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How to Set Up a Marijuana Grow Tent

Last Updated: March 28, 2023By Jason Levin

Are you thinking about setting up an indoor grow tent as a part of your growing setup for your marijuana plants? Well, you may be wondering whether grow tents are even worth it. You may also be wondering how challenging they are to set up.  

There’s a lot to think about when you consider using grow tents. How do you set up your grow lights? How do they work, and which ones are the right size? Although you may have many questions, the process does not need to be hard. This article will explain how to set up and maintain some of the most popular grow tents available online. 

Why Use a Grow Tent?

Factors such as lighting, ventilation, CO2, temperature, and humidity play a vital role in growing healthy plants and achieving high yields. A grow tent allows you to create the best environmental conditions for growing your plants. They protect the plants from mold and pests, and the mesh ventilation helps keep out dust and other impurities.

why use a grow tent

Growing marijuana in a grow tent is an affordable way to create a dedicated growing space. The tents are also easy and quick to set up. The price of an average grow tent ranges from $70 to $150. Compare that to setting up a complicated system that will ultimately end up running up your electric bill and possibly drawing unwanted attention to you and your garden. 

Here are five more reasons to grow marijuana in a grow tent:

Grow whenever you want!

Using a grow tent as your weed growing setup lets you grow year-round without worrying about the seasons. When using a tent, your grow lights provide enough light to stimulate photosynthesis. No more waiting for Spring! Grow tents make it easy for marijuana plants to grow and flourish at any time of the year.  

You’re not only able to grow whenever you want, but you’ll also be able to produce more if you are growing cannabis year-round. That means, more freshly grown cannabis and the likelihood that you’ll never run out. 

Easier to control environment

Perhaps the most significant benefit of a grow tent is how easy it is to control how much or how little light your plants get. In your tent, you can ensure your plants are a proper distance away from your lights. This distance may be a bit more challenging to guarantee in a small closet or attic – even if that option seems cheaper. Consider the cost of losing your plants due to them not receiving too much or too little light or falling prey to pollutants in the air. Good grow kits such as those found at a Pot for Pot, used in a grow tent can ensure your plants have the best chance at thriving,  

Easy to use 

Grow tents are easy to use and practically set themselves up. Setting up a grow tent is as complicated as setting up a camping tent. They are portable as well. Move your tent anywhere you want and find the perfect spot for your plant. 

Your domicile will not reek of dank

As a grower, you probably appreciate the smell of cannabis plants in full flower. That does not mean that sometimes the smell can’t be a little, well, overwhelming. Using a well-ventilated odor-proof grow tent ensures that your home will not smell like a Snoop Dogg concert 24/7. After all, everyone in your neighborhood doesn’t need to know you are growing marijuana, even if you do live in a legal state.

Easy to Take Down/Destroy

Sometimes you have to be prepared for the worst. In this case, that might mean quickly destroying your indoor marijuana setup. A grow tent is much easier to take down, hide, and/or dispose of than dismantling an entire grow room. Plus, if you do need to dispose of your tent, you can – just as easily as you can replace it.

There are many benefits to growing marijuana in a grow tent, but it does still have its drawbacks. Using a grow tent requires a great deal of care and extra gadgets to make them functional. You must continually check to make sure the temperatures are optimal, the light is sufficient, and the ventilation is adequate. Granted, you’d do this if you were growing in a grow room, but not as much if you were growing on your patio or back yard. Basically, a grow tent will require a bit more attention. 

Lighting Your Grow Tent

When you are growing marijuana using an indoor grow tent, you will need a grow lamp. Grow lamps provide plants with a reliable source of energy to start healthy, vigorous, and fast-growing marijuana plants. When using a small grow tent, connecting LED grow lights is straightforward. The grow light is set above the plants pointing down, to make sure that it promotes upward and robust growth of the plant. 

Lighting Your Grow Tent

For the average home grower, LED grow lights, such as our single pot 75 Watt light, are the ideal choice for your tent. LED grow lights provide the optimal light wavelength for the different stages of marijuana growth. LED lights are often preferred over HPS and HID because they are more energy-efficient, last longer, and are easier to install. They also can be adjusted to easily regulate the amount and type of lights your plants receive. Lastly, grow tents are easy to dispose of and maintain. Many are recyclable, and most are water and dustproof.  

Planning the Easiest Indoor Marijuana Garden

Many people choose grow tents because they make an easy indoor grow setup for cannabis. However, if you’d like to keep it as low maintenance as possible, you should try autoflowering seeds. 

