Cannabis grow tents have become an important component in the home grow environment. Growers no longer need to build custom rooms or piece together items to create a makeshift indoor gardening space; grow tents are purpose-built and address their needs. Grow tents make it easier, but choosing the perfect one can be challenging since along with the expansion of home growing came various new grow tent manufacturers. You’ll find many grow tent reviews online, but it still may be hard to choose the right one.
This article will cover what growers should look for in a high-quality grow tent and if the cheap grow tents are worth the price. Cannabis grow tents come in various sizes, configurations, and prices; there is something for everyone. This article will cover popular brands like AC Infinity, Gorilla Grow Tents, Vivosun, Spider Farmer, Mars Hydro, and more. If you are considering a new grow tent, keep reading to learn about your options.
What to look for when buying a cannabis grow tent?
Grow tents serve a variety of purposes. Two main purposes are to hold your grow equipment and provide total darkness for your plants while the lights are off. What else should you be concerned about?
Below are our top five tips for buying a grow tent.
Sturdiness of the grow tent
Professional grow tents use steel poles that interlock to form the tent’s frame. Higher-end tents come with thicker diameter poles, which will support more hanging weight from equipment. Growers need to consider the maximum suggested weight for the tent frame, then add the weights of the equipment intended to hang from the frame (grow lights, carbon filter, fan, etc.). Use that to calculate if it is within the weight limit established by the manufacturer.
Make sure your tent is sturdy enough. Most cheap grow tent frames will hold up to 120 lbs (54.5kg). If you’ve ever seen a picture online of buckled tent poles and crushed plants, you know you never want to be in that situation.
How lightproof is your grow tent?
Unless you are growing autoflower genetics, your cannabis plants will need total darkness. Even a minor, constant direct light source during the dark cycle can affect plant growth and bring out undesirable traits within cannabis. Look for tents with overlapping material in any place where there are zippers. Having extra material overlapping the zippers can prevent light from trickling through the teeth of the zipper and entering the tent.
Light can enter from zippers, stitching, intake/exhaust ports, or even holes in the material. You can check for these leaks (more on that later), but you must set up the tent first. When reading reviews for cheap grow tents, clue in on any references to light leaking from any of the locations mentioned above.
The ceiling height of your grow tent
The best grow tent brands will have a dedicated webpage that displays the product from multiple angles and lists all the important specs. Look closely at the ceiling height; many smaller tents, typically 3ft x 3ft (91cm x 91cm) or less, will have lower ceilings than a 4ft x 4ft (122cm x 122cm) or larger tent. The ceiling height will directly impact the size of your final plants and how long you should keep them in a vegetative state. If you enjoy growing sativa plants, look for tents with high ceilings.
The thickness of material
Grow tents come in various thicknesses, with the common being 2000D, 1680D, and 600D. The “D” in the number refers to denier, which is the thickness of the thread and strength of the weave. The higher the number, the thicker the material. Thicker material assists in maintaining climate as well as by filtering and blocking light. Even amongst cheap grow tents, the industry standard is 1680D; 600D is the minimum we’d recommend.
Warranty that comes with your grow tent
Warranties may be an underrated consideration when choosing a grow tent. Many budget grow tents are mass-manufactured, and with that comes varying levels of quality control. Look for a warranty against manufacturer defects that doesn’t make you pay for shipping on the return. Beyond the initial purchase, how long do they stand by their quality, and who pays for shipping? Remember that items like zippers get used multiple times daily, and this single component can wear out quickly.
Grow tent tiers and price ranges
There’s something for all levels and budgets!
A grow tent on Amazon may be appealing because of the low price and fast shipping, but there are truly some garbage tents out there, and they tend to be the cheapest. Most marijuana grow tents have similar quality, feature set, and price. Looking at cheap grow tent options from Mars-Hydro, Spider-Farmer, and Vivosun, you may notice that they all look the same except for the different color material on the edges.
