especially when you consider how expensive grow lights and other peripheral equipment can cost.
Even grow tents are expensive in their own right; high-quality grow tents can set you back by a couple of hundred dollars, and they will still require add-ons in terms of lights and fans. So, you can build a DIY grow tent with basic tools and supplies for a fraction of the cost and spend the money on high-quality seeds and nutrients.
2. Optimized Space
Apart from money, an indoor cannabis setup also requires a lot of space: an entire room, to be precise. That may not be possible for everyone, especially if you live in a city where houses are already congested. In such cases, a DIY grow tent becomes a valuable asset as it allows you to grow cannabis indoors without taking up too much room. A modest grow tent can be set up in space as little as your refrigerator.
3. Customizability
Of course, the same benefit of space optimization is offered by grow tents, but DIY grow tents offer the unique benefit of customizability. You can design and set up your DIY cannabis grow tent as you like, including its dimensions, materials used, features, etc. The same level of customization is not possible on most grow tents unless you're willing to spend a lot on high-end ones that allow customization.
4. Total Control
Like an indoor setup, your DIY grow tent will offer you ultimate control of your plant's growth. Since it is essentially an isolated micro-climate that is controlled by you, you can fine-tune the environment to suit your plant's growth. A DIY grow tent, depending on how you build it, can allow you to control crucial factors like humidity, temperature, airflow, and a lot more for a high-quality harvest.
5. Privacy and Stealth
For many growers, growing cannabis discreetly is a priority, so they can use a DIY grow tent to grow cannabis indoors while keeping it hidden from everyone. Since a DIY grow tent is so customizable, you can make it fit into your closet or a hidden corner of your house, and depending on the materials used, you can even make it look like a part of your furniture.
6. Perpetual Harvest
If you want a perpetual harvest system for cannabis, where you maintain separate vegetative and flowering spaces, a DIY Grow tent is an excellent choice. These self-contained environments allow you to manage different growth stages simultaneously, which maximizes your yield while ensuring a continuous supply of fresh buds.
7. Pest and Contamination Prevention
A properly set up DIY grow tent can also act as a barrier against pests and other contaminants that can threaten your plant's health. For example, adding mesh intake holes on the tent can keep most insects out of the tent while keeping the intake air clean and dust-free.
8. Learning Experience
Building a grow tent from scratch can be an academic trip. It gives you a chance to establish your building abilities, get a much deeper understanding of indoor gardening principles, and also understand your plants at a much deeper level. The hands-on experience of building and fixing a DIY grow tent can be useful for future growing projects.
Are There Any Downsides to DIY Grow Tents?
Like anything, even DIY grow tents come with certain downsides. Let's take a look at some disadvantages so you can make an informed decision before you even head to your nearest hardware store for supplies.
1. Requires Time and Effort
Building a DIY Grow tent does require a certain level of time and effort. No doubt, it is rewarding and cost-effective, but it is essential to be prepared for the commitment involved. From researching designs and gathering supplies to assembling and fine-tuning your tent, the process demands dedication and attention to detail; it cannot be taken lightly.
2. Limited Durability
While DIY grow tents are budget-friendly, they may not be as durable or long-lasting as commercially available options. The materials used, and construction methods can affect the tent's lifespan and ability to withstand the test of time. However, with careful planning and quality materials, you can still create a sturdy grow tent that serves you well throughout multiple harvests.
3. Design Mistakes can be Risky
You obviously don't have the budget of a manufacturer to invest in R&D, but you must be careful with how you set up your grow tent. Even small mistakes in the design or construction can lead to various problems, including diminished yields and even dead plants. For example, a small gap left in the tent's ceiling can lead to light leaks that can completely compromise your plant.
In addition, building a grow tent entails managing electric elements, establishing air flow systems, and other preventative measures. If you don't have a fundamental understanding or experience, there's a prospective danger of electric threats, fire threats, and various other safety and security problems. Therefore, it's critical to focus on safety and security by complying with proper standards.
