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[c-squared]

Long time listener, first time caller, first time indoor grower in a 4×2 tent. Currently on first week of flower and battling keeping the humidity down after last feeding. Lung room is my living area with a mini split unit that’s pretty good with taking the humidity out of the air. Usually the vent fan keeps the humidity in check in the tent but now I’m having to crank it up higher to keep up which we all know causes the tent to want to suck it’s self into the blower (go figure) when the vents are closed. Anyway my question is can I leave the bottom vents open over night? Always heard never let any light in when the grow lights are off. One vent is facing a wall in a dark spot but the other vent could possibly see some light. Played with a small dehumidifier earlier and honestly the vent fan was doing a better job but I’m in a pickle at night when the vents are closed. Is this a deal where I need to just water/feed a little at a time and try to keep the soil dryer instead of full feed/water twice a week like I usually do?

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Discussion

[retro]

I keep all my bottom vents open, they allow cool fresh o2 rich air in to the tent.shade the vent from the light if you can.you may also try putting a inline fan in a bottom inlet to force air in.

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[hd_chop]

I have a 2×2 with the standard 4″ inline fan and filter venting out a side top port.

I took a 4″ x 4′ sheet metal duct from home depot and put a 90°elbow on the end and put it on the other side top port with the 4′ length hanging down the inside wall.

This acts as a light trap, and brings cool fresh air into the bottom of the tent.

Moist hot out the top.

Cool fresh in the bottom.

I leave those square bottom ports sealed up.

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[c-squared]

That sounds like a pretty solid set up to keep light out the vent. Unfortunately going through the wall isn’t an option for me

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[jmystro]

You’ll want to put the same speed inline fans on the intake and the exhaust if you want equal pressure in the tent so the walls don’t suck in or puff out with only one inline fan pushing or pulling. Put a green LED light in the room the tent is in if you’re worried about light leaks. I’m not worried about smell so I have no need to seal my tent with a green light in the room.

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[stanm]

I put Velcro and black foam inside the tent over the removable flaps and also use leftover flexible duct with foam on the exposed end. That way it lets air flow through and I don’t change them.

The room is a storage room in the corner of a finished basement. I put a blackout curtain on the window and only go in there during lights on. Essentially the room stays dark all the time. 18/6 goes from 6pm to noon. 12/12 will be 6pm to 6am when I get a photo going in a few days. That will stay at 24/7 under a T5 for two weeks.

It’s perfect if you can just keep the room dark outside the tents.

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[c-squared]

I like your idea. Think I may play around with some ducting and or black out shades and see what I can come up with. I live on top of a garage and don’t have other rooms besides a bathroom so I kind of have to have the tent in my living area. Finding that perfect time schedule is hard also as I’m up at 4:30 in the morning for work so I have to turn some lights on to see what I’m doing.

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[stanm]

I wouldn’t hesitate to go over your tents and seal pinholes. I haven’t bothered but would do it if I was concerned. I’d find some type of rubberized tent repair stuff at an outdoor store or something like that. Not worried about resale value of my tents. I’m in my seventies and plan on growing until I go belly up.

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[dude]

I keep bottom vents open. Unless your living area is super bright it is prob not an issue. In a 2×4 having only one vent open (the darkest one) and a 4in inline for exhaust out the top has always worked for me.

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[stanm]

Some go as far as to tape over led lights on their extension chords and the displays on devices like humidifiers. I just use the foam and keep my tents in a dark room with a blackout on the window.

How does something as simple as tent ventilation morph into another scientific discussion? I think some of these people never waited for the neighbor to show up on payday with $10 ounces of brick weed in 1970 and it shows.

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[PotNinja]

I buy sheets of carbon filter from Amazon and use magnets to hold them in place over my vents. Allows airflow while preventing light, bugs, and dust from getting drawn into the tent

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[stanm]

Sheets of foam inside the vents using heavy duty outdoor Velcro tape. If I open the vent in the outside it gets the air flow without the light.

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[stanm]

I cut sections of a foot or so of duct work with foam over the opening. These are for unused vent holes. The bend in the hose combined with foam keeps light out. Again, the lung room has one window with a blackout covering and I keep the room light off unless I’m working in there during lights on hours.

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[stanm]

Any 4” plastic container with ends cut off can be shoved into duct and used as a backing for clamping foam on.

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