Veg-only Tent Question

[AlabamaRedneck]

I've been lurking around here for a while, reading and reading and reading. This is a great, friendly forum. I have my first question. I hope it's not a stupid one.

I'm setting up a veg-only tent. I'm gonna use a Quantum T5 Badboy fixture with the Badboy Grow Bulbs.

I'd like the tent to be about 2x4 (LxW), or slightly larger, but I'm undecided on the height. For vegging, where my plants will be about 2.5 feet in height (max), should I try to keep the height lower than a flowering tent, to maximize the intensity of reflected light? In other words, would extra unused height somehow take away from the gains of reflectivity?

Thanks.

 

[Melvan]

Hi. I think you can do easily with a 4ft tall "mother" keeper. You only need the t5 6" and lower.

And, you may find as you get a perpetual rhythm going that you might need a little leeway on height while something waits to flip.

Good luck

 

[Locked]

I run my 2x4x5 veg tent with a HO T5 fixture and all works well. With the fixture in the tent it's more like 4 feet of height to work with. It's always a great idea to keep your plants as short and squat as possible. Topping, Fiming, and lst can be used to achieve this. How big of a Flower space do you have to work with? I veg in 2x4x5's and flower in a 4x4x6.5. The added head space really comes in handy as I am lazy and often don't train enough. When I first started I flowered in a 2x4x5 and it was challenging.

 

[AlabamaRedneck]

I run my 2x4x5 veg tent with a HO T5 fixture and all works well. With the fixture in the tent it's more like 4 feet of height to work with. It's always a great idea to keep your plants as short and squat as possible. Topping, Fiming, and lst can be used to achieve this. How big of a Flower space do you have to work with? I veg in 2x4x5's and flower in a 4x4x6.5. The added head space really comes in handy as I am lazy and often don't train enough. When I first started I flowered in a 2x4x5 and it was challenging.

I have a 3.5' x 3.5' x 8' flower room, and I use a 600-watt HPS with 3 plants. I use a HUGE Luxor vertical bulb hood with 8" flanges. Wow, it's a monster.

What size T5 fixture do you use in your veg tent? I was thinking a Quantum T5 Badboy 4 foot 8 bulb (2'x4'). It will be a tight fit in my tent, but I wanted full coverage over my vegging plants. I bought a tent I could return if size doesn't work out.

I REALLY like the GrowLab GL80L tent. It's 2'7" x 2'7" x 6'7" (outer dimensions). I have the space for the tent, but was afraid it was too tall for vegging (I didn't want to waste lumens bouncing around in a bunch of unused vertical space, if that makes sense). Maybe my concerns were unfounded. If so, I would LOVE the GrowLab.

 

[Locked]

I have a 3.5' x 3.5' x 8' flower room, and I use a 600-watt HPS with 3 plants. I use a HUGE Luxor vertical bulb hood with 8" flanges. Wow, it's a monster.

What size T5 fixture do you use in your veg tent? I was thinking a Quantum T5 Badboy 4 foot 8 bulb (2'x4'). It will be a tight fit in my tent, but I wanted full coverage over my vegging plants. I bought a tent I could return if size doesn't work out.

I REALLY like the GrowLab GL80L tent. It's 2'7" x 2'7" x 6'7" (outer dimensions). I have the space for the tent, but was afraid it was too tall for vegging (I didn't want to waste lumens bouncing around in a bunch of unused vertical space, if that makes sense). Maybe my concerns were unfounded. If so, I would LOVE the GrowLab.

I have a 4 foot 4 bulb HO T5 fixture in my 2x4x5. It winds up being a tiny bit shy of 3000 lumens per square foot but it has not been a problem. You can get the T5's right down on them so that is probably why.

That GrowLab is not too tall. The extra height is very helpful, especially when running a Cool Tube or Ventilated hood. I guess you are planning on keeping the grows small 3-4 plants? I ask because 2'7" x 2'7" is not all that wide if you decide you want to grow more than 3-4. I can run 9 in my 4x4 and have run 12 in there but it was crazy. Growing becomes addictive real quick. You start wanting to run lot's of different strains like a kid in a candy store.

 

[grass hopper]

no. extra vertical space would not take away reflective light. i also think a 6 foot tall or 7 foot tall tent would be great if you have the vertical space. light(s) can easily be raised or lowered with the pulley style rope/ hangers to keep light(s) at just the right height. i have a 4 ft. 6 in. long by 96 in.wide tent. just right for me. i have a large basement, with enough space all around. goodluck! great help here.. a buddy has a 4ft. by 4 ft. by 7 ft. tall tent and does well with it.

