GROW TENT SETUP GUIDE

By the time you’re ready to set up your grow tent, you’ve already done the crucial planning—from tent dimensions to ventilation considerations and equipment lists. This page will walk you through preparing the grow space, assembling the tent, hydroponic system and setting up water control, and lighting control as well as climate control. It is recommended that you constantly monitor and test these systems as you go to avoid having to troubleshoot a number of problems at the same time. When you’re finished, you’ll have a fully functional hydroponic cannabis grow tent ready to begin cultivating cannabis!

Addressing Electrical Needs

High Power Demands

Hid Lights use a lot of power, LED Lights use about half the electricity, but it’s still a lot of power.

  • Air Conditioners: A single 15-amp circuit is usually needed for each AC unit, especially under heavy loads.
  • Grow Lights: HID or large LED lights consume significant wattage. Dehumidifiers, pumps, and fans add extra load.
  • Professional Installation: Hire an electrician to install additional 15-amp or 220v circuits. This can often be done in less than a day for around $2,000 (labor, materials, wiring).
  • Load Calculation
    • Use a watt-to-amp calculator and keep total draw at ≤80% of each circuit’s capacity.
    • Multiple duplex outlets can be added, each on its own 15-amp breaker in the circuit breaker panel.
    • A 220v outlet can also be added and is ideal for powering devices that require a lot of power.
  • Basic Rules of Thumb
    • 1 AC Unit: Needs its own 15-amp circuit with a dedicated duplex outlet.
    • A Dehumidifier + a Humidifier: Can share one new 15-amp circuit because they typically don’t run at the same time.
    • Under-Canopy Lighting: UnderCanopy Lighting, if more than a few lights will need its own 15-amp circuit.
    • Small Equipment: UVB lights, 6″ oscillating fans, water pumps, air pumps, ECS equipment, etc., are comprised of many items requiring small amounts of power and can often share one 15-amp circuit.
    • Water Chiller: Basically, an air conditioner for water, should be on its own new 15-amp duplex circuit.

Prepare the Grow Room for the Tent

Floor and Wall Protection

  • Tarp Barrier: Lay a heavy-duty tarp across the floor, extending ~4″ up each wall. Staple or secure the tarp to form a shallow basin as a last line of defense for spills.
  • Carpet on Top: Place a piece of scrap carpet over the tarp to protect it from punctures.

Leak Detection

  • Water Sensors: Use water sensors to be notified should there be a water leak. Place around the tent and near any reservoirs, air conditioners, condensate pumps or other sources of water.
  • Label Sensors: You can label each sensor in your smartphone application to identify its location. If you get an alert, you’ll instantly know where the leak is.

Windows and Fresh Air

  • Window Screening: Keep out insects and other pests.
  • Blinds or Curtains: For privacy and light-blocking.
  • Window Encasement: Build a simple wooden box around the window to accommodate 6–8″ intake duct(s) for your AC or to bring in cooler outdoor air.
  • Exhaust Options: If you only have one window, exhaust hot air into an attic or crawlspace to avoid reintroducing heat into the grow space.

Setting up the Grow Tent

Tent Assembly

  1. Frame: Assemble metal poles and connectors according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
  2. Canvas: Wrap the tent fabric around the frame and zip.
  3. Floor Tray: Most tents include a removable spill tray. Place it at the bottom to catch minor leaks.

Access to Power

  • Position the tent near the new or existing outlets so you don’t have to rely on long extension cords which are an electrical hazard.
  • Bundle cables to reduce clutter and tripping hazards.

Ventilation Ports

  • Modern tents have multiple adjustable vents. Plan your ducting runs for intake, exhaust, and any water related tubing.
  • You can add or enlarge duct holes with flanges if needed.

Installing the Hydroponic System

  1. Reservoir & Pumps: Position these inside or near the tent as recommended by your system’s design.
  2. Plumbing & Tubing: Carefully route and zip-tie hoses to prevent kinks or accidental disconnections.
  3. Leak Test: Fill the reservoir with plain water and run the system for 1–2 days, checking for leaks.

Water Control

Water Control includes reverse osmosis for purifying the water and storing the water for later use as well as maintaining daily water levels in the hydroponic system itself. It also includes the ability to completely flush the water from the system as well as refilling the system using the water held in the water storage tank. Information regarding how to connect to your home water and drainage system is also included below.

Setting Up the Reverse Osmosis (RO) System

  1. Connection to Shower Head:
    • Use a shower head diverter so you can easily switch between shower and RO feed.
    • Add a ½” NPT female to ¾” GHT male fitting to connect a garden hose to the diverter.
Hydrologic Stealth-RO300 Reverse Osmosis Filter
  1. Automated Water Valve:
    • A digital valve (e.g., Rachio Smart Hose Timer) can run on a schedule, producing RO water for a set time each day.
  2. Route to Storage Tank:
    • Send clean RO water to a storage tank for later use.
    • Install a simple float valve in the storage tank to stop filling once full.
Hydrologic Stealth-RO300 Reverse Osmosis Filter

Installing the Water Storage Tank

  • Float Valve: Prevents overfilling regardless of how long the water source remains open.
  • Location: Keep it in an accessible spot—this is where you’ll tap into fresh water for your hydro system or humidifiers.