Despite these downsides, the benefits of DIY grow tents often outweigh the challenge for a serious grower. So, with careful planning, research, and a dose of enthusiasm, you can create an affordable and customized growing environment that allows you to cultivate healthy plants in the comfort of your home.
Now that you know the advantages and disadvantages of creating a DIY grow tent, let's take a look at readymade grow tents.
Advantages of a Readymade Grow Tent for Cannabis
1. Ease of Use
Ready-made grow tents use a practical and convenient way of growing cannabis indoors. They feature pre-designed specs and typically have a tough, sturdy framework with reflective indoor surface areas, light proofing, and ventilation ports. Purchasing a grow tent is quick and saves you the effort and time in contrast to the research and preparation that goes into building a DIY grow tent.
2. Quality and Capability
Commercial grow tents are created with plant development in mind. They generally integrate features that enhance your growing experience. All you need to do is set it up, and you're ready to rock and roll.
3. Security Guarantee
Ready-made grow tents are commonly made to fulfill safety and security criteria and guidelines. They are screened thoroughly for quality assurance to make sure that prospective safety and security dangers are reduced. This can give you peace of mind, particularly if you're worried about electric security and fire threats.
Disadvantages of a Readymade Grow Tent for Cannabis
1. Price
Readymade grow tents often tend to be more expensive. Depending on the size, brand name, and extra features, the rate can differ considerably. If you have a minimal budget plan or choose to spend extra on other factors such as nutrients, seeds, etc., purchasing a readymade grow tent may be difficult for you.
2. Not Flexible
While some readymade grow tents are flexible and allow you to tweak them, most of them may not offer the same degree of personalization as a DIY alternative. For example, if you want to increase the height of the grow tent, it may not be possible. While some grow tents offer this feature, it might not be as versatile as a DIY tent.
In addition, if you have a unique grow room with different dimensions, readymade grow tents may not make sense as an investment for you. That said, remember that these grow tents are available in various designs and sizes, so you can search for one that fits your budget and specifications.
What Should You Consider to Build DIY Grow Tents?
Building your own DIY grow tent requires careful consideration of various factors to ensure the best conditions are created for your cannabis plant. So, before we get into setting up your DIY cannabis grow tent, let's take a look at the various factors you need to focus on.
1. Lightproofing
One of the most important aspects of a successful grow tent is its ability to maintain complete darkness during dark hours. Even minor light leaks during this time can disrupt the flowering process, stunt growth, or even turn your plant into a hermie. Or, the plant can revert or get back to its vegetative stage and grow weirdly, making it a prolonged growing project. So, you need to ensure your DIY grow tent is completely light-proof for the overall health and productivity of your plant.
2. Waterproofing
You'll be feeding your plants with a lot of water as they grow, which is why it is crucial that you ensure your DIY grow tent is also waterproof. Whichever method you use, soil or hydroponics, there is always a possibility of water spills that can damage the surrounding area. Plus, you'll have a lot of electrical equipment lying around, making it even more dangerous for you and the plants. By making your tent waterproof, you can protect everything around the tent from an accidental spill.
3. Airflow
For a healthy cannabis plant, you must ensure proper airflow that keeps the air fresh within the tent while avoiding hot spots, trapped heat, or high humidity. Improper airflow is a recipe for disaster, as it can attract pests, bacteria, and even mold. So, you need to ensure your DIY cannabis grow tent is well-ventilated.
4. Size
You must also determine the size of your DIY grow tent before you start gathering supplies. The size of your tent will depend on the available space in your home, how tall your strain can grow, and the number of plants you plan to grow. And while you have the freedom to choose the dimensions that suit your needs, it's essential to consider the space required by your chosen strain.
Generally, most hobby growers prefer a grow tent with a floor dimension of 1.2 x 1.2 meters and a height of around 2 meters. Start here, and feel free to adapt the dimensions to your specific needs. It's always a good idea to consider factors like accessibility, plant spacing, and distance from the canopy to the grow lights.