If you want to learn more about growing in grow tents, Robert advices to take a look at his Grow Bible, which might answer some of your questions.
I’d classify the three brands above as mid-level tents. None of these grow tent brands stand out from the others; however, a few of the areas where they excel over lower-level discount grow tents on Amazon include:
The quality of the zipper and teeth (metal > plastic)
Number, location, and size options of intake/exhaust ports
Double sleeves on each intake/exhaust port to ensure light is blocked.
Amount of support bars to hang equipment on (three is common)
Reflectivity and thickness of material lining the inside of the grow tent
Gorilla Grow Tents and AC Infinity grow tents are what I consider the high-end category. Both companies use a thicker diameter steel pole than competitors, and they back up their gear with amazing warranties. Another feature you’ll see on higher-end tents is increased accessibility. Doors on the sides and rear give growers access to the indoor garden from every angle.
Gorilla Grow Tents are known for having the highest ceilings, which are great for taller plants, and AC Infinity is known for having the thickest material (2000D). AC Infinity also has cord slots to integrate the smart controller options.
When it comes to price, growers can expect to spend approximately 20% more on a high-end tent than the mid-range choices. Mid-range grow tents tend to be approximately 20% higher in price than bargain grow tents, which are the category of hit or miss with quality.
The best marijuana grow tents: Chad Westport’s top picks
I have personal experience using all of these grow tent brands. I have paid my hard-earned money for some and received the others gratis. Every brand mentioned met my expectations and is worthy of recommendation.
One distinction I’ve already mentioned is that the mid-level grow tent brands seem to have looser quality control. While I didn’t run into problems myself, I have seen examples online. Then again, when you sell 10,000 tents compared to 1,000 tents, more issues are likely to be reported. Consider that fact when reading through online reviews and always investigate the warranty.
Recommended grow tent sizes for beginners
I recommend a 2ft x 4ft (61cm x 122cm) or a 4ft x 4ft (122cm x 122cm) grow tent. The first is ideal for new growers who only want to grow a few plants (around 2-3). The 4ft x 4ft (122cm x 122cm) is ideal for growers looking to produce a little more finished flower.
Are you curious about how many plants you can fit into other-sized tents? Read our article – How many plants can you grow in a grow tent?
Not a beginner? The companies mentioned in this article make indoor grow tents ranging from 2ft x 2ft (61cm x 61cm) up to an 8ft x 8ft (244cm x 244cm) or larger tent.
Here are my top five grow tent footprints:
4ft x 4ft (122cm x 122cm) AC Infinity
I like this size from AC Infinity because it lets me produce enough yield for two daily consumers. The thickness of the poles gives me extra confidence when hanging my heavy light. This tent also has four support bars up top, increasing my options for hanging equipment.
Easy access is great in this tent. I tend to crowd my tents with plants, and sometimes, the pots in the back are hard to get to for watering, defoliating, and inspection. Extra doors on the sides and the rear of this grow tent make getting to the plants in the back a breeze. Of all the tents I have used, AC Infinity has the best zippers, which is important.
2ft x 4ft (61cm x 122cm) Spider Farmer
I recommend the Spider Farmer for growers wanting a small, occasional private stash of flower to dip into. This tent fits perfectly in most closets, making it a discrete option for growers with frequent house guests. Spider Farmer has reinforced stitching and overlapping material around all of the zippers. The floor tray sits above the bottom zipper line, adding extra light-blocking protection. This tent also has well-placed options for venting the used air, and the frame is sturdy enough to hold all my gear.
8ft 11in (270cm) tall Gorilla Grow Tent
For the sativa lovers, this tent is for you. Gorilla Grow Tents have been around for a long time, and their quality is tried and true. They’ve built their niche on being rugged grow tents and stood apart from the pack as the tallest tent available. The base model 5ft x 5ft (152cm x 152cm) tent stands 6ft 11in (210cm), which is already taller than most.