 

[Grower13]

How are yall keeping the tents cool with those t-5s in them....... I use t5s...... love them...... they do get warm.

 

[Locked]

Speaking of light hangers...the best light hangers, hands down, are ProGrip.
You can do a web search for them. This is a link to them on Ebay>>>http://www.ebay.com/itm/Progrip-Hvy-Duty-Light-Hanger-1-4-/200939806902#vi-content

I have tried numerous kinds, from Yo-Yo to chains, the ratchet style are the best and ProGrip is a solid maker of them. You can find them like 5 bucks or so cheaper a pair for no name ones but I don't trust my lights to cheap crap. I wouldn't want the lights to come crashing down and starting a fire.

 

[AlabamaRedneck]

I have a 4 foot 4 bulb HO T5 fixture in my 2x4x5. It winds up being a tiny bit shy of 3000 lumens per square foot but it has not been a problem. You can get the T5's right down on them so that is probably why.

That GrowLab is not too tall. The extra height is very helpful, especially when running a Cool Tube or Ventilated hood. I guess you are planning on keeping the grows small 3-4 plants? I ask because 2'7" x 2'7" is not all that wide if you decide you want to grow more than 3-4. I can run 9 in my 4x4 and have run 12 in there but it was crazy. Growing becomes addictive real quick. You start wanting to run lot's of different strains like a kid in a candy store.

Yeah, I veg 4 plants and choose the "best" 3 to flower...I'm gonna try cloning for the first time in my current grow...I just started 6 Serious Seeds AK47 from seed...feminized...they're doing well...very aggressive seedlings...second time I've grown this strain and the plants are very aggressive, healthy, and potent...let me tell you...they are potent...

 

[Locked]

How are yall keeping the tents cool with those t-5s in them....... I use t5s...... love them...... they do get warm.

I have a small inline fan pulling the old air from the tent. Never had a temp problem and this year I have run them all Summer. I still have clones in my veg tent and we got up to 100 f at the hottest this Summer.

 

[AlabamaRedneck]

How are yall keeping the tents cool with those t-5s in them....... I use t5s...... love them...... they do get warm.

I was thinking of this:

hxxp://www.greners.com/i/fans-ventilation-filters/products/brand/vortex/vortex-s-line-6.html

 

[Locked]

I was thinking of this:

hxxp://www.greners.com/i/fans-ventilation-filters/products/brand/vortex/vortex-s-line-6.html

That's a cool fan but a bit over priced.

I have this>>>http://www.hydroponics.net/i/133758

100 dollars cheaper and more cfm.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I don't think that you are going to need anything nearly that big, expensive, and powerful for a veg tent with T5s. I use a good quality bathroom exhaust fan for my veg space with the T5s. As for height. You can either raise and lower your light or raise and lower your plants so that the T5 is right on top of them. I also am very partial to the pro Grip hangers. I have 4' height in my veg space and don't have problems with that. You can keep your T5s within an inch or 2 of the tops of the plants.

 

[AlabamaRedneck]

I don't think that you are going to need anything nearly that big, expensive, and powerful for a veg tent with T5s. I use a good quality bathroom exhaust fan for my veg space with the T5s. As for height. You can either raise and lower your light or raise and lower your plants so that the T5 is right on top of them. I also am very partial to the pro Grip hangers. I have 4' height in my veg space and don't have problems with that. You can keep your T5s within an inch or 2 of the tops of the plants.

OK, thank you very much. I ordered the ProGrip hangers today from Amazon.

What CFM is your bathroom fan in your veg tent?

 

[Wetdog]

Is there any reason you must have a tent?

For flowering, yes, but vegging there is just no need. Light leaks don't matter since many do a 24/7 light. It's just added bother trying to keep it cool.

I have 2 vegging areas and neither are enclosed, just a place where I can hang my lamps, 2-2tube, 2' PLL-55's.

Just saying.

BTW, another big plus for the Pro Grips. Best $15 I ever spent.

Wet

 

[Hushpuppy]

If you stay with the 2.5x2.5 tent for vegging, you will need to either get a 2' T5 fixture with 8 bulbs for vegging or get a 400wMH in a vented fixture.

 

[Dr. Green Fang]

How are yall keeping the tents cool with those t-5s in them....... I use t5s...... love them...... they do get warm.

My T5 n.e.v.e.r. gets hot... hardly even warm. Just stays room temp, and it just has residual OSC fan being blown on, with a 7" on the bottom of the tent helping stir it around.

Multiple fans in a tent is a must in my opinion, so you don't get "dead air" spots, where air pools up. I use 2 at least, sometimes I'll get a 3rd one involved, but mostly just 2.