My DIY Veg Tent design. *Critique?*

Well, I'm getting ready to move and my wife has given me permission to take over the extra bedroom as long as we can use some of it for storage. SCORE!!! I love my wife! Anyway, I decided to build myself a couple of simple grow tentsThis first design is to be used for vegging, unter T8's and CFL until I can afford a good T5 or two. I will be working on the flower tent soon, following the same basic design.

I plan to eventually run odor control, I think. Stealth isn't TOO high a priority for my situation, however I will use weather-stripping to create an airtight tent by using it on all pertinent joints/seams. I plan to veg 20-30 plants per grow in this. I will either add a prefab sheet-metal catchpan on the floor or use cut-down rubbermaid totes as catchpans, probably the latter.

So, I guess my question is, do you see any faults in the design or any way to cost-effectively improve it? I don't think I'll have to worry too much about temps in veg since I'm using fluoro, but would like to at least leave it open to be modified for cooling.

Thanks in advance for all you help!

See if this pic is better:

One more try:

So, after talking to a friend, I'm a little torn as to whether I should use Panda plastic or the 1/2" thick 4X8' sheets of reflective foam insulation sheets. He said it works well for his grow and has caused no temp problems. Any suggestions?

I think you would be better off with the 1/2" foam sheets. The work well plus they insulate your veg room. I think that you may be able to save money by using 2" drywall screws instead of the bolts, depends on the total cost obviously.

I will be using drywall screws to build the "panels", top and bottom, and then use the bolts to attatch the verticles on the corners. My reasoning is just that I am renting for now and would like to make it very portable and easy to re-assemble. A little more cost, but specific to my particular need. Every time I pull it down and re-assemble, the plastic would have to be replaced, whereas the foam sheets could just be permanently affixed to the panels. No need to replace plastic. I like it! A little more expensive to start, but more and more economical with every re-build. Thank you!

budlover13 said:

So, after talking to a friend, I'm a little torn as to whether I should use Panda plastic or the 1/2" thick 4X8' sheets of reflective foam insulation sheets. He said it works well for his grow and has caused no temp problems. Any suggestions?

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What do they make the foam in those panels out of these days? Is it cellulose or something safe? Foam fumes used to be deadly in fires, but I imagine that's been fixed. Especially out there in Ca. It just crossed my mind. People used to keel over cutting styrofoam with hot wire cutters in poor ventilation.

Anyway, this is a cool thread. I just wish I could read the pictures.

Try the pics in post #3. I had to resize a couple times.

As for the foam, reading the back leads me to say it's safe, but you know what they say about truth in advertising! Here's a few pics showing what I'm working with from HomeDepot. I tried to capture the intensity of the reflection, idk.

Those foam 4' x 8' insulation panels have a poor reflective rate for light and they are expensive. I'd go with Panda poly for the money. If I was grwing in a cold basement, I would probably use the insulation, but I would still consider using mylar or panda poly for reflectivity.

I'd go with flat-white painted drywall. You can't beat the reflective index, and there's no hotspots. Clean and neat. The foam might be safe, but it won't reflect light as well. What kind of lighting are you using? LEDs don't offer much in reflective benefits, but you aren't going that route are you?

budlover13 said:

Try the pics in post #3. I had to resize a couple times.

As for the foam, reading the back leads me to say it's safe, but you know what they say about truth in advertising! Here's a few pics showing what I'm working with from HomeDepot. I tried to capture the intensity of the reflection, idk.

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Tell me about it. I was looking at the pressed wood and MDF boards to make a box and saw a giant warning on one about the harmful effects of breathing in the fumes released by the chemicals in the wood and glue and crap in it. It was crazy, and I can't exactly cite anything from it, but I know I'd never want it in a room I sleep in, much less my girls.

Aside from that, great build and best of luck budlover.

ClosetSafe said:

Tell me about it. I was looking at the pressed wood and MDF boards to make a box and saw a giant warning on one about the harmful effects of breathing in the fumes released by the chemicals in the wood and glue and crap in it. It was crazy, and I can't exactly cite anything from it, but I know I'd never want it in a room I sleep in, much less my girls.