5. Cost
Lastly, you must consider the amount of money you are willing to put into your grow tent. Of course, grow tents are cheap, but if you have the budget, you can really deck out your DIY grow tent with the best materials money can buy. So, it's important to plan your budget.
A basic grow tent shouldn't cost more than $100 dollars, not including the grow lights, because that's an entirely different topic of discussion. And depending on your needs and preferences, you can opt for materials that will make your tent more than just basic.
What Should You Choose? Readymade vs. DIY Grow Tents
From personal experience, we have had the chance to discover both DIY as well as readymade grow tents to grow cannabis indoors. While readymade grow tents are super easy to set up, not to mention the safety measures and sturdy design, constructing a grow tent was pretty satisfying.
If you decide to set up a DIY grow tent, rest assured that you will enjoy the process as you research, source materials, compare costs, and more. Also, you can customize everything, including the layout, design, ventilation, and features of your tent, to ensure it's exactly according to your needs.
Constructing your grow tent from scratch will also provide a valuable experience and a deeper understanding of your plants. You will have to troubleshoot any issues and tweak the setup as you go.
That said, if you don't envision yourself enjoying it, just go ahead and purchase a readymade grow tent. This is because you will have to be proficient with electrical wiring. Remember to do your research on various online sources thoroughly, read tutorials, and then start doing it.
In the end, the choice between a DIY grow tent and a ready-made one boils down to personal preferences, budget constraints, and the level of customization you desire. Both options can be successful in creating a thriving indoor garden, and it ultimately depends on your specific circumstances and goals. Whether you choose to embark on a DIY project or opt for a ready-made solution, the satisfaction of nurturing your plants in a controlled environment is immensely rewarding.
What Do You Need to Build a DIY Grow Tent?
Building a grow tent is easy, but given that it's such a personal project for most growers, one size does not fit all. Depending on your preferences, the materials you need may be unique to you and not any other grower. But don't worry, there's always a starting place.
If you are building your first DIY grow tent, it's best to start with common materials that many growers use. So, here is a generic shopping list for your DIY grow tent.
1. PVC Pipes and Fittings
One of the best ways of building DIY grow tents is with PVC piping and fittings. PVC is cheap and easy to work with. Plus, given that they come in various shapes and sizes, you can pick them as per your preference. Additionally, PVC fittings make your tent light and easy to carry, just in case you need to move it between harvests. Don't forget to get yourself a PVC cutter too, just in case.
For this guideline, you'll need the following:
- 16 pieces of straight 19mm PVC pipes of the desirable length
- 8 pieces of 90-degree corner fittings
- 4 pieces of t-fittings
- 1 piece of cross fitting
2. Mylar or Panda Foil
The frame is sorted with PVC pipes and fittings, and to drape the frame, you need mylar or panda film. Essentially, the draping material or the cover of your grow tent should be reflective and lightproof, and mylar and panda foil are the best options.
Mylar is the most reflective polyethylene sheet, thanks to its diamond pattern and silver color; it can reflect up to 95% light, ensuring optimal light distribution within your grow tent. Also, mylar is strong and durable, so you can abuse it quite a bit without ripping it off.
However, some growers may find mylar to be tensile and often difficult to clean due to its diamond-like texture. In that case, you can check out panda foil, which is more affordable and easier to clean. However, you may lose out on some reflectivity with panda foil.
3. Duct Tape and Velcro
You'll also need a lot of duct tape and velcro, and possibly some zip ties, to hold everything in place. The duct tape will hold the cover over the PVC frame, and the velcro can be used for cable management and sealing the tent's openings. You can use the zip ties if anything is hanging off and you want to clear it up. You can also get yourself some Gorilla Glue PVC cement to further secure the frame.
4. Fans
As mentioned earlier, ventilation is an important aspect of your tent. So, you need to install at least one fan in your grow room to keep the air circulating within. Depending on the type of setup you use and your plant's size, anything from a small table fan to a couple of computer fans will work.
Depending on your local climate and conditions, your grow tent may get a little too warm; in that case, you may also need to invest in an air conditioner and/or a humidity modifier.
