How to Grow Cannabis in a 3x3 Grow Tent?

Cultivating cannabis is a great way to save money, get more of your favorite strains, display creativity, and whatnot. 

If you use cannabis, the idea of growing it at home may have crossed your mind at one point or another. 

During your research, you must have also heard about Grow tents and how amazing they are to grow some mind-blowing cannabis right in the comfort of your house. 

Many growers that can grow cannabis outdoors also grow weed in grow tents. And rightly so — they are terrific investments and help you grow the herb irrespective of the weather outside, are easy to use, mask the smell, and are safe for your plant. 

Most importantly, you can grow anything stealthily. In addition, you get perpetual harvests due to a controlled environment. 

However, cannabis Grow tents come in various sizes. Some are massive, whereas some are perfect for small rooms. If you’re a beginner who doesn’t want to invest too much in a fancy grow tent (although cheap), a 3x3 grow tent is ideal. They are small enough to fit in your bedroom but big enough to grow a couple of cannabis plants.

A medium-sized cannabis plant needs 2 sq. ft. to grow, so a 3x3 tent can grow up to four plants per batch, depending on the strain. This would give you a yield of up to a pound of buds every cycle.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using a 3x3 Grow Tent

Setting up a grow tent is easier than it sounds. All you need to do is follow the instructions given below, and the tent will be ready to use within a couple of hours.

Step 1. Unpack and Clean Everything Up

Once your grow tent is delivered, unpack and clean all the components thoroughly. This is important because even a little grime or dirt can impact your plant’s health and cause mold or pest infestation.

Step 2. Assemble the Grow Tent

Next, follow the instruction manual that comes with the grow tent to assemble it. Remember to assemble it in the room you intend to keep it — a 3x3 grow tent may not fit through all doorways.

Step 3. Position the Grow Lights

Use rope ratchets to hang the grow lights to the top of the grow tent. We recommend using ropes that can support 2x the weight of your grow lights to be on the safe side.

While you can use regular ropes, ratchets are a better option because they can be adjusted on the go easily and are generally sturdier than ropes.

Step 4. Hang the Fans

Once the lights are fixed, you need to hang the fans. One fan must pull the air from outside while the other pushes the air out.

Follow the instruction manual for the fan’s positioning as each grow tent is different.

Here, hang the fans inside the tent to boost circulation and airflow. And if you want to dampen the vibration and noise, you can hang the fans using ropes from the top bars.

Step 5. Set Up a Carbon Filter (Optional)

A carbon filter is an excellent addition to your grow tent as it prevents the smell from leaking outside the tent. Simply attach it inside the grow tent if you decide to use it. 

All you need to do is connect the fan’s outlet to the carbon filter and then to the external vent.

Step 6. Grow Your Cannabis Plant

Once everything is set up, run the system multiple times to ensure everything is working well. Check your lights and other equipment, including fans, to see if they are circulating the air as intended. Also, check for air and light leaks as they are essential for photoperiod cannabis plants. 

Finally, you can grow your plant in your tent. 

Choose the growing method you want to use - soil or soilless methods. For example, soilless methods such as hydroponics may require a slightly different setup to make space for the reservoir. Once you’re done with everything, plant the seeds, supply the right nutrients and water, and supervise the plant regularly.

When your plant is six weeks old, you can switch to a 12/12 light cycle to push the plant into the bloom stage.

Optimizing Your 3x3 Tent for Maximum Yield

Setting up the grow tent isn’t enough — you need to consider various factors like the equipment, lights, fans, etc., before you start growing cannabis. 

Cannabis is different compared to regular veggies growing in your garden. As a result, it needs special care and equipment if you want to reap high-quality buds.

Follow these tips to optimize your 3x3 grow tent.

• Use the Right Lighting Panels

Your grow tent is designed to cut out any natural light from entering, but the light is vital for your plant’s growth as it enables photosynthesis. 

So, you must balance the lack of natural light by adding light panels in the tent. Remember that it’s best to add powerful grow lights as regular lights don’t suffice. They must provide adequate light for the plants to grow. 

In addition, the wattage will depend on the number of plants you want to grow. For instance, ss a general rule of thumb, you need around 33 watts for every square foot of area. So, for a 3x3 tent — which is 9 sq. ft. — you need around 300 watts of lighting. However, we recommend using 350 watts to reduce the margin of error.