Autoflowering seeds are not photosensitive. That means they do not need a change in lighting to begin flowering. Normally you’d need to follow a precise schedule and change the lighting in your grow tent as your plant’s needs change. This step can lead to additional maintenance, and possibly, more extensive (and expensive) lighting. With autoflowering varieties, you do not need to worry about this. A single LED light from a Pot for Pot is enough to grow any autoflowering marijuana plant. 

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Choosing the Right Grow Tent 

In general, the perfect tent depends on the number of marijuana plants you plan on growing and the type of lighting you are using. These two factors will also affect ventilation – and many tents will offer a variety of options for that as well. In general, you’ll want to make sure you have enough room for all your plants to grow in a comfortable and not crowded environment. There should be enough room for your lights and ventilation fans.


When you are looking at grow tents for sale, consider the following factors:

  1. The number of marijuana plants you plan to grow. Make sure they are not too cramped!
  2. Your choice of marijuana strain and how you plan to grow it. Some strains require more space because they produce larger plants. Some methods of growing will need more space than others. 
  3. The size of the space where you will place your grow tent. A small grow tent is the logical choice if you have limited space. Also, you will have to consider the distance to an electricity source, footprint size and height, and exterior ventilation.

Popular Grow Tents 

Grow tents are very easy to buy online! If you search for “grow tent Amazon,” you are likely to come across the following popular grow tents. Other frequent searches include “grow tent home depot,” “grow tent Walmart,” or even “room grow kit.” All of these search options will produce a variety of options to compare and choose from. 

You can find these popular grow tent options on Amazon.com

    1. Gorilla Grow Tent LITE

The Gorilla grow tent is made of the thickest canvas on the market and includes reinforced zippers and seams. It does not allow any light to leak out. Gorilla tents are available in various sizes to fit different plant heights. The frame is steel, and the canvas has windows.

    1. Topolite Grow Tent

This grow tent has heavy-duty light-proof 600D Oxford cloth. Its seams are double-stitched with heavy-duty zippers. It has rectangular vents with mesh for better ventilation, as well as other vents for fan and filter output. Its lining is made of diamond mylar, which is 96% reflective. The tent also has a tool kit for storing your tools. The frame uses coated steel rods that can hold up the weight of your grow light and ventilation fans. 

    1. Vivosun Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tent

The Vivosun grow tent has a black lining, which makes maintaining complete darkness within the tent possible. It’s also easy to set up. This tent is very durable, thanks to its heavy-duty material. The Vivosun grow tent also comes fitted with proper ventilation ducts.

    1. TopoGrow 2-in-one Indoor Grow Tent

This grow tent uses 600D Oxford cloth. The lining is made of mylar, which is 100% reflective. TopoGrow grow tents are popular because they make it easy to manage marijuana plants at different stages of development.

    1. LA Garden Reflective Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tent

The tent’s frame is made from aluminum with powder coated poles to keep the paint stable. Altogether the structure can support up to 350 lbs. LA Garden tents are super thin; their fabric density is 210D. It is prone to tear, so exercise caution when setting up the lighting and ventilation system. 

One especially remarkable thing about this tent is that it is 100% light-proof and airtight. There’s little to no risk of escaping marijuana odor. The tent’s mylar lining is 100% reflective and ensures that your plants receive as much light as possible.

The vents are mesh, which offers excellent ventilation while at the same time reducing the amount of light leaving the tent. The tent also comes with nylon belts, which are perfect for hanging your Pot for Pot grow lamp.

    1. Coolgrows Reflective Hydroponic Grow Tent

Like the others on this list, this tent uses 6000D material, which is light-proof and tear-proof, and its zippers have privacy flaps. The tent’s interior lining is mylar. CoolGrow’s grow tent structure consists of sturdy metal poles, bars, and metal connectors, all of which make the tent super sturdy. The grow tent also has a window for plant observation. 

Cleaning a CoolGrow tent is easy because it has a removable and water-resistant floor. It is also easy to set up as it comes with a step by step pamphlet.

    1. Quictent Hydroponic Grow Tent

This is an eco-friendly grow tent, which has passed SGS testing and certification. It keeps all the light in and is 100% reflective. The Quictent uses Extra thick 600D Oxford cloth and a mylar lining. It is both light-proof and tear-proof. The tent also has very durable metal frames, with the best connectors that are designed to handle the extra weight of lights and other connections.

The Quictent Hydroponic grow tent comes with a tool kit, removable floor tray, duct vents, heavy-duty zippers, and windows for observation. They are available in different sizes. 