Setting Up the Automatic Water Top Off

  • Connect a top-off module from your water storage tank to the hydro reservoir.
  • This automatically maintains water levels, reducing manual checks.

Setting Up the Flush and Drain System

  • Install a flush/drain module (often just a pump and hose connection) to empty or flush your hydro system easily.
  • Attach a standard garden hose or tubing for quick disposal of old nutrient solution.
  • You can drain the Current Culture RDWC Hydroponic System but if you need to pump the water even slightly upwards in order to reach the drain you will need this Pump Out Drain Option shown in Grow Tent Planning Guide – Phase 1.

Installing Lighting, Ventilation, and Fans

Lighting

  • Hanging: Secure lights from tent ceiling bars using Adjustable Ropes.
  • Reinforcement: If using heavy fixtures, consider adding extra support.

Ventilation

Ducting is required to bring air in and out of the tent for Air conditioners, ducted and cooled HID lights, etc. You can find ducting, including back draft dampers, Y-splitters, etc. at Grow Ace.

You can also use it to bring cold air from outside into the room itself to lower the air surrounding the tent which can take a load off the air conditioners and do a great deal for lowering the temperatures inside of the tent. I use one of these AC Infinity Inline Filter Boxes (shown below) to clean the air from outside before discharging into the room.

Oscillating Fans

You should plan on getting one 6″ oscillating fan for every plant so that you have sufficient air flow once your colas are large and dense. Because you need so many fans and because they break quite often, I recommend getting the cheapest ones you can find. This Vivosun 6″ Oscillating Fan is only $26 dollars.

I use a 16″ Oscillating Fan (shown below) to push air at the top of the tent back toward the air conditioner units.

Installing the TrolMaster HCS-1 Controller, Sensors, and Device Stations

  1. Plan the Layout: Decide where devices (fans, pumps, AC, etc.) will physically reside before starting out.
  2. Add Devices One by One: Avoid wiring everything at once and tying down. Label and test each new device or sensor system individually.
  3. Wire Management: Use zip ties to keep cables organized and pieces of white duct tape to attach labels where it makes sense.
  4. Sensor Placement: Hang sensors at the canopy’s height and maintain for accurate temperature/humidity/CO2 readings.
  5. Automation & CO2: Once everything is stable, incorporate CO2 injection or other advanced options from the Grow Tent Planning Guide – Phase 2.

Trellis Netting

First Level

Trellis netting is essential for supporting and shaping your plants in a grow tent. By weaving stems under or through the net, you can spread out the canopy for optimal light exposure and prevent plants from growing too tall too quickly. Remember that most cannabis plants double in height once you switch to a 12/12 flowering light cycle—an 18-inch plant can easily reach around 36 inches in just a couple of weeks.

Why Trellis Netting Matters:

  • Maximizes Light Distribution: Spreading branches under the net ensures each bud site gets as much light as possible.
  • Controls Height: Proper trellising prevents plants from growing into the “heat zone” near the lights, which can lead to airy, “fluffy” buds.
  • Supports Heavy Colas: Heavier blooms are less likely to bend or break when secured to a sturdy trellis, especially if you’re using CO₂ and pushing plants for larger yields.
AC Infinity 5×5 Trellis Net
  1. Placement: Always use at least one Trellis Net level in your grow tent. You can combine more than one trellis net for covering a larger canopy area. Use one or more 5×5 Trellis Net(s) like this one from AC Infinity for $14.99 about 1 to 1½ feet above your hydroponic bucket lids.
  2. Purpose: This early-level trellis shapes the plants and provides some space to widen out the canopy during their initial stretch during the first few weeks of flower.
  3. Secure the Net: Use zip ties to firmly fix any Trellis Net to your tent’s vertical corner poles. This prevents the net from shifting or worse yet – popping loose—an event that could “whiplash” to your plants.

Second Level (Optional – Only if planning to use installation of co2 detailed in Grow Tent Planning- Phase 2)

PotLabs 5×5 Trellis Net
  1. When to Add: If you plan on adding CO₂ (see Phase 2), know that plants may stretch more than double—some colas could easily triple their starting height within a month of flowering.
  2. Heavier-Duty Netting: A sturdier trellis kit like this 5×5 Trellis Net from PotLabs – $79.99 includes metal pole side supports can help keep your tent walls from collapsing inward when the air conditioner cycles on sucking the sides of your grow tent in on your beautiful buds.
  3. Placement: Typically, the second trellis only required when using co2 in your grow tent. This second net is placed at a height of 3 to 3½ feet above the top of your hydroponic bucket lids.
  4. Extra Support: This upper layer provides added stability for heavy CO₂-driven colas, preventing them from bending or snapping in two.
  5. Secure Again: As before, use zip ties to firmly fix any Trellis Net that you are using to the corner poles of your grow tent, reducing the risk of sudden slack or collapse. Buy an assorted size pack of 2000 zip ties (4”+6”+8”+12”) for $26.09 so you have the size zip tie you need available and for all your zip tie needs.

Testing

Incremental Testing: Test each major component (lights, ventilation, pumps) as you install it.

Simulate Day/Night Cycles: Let the system run for several days, monitoring temperature, humidity, and any potential leaks.

Final Checks: If everything remains stable—no leaks, consistent environment—you’re ready to start growing!

Next > Grow Tent Maintenance Guide