Although a 3x3 is small by general standards, you should still go for powerful LEDs or HPS lights. Some people opt for CFLs, but they are inefficient, and since HPS lights may heat up quite a bit, LEDs are best. 

Also, you must place the lights at a proper distance. If the lights are too close to the plant, they may cause light burns on the plant. You may also end up with bleached-white buds, so make sure you position the lights at least 18” away from the top of the plants to begin with. If you notice the plants stretching too much, you can decrease the height. 

We also recommend investing in a timer to control the light cycle. 

• Ensure Proper Ventilation

Your 3x3 grow tent needs forced ventilation to circulate fresh air and oxygen within the tent. This helps your plant grow properly as it maintains the oxygen and humidity levels.

The fans you use need not be too high-tech but must be adequately fast to circulate the air efficiently. 

For best results, sync your fans with your lights, so they both turn on and off simultaneously. And during the dark hours, set the fan to run for 15 minutes every hour.

• Always Use Organic Products

Slightly off-topic, but we recommend always using organic products like fertilizers or pesticides.

Organic products are made without chemicals, so they are safer for plants and the environment. Not only that, chemical products can hamper your buds’ taste and flavor. At the end of the day, it’s your personal choice, but organic products may work well for you if you love great tasting weed. 

• Use the Right Growing Technique

You may also need to train your cannabis plant to maximize your yield. Some of the techniques you could use are:

• Sea of Green (SoG)

The SoG technique allows you to grow 1 plant per sq. ft. In a 3x3 tent, you can grow 9 plants! With this method, you can grow plants comparatively faster as it requires forced transition through its growth stages. However, the quality may not always be the best because of the fast changes.

• The Screen of Green (ScrOG)

On the other hand, you can use the ScrOG method if you want to grow only one plant but maximize yield. This method focuses on the horizontal growth of the plant, allowing you to grow homogenous buds as all the branches are equidistant from the light panel.

• Topping

For a couple of cannabis plants, you can use Topping. It is a simple method based on pruning, but it requires additional, timely plant care. Also, use this technique with Low-stress Training (LST) for best results. 

• Use High-Quality Tools

To grow potent, flavourful buds in your 3x3 grow tent, you need to use various tools, like accessories, fans, lights, tents, etc. Here, you must use high-quality equipment because they impact your plant’s growth and yield.

Premium quality equipment will deliver better performance and yield.

However, you don’t need to go overboard with the tools and spend hundreds of dollars. Just ensure the equipment you use is tried and tested, reliable, and of high quality. Discuss specific pieces of equipment with other growers on our forum if you wish.

Some of the things you need to consider when procuring equipment are:

• The grow tent’s canvas must be of high quality and light-tight.
• The tent’s zippers must be smooth and strong as you will often use them.
• The support bars must be sturdy to support the grow tent accessories.
• Finally, the light panel must be reliable, moisture-resistant, and powerful enough (never trust a light that consumes less energy but promises 400 watts — it’s just marketing).

Lastly, ensure that all the electronic components in the grow tent are safe to use in high humidity conditions, so they don’t get damaged during the growing process. Cannabis Grow tents can get quite humid during the vegetative process.

Summary: How to Grow Cannabis in a 3x3 Grow Tent?

A 3x3 cannabis Grow tent is a terrific investment for your first batch of homegrown weed. It is easy to set up, reliable, and offers incredible yield for personal use. Just remember the following steps on using it:

1. When the grow tent arrives, unpack and clean everything thoroughly.
2. Follow the instruction manual to assemble it. 
3. Position 350 to 400 watts lights at least 16-18” away from the top of the plant using rope ratchets.
4. Install reliable exhaust fans to ensure air and oxygen circulation.
5. Test everything multiple times. 
6. Add your cannabis seedling to the system. 
7. And use the right products, techniques, and equipment to maximize growth and yield.

That’s how easy it is to grow cannabis using a 3x3 tent. And if you ever feel like you need more buds to share with your friends, you can always switch to a bigger grow tent. Remember, a 3x3 tent is more of a beginner-friendly grow tent.