How to eliminate the smell: proper ventilation in the grow box

There is a lot of advice on the web for beginner growers. One of them is to ensure proper ventilation in the grow box. How to do this and most importantly - why, we will analyze below.

Ventilation in the grow box: why is it talked about so much

It's simple: this is one of the main conditions for obtaining a generous harvest. If the ventilation in the grow box is at zero, then not the most pleasant things happen:

• overheating and heat stress: plants have it too. And the consequences are weak leaves, stems, sluggish appearance;
• root rot: if you water the “pets” abundantly, and at the same time do not take care of the intake of fresh air and the removal of stale air, we will get rotting roots, and maybe mold on the leaves;
• slow growth due to increased moisture levels and lack of air. The plant is suffocating. He feels bad. It is fighting for life, not absorbing the nutrients you supply it;
• the appearance of unpleasant odors, and such that you want to quickly leave the room, and not devote them to gravy and top dressing.

Therefore, it is important to think about how fresh air will enter the grow box and how “exhausted” air masses will be eliminated.

Types of ventilation systems

The easiest way to create a favorable microclimate is to buy a special growbox fan, and install it near the garden. With its help, plants will learn the necessary dose of oxygen.

An alternative solution is to organize ventilation with your own hands. You can choose from three options:

• passive: it allows for the natural movement of air masses. Suitable for large rooms with weak heating devices. Installation of special equipment is not required. At the same time, pollen and odors are eliminated very slowly;
• exhaust - this is a combo of a fan that eliminates unpleasant odors and a carbon filter that cleans it. Fresh air enters through windows and doors. A good solution for a small greenhouse. By the way, a do-it-yourself carbon filter for a grow box can be made from improvised materials - an air filter from a car, a flange, nuts, washers, activated carbon. But if there is no time, then you can immediately order a ready-made one and implement it into the system;
• supply and exhaust: includes the installation of equipment (coolers, extractors, thermostats) that provides fresh air and eliminates pollen, exhaust air masses. Works automatically.

We recommend choosing the option based on the size of the grow box and the budget. But regardless of the type of ventilation selected, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work.

Preparing the ventilation holes

Another must-have for a grow box is the inlet and outlet. We do the first one below. From there, fresh air will flow. The second is at the top. Through it, polluted air masses are eliminated. You can make them yourself.

The next moment is the calculation of the ventilation of the grow box. In other words, how powerful the device will have to be purchased in order to ensure uninterrupted air circulation.

To calculate the ventilation for a grow box, the following formula is used: room volume (length times width and height) x 10 = fan capacity per hour.

But it is important to consider two points:

1. if lamps are installed in the room, then the indicator must be multiplied by 120;
2. if there is a filter in the room, then you need to lay a power reserve of 20-30% to ensure continuous circulation of the room.

Calculation for a grow box with lamps and a 1.5 cubic meter carbon filter:

1.5 x 120 = 180 CBM/h + 36 (30% of fan power) = 234 CBM m / hour.

A fan with such indicators is the best solution for a grow box.

We hope that now you have figured out why grow box ventilation is needed, and will do everything to harvest a great harvest on time.