Although often overlooked, good ventilation is a key aspect of running an efficient, clean grow room. In fact, most of the pests and plagues of indoor cultivation are caused by ventilation problems. Here's how to properly ventilate your cannabis grow room for happy plants and bountiful harvests!
Ventilation is a very important, but often overlooked, part of indoor growing. Without proper ventilation, your plants can suffer from stunted growth, disease and pest infestations. In this guide, we'll explain everything you need to know about properly ventilating your cannabis growing space.
Why is ventilation so important for indoor growing?
Plants need fresh air for two main reasons:
For photosynthesis:
Plants need fresh air to fuel the process of photosynthesis, which allows them to convert atmospheric light, water and carbon dioxide into food.
To breathe:
Plants breathe to convert glucose and oxygen from photosynthesis into energy to fuel their growth.
Without fresh air, your cannabis plants will literally starve. But before that happens, a lack of fresh air in your grow room will create a breeding ground for pathogens and pests. Without proper ventilation, stale, warm air builds up around your plants, creating a hot, humid environment that many pests and plagues love. Many novice indoor growers feel confused or overwhelmed when it comes to ventilation. But the basic principles of ventilating your growing space are simple: it's all about removing old, damp air from your room/tent and replacing it with fresh air from outside. As you read this, you may be wondering what causes the air in your tent/room to become warm and damp.
Let's take a closer look:
Perspiration
Plants transpire naturally. In fact, this process is essential for plants to be able to transport water and nutrients from the soil to their branches, foliage and flowers. Cannabis plants transpire through the stomata and cuticles of their leaves, and the lenticels (pores found in the outer tissues of plants, such as stems), which create an attraction that draws water up from the roots to the rest of the plant. The water transpired by your plants evaporates naturally into the air in your growing space, gradually increasing the relative humidity.
Heat from grow lights
All grow lights emit some form of heat. And, although modern LEDs tend to run cooler than conventional HIDs, many growers still opt for the latter (metal halide, high-pressure sodium, or both) because they tend to produce higher outputs. Without proper ventilation, your grow lights will naturally increase the temperature of your tent/room.
Complete ventilation guide for your grow room
The best way to ventilate your grow space is to use an extraction system that draws in warm, stale air from the top of the room or tent, and draws in cool air from the bottom of the grow space, through the plant canopy. Depending on the size of your space, you can also use simple fans to circulate the air. Read on for more information on using extractors and fans
Essential tools for a better-ventilated growing space
Here's a list of all the essential tools you'll need to ventilate your growing space properly.
Extractor
Extractors remove stale air from your grow area. As warm air rises naturally, you should install your extractor at the top of your room/tent. Some grow lights or reflectors come with an attachment for an extractor system. Bear in mind that there are many different extractors on the market and you will need to adapt the power of your extractor to the size of your growing space. The power of indoor extractors is generally measured in cubic metres per hour.
Carbon filter
Carbon filters are designed to remove contaminants from the air. When connected to your extraction system, they also absorb the terpenes released by your plants to purify the air you extract from your grow room. Because carbon is so dense (a single gram of activated charcoal has a surface area of 500 m²), activated charcoal filters are very effective at treating the smell in a cannabis grow room.
Oscillating fans
Oscillating fans are the final piece of the ventilation jigsaw. Although they may seem simplistic and cheap, strategically placed fans can encourage an efficient flow of air through your grow room. Not only will the breeze strengthen the stems of your plants, but it will help prevent stagnant air from building up in your space, reducing the risk of pests or plagues ruining your crop.