    1. Finnhomy 600D Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tent

The Finnhomy is made from both tear and light-proof 600D oxford cloth. This tent is also double-stitched at the seams to provide additional strength and durability. The Finnhomy also has a high-quality SBS zipper, which keeps it tightly closed. Finnhomy grow tents have several duct ports with dual lining and drawstrings closing. The tent’s lining is, of course, made from mylar. This grow tent also has a removable floor tray, which is waterproof.

The frame is made from metal and is easy to set up through snaps and connectors. 

    1. Ipower Hydroponic Water-Resistant Grow Tent

This tent uses heavy duty triple 5mm thick, triple-ply vinyl. The tent seams are double-stitched, and the zippers are built to last. The tent’s frame is sturdy and reliable. This is because it has metal poles that can handle at least 110 lbs combined with stable interlocking corners. 

The tent has windows for observation, along with ventilation and duct holes. It is also comes equipped with a removable floor tray, which is both waterproof and easy to clean.

  1. Apollo Horticulture Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tent

The last tent on this list uses a high-quality canvas. Apollo tent zippers are heavy-duty, with double stitched seams to ensure no light leaks through. The canvas lining is made from light-proof, tear-proof material. This construction makes it easy to integrate indoor growing fixtures and equipment. The lining also helps keep the grow tent at an optimal temperature for your plant’s growth. The instructions make it a breeze to set up. Best of all, the Apollo Grow Tent has a 90-day warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

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Setting Up Your Tent

Grow tents are an essential tool for a year-round indoor weed grow setup. Thankfully, setting up a grow tent kit is easy. A reliable grow tent kit will include all the pieces of equipment needed so that all you need to do is organize and connect everything. Before you begin setting up your indoor grow tent, make sure you have the following materials:

  • Grow tent

Your grow tent kit should have enough space in terms of vertical height to accommodate the height of your marijuana plants and the other equipment. This is likely the most critical factor for selecting the best grow tent for your needs.

  • Grow lamp

Lighting is a critical part of a grow tent. Your grow lamp gives your plants energy for processing nutrients and undergoing photosynthesis. Ensure you are giving your marijuana plant just the right amount of light by placing your lights in the right place. Too much of it might burn the plants if they get too close, and too little of it might lead to an underperforming garden. 

  • Carbon filter

Carbon filters help purify the air in the grow tent, eliminating bad odor and any pathogens that might be dangerous to the plants.

  • Ventilation

Ventilation in a grow tent helps reduce heat, control humidity, and prevent CO2 build-up, thus, maintaining an optimal temperature which ideal for marijuana plant growth. It also helps in controlling pests and diseases in a grow tent. 

When marijuana plants are grown outdoors, they are subjected to wind. This wind helps strengthen the plant’s stems. In a grow tent, ventilation emits cool air currents that are similar to wind. This is why proper ventilation can help strengthen a plant’s stems.

To ensure your plants receive proper ventilation, you can use an air extractor fan system or oscillating fans.

Other pieces of equipment you will need include timers, temperature, and humidity meters, net trellis, and plant supports.

How to Set Up Your Marijuana Grow Tent

How to Set Up Your Marijuana Grow Tent (Step By Step)

1. Gather all your setup tools and equipment

    These tools include wire cutters, screwdrivers, scissors, and the tent, ventilation, lighting, and carbon filter equipment.

    2. Assemble the grow tent

      First, you will have to assemble the frame and then place the canvas on the frame. The cloth may be a light nylon cover or a heavy canvas. Check to make sure that the tent zippers work and that the seams are not defective. 

      3. Set up the grow lamp 

        Assemble the holders for your light. Most grow lamps come with mounting hardware for attaching to frame’s crossbars in a tent. Follow those instructions to make sure that you hang the lights at the correct height to cater to your plants’ needs. If you are using a hood, attach it to direct the light downwards onto the plants. Remember to prevent electrical accidents by securing and organizing your wiring system. 

        4. Ventilation and carbon filter setup

          Determine where you want to place your fan and carbon filter within the tent. Hang the carbon filter from one of the tent’s crossbars. Next, hang the exhaust fan so that the fan points not only towards the carbon filter but also towards the grow ventilation opening. After measuring the distance between the carbon filter and the exhaust fan, install a ducting mechanism between the carbon filter and the fan, and then from the exhaust to the ventilation opening in the grow tent. Make sure that the electrical cords reach and can connect to a power source.