And if you want to scrub the smell of cannabis, you must add a carbon scrubber to remove the cannabis scent from the air. This can get a bit expensive, but it is a worthy investment, especially if the smell of cannabis can get you in trouble or invite unwanted attention.
5. Grow Lights
Similarly, you'll also need to use grow lights — these will act as the main light source in your grow room. If you are only growing a single plant, you can start with a CFL bulb of the right brightness, but we recommend using LED lights since they are the best in terms of energy efficiency, life, and customizability.
Ideally, it is recommended that you use cooler grow lights since a grow tent can get quite warm. Cooler running lights will keep the temperatures in check. This is another reason why it is better to use LED lights instead of HIDs or MH lights.
How to Build a DIY Grow Tent for Cannabis?
Once you've gathered all the supplies, it's time to start building. Follow these steps to build your first DIY grow tent at home.
1. Assemble the Frame
Using the recommended PVC pipes and fittings above, you need to assemble the frame. You may have to use a hand saw to cut the pipes and fittings as per your preferences. Here, use 4 PVC pipes for the verticals (at least 1.5 meters long), 4 for the base, and 8 for the ceiling. Once you have cut the pipes into the right lengths, use the fittings to connect them, and your frame will be ready.
2. Cover the Frame
The next step is to cover the frame with panda foil or mylar, whichever you choose. Remember, you'll have to cover your frame twice; a white panda film will be on the inside and black film on the exterior.
Depending on the design, you'll also have to cut a couple of holes in the film to act as vents.
Start with the walls by tightly wrapping the film around three walls and secure the foil using zip ties or duct tape. The fourth wall will use a separate piece of film as it will act as a door, too. And use another piece of the film to cover the roof. Finally, use a generous amount of duct tape to seal the tent and use velcro to secure the “door.”
3. Install Your Lights and Fans
Your grow tent is almost ready! Now, secure the grow lights to the ceiling pipes using zip ties or any other method you deem fit for your setup. Remember to study the light requirements for your strain and set up the light accordingly.
Next, you must install a fan within the tent to keep the air fresh. Ideally, you should use two small fans; one will act as an intake fan and the other as an exhaust. Place these fans on the cutouts you made earlier for vents.
If you are worried about the smell of cannabis filling your house, you can even install carbon scrubbers, but for this, you'll also need flexible pipes to act as airways. And the size of your tent may have to increase to accommodate these elements.
Your grow tent is ready. Remember, this is only a general guideline. Feel free to adapt the design and specifications as per your preferences and requirements. This is one great thing about DIY grow tents — you can always tailor your grow tent to your requirements.
4. Examine Your Tent Thoroughly
Wait, your work is not over yet. You still need to ensure your grow tent works as intended. For this, you need to examine it thoroughly to ensure it fits in your home. You also need to ensure it is completely lightproof, the vents are working as intended without creating negative pressure within, and there is enough space for the plants to grow into.
Summary: DIY Grow Tent Guide: How To Make Your Own Grow Tent To Grow Cannabis
In conclusion, building a DIY grow tent for your cannabis plants offers various benefits and advantages for both beginner and experienced growers. Yes, there are downsides, and you will need to put in some time and effort, but the benefits far outweigh the cons — a DIY grow tent is affordable, optimized for smaller spaces, provides customizability and control, and even privacy.
But before you even proceed, remember to consider various factors like light proofing, waterproofing, airflow, size, and cost — these factors are essential when building a DIY cannabis grow tent. Attention to detail matters in these areas for creating the best conditions for your cannabis plant.
The process starts with gathering supplies, including PVC pipes and fittings of the right sizes, a PVC cutter, panda or mylar film, duct tape, velcro, fans, and grow lights. Once you have all things ready, start by assembling the frame, draping it in two layers of film, and installing the fans and lights accordingly.
With careful planning, research, and a commitment to detail, you can build your own DIY grow tent that will not only be affordable, customizable, and controlled but it will also last you for a few seasons without breaking into tatters.
