...Continued from part one of Grow Tents: The Magical Guide
The Fabric, The Grow Light and The Deniers
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| No life without light. Lights inside a tent. |
Most,
if not all, grow tents are equipped with a reflective interior. This is an
important feature. Not only does the exterior side of the fabric keep light
from leaking out of the grow tent, the light that remains inside is amplified
and reflected back to the plants. This encourages low-leaf growth. Areas of
your crop that might not otherwise receive overhead light now have a way to
gain light.
Flood Protection - Before the "Oops!"
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| This doesn't need to be the case. |
Pretty
much all indoor grow tents have six sides: four walls, a ceiling and floor. If
water or nutrient fluid spills the liquid falls onto the floor of the tent and
not your personal floor. High quality grow tents offer a flood panel along with
a floor. This panel is absorbent and provides a sturdy base for your grow tent.
Not
always a standard feature, especially in some bare bones packages, be on the
lookout for this option. It can save you some serious damage to your rental
unit or your home.
Ventilation Ducts
A well-ventilated grow tent is key to healthy crops. Air flow encourages growth and discourages disease and pests. Grow tents feature ventilation ducts but when choosing a grow tent determine if the ducts are placed in areas that work for you. Also look for power cord outlets, not just ducts on the sides or upper levels.
To
prevent light leakage, check for velcro fasteners, cinches or other ways to
tighten the duct so that minimal light escapes.
The Nice Grow Tent Extras
One nice extra for this kind of set-up are observation windows. They allow you to maintain a hands-off approach without interrupting a carefully balanced ecosystem. You can still check in on your crop but you won’t disturb them. Observation windows are an added feature on most grow tents, just remember to zip or velcro the panel back into place to maintain a light seal.
One
other extra that many growers look for in a grow tent are pockets. Some grow
tents have pockets that allow you to store equipment and other items in the
tent itself. This leads to less clutter outside the tent and is an easy way to
remember where all your gear is located.
In
some ways, grow tents are perfect for people who like yields but not gardening.
Once you get the grow tent set up, the equipment situated and the plants
growing all you have to do is automate the system. Lights come on and turn off.
Hydroponic systems feed the plants at timed intervals. Ventilation systems cool
and monitor air flow.