          5. Hang the temperature and humidity gauge

            The last thing you will need, but certainly not least, these help in maintaining an optimal climate in the grow tents

            6. Perform a safety scan 

            A safety scan helps make sure that all the electrical cords are out of the way and that they cannot get wet. Always perform a safety scan!

            7. Grow your marijuana plants!

            Maintaining Your Indoor Marijuana Grow Tent

            After you have finished setting up the best grow tent you can buy, and have started growing your cannabis plants, you will need to clean and maintain your grow tent. 

            Perform the following functions regularly:

            • Make sure that the frame is in good condition to prevent it from collapsing
            • Make sure that the grow tent is light proof to prevent light from leaking out
            • Make that the grow tent is airtight. This helps in preventing the strong odor of marijuana from leaking out and reaching the neighbors. Air should only leave through the carbon filters.
            • Since marijuana plants take carbon dioxide and convert it into oxygen and sugars, ensure the grow tent has a sufficient supply of fresh air. The plants need this so that they have enough access to CO2 for steady growth.
            • Make sure that the fan is working correctly to keep air distribution throughout the room even. This ensures that the temperature is consistent, and CO2 is well distributed
            • Replace the waterproof floor if it is leaking.
            • Also, make sure that no wires are hanging on the floor to prevent any electrical hazards. 

            Related: 4 Best Grow Tents for Growing Marijuana

            Final Thoughts

            Many home growers grow their own weed to make edibles, canna-oils, to smoke, or just because it is a fun plant to grow. Many use a grow tent for their indoor marijuana setup because they are affordable, convenient, and easy to set up. You can join them. Simply follow this guide to select and set up your indoor grow tent, and you will soon be able to roll a joint filled with your own marijuana all year long. 

            FAQ About Grow Tents

            Are grow tents necessary?
            No, not at all! Grow tents are useful as they create a dedicated place to grow marijuana. The design allows for easy cleaning which supports pest control.  Grow tents can also be completely sealed, which is great for eliminating light leaks when growing photoperiod cannabis plants. Sealing can help with odor control but can also increase heat and humidity. This means more gadgets are needed to keep air moving and for controlling temperature and humidity.

            Do grow tents keep the smell in?
            Growing inside a grow tent can support suppressing the smell of cannabis. But the best way to manage the smell is which carbon filters attached to the exhaust fans of your grow tent setup. 

            Are grow tent kits worth it?

            It depends on how much you use the tent. If you give up growing after one grow, the cost of setting up a grow tent is not worth it. Grow tents are investments designed to facilitate many years of growing. You can grow plants indoors without a grow tent but grow tents make it easier to control the environment for your plants. 

            Do you need a grow tent to grow indoors?

            Nope! However, grow rooms can provide benefits. Grow tents are designed to help you make a great indoor environment for growing healthy and high-quality marijuana plants. In addition to creating a great indoor environment, grow room kits are also more energy efficient and reduce odor and pest infestations. 

            How effective is a grow kit for cannabis plants? 

            Grow kits are designed to help you germinate and sustain cannabis plants. Here at a Pot for Pot, we make sure that our grow kit comes with a fabric pot and drain saucer, a germination kit, a soil package with enriched soil, growing equipment like pest prevention, trimming scissors, and a watering can, and a step-by-step guide to help you through the growing process.  

            Is a grow tent better than a grow room?

            Each has its own set of benefits. A grow tent is suitable for smaller-scale setups if you’re a grower with little to no expertise in nurturing weeds and other types of plants indoors. It’s also the ideal choice if you have a compact space for a garden at home. It’s easy and cheap to setup anywhere. 

            A grow room kit, on the other hand, is more suitable if you have a large-scale operation. Typically, grow rooms are used for commercial purposes as it requires more space, investment funds, and expertise, especially if you want to make a good profit from your crops. 

            Is it cheaper to build your own grow tent?

            If you don’t have enough space to grow cannabis plants outdoors, you can easily nurture them with a DIY grow tent placed inside your home. A homemade grow tent is an extremely cost-effective and efficient setup that won’t break the bank. However, you can build your own grow tent for next to nothing if you take the time to hunt around for the supplies you need.  

            What comes in a grow tent kit?

            Each of a Pot for Pot’s grow box kits comes with a soil mix with nutrients needed for flowering plants, perlite top soil mix, compressed coco husk, rooting booster, neem oil, dish soap, and a fabric pot, among other items.  We offer five different kinds of grow kits for marijuana. For more information, please visit our collections page.

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