How to Choose the Exhaust Fan for Your Grow Tents (2022 Updated)

 When it comes to growing plants, there are numerous things to think about and cover in order to have good results.

Growing plants indoors is especially tricky and the ventilation system is one of the essential things to have in mind.

Many growers, especially those with less experience, neglect the importance of ventilation and that’s why their results and returns are not as good as they should be.

Given that I have a lot of experience in the gardening field, I will share it with you and present you with some of the best grow tent fans which are supposed to provide precious ventilation to your plants.

Should Exhaust Fan Always Be On In Grow Tent?

The length of time required for optimum ventilation will vary depending on the size of the grow tent.

There is, however, no specific time to display the run time. The fundamental reason for this is that each stage of the crop necessitates individual attention.

Here, you can learn more about fans on or off during dark period and also at the various stages of plant growth.

Lights ON
Heat is produced by lights, which raises the indoor temperature. Therefore, fans should move air throughout this lighting period. As a general guideline, tailor the right size fan and speed to your specific requirements.

Lights OFF
When the lights are turned off, the heat production automatically decreases. But, wait 20 minutes before lowering the fan speed, and then run your fans for at least 15 minutes per hour.

Location will also determine this because some locations are hotter than others. If the temperature in your location is high, you may need to run the fan for extended periods.

Seedling Stage
Run your exhaust fans throughout the day to ensure your seedlings grow correctly. The fan’s job is to maintain temperature and humidity, prevent the tent from becoming too humid, and allow a light breeze from adequate air circulation over your seedlings.

Flowering Stage
The flowering stage is crucial to the success of the plant’s development. When the lights are turned on, the fans should turn on. Allow at least one fan to run during dark hours. Some flowers may emit an odor during the late flowering stage, thus keeping the fans running for the duration, so these odors are caught in your carbon filter.

Night Time
Colder nights may not require ventilation and could rely on passive intake. During summer, many indoor grower will schedule fans to turn ON/OFF periodically in their grow space.

You can set the exhaust system timer to go off at midnight, so your grow room’s tent ventilation will balance itself come morning without causing too much negative pressure.

Best Exhaust Fan Recommend

ECO Farm Exhaust Fan

Features:

This ECO Farm exhaust fan helps increase airflow in the HVAC unit to remove exhaust air from grow tents. Excellent balanced plastic blade for long life and quiet operation; Motor with permanently lubricated bearings for quiet operation and no maintenance; Portable and lightweight. It acts as an intake fan, bringing fresh air into the grow room; it also acts as an exhaust fan in smaller setups.
Note: If other foreign objects/particles enter the duct fan and block the blades, the user should immediately turn off the power, clean it up, and then turn on the power again after proper treatment

Buyer’s Guide

CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute)
A better way to evaluate fans is to use cubic feet per minute (CFM), which is an accurate metric of efficiency. The primary purpose of a ventilation fan is to move air, and CFM is a typical technique to measure that flow.

Calculate how many cubic feet per minute you need with this calculator.

Size
The more powerful the fan, the more efficient it will be. However, you should always evaluate the available space in your garage before trying to place your fan. Keep in mind that shelves, cabinets, and other tools can get in the way of wall-mounted fans. Ceiling-mounted fans must be considered in terms of height and lighting when making a decision.

Location
You should think about where you want to place the quiet garage exhaust fan before you buy it. The floor, wall, or ceiling are all possibilities. Because each requires a distinct set of positioning kits to be purchased. A wall-mounted garage exhaust fan, in my opinion, is an excellent solution.

Noise Levels
Choosing a fan with many speeds is one of the simplest methods to cut down on the noise it produces. You have control over both the amount of airflow and the amount of noise you have to deal with. You’ll be able to better regulate the temperature in your garage this way.

Adjustability
While working on a project, the last thing you want to do is execute complicated operations merely to change your fan. Make sure you get a fan that can be easily moved around. You can change the speed, position, height, or even move it from the floor to a wall.

4 Grow Tent Cooling Tips

Grow Tent Cooling Tip 1: Check Out Your Grow Tent’s Ventilation

Any manufactured grow tent that you buy should come with ventilation options. Make sure that you know how your tent is designed to be ventilated and that everything is in its proper position.

Brands like ECO Farm manufacture their tents with ventilation screens that can be opened to let fresh air in. Additionally, they come with floor ducts that allow you to attach optional fans to further increase your airflow.

Grow Tent Cooling Tip 2: Switch to LED Lighting
If you’ve been using an older type of grow lighting, maybe MH or HPS, it’s time to make the switch to LED grow lights. LED lights use less power and create less heat than other lighting options. Not only will LED lights help to bring the temperature down in your grow tent or grow room, but their efficiency will help you to save money over time.

Grow Tent Cooling Tip 3: Run An Oscillating Fan
A simple and affordable solution, an oscillating fan is a must-have in any grow tent. For smaller tents, you can probably get away with just using a single fan. You’ll want to add multiple fans at different locations if you’re using a larger grow tent or have a custom grow room.

Oscillating fans create a steady airflow over plants, helping to keep them cool, and equally as important, helping to prevent mold growth on them.

Grow Tent Cooling Tip 4: Take Control Of Your Climate
If you’ve been manually controlling your grow lighting, temperature control, and other essential functions, it’s time to automate the process with some grow room controllers.

Grow room controllers allow you to preset commands about when your lights, cooling, ventilation systems, and more should turn on and off. Whether you’re in the building or not, you can ensure that your plants are getting just the right amount of lighting to help them grow, but not so much that they overheat. Grow room controllers can manage a variety of essential functions including:

Lighting
Temperature
Ventilation
CO2 Levels
Humidity
Irrigation
Nutrients
pH Level

Conclusion

The best exhaust fan for a grow tent setup is the ECO Farm. It’s the clear winner of all sizes in terms of quality, power and low sound output. They are very powerful and quiet. They come with a fan controller and are available in models with a humidity controller.

If you’re on a budget, the best exhaust fan for a grow tent is the ECO Farm. Happy growing!