Aside from that, great build and best of luck budlover.

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Tell me about it, I can't sleep in a newly constructed home without falling ill. It takes quite a while of offgassing to become tolerable. Nasty stuff, many modern construction materials.

That pressed board you are referring to has industrial strength glues and formaldehyde in it.

Serapis said:

That pressed board you are referring to has industrial strength glues and formaldehyde in it.

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Yes, and many wood floors do, as well.

edit: Those are nice diagrams, Bud. Looks like a plan. When do you start putting it together?

Viagro said:

Yes, and many wood floors do, as well.

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Thanks Viagro, totally told me about. Good information. "Offgassing"! That was the part of the warning that should have stuck out the most. It's the part that made it "off-putting".

Man, I'm starting to get afraid. Anyone have a large GLASS dome I can live in? Only Paully Shore movie I liked!

So, I like the idea of the flat white drywall. A little more expense in the beginning, but more long proof, unless there are mold or mildew problems associated with it. idk. I've heard quite abit about off-gassing from the Panda Film, again, no personal experience yet. I'm debating whether or not I want to use redwood for the durability factor or pine finished with something natural(mineral oil?) that will help inhibit those problems. Technically, I could save on the plywood and do the whole tent with Panda and have plenty leftover for future projects or repairs. It would save weight and hinges as well.

Hmmm, really leaning Panda right now unless I hear something else. I figure with having to move(first, last, deposit, etc) cheap is the way to go and it's GOT to be more effective than my current set-up.

I'm using a total of 522w fluoro and cfl currently in a 2X4X4' closet. Started out pretty ghetto, but attained great results(imho). 5 1/2oz from 4 clones with quality that made my dispensary owner quetion it was CFL and fluoro. I am currently saving for a 600w HPS that I will use to flower my next crop(#3) while supported by CFL to avoid too much heat in my planned tent. From the 3rd crop, I have already set up a trate with a fellow patient that won't be done flowering until about the same time as I'm ready to then flower #4. By then I will hopefully have funds to get another 1000w HPS so I have 2 in my then built 4dX8w7h' second tent. And don't forget, I have the entire bedroom to work with now provided I repair the small storage shed out back for storage.

Throughout this I'll be using my 6 2' Growlights for clones since they've been successful this far and only cost $11 each. I'll continue to use CFL or LED to supplement veg w/ the 600w or as finances allow.

Viagro said:

Yes, and many wood floors do, as well.

edit: Those are nice diagrams, Bud. Looks like a plan. When do you start putting it together?

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Thank you. Wish I could've done it with AutoCAD, but can't afford the HUGE price for my humble uses. I'm a Land Surveyor(slow work these days) by trade, hence my desire to have at least workable plans. I move into the new place on Jan1 and will begin the build before then provided I can scrape up the cash(holiday recession ). Again though, it's only an estimated $50 so I think I may actually grab myself a small cart or maybe a large military duffel and walk early morning collecting cans to finance this. Once I get that first tent built, then it's just a matter of patience before building the second.

The upside, as my wife so lovingly pointed out to me, is that if I get my butt in trouble with her and she kciks me out to the backyard, I can bolt the damn things together and almost have a ready made studio apt! (speaking of which, I better pay her some attention instead of this puter for a while) I'll be back though!

I re-read post #16 and thought "Sounds like boasting." Not my intent at all. I know everyone's idea of good bud is a little different so even though I can't send out free samples, I can throw out a couple pics:

First two are my Trainwreck, other two are White Widow. The rest are Snowcap and their ghetto home. Yes, I could've/should've trimmed better, but, there's always next time! The Snowcap are in week5 of flower and my first LST attempt.

reflectix sold at lowes its a mylar coated bubble wrap 4'x100' for 50 bucks

Just buy a tent, all this equipment needed to build one would come close to a small tent anyway !!!