Expandability is a key feature of this brand. Growers can add a 1ft (30cm) extension or a 2ft (60cm) extension, which makes the maximum height 8ft 11in (270cm). It is a unique and desired quality of this grow tent. The pole diameter on these tents is extra thick, and all intake/exhaust ports are double-cinching.
2-in-1 grow tent
I like this cheap grow tent from Vivosun because it offers two tents for the price of one. With the 12in (30cm) extra chamber, growers can start seeds or keep clones while the flowering chamber is finishing. This feature lets growers increase the amount of harvest per year. I like the smaller section shelf, which provides two levels of growing space for seedlings and clones.
This tent has thinner material and poles than most cheap grow tent options, but it functioned well for its purpose. The main chamber can hold 2-3 plants, ideal for the casual consumer.
3ft x 3ft (91cm x 91cm) – the smallest I recommend due to climate control
When people want the bare minimum to see if they even enjoy growing cannabis, they choose the smallest option, usually a 2ft x 2ft (60cm x 60cm) tent. This, however, sets them up for challenging times.
Controlling the environment in such a small area is more difficult than in a larger tent… believe it or not. That is why I recommend a 3ft x 3ft (91cm x 91cm) tent like this one from Mars-Hydro as the minimum footprint to consider. This tent offers common features like overlapping flaps on the zippers, reflective mylar inside, and thick 1680D material. There are also more intake/exhaust ports than most tents this size, which benefits the grower by allowing multiple configurations for fans and ducting.
Pro tip: Checking your tent for light leaks
First of all, you’ll need two people because one of you is getting zipped inside the tent. If you have a flashlight for the person outside the tent to use, that is a bonus. Do this before you set up your light or other equipment inside. Close all of the intake/exhaust ports before starting this process.
Begin by turning on all of the lights in the room.
Sit inside the tent with it fully zipped up for 3 minutes (this allows your eyes to adjust to darkness).
Close your eyes for 30 seconds, open them, and scan the corners for any light intrusion.
Inspect the intake/exhaust ports for light coming through the cinched port.
Inspect the lower mesh vents. Occasionally, the velcro gets folded in packaging and creates a ripple that light gets through
Inspect the walls and stitching areas for tiny pin holes of light. If you see any, cover them from the inside with HVAC tape.
Inspect the zipper paths for light penetration. Ask the person outside the tent to shine the flashlight along the zipper path. Does that cause any light to spill through?
Exit the tent and make any patches needed.
You may discover some very minor light leaks in your tent. Cover them to the best of your ability, but do not worry too much. Pinhole leaks are undesired but shouldn’t negatively affect the plants. Cannabis can remain resting with very low light intensity levels, which is why cannabis can grow under a full moon and not have issues. The formula for trouble is – intensity x duration x spectrum.
ZIpper for lightcover
Final thoughts
Buying the cheapest Amazon grow tent may not be your best decision. Still, plenty of well-made, cheap grow tents are available online. Do your homework, read the reviews, talk to people with experience growing plants indoors, and look at what kind of warranty your new investment offers. Grow tents are quick and easy to set up; they can be taken down quickly if needed, letting growers utilize empty spaces in the house. I prefer using tents over customizing a room any day of the week. Faster, cheaper, cleaner.
This article has highlighted the important functions of grow tents and detailed the qualities to look for and avoid in cheap grow tents. There are many generic-looking tents and brands on the market, but by choosing one of the established companies mentioned here, you can reference their track record for your decision. Once your tent is set up and you’re ready to grow some dank, download Roberts Grow Bible for all the insider tips to achieve the heaviest yields from your favorite ILGM strains.
What is your favorite brand of grow tent? Have you ever ordered a grow tent from Amazon? Do you have a preferred footprint? Tell us all about it in the comments below, and be sure to include any questions we may have missed. Your question may be the catalyst for our next article.
Until the next time, happy gardening!
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